The Urban renewal policy of the United States was established as an alternative to slum clearance. Urban renewal became popular in the United States after World War II, when the central parts of cities began to deteriorate due to the migration of white people into the suburbs. The relocation of the upper-class threatened the high-end commercial and residential districts located in the city centers, as they depended on the white population. The migration to the suburbs is associated with the spread of slums. Slums were usually inhabited by low-income black residents. These neighborhoods were untidy, lacked necessary infrastructure and were dangerous to the health of their inhabitants. Because these neighborhoods were located on the edge of the cities’ central business districts, city officials wanted to redevelop them. In the United States, many cities implemented urban renewal projects. Some were more successful than others. The original urban renewal period ended in the mid-1970s. Then, in the 1990s, there was a resurgence of renewal projects. Many cities are still opting for urban renewal today. This paper presents the beginnings and history of urban renewal and shows examples of urban renewal in the United States.
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