I am delighted to announce that my new book Unlocking the Potential of Post-Industrial Cities has just been published. For those who have an active Twitter account, you can request a free e-book by filling out the form here. We want to encourage people to read the book and to discuss and debate the book's ideas.
In a nutshell, our book discusses economic growth and quality of life in six post-industrial cities in the United States that includes Baltimore, Cleveland, Detroit, Philly, Pittsburgh and St. Louis. These cities featured a strong economic performance when U.S manufacturing was at its peak. As these cities have de-industrialized, they have lost people and jobs and the remaining people are poorer than the national average.
The title of our book is intentional. While we sketch out the 50 year history of these cities, we really want to pivot to the future and how these cities and their residents can "unlock" their full potential. As we exit the COVID crisis, urban economic growth will be an even more important topic. Our book focuses on 4 levels of investment;
1. Investment in human and health capital at the individual level
2. Investment in local real estate
3. Investment in firm growth and private sector job creation
4. Investment by local government in infrastructure and "rules of the game" that facilitate economic growth.
If you would like to learn more about our book, read my earlier blog post.
You can also read chapter 1 here. Here are 3 kind book blurbs.
Reviews
"Unlocking the Potential of Post-Industrial Cities provides a clear-eyed diagnosis of the problems facing America's older industrial cities. It uses the tools of urban economics to outline a bold agenda for revitalizing these cities. A must-read for urbanists and anyone concerned with the future of these great cities and our nation as a whole."
"Kahn and McComas's excellent book is well-written, well-argued, and important—the sort of economics that should be widely read, digested, and discussed. It offers a clear account of the economic forces that are shaping some of America's most important industrial cities and their regions, and explores economically sound ideas for their rebirth."
"McComas and Kahn make a persuasive case that cities should be viewed as centers of expanding opportunity, not massive shelters for the poor. They explore a variety of factors, including technological changes, environmental policies, and creative economic strategies, that will lead to unlocking the urban potential they describe."
