Inner-city neighborhoods and metropolitan development

This article describes the types of economic isolation that are embedded in various theories of neighborhood poverty. The literature suggests that there are a variety of reasons why inner-city areas are economically isolated. However inadequate guidance is provided regarding whether poor neighborhoods will benefit from regional prosperity. Census data were examined to determine whether there is an association between changes in metropolitan economic welfare and changes in family income in poor census tracts. No association between the welfare indicators was found, supporting the economic-isolation hypothesis. The analysis of policies designed to strengthen ties between poor neighborhoods and metropolitan areas leads to the suggestion that connections be strengthened by supplementing the creation of economic linkages with broad-based social integration.