A Sea Of Red

U.S. cities may bulldoze entire neighbourhoods

Dozens of U.S. cities may have neighbourhoods bulldozed as part of drastic "shrink to survive" proposals being considered by the Obama administration to tackle economic decline.

The government is looking to expand a pioneering scheme in Flint, Mich. one of the poorest U. S. cities, which involves razing entire districts and returning the land to nature.

The city has restored its attractive but formerly deserted centre but has pulled down 1,100 abandoned homes in outlying areas.

Kildee estimated another 3,000 need to be demolished. The city is buying up houses in more affluent areas to offer people in neighbourhoods it wants to demolish. Nobody will be forced to move.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/cities+bul ... story.html

New Orleans has been doing that in the 9th ward since Hurricane Katrina.

Why not? If the city is too big for the budget, it's better to make the city smaller than dramatically raising taxes on the residents they still have.

Youngstown, OH has been doing this for years now, so it isn't really that drastic and in the end is no doubt the best thing to do. Most of it has to do with the migration from the rust belt to the sun belt.

Sounds like a scheme to me. Corporations are using the economy as an excuse to exploit consumers; why should Uncle Sam miss out on the fun?