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22. Restoring Prosperity: The State Role in Revitalizing America's Older Industrial Cities
- Author:
- Jennifer S. Vey
- Publication Date:
- 05-2007
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- The evidence is clear. On the whole, America's central cities are coming back. Employment is up, populations are growing, and many urban real estate markets are hotter than ever, with increasing numbers of young people, empty-nesters, and others choosing city life over the suburbs.
- Topic:
- Development, Economics, Globalization, and Government
- Political Geography:
- America
23. Saluting Urban Market Pathfinders
- Author:
- Alyssa Stewart Lee
- Publication Date:
- 05-2007
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- While many developers and investors intuitively believe in the potential for profitable returns in American cities, there is a lack of visibility into what works and what does not work in urban markets. This week the Urban Markets Initiative at the Brookings Institution honors Urban Market Pathfinders who have demonstrated excellence capturing market potential by investing in communities.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Demographics, Development, and Markets
- Political Geography:
- America
24. Global Service Fellowships: Building Bridges through American Volunteers
- Author:
- David L. Caprara, John Bridgeland, and Harris Wofford
- Publication Date:
- 07-2007
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- As policy-makers search for ways to share the best of America with the world, they should start with our international volunteers, who embody this country's spirit of generosity, resourcefulness and hope. With the support of Congress and the Bush Administration, volunteers can become the first face of America to communities in many nations, while advancing concrete initiatives that lift up the lives of the poor throughout the world.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Economics, and Humanitarian Aid
- Political Geography:
- United States and America
25. Give Credit Where Credit is Due
- Author:
- Patrick D. Walker, Robin Varghese, Ann Schnare, Alyssa Stewart Lee, and Michael A. Turner
- Publication Date:
- 12-2006
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- Despite the vast accomplishments of the American credit system, approximately 35 million to 54 million Americans remain outside the credit system. For a variety of reasons, mainstream lenders have too little information on them to evaluate risk and thereby extend credit. As a result, those in most need of credit often turn to check cashing services and payday loan providers, with effective interest rates as high as 500 percent. The lack of reliable credit places them at a great disadvantage in building assets (such as homes, small businesses, or loans for education) and thereby improving their lives.
- Topic:
- Demographics, Economics, Government, and Poverty
- Political Geography:
- America
26. Two Steps Back: City and Suburban Poverty Trends 1999-2005
- Author:
- Elizabeth Kneebone and Alan Berube
- Publication Date:
- 12-2006
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- The first half of the current decade brought economic uncertainty and hardship for many Americans. In stark contrast to the late 1990s, when employment and wages were growing at historic rates, the 2000s have been marked by an economic recession, stagnant wages for many workers, and job losses followed by what some have termed a “jobless recovery.”
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Demographics, Economics, and Poverty
- Political Geography:
- America
27. The State of American Cities
- Author:
- Bruce Katz and Alan Berube
- Publication Date:
- 11-2006
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- This summary report provides an overview of The State of American Cities. It addresses four major questions that are explored in further detail in the topic report: What are the current trends and drivers of change in US cities? What factors measure and explain city success in the U.S? What policies have promoted the success of US cities? What can English cities learn from this? The report argues that whilst the US and England are marked by significant cultural and political differences in their views on cities, the two nations are undergoing similar economic and demographic transitions that pave the way for a useful comparative policy dialogue on urban areas.
- Topic:
- Civil Society and Economics
- Political Geography:
- United States, United Kingdom, America, Europe, and England
28. Using the Earned Income Tax Credit to Stimulate Local Economies
- Author:
- Alan Berube
- Publication Date:
- 11-2006
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- Over the 30 years of its existence the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) has been described variously as a wage supplement, a program to reduce tax burdens, an antipoverty tool, a welfare-to-work program, and a form of labor market insurance. The program has enjoyed expansions under both Republican and Democratic administrations, and in 2006, the EITC will provide more than $40 billion to low-income working families. The credit lifts nearly 5 million Americans above the poverty line each year. Moreover, because the EITC aids only those families with earnings from work, researchers have credited it with raising labor force participation levels and helping families transition from welfare to work.
- Topic:
- Economics, Human Welfare, and Markets
- Political Geography:
- United States and America
29. Measuring the Informal Economy - One Neighborhood at a Time
- Author:
- Yusef Freeman, John Talmage, and Jamie Alderslade
- Publication Date:
- 09-2006
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- The study of the urban informal economy has expanded in the last thirty years, challenging researchers to find more accurate methods of quantifying its activity. This paper examines recent works that focused on the urban informal economy in particular, and evaluates different definitions and techniques for measuring it. Methods discussed include indirect estimation methods, such as currency demand, electricity consumption, and labor force statistical profiles, as well as direct estimation measures such as labor force and household surveys. This paper discusses the prospects for applying these largely macro-level methods to more micro-market analysis and speculates on the avail ability and usefulness of existing data sources in the United States. It concludes by suggesting that there is much room for further research on the size, determinants and implications of the informal economy in American cities and calls for new efforts to align different methods of measuring the inform al economy so they can be increasingly used to support decision-making processes in the public and private sectors.
- Topic:
- Demographics, Economics, and Markets
- Political Geography:
- United States and America
30. Corporate Citizenship and Urban Problem Solving: The Changing Civic Role of Business Leaders in American Cities
- Author:
- Royce Hanson, Hal Wolman, David Connolly, and Katherine Pearson
- Publication Date:
- 09-2006
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- Business-led civic organizations have historically played an important role in urban policymaking, planning, and renewal. These elite organizations of CEOs of the area's largest employers could quickly mobilize their members' personal devotion to the community, their deal making talent, and their ability to commit corporate financial resources to their city's emerging needs.
- Topic:
- Development, Economics, Emerging Markets, and Industrial Policy
- Political Geography:
- America