ABSTRACT
In the course of a perceived revival of major core city areas in the US, driven by structural economic shifts and also abrupt shocks triggered by the credit crunch in many parts of metropolitan North America, the suburbs are once again critically discussed. Suburbanization in the United States is characterized by changing empirical trends. Demographic changes and increasingly critical economic conditions may not only add to the existing set of challenges for suburbia, but have potential to question its future role in urban development. The case of Stockton exemplifies the crisis-driven development of newer, fast growing suburban areas of many US-regions, particularly in the Western part of the country. The US-Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offered financial support for cities by providing "Neighbourhood Stabilization Programs "(NSP). San Joaquin County and the City of Stockton are part of these programmes; Stockton received an NSP grant of total US$4.3 million.
