{ October 29th, 2009 }
Perspective
Watched a fascinating, depressing piece on Nightline last night that spotlighted Flint, Michigan’s strategy of demolishing vacant homes. The title of the piece- “Shrink to Survive? Rust Belt City Downsizes“- tells much of the story, but it really does take a few minutes to digest the facts that led this once booming American city to pursue their bold course of addition by subtraction:
- Flint’s population peaked at 200,000 in the 1960s. There are currently 110,000 residents, a third of whom live in poverty.
- There are about 10,000 vacant homes in Flint. Flint plans on demolishing 6,000 of those homes.
Make no mistake about it- the economic downturn has been devastating for many Atlantans, but on the whole, our city is poised for both economic and population growth. The ascent of Atlanta coincides the downsizing of cities like Flint, and this report provided a heavy dose of perspective for someone that earns his living in and around I-285. Take a moment and click on the links below, it’s worth a few minutes of your time.
The Relevant Linkage
To watch the Nightline feature on Flint, click here.
To read a New York Times article on Flint’s demolition, click here.
To hear what Rush Limbaugh thinks, click here. Michael Moore, click here.
Photo Credit: Word-Drum Blog
