Table of Contents

Why Consider Opposing Viewpoints? 11

Introduction 14

Chapter 1 What Problems Are Faced by Urban America?

Chapter Preface 18

1 The Government Can Help End the Cycle of Urban Poverty Barack Obama 20

2 Government Efforts to End Urban Poverty are Counterproductive Steven Malanga 32

3 Urban Blight Contributes to Crime Carolyn Y. Johnson 43

4 Urban Blight Does Not Contribute to Crime C.R. Sridhar 49

5 Urban Homelessness Is a Serious Problem for African Americans Maco L. Faniel 58

6 New Programs Can Help End Urban Homelessness Ian Merrifield 55

Periodical Bibliography 70

Chapter 2 What Government Programs Would Improve Urban America?

Chapter Preface 72

1 Mixed-Income Public Housing Improves Urban America Charles Woodyard 74

2 Mixed-Income Public Housing Has Not Improved Urban America James Tracy 82

3 Urban Rail Transit Benefits Cities Todd hitman 92

4 Urban Rail Transit Does Not Benefit Cities Randal O'Toole 98

Periodical Bibliography 104

Chapter 3 How Can the Lives of Urban Children Be Improved?

Chapter Preface 106

1 Curfews May Reduce Crime and Protect Urban Youth Martha Yeide 108

2 Curfews Do Not Reduce Crime and Protect Urban Youth Tony Favro 114

3 Charter Schools Can Benefit Urban Students Monica Rohr 120

4 Charter Schools Do Not Benefit Needy Urban Students Sharon Higgins Caroline Grannan 131

5 Mentoring Programs Help Urban Youth Leslie Talmadge 137

6 Not All Mentoring Programs Are Effective: Society for Research in Child Development 142

Periodical Bibliography 147

Chapter 4 What Is the Future of Urban America?

Chapter Preface 149

1 Smart-Growth Policies Will Improve Urban Areas Neal Peirce 151

2 Smart-Growth Policies Will Harm Urban Areas Randal O'Toole 161

3 Downsizing Large Cities Can Be Beneficial Brian J. Connolly 172

4 Downsizing Large Cities Is Harmful Roberta Brandes Gratz 178

Periodical Bibliography 185

For Further Discussion 186

Organizations to Contact 188

Bibliography of Books 193

Index 197