Our Cities are Home to Great Diversity
by William Harris

Our cities are home to great diversity. But too often our cities have failed. What are we to do, planning commissioners? asks Professor (and former planning commission chair) William M. Harris.

Our cities are centers of culture.
Our cities are centers of financial and corporate business.
Our cities are centers of intellectual institutions and technical invention.
Our cities are home to great diversity.

But our cities have another side.

Too often our cities have high crime rates that excite residents to leave.
Too often our cities are home to dilapidated housing and serious crowding.
Too often our cities are sinks for decaying infrastructure
(without adequate funding for repairs).
Too often our cities have failed public school systems
(that cheat youth of the opportunity to develop into good citizens).

What are we to do, planning commissioners?

The vision is clear.
The tactics more difficult.

The vision: combine the talents and resources
of inner city and suburb.
We need each other,
whether we are bold enough to admit it
or to live with it.
...

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