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Rethinking Detroit

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  • Raymond Owens III
  • Esteban Rossi-Hansberg
  • Pierre-Daniel Sarte

Abstract

This paper studies the urban structure of Detroit—one that is clearly not optimal for its size—which features a business district immediately surrounded by largely vacant neighborhoods. A model is presented where residential externalities lead to multiple equilibria at the neighborhood level. Specifically, neighborhood development requires the coordination of developers and residents, without which it may remain vacant even with sound fundamentals. Given this mechanism, existing strategic visions to revitalize Detroit are evaluated within a quantitative spatial model that can rationalize Detroit's current allocations. Alternative plans that rely on "development guarantees" are also considered and shown to yield better outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Raymond Owens III & Esteban Rossi-Hansberg & Pierre-Daniel Sarte, 2020. "Rethinking Detroit," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 12(2), pages 258-305, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejpol:v:12:y:2020:i:2:p:258-305
    DOI: 10.1257/pol.20180651
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Redding, Stephen & Nakajima, Kentaro & Miyauchi, Yuhei, 2021. "Consumption access and agglomeration: evidence from smartphone data," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 114353, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Raymond Owens III & Esteban Rossi-Hansberg & Pierre-Daniel Sarte, 2020. "Rethinking Detroit," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 12(2), pages 258-305, May.
    3. Alexander Daminger & Kristof Dascher, 2020. "City Skew and Homeowner Subsidy Removal," Working Papers 195, Bavarian Graduate Program in Economics (BGPE).
    4. Osawa, Minoru & Akamatsu, Takashi, 2020. "Equilibrium refinement for a model of non-monocentric internal structures of cities: A potential game approach," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    5. Stephen J. Redding, 2020. "Trade and geography," CEP Discussion Papers dp1718, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    6. Redding, Stephen, 2021. "Suburbanization in the United States 1970-2010," CEPR Discussion Papers 16174, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    7. Francisco J. Buera & Hugo Hopenhayn & Yongseok Shin & Nicholas Trachter, 2021. "Big Push in Distorted Economies," NBER Working Papers 28561, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Dascher, Kristof, 2019. "Function Follows Form," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 131-140.
    9. Alexander Daminger & Kristof Dascher, 2023. "Homeowner Subsidy Repeal and Housing Recentralization," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 99(2), pages 283-301.
    10. Łukasz Musiaka & Paweł Sudra & Tomasz Spórna, 2021. "Spatial Chaos as a Result of War Damage and Post-War Transformations. Example of the Small Town of Węgorzewo," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-33, May.
    11. À. E. Mordvinova, 2020. "Evolution specifics of the Ural old industrial region’s economic development," Journal of New Economy, Ural State University of Economics, vol. 21(1), pages 122-137, March.
    12. Amine Ouazad, 2020. "Resilient Urban Housing Markets: Shocks vs. Fundamentals," Papers 2010.00413, arXiv.org, revised Oct 2020.
    13. KONDO Keisuke, 2020. "A Structural Estimation of the Disutility of Commuting," Discussion papers 20031, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    14. Akamatsu, Takashi & Mori, Tomoya & Osawa, Minoru & Takayama, Yuki, 2017. "Spatial scale of agglomeration and dispersion: Theoretical foundations and empirical implications," MPRA Paper 80689, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Takashi Akamatsu & Tomoya Mori & Minoru Osawa & Yuki Takayama, 2019. "Multimodal agglomeration in economic geography," Papers 1912.05113, arXiv.org, revised Apr 2023.
    16. Dingel, Jonathan & Tintelnot, Felix, 2020. "Spatial Economics for Granular Settings," CEPR Discussion Papers 14819, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    17. Pierre-Daniel G. Sarte & Sonya Ravindranath Waddell, 2016. "From Stylized to Quantitative Spatial Models of Cities," Economic Quarterly, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, issue 3Q, pages 169-196.
    18. Stephen Smith, 2018. "Development Economics Meets the Challenges of Lagging U.S. Areas: Applications to Education, Health and Nutrition, Behavior, and Infrastructure," Working Papers 2018-7, The George Washington University, Institute for International Economic Policy.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D62 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Externalities
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population
    • R32 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location - - - Other Spatial Production and Pricing Analysis
    • R58 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Regional Development Planning and Policy

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