In the introduction of “Death and Life of Great American Cities,” Jane Jacobs emphasizes how cities in North America have been creating a mirage through investment when the areas that need money, such as the projects, are underfunded. She makes a great point here because instead of building another skyscraper in the city for a wealthy businessman, city planning should be focused on getting the elevators to run in the projects. Jacobs also believes that that “urban renewal theory” is fueling decay within the city. I agree with this as well because surrounding public housing with lavish parks, restaurants, and other establishments does not make it any easier to live with an income below the poverty line. This is an issue that definitely shapes the future of New York City since urban renewal can be an amazing plan if it includes the lower class more. Instead of hiding those who live in poverty, they should be integrated into the city. This also relates to the project of providing permanent housing to the homeless instead of building more shelters. If the homeless were placed into permanent homes rather than shelters, they could learn more skills and the positive environment may even influence them to strive for better. Therefore, they could enter the workforce and help build the city since it seems as if the city is always growing and expanding. However, this growth fosters more competition in the job market, and once a person earns a large sum of money, he or she can afford to live in a neighborhood that separates itself from the poorer neighborhoods.

In addition, it was very interesting that Jacobs interviewed people about North End, which was deemed as a slum. From the outside, North End appeared to be an extravagant place to live, but the inhabitants painted a different picture. Furthermore, bankers selectively choose which areas to invest in by taking the income of the people into account. Since the bankers and investors theoretically have the most say in urban planning due to the money they put forward, they will always shape the city because they decide which parks and theaters get to be built where. I personally feel that it is strange that large theaters are often built in poor neighborhoods because the people who live next to the theater cannot afford to buy a ticket to see a show there. It is as if the theater is there to mock them and remind them of what they cannot experience even though they live in the city.

In contrast to Jane Jacobs, who was called the “patron saint,” Robert Moses was the “master builder.” He expanded the cities infrastructure by laying down more roads, bridges, tunnels, parks, and urban renewal projects. Moses represents industrialization and how society was changing rapidly to include larger industries, which meant that the city was generating more money. He also used federal policy in order to shape the market through planning. Therefore, in his view, businesses and how quickly they could grow would shape the future of the city. I agree that economics and businesses play a role in a city’s development, but the issue in North American cities is that as businesses grow, the gap between the rich and poor also grow. Therefore, economics cannot shape the future of a city without having a dramatic influence on the people who live and work in the city. We need a happy medium between the two extremes that Jane Jacobs and Robert Moses propose for urban planning. If we focus too much on the less wealthy individuals, then the city’s growth could be stunted. However, if there is too much emphasis on big business without considering the people who reside in the city, the wealthy may decide to move to suburbs to get away from the hustle and bustle, but the middle class and lower class would not have that option.

Discussion questions: Why would city planners rather hide poverty in the city rather than use a portion of their funds to eliminate that poverty? Can a higher class exist without the middle and lower classes? Is there an urban renewal project or city plan that could serve as the mediator between Jane Jacobs’ and Robert Moses’ view on urban planning?