Conflict in Metropolitan Areas

Abstract

The dichotomy between the central city and its suburbs is more pronounced than the more traditional conflict between rural and urban areas. Central cities contain the con centrations of the poor in the metropolitan area because of the lack of low income housing outside the city. The basic conflict arises from the contention for resources between the "have" suburban communities and the "have-not" central cities. Unless the suburbs are opened up to lower income residents, central cities will become even more impoverished. Conflict arises as suburbs fight to maintain the housing status quo, as cities fight to prevent expressways from destroying additional housing and tax base and to attain greater emphasis on adequate transportation, as heavy reliance on the property tax leads central city and suburb to compete for the same industry. In general, voluntary intergovernmental groups have not been responsive to central city needs in the metro politan area. What is required is a basic change in the system which separates resources from need and provides both greater fiscal equity and a metropolitan-wide sharing of the burden of social problems.