Shrinking Cities, Growing Adversaries: The Politics of Territory for Community Nonprofits in 'Shrinking City' Planning Processes

Authors

Janice Bockmeyer, CUNY John Jay CollegeFollow

Document Type

Book Chapter or Section

Publication Date

2014

Abstract

Political institutions in ‘shrinking cities’ undergo transformative restructuring when depopulation and disinvestment threaten public capacity. Using a New Institutionalism approach, this chapter explores historical impacts of changing institutions on community nonprofit organization (CNPO) behaviors, and highlights applications to Detroit’s current ‘right-sizing’ planning processes. It explores influences of foundations, intermediaries and anchor institutions on CNPO roles in decision making and concludes that Detroit illustrates governance without government, challenging CNPOs to impact deliberations increasingly led by the independent sector, where communities and CNPOs lack formal access. The chapter presents one case of counter-institutional response, that of LEAP, an innovative alternative CNPO plan.

Comments

ORCID: 0000-0002-6790-8262

This work was originally published in "Schools and Urban Revitalization: Rethinking Institutions and Community" published by Routledge.