Effects of Regional Effects of Regional Housing Dynamics on Housing Dynamics on
Older SuburbsOlder SuburbsThomas BierThomas Bier
Center for Housing Research and PolicyCenter for Housing Research and Policy
Cleveland State UniversityCleveland State University
American Planning Association
“Tuesdays at APA”May 8, 2007
The same dynamics that undermined The same dynamics that undermined cities cities
have begun to undermine suburbshave begun to undermine suburbs(It was only a matter of time)(It was only a matter of time)
Emergence of suburban decline in the Emergence of suburban decline in the 1990s1990s
Lucy and Phillips. 2000. Lucy and Phillips. 2000. Confronting Suburban DeclineConfronting Suburban Decline
Puentes and Orfield. 2002. Puentes and Orfield. 2002. Valuing America’s First Valuing America’s First Suburbs: Suburbs:
A Policy Agenda for Older Suburbs in the MidwestA Policy Agenda for Older Suburbs in the Midwest
Hudnut. 2003. Hudnut. 2003. Halfway to Everywhere: A Portrait of Halfway to Everywhere: A Portrait of America’s First-Tier SuburbsAmerica’s First-Tier Suburbs
Puentes and Warren. 2006. Puentes and Warren. 2006. One-Fifth of America: One-Fifth of America:
A Comprehensive Guide to America’s First SuburbsA Comprehensive Guide to America’s First Suburbs
CoalitionsCoalitions
Chicago: South Suburban Mayors and Managers Chicago: South Suburban Mayors and Managers AssociationAssociation
Detroit: Michigan Suburbs AllianceDetroit: Michigan Suburbs Alliance Kansas City: First Suburbs CoalitionKansas City: First Suburbs Coalition Minneapolis: North Metro Mayors AssociationMinneapolis: North Metro Mayors Association Virginia First Cities CoalitionVirginia First Cities Coalition Wisconsin Alliance of CitiesWisconsin Alliance of Cities National League of Cities’ First-Tier Suburbs CouncilNational League of Cities’ First-Tier Suburbs Council Ohio First Suburbs ConsortiumOhio First Suburbs Consortium
First Suburbs Consortium of Northeast First Suburbs Consortium of Northeast OhioOhio
First meeting 1996, 3 suburbs; now 17First meeting 1996, 3 suburbs; now 17 Suburbs adjacent to or near the city of ClevelandSuburbs adjacent to or near the city of Cleveland Range in population from 600 to 85,000 – total Range in population from 600 to 85,000 – total
488,000 (35% of county)488,000 (35% of county)
Linndale
ChagrinFallsTwp
Brooklyn
ParmaHts
NorthRoyalton
BroadviewHts
EastCleveland
Richmond Hts
Highland Hts
Mayfield Hts
GatesMills
Pepper Pike
Hunting Valley
ChagrinFalls.
MorelandHills
HighlandHills
NorthRandall
Orange
Valley ViewSeven
Hills
BrooklynHts
Cuyahoga Hts
NewburghHts
MiddleburgHts
OlmstedFalls
RockyRiver
Bay Village
Walton HillsGlenwillow
Oakwood
Beachwood
Lyndhurst
Bratenahl
Independence
Strongsville
BereaOlmsted Twp
North Olmsted
Westlake
Cleveland
Mayfield
Bentleyville
Solon
Brecksville
Lakewood
SouthEuclid
ShakerHts
University Hts
ClevelandHts
Warrensville Hts
BedfordHts
MapleHts
GarfieldHts
BrookPark
FairviewPark
BedfordParma
EuclidFirst Suburbs ConsortiumCuyahoga County, Ohio
First Suburbs relative to rest of county’s suburbsFirst Suburbs relative to rest of county’s suburbs
Older housing (median 60 years) and lower value (35% Older housing (median 60 years) and lower value (35% lower)lower) Built-outBuilt-out DenseDense DeterioratingDeteriorating Declining populationDeclining population More minoritiesMore minorities More foreclosuresMore foreclosures Lower income (25% lower)Lower income (25% lower) Less tax-base growthLess tax-base growth
Goal of First Suburbs: change public Goal of First Suburbs: change public policies topolicies to Invest in older communitiesInvest in older communities Revitalize traditional neighborhoods and tax baseRevitalize traditional neighborhoods and tax base Enhance quality of life and economic stabilityEnhance quality of life and economic stability Preserve farmland and open spacePreserve farmland and open space Protect the environment Protect the environment
Activities – “Inside game/Outside game” Activities – “Inside game/Outside game” (Rusk)(Rusk)
Inside gameInside game New housingNew housing
Activities – “Inside Game/Outside Game” Activities – “Inside Game/Outside Game” (Rusk)(Rusk)
Inside GameInside Game New housingNew housing Commercial revitalizationCommercial revitalization
Activities – “Inside Game/Outside Game” Activities – “Inside Game/Outside Game” (Rusk)(Rusk)
Inside GameInside Game New housingNew housing Commercial revitalizationCommercial revitalization Code enforcement Code enforcement Nuisance abatement Nuisance abatement CooperationCooperation
Juvenile CourtJuvenile Court Anti-poaching agreementsAnti-poaching agreements Tax sharingTax sharing Joint purchasingJoint purchasing Joint safety servicesJoint safety services
But the Inside Game is not enough. First But the Inside Game is not enough. First Suburbs lack resources to succeed on their Suburbs lack resources to succeed on their own. They need an Outside Game to engage own. They need an Outside Game to engage other jurisdictions and state government in other jurisdictions and state government in solutionssolutions
Outside gameOutside game Can’t be just a Cleveland-area thingCan’t be just a Cleveland-area thing Ohio First Suburbs Consortium (Ohio First Suburbs Consortium (
www.firstsuburbs.orgwww.firstsuburbs.org)) Suburbs of Cincinnati, Columbus, DaytonSuburbs of Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton
Regional DynamicsRegional Dynamics
The same dynamics that undermined citiesThe same dynamics that undermined citieshave begun to undermine suburbshave begun to undermine suburbs
((It was only a matter of timeIt was only a matter of time))
Economic success drives development and Economic success drives development and movement movement
Most moves are up to higher-value real estateMost moves are up to higher-value real estate Most new real estate is built at region’s edge; thus Most new real estate is built at region’s edge; thus
most “up” options are farther outmost “up” options are farther out Old buildings lose market appeal, become Old buildings lose market appeal, become
obsolete, lose value, are abandonedobsolete, lose value, are abandoned Decline spreads – eventually to suburbsDecline spreads – eventually to suburbs Policy reinforcesPolicy reinforces
Regional Housing DynamicsRegional Housing Dynamics
BuildingsBuildings NewNew Mostly “Out” Mostly “Out”
AbandonedAbandoned Mostly “In”Mostly “In”
MovementMovement High ValueHigh Value Mostly “Out” Mostly “Out”
Low ValueLow Value Mostly “In”Mostly “In”
Policy
Supports new out
Ignores middle
Feds target low/mod slum and blight Home Rule: you’re on your own
As a society, we treat buildings the same way we treat cars and refrigerators: build them, use them, use the life out of them – then junk them. Buildings, neighborhoods and cities are just as expendable as cars and refrigerators. It just takes longer.
What is our society’s advice to people in old places that are weakening, deteriorating? “Move, get out, move to a better place.” Most of those who can, do.
Decline and abandonment are inevitable Decline and abandonment are inevitable when regional new housing exceeds when regional new housing exceeds
household growthhousehold growth
Relationship Between Regional New Housing and Household Growth,
1990-2000
BuffaloPittsburghSt. LouisDetroitClevelandBaltimoreColumbusChicagoPortlandOaklandPhoenixBoston
RATIO: NEW TO HOUSEHOLDS*
3.92.91.71.51.51.31.11.01.00.90.90.9
CITY HOUSEHOLD
CHANGE -10.1%
-6.3 -10.8 -10.1 -4.6 -6.7 17.3 3.6 19.5 4.3 25.9 4.8
CITY NEW% OF AREA
7.8%3.21.72.04.51.6
40.69.5
11.95.7
24.82.8
*Ratio of regional housing building permits to regional household growth
Suburban decline raises fundamental Suburban decline raises fundamental issuesissues
(What’s supposed to happen when a place gets (What’s supposed to happen when a place gets old?)old?)
Home RuleHome Rule: Old places are singularly responsible : Old places are singularly responsible for their condition (society hails moving from old for their condition (society hails moving from old to new but not assisting old to renew)to new but not assisting old to renew)
Free marketFree market: Don’t intrude : Don’t intrude PlanningPlanning: Local, fine; regional, no: Local, fine; regional, no
For big cities and small suburbs, solutions For big cities and small suburbs, solutions requirerequire
Shared responsibility for all placesShared responsibility for all places Market intrusion (when construction exceeds growth): Market intrusion (when construction exceeds growth):
growth management and/or regional tax sharinggrowth management and/or regional tax sharing Regional planningRegional planning
But such solutions are “un-American” – they go against “property rights”, “the free market”, “survival of the fittest”, “local control”
Suburban decline is “good” news: Suburban decline is “good” news: creates pressure for fundamental creates pressure for fundamental
policy change;policy change;decline (and angst) will not go awaydecline (and angst) will not go away
Small, “powerless” suburbs are likely to organize Small, “powerless” suburbs are likely to organize coalitions and to recognize how existing policies coalitions and to recognize how existing policies undermine them; big cities think “We can turn this undermine them; big cities think “We can turn this around” around”
Mayors see government cooperation as salvation
They're promoting new roles for county
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Thomas Ott Plain Dealer Reporter
Fearing that the region is on the brink of disaster, nine suburban mayors will push for a new form of Cuyahoga County government that they say could save money and respond faster to the county's economic problems.
It was only a matter of time