ABSTRACT
The United States is a suburban nation. But the face of suburbia is changing as a result of the “new immigration,” increased ethnic and racial diversity, and the rise of suburban poverty. Contemporary suburbia is a place of considerable diversity, and not all suburbs are prospering. Quickly growing exurbs and boomburbs differ markedly from inner-ring suburbs. The contemporary American metropolis is marked by new patterns of class and racial stratification. Local opposition continues to thwart meaningful school finance reform and equalization. Recent data points to the resegregation of public schools, that patterns of segregation are now being repeated in suburbia. Local zoning and other techniques of suburban exclusion are detailed. The chapter examines the extent to which Smart Growth policies, the offer of density bonuses, a Portland-style urban growth boundary, and the “New Urbanism” offer viable alternative to sprawled development. Can we build more equitable and environmentally sustainable suburban communities?
