Introduction

Spurred by the Clinton-Gore economic policies and effective empowerment agenda, most of America's cities are now sharing in the Nation's historic economic expansion. But while most cities are showing clear signs of revitalization and renewal, too many places have yet to share in our prosperity.

Many cities are still experiencing the familiar challenges of population decline, loss of middle-class families, slow job growth, income inequality, and poverty. The new urban challenge touches all parts of the country. Today's lagging cities are mostly small or mid-sized cities, and they are located throughout the Nation -- from agricultural communities to former industrial giants, from timber towns to former mining centers.

Our Nation's older suburbs are beginning to experience the problems of job loss, population decline, crime, and disinvestment previously associated only with the central cities. And many suburbs, including newer suburbs, are showing the strains of development patterns that create commuting problems, traffic congestion, and overcrowded schools and that rob communities of open space and other environmental treasures.

The same sprawling growth pattern -- spread out developments that typically lack a community focal point -- results in underinvestment in our urban markets. This makes metro regions as a whole less competitive. In light of that, it is striking that last November, millions of suburbanites went to the ballot box to show support for growth alternatives and for new investments to enhance community livability.

These initiatives point to an historic opportunity for an alliance of cities and counties, urban as well as suburban communities, to address the challenges facing our metropolitan areas. The challenge is to both re-invest in areas already rich in infrastructure -- mostly cities and older suburbs -- and find ways to grow smarter on the metropolitan fringe.

Perhaps never before have the interests of the two pillars of regional community -- central cities and suburbs -- converged so sharply toward a common agenda. Perhaps never before has that agenda been so important, with our Nation entering a new millennium and racing to compete in a dynamic global economy.

Part One of this report focuses on social and economic trends affecting our Nation's cities and on the potential for a city-suburb alliance to promote a common agenda -- one that addresses the challenges, and seizes the opportunities, reflected in the trends.

Part Two roadmaps solutions in the form of the Clinton-Gore 21st Century Agenda for Cities and Suburbs.

Thanks to a booming national economy, most cities are experiencing a strong fiscal and economic recovery. However, too many central cities are still left behind and continue to face the challenges of population decline, loss of middle-class families, slow job growth, income inequality, and poverty.

Some older suburbs are experiencing problems once associated with urban areas -- job loss, population decline, crime, and disinvestment. Simultaneously, many suburbs, including newer ones, are straining under sprawling growth that creates traffic congestion, overcrowded schools, loss of open spaces, and other sprawl-related problems, and a lack of affordable housing.

There is a strong consensus on the need for joint city/suburb strategies to address sprawl and the structural decline of cities and older suburbs. We now have an historic opportunity for cooperation between cities and counties, urban as well as suburban, to address the challenges facing our metropolitan areas.