For fifty years " Detroit" has been shorthand for all that's wrong with urban America: crime, corruption, decay, racial tension, struggling businesses, failing schools, a declining tax base, and more. Between 2000 and 2017, its population fell 28 percent, a steeper drop than any other major American city. A third of its land now lies vacant or dotted with empty, derelict houses. The good news is there are unmistakable signs of renewal in Detroit. Given a fresh start, Detroit has slowed its rate of population decline, stabilized its finances, and set out to prove to the world that it's once again open for business.
For fifty years " Detroit" has been shorthand for all that's wrong with urban America: crime, corruption, decay, racial tension, struggling businesses, failing schools, a declining tax base, and more. Between 2000 and 2017, its population fell 28 percent, a steeper drop than any other major American city. A third of its land now lies vacant or dotted with empty, derelict houses. The good news is there are unmistakable signs of renewal in Detroit. Given a fresh start, Detroit has slowed its rate of population decline, stabilized its finances, and set out to prove to the world that it's once again open for business.