THE “ENTREPRENEURIAL STATE” IN “CREATIVE INDUSTRY CLUSTER” DEVELOPMENT IN SHANGHAI

ABSTRACT: Literature on China's urban development discusses the nature and role of the local state. A set of concepts have been proposed, such as the “entrepreneurial state” (ES) and “local developmental state,” and an ongoing debate attempts to ascertain whether the state is “entrepreneurial” in nature. This article uses a newly emerged urban phenomenon, chuangyi chanye jiju qu (CCJQs) or “creative industry clusters,” in which the central government is not involved, to explore the nature of local governments, their role in urban development, and the ways in which they perform this role. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods are used. The findings of this research reveal a strong revenue‐oriented nature of local governments, highlighting the “entrepreneurial state” as an important dimension in their character: they transform spontaneously emerged urban cultural spaces into a new mechanism generating revenues for both urban growth and their own economic benefit. Local governments promote CCJQ development with place promotion strategies, and they are directly involved in CCJQ‐related businesses as market players rather than as independent bodies that effectively control and regulate the CCJQ market through policies and regulations. Further, this article reveals a “public–public” coalition as an important mechanism for local state participation.     

“BACK THE BID”: THE 2012 SUMMER OLYMPICS AND THE GOVERNANCE OF LONDON

ABSTRACT: The Olympic Park being developed in east London for the 2012 Games is one large urban renewal project among many in the city. The impact of the Games on urban development may be of less significance than the impact on city politics. Bidding for and delivering the Games has contributed to a reassessment of the recent experiment with mayoral government. The article examines these changing representations of the structures of London government that are now seen as a success. Much of the literature on Olympic cities is highly critical of the impact of the games, but the (current) substantial support for London 2012 also needs to be explained. We examine how London has created opportunities for support, and moments and spaces for celebration when political leaders and Londoners can come together around particular representations of themselves and the city.     

“GOOD” NEIGHBORHOODS IN PORTLAND,OREGON: FOCUS ON BOTH SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTS

ABSTRACT: We conduct an empirical investigation of the social environment of “good” neighborhoods in physical form in a model of the “compact city,” Portland, Oregon and discuss the implications for design and evaluation of policies inspired by smart growth and new urbanist movements that focus on the urban form and transportation dimensions of neighborhoods, and of housing assistance policies designed to change the economic mix in neighborhoods. We conceptualize the physical and social dimensions of the “good” neighborhood environment and develop an approach to operationalization that uses publicly available data. Our findings indicate that for the most part, Portland has been successful in creating neighborhoods at several economic scales that feature not only the connectivity, accessibility, mixed land use, and access to public transit that characterize “good” neighborhoods from a physical perspective, but also a “good” social environment indicative of strong ties and collective efficacy. However, there are signs that in the process, Portland may be creating poverty areas that lack connectivity, accessibility, and access to public transit and a mix of destinations.     

“SCENOGRAPHIC” AND “COSMETIC” PLANNING: GLOBALIZATION AND TERRITORIAL RESTRUCTURING IN BUENOS AIRES

ABSTRACT: The aim of the present article is to provide an account of the ways in which the impact exerted by globalizing forces on the territorial structure of the city of Buenos Aires has been mediated by local planning processes. After a brief review of the main trends and critiques found in the academic literature, the author examines how the territorial transformations that have taken place in Buenos Aires over the past fifteen years may not be simplistically related to—or blamed on—global pressures. It is argued that the determinacy imposed by long‐term historical tendencies, together with specific territorial planning arrangements characteristic of the Argentine planning system, have played a major role in the production of Buenos Aires' territorial structuring over the past fifteen years.     

创造阶级的崛起与城市发展的便利性--评理查德·佛罗里达的《创造阶级的兴起》

通过对美国城市研究中的新理论-城市便利论加以介绍和评析,可见城市便利论强调城市的发展在于创造阶级的集中,而不是企业的集中.城市中的各种便利设施,例如城市绿地,各种文艺活动,街头酒吧和餐厅,历史建筑等是吸引创造阶级首要条件.高便利性城市会因创造阶级的高生产力而发展,低便利性的城市会因丧失人力资本而走向衰退.     

REJOINDER TO “BLACK MALE CANCER AND AMERICAN URBAN HEALTH POLICY”

ABSTRACT: This article is written in rejoinder to Dr. Michael R. Greenberg's article, “Black Male Cancer and American Urban Health Policy,” which appears in the Journal of Urban Affairs, 11(2):113–130.     

THE ROLE OF RETIREES IN RESIDENTIAL “PRIVATE GOVERNMENTS”

Around the world, people volunteer their time to manage multi‐unit properties. These elected representatives are responsible for managing homes and assets of millions of people. As populations age, increasing proportions of these volunteers are retirees. This article draws on findings from surveys of 1,433 strata title (multi‐unit) owners in Australia, and 41 follow‐up interviews, to discuss the challenges this group faces in managing their buildings. A significant challenge is presented—the incentive retirees on fixed incomes have to minimize spending—and implications for the quality of the urban environment discussed. The article argues there has been a devolution of responsibility to the “private governments” that manage strata schemes, without sufficient support and training. To address this challenge, and realize the potential benefits afforded by the increasing availability of retired volunteers, increased support is essential to encourage better property management and underpin the good governance of urban areas.     

POVERTY,POLITICS, AND A “CIRCLE OF PROMISE”: HOLISTIC EDUCATION POLICY IN BOSTON AND THE CHALLENGE OF INSTITUTIONAL ENTRENCHMENT

ABSTRACT: Cash‐strapped municipalities throughout the United States are increasingly proposing innovative education policies linking school‐based reforms with neighborhood‐level interventions. Boston is one such city. In this paper, we describe, analyze, and critique the City of Boston's “Circle of Promise” initiative, a holistic education policy designed to coordinate school reforms with local community‐based organizational resources. We link our discussion of challenges and critiques with the term “institutional entrenchment,” referring to institutional barriers to successful urban policies and the defense of the status quo. We conclude with suggestions for future policy to overcome the impediments of institutional entrenchment, and by extension, improve educational opportunities for students in underperforming urban schools.     

迁入者与创意街区的社会建构——基于一种绅士化的视角

面向新经济时代,大城市的经济复兴、都市更新和城市转型表现出与创意产业的紧密关联。创意产业的发展使得城市传统空间被重新利用,形成一种空间转换。在创意街区的社会建构过程中,迁入者引发内城的社会分化与文化重塑,导致文化价值的生产和消费转换创造出新的社会空间意义。城市绅士化使得迁入者通过对内城空间的再发现,一方面提升了传统空间的文化与社会价值,使得空间增值,另一方面更多经济资源的导入,使得市场与商业力量最终驱逐了创意与艺术,导致创意人群的疏离、创意街区的异化和创意城市的发展悖论。     

REJOINDER TO “ANOTHER LOOK AT HOUSING ALLOWANCES”

Housing allowances do not perform as well as other subsidy approaches along many important dimensions. Limiting allowances to the very poor guarantees failure of the program, as it is the very poor who are least able to find decent housing on the private market. Studies of the Section 8 Existing Housing program demonstrate the inadequacy of the housing stock to meet low-income households' shelter needs. And the various forms of housing discrimination further reduce access to vacant units. Finally, the reduction in subsidy levels proposed in the Housing Payment Certificate program, compared with the Section 8 program, makes the program's “shopper's incentive” illusory. The program likely will result in higher rents and will exacerbate the affordability problem it was designed to alleviate.     

MUNICIPAL RESPONSES TO HOMELESSNESS: A National Survey of “Preparedness”

ABSTRACT: This article examines the preparedness of US cities to deal with homelessness. It develops a multi-variable measure of preparedness based on the range of homelessness programs and the use of strategies for planning, acquiring necessary resources, and implementation. Research suggests that cities vary greatly in their level of preparedness, as well as with regard to the specific programs and strategies that are used. This article also examines driving forces of preparedness and finds that the federal government, along with other driving forces, significantly affects the level of municipal preparedness.     

THE EFFECTS OF “SELF-HELP” PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES ON CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION AND FEAR: lmplications for Crime-Prevention Policy

“Self-help” precautionary measures taken at the individual or household level are widely used by citizens to confront the problems of crime and fear. In this article, we assess the effectiveness of precautionary behavior as it varies naturally within a general population sample. Using data from a two-wave panel study of victims and nonvictims in Kentucky, and controlling for the effects of nine other “vulnerability factors” in hierarchical regression analyses, the findings were as follows: Precaution in the first year did not prevent victimization in the second year. Compared to nonvictims, victims were More likely to be victimized in the second year and were also more fearful Compared to other victims, victims who practiced high precaution after the first incident were no less likely to be revictimized and were no less fearful. From these findings, the policy of promoting precaution independently of other crime-prevention tactics would appear to be an insufficient strategy for both general and victim populations. Implications of findings for urban policies on crime prevention are discussed Co-production policies through which governments share responsibility for crime prevention with citizens (e.g., block watches) are distinguished from policies that transfer the responsibility to individual citizens (e.g., “target hardening”).     

PERSPECTIVES ON THE HUD “510” REHABILITATION DEMONSTRATION*

The 510 Demonstration program in New York City is designed to reveal if the rehabilitation of vacant buildings under the Section 8 HUD program, coupled with the moderate rehabilitation and conversion to cooperatives of substantially occupied “sibling” buildings, can create a strong sense of occupant control and social cohesion. It does so without the necessity of displacing the residents in the buildings. Three City neighborhoods in varying stages of decline, comprising some 400 dwelling units, have been selected. Furthermore, a novel fiscal approach leverages City CDBG funds with a portion of the developers' tax shelter proceeds from “gut” rehabs together with a loan from a local bank to cover the cost of moderately rehabilitating the cooperative buildings. By combining “gut” with moderate rehabilitation, the total number of redeveloped units is increased fifty percent, from 400 to 600. The success of the Demonstration depends to a large measure on the capability of Special Purpose Organizations, comprised of developers and community organizations, to effectively coordinate the various fiscal, administrative and social components of the program.     

SUBURBANIZATION IN THE SEVENTIES: The “Push-Pull” Hypothesis Revisited

ABSTRACT: This article compares the effects of “push” and “pull” factors on decisions of white and black households without children to move from central cities to the suburbs. Unlike previous studies where the independent and dependent variables are aggregate characteristics of the metropolitan areas or individual suburbs, in this article the units are individual households and the variables characteristics of these households or the metropolitan area where they live. The data suggest that black and white decisions are affected by the same variables in the same way, and that blacks and whites are equally likely to move to the suburbs. We also find that both groups tend to move away from the central cities of metropolitan areas with large black populations and in which housing is relatively concentrated in the suburbs, consistent with both the “push” and “pull” hypotheses. However, neither racial group was apparently influenced by job suburbanization or central city crime rates, which is inconsistent with these hypotheses.