Metropolitan Contexts for Community Initiatives

Contrasts in a Turbulent Decade, Revised Draft

By The Urban Institute, The Annie E. Casey Foundation

August 2, 2010

Summary

Community planners recognize that conditions in their metropolitan areas have a powerful influence on what they can accomplish at the neighborhood level. This report highlights the 14 metros that were the focus for investment by the Annie E. Casey Foundation in the 2000s. These 14 represent the diversity across America’s large metropolitan areas. The report is organized into three sections. Section 1 introduces the 14 Casey metros using background indicators (e.g., on demographic conditions, social conditions and poverty levels). Section 2 examines the dynamics of the economies of these metropolitan areas since 2000, and Section 3 does the same for their housing markets. 

Table of Contents

Key Takeaway

Child Poverty is a diverse factor in all Making Connections Cities

The 100 top metro cities were divided into thirds according to their child poverty rates and the share of their population that was under 18 (in 2008). Casey metros are found in all cells of the matrix but one, and can be considered reasonably representative of the diversity of the 100 metros (for these factors) in reviewing the rest of this report.

Findings & Stats

Statements & Quotations