Davenport Institute

Research Reports

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Common Paths: Connecting Metropolitan Inner City Opportunities

Thomas Tseng

May 1999

II. INTRODUCTION

At the threshold of the twenty-first century, metropolitan regions across the United States continue to face the persistent challenges presented by the "inner city." Since the early anti-poverty programs of the 1930s, improving the conditions of distressed urban communities has long been the preoccupation of policy-makers, legislators, urban scholars, and urban planners. An abundance of federal urban revitalization programs have been launched since that period, yet the historical evidence suggests, at best, mixed achievements and only modest degrees of success.

Among all major metropolitan areas across the nation, none face urban challenges quite like Los Angeles. After suffering through one of the worst civil disturbances in history, following the acquittal of four LAPD officers charged with the beating of Rodney King, Los Angeles is moving forward with the considerable task of revitalizing the social, economic, and physical conditions of its economically neglected communities. These challenges are particularly acute in South Central Los Angeles, focal point of the April 1992 civil unrest and where the 1965 Watts riots also ensued thirty years earlier.

As part of a vast, sprawling metropolitan landscape characterized by social, cultural, and economic fragmentation, South Los Angeles faces a unique, complex set of challenges. Yet, in large part due to immigration and a vital entrepreneurial environment, South LA also enjoys powerful and unique assets.

Despite considerable obstacles, there are strong indications that these strengths are stimulating a considerable renewal. Compared to most inner cities around the country, South Los Angeles possesses significant economic vitality and opportunity. Although serious problems afflict the area, negative perceptions far too often obscure the social and economic realities.

As urban renewal strategies continue to evolve, the focus of inner-city revitalization must look beyond damaging misperceptions to uncovering and strengthening the real assets that sustain urban communities like South LA. These assets must be nurtured, developed, and connected to broader regional support for rebuilding initiatives to be successful. Furthermore, the economic revitalization of the inner city can no longer be detached from its metropolitan and regional context. In the coming years, the renewal of LA's urban communities will rely on innovative collaborative partnerships, fresh ways of thinking and planning, and a holistic approach that firmly connects inner-city concerns with the vision of the broader region.