The Aaron Renn Show Why Families Are Fleeing Cities | Bobby Fijan
Dec 15, 2025
Bobby Fijan, a real estate developer and urbanist passionate about family-friendly housing, joins the discussion on a pressing urban crisis: the decline of children in major cities. He examines the influence of the 'creative class' on city priorities and the financial pressures that push families out. Bobby advocates for innovative 'baby maybe' housing solutions and highlights the need for better urban infrastructure. The conversation also critiques the rising focus on dog-friendly spaces at the expense of child-friendly environments, urging a balance that nurtures families.
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The Urban Child Decline Is Accelerating
- Cities now show a rapid decline in children, accelerating a multi-decade fertility fall concentrated in urban areas.
- Bobby Fijan links this to social contagion, rising costs, and cities becoming less family-friendly over time.
Upper West Side: Strollerville's Short Window
- Aaron Renn recounts living on the Upper West Side where almost all kids were five and under, signaling families leave when kids reach school age.
- He observed even the 0–5 cohort is now shrinking, not just school-age children.
Creative-Class Urbanism Had A Blind Spot
- Richard Florida's 'creative class' shift drew childless, ambitious people and reshaped city priorities toward singles.
- That magnet succeeded but lacked planning to retain people as they age into family formation.
