The Human Implications of Current Redevelopment and Relocation Planning

Redevelopment and relocation procedures in large American cities frequently benefit the redevel-oper and his tenants more than the site residents. In the project analyzed here, the neighborhood chosen for clearance is a low-rent area, rather than a slum, since the majority of the structures and facilities cannot be proved to be harmful to their inhabitants or to the city. In addition to losing their neighborhood, the 2,800 households on the site are subsidizing the redevelopment by the involuntary payment of a number of economic, social, and psychological costs because of inadequate relocation planning. Recommendations to correct serious inequities in all phases of renewal procedures are suggested.