Urban Redevelopment Plans and Policies

Urban Redevelopment Plans and Policies

Introduction

According to Susan Fainstein, urban redevelopment plans as well as policies must focus on the achievement of just outcomes. This is through utilization of an activist social movement and mobilization of popular affordable houses. In addition, the plans and policies should also focus on improvement of living wages and equitable health as social services. Firms who obtain subsidies in relation to their redevelopment investment plans and policies should implement these development aspects within the cities. Moreover, these movements might operate under the umbrella of the Right to the City campaign for effectiveness and efficiency in service delivery. The main objective of this research is to evaluate the key components of Susan’s argument in relation to policies and plans of city redevelopment.

This is through identifying a Right to the City movement and analyzing their practices towards promotion of the three principles for a just urban policy. These principles relate to diversity, equity, and democracy. Other components of this research will include integration of Scott Sernau’s definition of a social movement and inter-sectionality. Moreover, the research will analyze practices of social movements in relation to discussed concepts. These concepts will include Macedo’s critique of “American Localism”, King’s insistence on “Public Reason”, Kohn’s notion of “Progressive Public Space” and Fainstein’s “Periodization of Redevelopment Plans.”

Overview of Susan Fainstein in Redevelopment Plans and Policies

Diversity is the new orthodox of city redevelopment plans and policies. Diversity has several meanings in relation to mixes of uses, extended public realm, varied physical design, and multiple social groupings with reference to their ‘right to the city. The impetus of diversity relates to postmodernist critique of the modernism’s master narrative with reference to generation of landscape by urban redevelopments, increased housing projects, segregation, and significant highway building programs. Prioritization of diversity raises significant issues concerning the development of a just city in the modern and post-modern worlds. According to Fainstein, just city should focus on integration of the recognition of inventible trade-offs with reference to equity, diversity, democracy, and sustainability.

Fainstein questions the ability of the noble goals of democracy, equity, and equity in driving the development of city plans and policies in her book, The Just City. These are the key principles of city plans and polices towards the achievement of a just city. According to Fainstein, there is need to shift the conversation within discussions about public and planning policy with reference to the urban areas’ character. In addition, it is ideal to reduce focus on the dominant processes in the context of planning theory. This is an indication that practitioners should redirect their obsession with economic development towards addressing concerns of social equity.

In her argument, there is no need to focus on the theory of a good city focusing on the conditions for human flourishing as the main goals of realization of an effective city. Instead, Fainstein incorporates three principles: diversity, equity, and democracy in the development of a just city. These principles are critical in development as well as evaluation of the public policy at metropolitan level. City development and redevelopment plans should focus on the adoption and implementation of her urban theory of justice. From this analysis, city development plans and policies should focus on their level of contribution to democracy, diversity, and equity. This is an illustration of the urban justice with reference to the policies and plans for redevelopment of the cities across the globe. The objective of the city planners and developers as well as local city officials should be the development of a just city with the aim of incorporating equity, democracy, and diversity.

Right to the City (RTTC)

Right to the City was developed in 2007 aiming to limit displacement of the low-income persons, people of different colour, youths of colour, and disadvantaged LGBTQ communities from their historic urban neighbourhoods. The organization operates as a national alliance of racial, economic, and environmental justice institutions. In order to achieve this objective, the organization operates on shared principles as well as common framework and theory of change. This is vital towards development of a national movement for racial justice, urban justice, democracy, and human rights. The main aim of the organization is to generate regional as well as national implications in the context of housing, urban land, community development, civic engagement, and criminal justice.

Right to the City developed out of the desire as well as need by organizers and allies within the United States to have an effective and stronger movement towards realization of urban justice. In addition, the movement was born out of the power idea for the development of urban politics with the aim of addressing the needs and preferences of all persons. These individuals had the right to design the city, right to shape it, and execution of an urban human rights agenda.

The right to the city is built on various platforms aiming towards the achievement of just cities across the United States. The first platform is the land for people vs. Land for speculation. This aims at achieving the right to land as well as housing free from market speculation thus serving the interests of the community members and development. In addition, the land should produce sustainable economies, and cultural or political space. The movement is also based on the land ownership aspect. This relates to the right to permanent ownership of land or urban territories by individuals for the public utilization. There is also need to exploit economic justice as one of the pillars of operations for the achievement of urban justice. This is through adoption of the right of working class communities of colour, transgender persons, and women towards development of an economy with the interests of inhabitants at heart.

There is also the concept of indigenous justice. This relates to the ability of the development plans to accord individuals their right to ancestral lands with minimal focus on the urban and rural settings as well as state borders. The right to the city movement also focuses on the promotion of environmental justice. This indicates that the cities should focus on the development of sustainable and healthy neighbourhoods as well as workplaces and quality healthcare while promoting activities towards environmental sustainability and protection.

The movement also focuses on integration of the rural justice platform. This is to ensure that the rural people are economically healthy as well as stable in the pursuit of their goals while protecting themselves from environmental degradation and economic pressure. These might emanate from the force of migration to the context of urban areas. The right to the city movement also promotes the essence of internationalism. This is through generation of the right to build and support solidarity among cities across the national boundaries with minimum influence of the state intervention (Bauman, p. 108). There is also the element of reparations indicating that working class communities of colour have the right to economic reciprocity as well as restoration from all local, transnational, and national institutions exploiting local economy. There is also need to enhance democracy as well as participation in the development and redevelopment of the cities. Community members have the ability and capacity in relation to their rights to participate in decision-making and control relevant issues in relation to planning and governance.

This is an illustration of the essence of democracy as well as participation towards realization of the collective goals and objectives. The right to the city movement focuses on promotion of freedom from state and police harassment. This is through provision of equal rights and protection in the context of safe neighbourhoods. Finally, the movement focuses on promotion of the immigrant justice. This ensures that the immigrant have equal access to public services, housing, and employment opportunities regardless of the immigration status, ethnicity, and race as well as minimum threat of deportation by landlords and employers. This vital overview of the right to the city movement contributes to understanding of the operations of member organizations in the next section of this research paper (Redevelopment That Works, p. 29).

Right to the City Movement: Picture the Homeless (Organizing for Justice and Respect)

According to Scott Sernau, social movements refer to groups, entities, or institutions aiming to eliminate social inequality, injustice, and exploitation. These groups aim at achieving specific goals for the promotion of diversity, democracy, and equality in social, economic, environmental, and political spheres within the society. On the other hand, he defines inter-sectionality as the complex of reciprocal attachments polarizing conflicts with the ability to confront both individuals and movements. This occurs in attempts to seek navigation among the raced, gendered, and class-based dimensions of the social and political life. Picture the Homeless is one of the movements in relation to the right to the city. This social movement is based in New York aiming to promote the achievement of the three vital principles in the development of cities: democracy, diversity, and equality (McEwan, p. 25).

Picture the Homeless comes out as a grassroots organization developed and managed by the homeless people. The organization organizes towards handling of the social justice issues in the form of housing, police violence, and complexity in relation to shelter and industrial elements in the context of New York.

The main objective of the organization is to tackle diverse image issues, stigma, and media representation or misrepresentation. In addition, the organization focuses on adoption and implementation of an alternative vision of the community. The underlying principle in the development of this organization is to enhance organization of the individuals who are homeless towards elimination of homelessness. The organization has been essential in developing leadership among the homeless persons. This is vital towards influencing substantive policies and plans as well as systems affecting the lives of homeless people. Moreover, the efforts of the organization have been vital in generation of adequate space for the homeless people and their agenda within the broader social justice movement.

It is ideal to note that organization is a citywide, bilingual, multicultural organization within the ability to accommodate homeless people living in shelters and across the streets as well as other public places. The organization or social movement offers services to broader population because of the ability of homelessness to cut across all boundaries. These include ethnicity, culture, family composition, gender, sexual orientation, age, and language. It is ideal to note that most of the people in the New York shelter system are Black and Latino. In addition, most members of this group in New York are women as well as children.

Picture the Homeless social movement focuses on the achievement of the three principles in relation to democracy, diversity, and equality among the city dwellers in the context of New York. For instance, Picture the Homeless focuses on the promotion of democracy. This is through facilitating participation of the homeless society members on the development of policies, systems, and plans affecting them in minimization of the concept of homelessness. In addition, the organization promotes leadership involvement by the homeless people in the context of New York City as an illustration of the role of the social movement towards the achievement of democratic and just city in the United States.

Picture the Homeless as a social movement focuses on the achievement of equality among different city dwellers. These include equal rights to housing, shelters, infrastructure, and public services regardless of the age, gender, ethnicity, and race. There is also need to eliminate the essence of homelessness in the United States through promotion of equality rights across the New York City. Other element of equality under the influence of this social group is promotion of equal treatment and protection of the city dwellers by the government and its agencies such as the police. In addition, the movement seeks to generate a safe neighbourhood in the United States aiming to enhance equal employment opportunities and accessibility to vital resources regardless of age, gender, immigration status, and race of the individuals pursuing such goals.

Picture the Homeless social movement in the New York City focuses on promotion of diversity in its operations as well as activities aiming to develop or generate just city. This is through adoption and implementation of essential programs cutting across various borders such as race, age, income, ethnicity, immigration status, and personal achievement. This is because the concept of homelessness affects different society members hence the need to adopt and implement competitive plans and approaches towards accommodating different needs of the city dwellers. In addition, the social movement seeks to engage in diverse activities such as housing, environmental protection, security, health issues and programs, and accessibility to public services by its members. This is an illustration of flexibility and diversity towards the achievement of the goals and objectives of the social movements.

Picture the Homeless social movement aims at development of a just city in the context of the United States. This is vital for the growth and development of all members of the city as individuals seek to pursue diverse development goals and objectives. From the above analysis, it is ideal to note that this social members as an affiliate of the right to the city movement focuses on the promotion of equality in relation to inter-sectionality. The movement also incorporates the three critical principles in accordance with Fainstein’s illustration of a just city. It is essential to note that the organization has achieved highly in relation to the three principles: democracy, diversity, and equality. Picture the Homeless has been vital towards enhancing the living conditions and participation of the homeless persons in the development plans towards generation of a just city with reference to New York City. This is an indication that all society members should participate in the development of plans as well as policies affecting their well-being.

Practices of Social Movements

As identified in the earlier discussion, social movements focus on the achievement of collective goals regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, and race. This approach aims at elimination of social injustices as well as inequality in major cities of the United States. There are various social movements in the United States draw various attention and critiques from diverse quotas. This is because of the influence of diversity in relation to public opinions on the concept of development as well as social injustice and inequality in the United States. In this section of the research, the focus will be on analysis of the practices of social movements under the influence of critical arguments.

These arguments will include Macedo’s critique of “American Localism”, King’s insistence on “Public Reason”, Kohn’s notion of “Progressive Public Space” and Fainstein’s “Periodization of Redevelopment Plans. The main objective of this analysis is to understand various elements and components in relation to actions and activities of the social movements towards realization of collective goals and targets. Social movements aim at achieving collective goals and targets for the benefit of the society members with reference to environmental, economic, political, and social spheres within the society. This will be critically highlighted in this section of the research.

Macedo’s critique of “American Localism”

Macedo focuses on the examination of the influence of the local politics on the class as well as mobility and function with the aim of reproducing existing divisions and relevant opportunities. According to him, it is essential to understand why intergenerational mobility might not be as common in the United States as some might believe. In addition, it is vital to examine the local property laws in the form of zoning laws, public financing, and local development decisions. The private market-based choices as well as property laws and local political institutions separate people by class as well as race in the context of the United States. These aspects also contribute towards shaping our locations for living, learning institutions, and prospects for economic mobility and success (Abramson,, p. 236).

Local communities have the opportunity and capacity to exercise control and democracy in the development and redevelopment of local housing. The role of the local communities relates to specification of the minimum lots sizes for the respective homes. This is because of the ability of the approach to protect and preserve the image and character of the community. In certain conditions, this concept is always referred to as the green space. Macedo indicates that adoption of property laws in the United States makes it impossible for the generation or creation of affordable housing. This locks out low-income residents and cements class divisions (Cavicchi, p. 756).

Macedo also focuses on examination of the public financing and its effects or implications on housing prices as well as accessibility of quality schooling in the context of the United States. According to Macedo, social justice should be vital and central towards definition of success in metropolitan areas in the United States. Social justice includes lessons on the incorporation of equity principles with reference to planning, political leadership, and redevelopment approaches.

These arguments are in line with Fainstein’s demonstration of the concept of a just city. Macedo process the element of democracy thus enabling community members to take massive responsibility towards development of major cities. The development of the cities should focus on limitation of social inequality. This is because of the need to adopt and implement an inclusive development plan and policies in the context of the United. According to Macedo, there is need to revise the city development plans and policies to include diverse needs and preferences of the community members. This relates to the concept of diversity in the development of city plans and policies without locking out low-income earners as well as other marginalized groups within the city (Book Reviews, p. 98).

Plans and policies in the development of the cities should focus on reduction of social inequality. This is through elimination of races, ethnicity, age, and gender factors that might prevent quality living conditions for all society members in the major cities of the United States. From this analysis, it is ideal to note that Macedo attempts to adopt a just city through modification of policies that hinder realization of equality in the major cities such as New York. The main objective towards elimination of the problem is transformation of policies creating inequality under the influence of age, gender, race, and ethnicity. It is ideal to note that social movements focus on the achievement of social equality among city dwellers regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, and race. This is through promotion of leadership activities as well as participation of the community members in making decisions about factors affecting them especially on the development of cities.

King’s insistence on “Public Reason”

The public reason liberalism emanates from its insistence that only public reasons are essential in justification of coercion. This is an indication that justification of coercion in relation to the public reason liberalism requires engagement of individuals in the public justification. It is ideal to note that public reason liberalism is the one of the most dominant brands of liberal political theory ion today’s evaluations. This is because of the role of key personalities such as Stephen Macedo, Scanlon, Gaus, and Charles Larmore. According to King, there is need to determine what public reasons means to be public in order to execute public justification by means of public means. For instance, in order for a reason to be public, it must promote some crucial epistemic property such as accessible, intelligible, and shareable components. The most important component of public reason is accessibility of individuals to resources regardless of age, gender, race, and ethnicity. It is ideal to note that accessibility is vital in the determination of accessible and inaccessible reasons to the society members. This concept is vital in illustration of the role and practice of social movements towards the generation of accurate and just cities (Turner et al., 1186).

Policies, plans, and public services in the context of major cities in the United States should be accessible to the city dwellers. This is because of the need to adopt and implement accurate policies inclusive of diversity in the cities. The policies and plans should be objective with the aim of accommodating all groups and institutions within the city. The public reason in this context should be the role of the planners as well as designers in addressing social and environmental needs of the inhabitants. This is vital towards realization of social equality as well as improved participation of the group members on the crucial matters pertaining to their interests.

In addition, accessibility to decision-making by the city dwellers is a critical approach towards justification of the public reason. Social movements should focus on the justification of the public reasons in relation to development of the cities. This is through development and implementation of social equality policies and plans for improved effectiveness and efficiency in the service delivery as well as housing structures for the city dwellers. It is vital for the social movements to promote the interests of the local communities regardless of age, gender, race, and ethnicity.

Finally, justification of the public reason should incorporate the three principles towards realization of a just city. These principles include democracy, diversity, and equality in relation to the development of policies and plans for the cities. Local communities should participate in the development of their city. This is because of the need to exploit and maximize available opportunities regardless of age, gender, and race as well as ethnicity as immigration status of an individual in the context of the United States. This will improve the ability of the city to accommodate diverse groups and individuals thus bridging the gap between the rich and poor or the advantaged and marginalized groups across the cities in the United States.

Kohn’s notion of “Progressive Public Space”

According to Kohn, failure to accommodate or include other voices in the development or a narration is vital towards generation of a single story. The generation of a single story indicates that people come out as a single entity repeatedly. In addition, individuals are vulnerable to seeing others in the perspective of a single story illustrating their narration. It is vital to note that power is essential in the development of a single story. This is because of the essence of power in the generation of inequalities among members of the society. In most cases, power makes other people to be viewed as more powerful and greater than others. This contributes to the generation of stereotypes, which might not be false, but are incomplete.

Stereotypes only contribute to the narration of one aspect of the story while neglecting other elements or issues in relation to the main story. This concept is vital in illustration of the number of issues affecting the development of just cities in the context of the United States. As indicated in the above discussion, just city relates to the ability of the location to accommodate the three principles: democracy, equality, and diversity. Kohn focuses on the need for adoption and implementation of an inclusive approach in the development of the city. This is vital towards generation of an accurate picture of the justice levels in the cities. The approach relates to political, environmental, economic, and social equality among the city dwellers regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, and race.

In the context of New York, various groups need to contribute in the development of the city as well as decision-making process. According to the above discussion, Picture the Homeless is substantial in illustration of this concept with the aim of eliminating essence of stereotypes. This is an expression of the essence of democracy towards addressing social injustices with references to policies and planning techniques in the development of the cities. It is also vital to note that the approach focuses on the adoption and implementation of an inclusive approach regardless of age, gender, and race as well as immigration status of the city dwellers in the United States. The approach relates to the practices of the social movements such as Picture the Homeless movement in the context of New York City. In addition, Kohn’s argument could be applicable in illustration of the roles of social movements towards overcoming stereotypes and social injustices. Just cities in the United States would be vital towards narrating the whole aspect of the story rather than generation of incomplete stereotypes affecting the operations of the city dwellers.

From this analysis, it is vital to note that social movements aim at providing substantive role and involvement to the local communities in the development of the city. Moreover, social movements focus on elimination of the levels of injustices emanating from the immigration status as well as age and gender. This is vital towards generation of vibrant and just cities with elements of accessibility, equality, democracy, and diversity in the distribution of key resources. These resources include housing, public services, health, education, employment opportunities, and other relevant infrastructures. It is vital to note that the organizations seek to offer voice to the marginalized society members or city dwellers with reference to accessibility to information and decision-making activities.

Fainstein’s “Periodization of Redevelopment Plans

Fainstein also contributes to understanding of the creation of a just city through her arguments in the periodization of redevelopment plans. As mentioned in the above discussion, Fainstein notes that a just city should focus on incorporation of the needs and demands of the diverse communities and individuals in the form of city dwellers. In this article, she argues that various forces are vital in shaping redevelopment policy of the United States (Keating et al., p. 136). According to her, it is nearly six decades since the policy underwent any radical transformation in relation to funding, administration, justifications, and composition of redevelopment coalitions. In addition, she notes that separation of the social components and physical attributes in relation to redevelopment plans has changed little. Fainstein also notes that the distribution of benefits has been to the advantage of the developers as well as business owners regardless of the alleged aims and targets of the programs.

Despite of the fact that redevelopment programs have been essential in reviving the previously declining urban centres, these programs have been ineffective towards realization of greater justice in the context of metropolitan areas or cities (Gladstone et al., p. 23). Fainstein indicates that some of the factors limit the effectiveness of redevelopment plans and policies towards realization of the goals and targets. Some of these factors include political pressure, changes in urban and national regimes, restructuring of the economy, changing demographics, and ideological currents. She also notes the existence of a relationship between social injustice and spatial in the development of redevelopment of cities. According to Fainstein, equity, diversity, and democracy are essential towards finding an effective solution to govern urban redevelopment. This indicates that the redevelopment plans and policies should focus on incorporation of the three critical principles towards development of just cities.

These arguments are vital in understanding practices as well as roles of the social movements towards the achievement of the just cities in the United States. For instance, Picture the Homeless social movement focuses on enhancing the ability of its members in participation of the redevelopment of urban cities. This is because of the need for the cities to accommodate age, gender, and race factors in housing and urban services. This is an indication that social movements seek to adopt policies and plans promoting social equality while neglecting the ones that limits realization of equality and just cities. From the analysis, it is essential to note that the three principles are vital to transformation and redevelopment of the cities in the United States as well as other areas across the globe. Redevelopment plan should incorporate democracy, equality, and diversity factors.

Conclusion

According to Susan Fainstein, urban redevelopment plans as well as policies must focus on the achievement of just outcomes. The plans and policies should also focus on improvement of living wages and equitable health as social services. The main objective of this research was to evaluate the key components of Susan’s argument in relation to policies and plans of city redevelopment. This has been achieved through evaluation of the right to the city social movements and pictures the homeless as an example of such institutions. It is essential to conclude that democracy, diversity, and equality are main components of urban redevelopment policies in the United States.

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