When the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development was created in the midst of the "urban crisis" of the 1960s, it was intended in part to give America's cities a voice at the highest level of government. Over the past 30 years, no Secretary has performed this role with greater energy or skill than Henry G. Cisneros. He has been a tireless advocate and an able steward of the Nation's commitment to create stronger communities, offering a clear vision and bold strategies for addressing our cities' most urgent challenges. He has been instrumental in forging a growing consensus for policies that are transforming public housing, unlocking the door to homeownership for millions of families, and bringing new opportunities for economic growth to distressed communities.
However, Secretary Cisneros has always recognized that his voice must also carry far beyond HUD and national political forums, because the choices that will guide the future of America's communities transcend the relatively narrow boundaries of Federal influence. These choices are made every day in thousands of cities and towns by the residents and the institutions that serve them. To engage the American people in a new discussion of the critical issues confronting our cities—and to explore and expand the range of strategies for resolving them—the Secretary began the series of essays now collected in this special issue of Cityscape.
In many ways, these essays are personal reflections on things Secretary Cisneros has seen and heard during the past 4 years as he visited dozens of places where some of the most important attributes of stable families and stable communities—jobs, fathers, hope—are most scarce. Avoiding simple scapegoats and easy answers, the Secretary offers unflinching analyses of the complex problems such communities face, as well as a thoughtful search for practical solutions. His search often challenges us to consider important ideas that are on the cutting edge of thought about urban issues. Some essays highlight the promise of innovative concepts such as defensible space ("Defensible Space: Deterring Crime and Building Community") and comparative advantage ("Urban Entrepreneurialism and National Economic Growth"); others take a fresh look at innovations in metropolitan governance ("Regionalism: The New Geography of Opportunity") which, though currently dismissed by many as politically unpalatable, will likely prove critical to the future vitality of fragmented and economically isolated urban areas.
One of the dominant themes of Secretary Cisneros' essays is that every community can thrive—nurturing its children, supporting its values, providing opportunities for every-one—if it mobilizes all of its resources in the effort. As their titles suggest, the essays constitute a partial inventory of these resources. "Universities and the Urban Challenge," "Community Colleges and Urban Development," and "Higher Ground: Faith Communities and Community Building" discuss ways in which local institutions, traditionally regarded as inward-looking, can become engaged in community renewal. "Fathers and Families: Changing the Rules" is a deeply felt reflection on the indispensable role that fathers play in the lives of their children and, by extension, in the future of their communities.
"Urban Land and the Urban Prospect" considers the tremendous economic potential of our cities' most basic and often despised physical resource: their vacant land. "Preserving Everybody's History" points out the personal, social, and economic value of reclaiming an equally important but less tangible community resource: its unique history and culture.
These essays reveal the essence of Henry Cisneros—his love for his family and his San Antonio roots, his probing mind and keen vision, his commitment to our cities' potential and our Nation's future. It has been a privilege to work with him.
Michael A. Stegman
Assistant Secretary for Policy
Development and Research
