The community in which Pruitt-Igoe was placed was in the process of significant economic decline. The neighborhood itself had no economic opportunities for the residents. And all of these things led to an accelerated decline and frankly pretty alarming vacancy rates fairly early on. It was decided then after only a few years of operation that Pruitt-I goe was best dealt with by a large scale demolition.
Featuring Edward Goetz on his book New Deal Ruins: Race, Economic Justice, and Public Housing Policy. Goetz tells the story of American public housing and then its destruction and dismantling, which took off in the 1980s and accelerated during the 90s under the Clinton Administration’s Hope VI program.
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Check out Light in Gaza: Writings Born of Fire haymarketbooks.org/books/1861-light-in-gaza