ABSTRACT
Probably the most fundamental division in economic development (ED) falls between bringing 'jobs to people' or 'people to jobs'. The movement of people in search of job opportunities has been a norm throughout all of US history, with large migrations of people out of low-income typically rural regions toward large urban centers offering greater economic and social opportunities. The 'jobs to people' vs. 'people to jobs' debate may also be couched within the larger ED 'efficiency' vs. 'equity' debate. 'Community' is one of those words, like 'culture' bandied around in ordinary, everyday speech, apparently readily intelligible to speaker and listener, which, when imported into the discourse of social science, however, causes immense difficulty'. Research, debate, and policy related to the problem of 'spatial mismatch' dates at least to the 1960s. Programs to disperse residents from low-income neighborhoods to more prosperous communities have overtaken the momentum from HOPE-VI-type redevelopment programs.
