PPA786: Urban Policy Class 1: Introduction

Urban Policy: Introduction Class Outline ▫Review Course Requirements and Readings ▫Introduce Census Urban Geography

Urban Policy: Introduction

Course Outline ▫Introduction  Evaluation of social programs ▫Housing  Basic analytical tools  Housing problems and housing policy ▫Discrimination and Segregation ▫Concentrated Poverty and Welfare Programs ▫Employment and Economic Development

Urban Policy: Introduction Course Requirements ▫1. Case Studies  Participate in discussions  Write memo ▫2. City Journal  Essays on topics in the class  Turned in twice; three entries in all ▫3. Policy Summit  Group presentation  Policy memo

Urban Policy: Introduction Alternative Definitions of “Urban” ▫Common Usage  Urban = large city (and perhaps its inner suburbs)  Defined as governmental units ▫Census Definition (explored below)  Urban = metropolitan = large cities, their counties, and the counties that are linked to them ▫Analytical Definition  Urban = place with relatively high population density

Urban Policy: Introduction Census Geographic Units Region ▫Division  State  County ▫County subdivision ▫Place (or part) ▫Census tract (or part) ◦Block group (or part) ◦Census block

Urban Policy: Introduction Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) ▫A metropolitan statistical area (MSA) combines a large population nucleus with adjacent counties that have a high degree of economic and social integration with that nucleus. ▫Each MA must contain either a place with a minimum population of 50,000 or a U.S. Census Bureau-defined urbanized area and a total MA population of at least 100,000.

Urban Policy: Introduction Micropolitan Statistical Area ▫A micropolitan statistical area is a mini MSA. ▫It must have a central place with a population between 10,000 and 50,000.

Urban Policy: Introduction Consolidated and Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA and PMSA) ▫If an MSA has 1 million people or more, two or more primary metropolitan statistical areas (PMSAs) may be defined within it. ▫Each PMSA consists of a large urbanized county or cluster of counties that demonstrate strong economic and social links to other portions of the larger area. ▫When PMSAs are established, the larger MSA of which they are component parts is designated a consolidated metropolitan statistical area (CMSA).

Urban Policy: Introduction Central City ▫In each MSA, PMSA, and CMSA, the largest place and, in some cases, one or more additional places are designated as ‘‘central cities.’’ ▫The largest central city and, in some cases, up to two additional central cities, are included in the title of the MSA.

Urban Policy: Introduction Urbanized Area (UA) ▫An urbanized area (UA) consists of densely settled territory that contains 50,000 or more people. ▫ The U.S. Census Bureau delineates UAs to provide a better separation of urban and rural territory, population, and housing in the vicinity of large places. ▫This is closest to analytical definition, but it is not used for most types of data.

Urban Policy: Introduction Census Tract ▫Census tracts are small, relatively permanent statistical subdivisions of a county or statistically equivalent entity delineated by local participants. ▫The primary purpose of census tracts is to provide a stable set of geographic units for the presentation of decennial census data, but their boundaries sometimes change. ▫Census tracts generally have between 1,500 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size of 4,000.

Urban Policy: Introduction Census Block ▫Census blocks are areas bounded on all sides by visible features, such as streets, or by invisible boundaries, such as city limits. ▫Generally, census blocks are small in area; for example, a block bounded by city streets. However, census blocks in sparsely settled areas may contain many square miles of territory.

Urban Policy: Introduction Other Terms ▫A ‘‘metropolitan area’’ (MA) is either an MSA, a CMSA, or a PMSA. ▫A “core-based statistical area’’ (CBSA) is either an MSA or a micropolitan statistical areas. ▫A “census block group” is just what it sounds like—an intermediate geography between census blocks and census tracts.

Urban Policy: Introduction

Number of Metropolitan Areas ▫As of December 2009, there were  366 MSAs and 576 micropolitan statistical areas in the United States  In addition, there were 8 MSAs and 5 micropolitan statistical areas in Puerto Rico.

Urban Policy: Introduction

Characteristics of the Largest Metropolitan Areas, 2010 Race (Percent) AreaPopulation Income Per Capita Poverty Rate in Central CityWhiteBlackOther Percent Hispanic New York18,897,109 $52, Los Angeles12,828,837 $42, Chicago9,461,105 $44, Dallas6,371,773 $41, Philadelphia5,965,343 $46, Houston5,946,800 $46, Washington5,582,170 $56, Miami5,564,635 $42, Atlanta5,268,860 $37, Boston4,552,402 $53, San Francisco4,335,391 $59, Detroit4,296,250 $37, Riverside4,224,851 $29, Phoenix4,192,887 $34, Seattle3,439,809 $50, New Orleans (46th)1,167,764 $23, Syracuse (80th)662,577 $36,