Unit 6 Vocab APHUG- Mr. Nehila

Blockbusting

• Definition: A practice where real estate agents convince white homeowners to sell their properties at low prices by suggesting that racial minorities are moving into the neighborhood.

Borchert’s Epochs of Urban Growth

• Definition: A model proposed by John Borchert that identifies five distinct periods of urban growth in the United States based on changes in transportation and communication technology.

Brown Field

• Definition: Abandoned or underused industrial and commercial sites that may have environmental contamination.

• Description: These sites often require environmental cleanup before they can be redeveloped.

• Example: An old steel mill site contaminated with heavy metals that needs remediation before being turned into a park.

Census

• Definition: An official count of a population, often including demographic details.

• Description: The U.S. Census is conducted every 10 years and provides data on population size, distribution, and characteristics.

• Example: The 2020 U.S. Census showed shifts in population from the Northeast to the South and West.

Christaller’s Central Place Theory

• Definition: A theory that explains the distribution and size of cities and towns based on their role as central places providing goods and services.

• Description: Larger cities serve as hubs for specialized goods and services, while smaller towns provide basic services.

• Example: A small town may have a grocery store and a gas station, while a larger city would have hospitals and shopping malls.

Disamenity Zones

• Definition: Areas lacking desirable services or infrastructure, often occupied by poorer populations.

• Description: These zones often lack paved roads, proper sanitation, and access to public transportation.

• Example: Favelas in Rio de Janeiro are examples of disamenity zones with limited access to infrastructure.

Food Desert

• Definition: An area where residents have limited access to affordable, healthy food.

• Description: Food deserts are often found in low-income urban neighborhoods and rural areas.

• Example: A neighborhood with only convenience stores but no supermarkets within a reasonable distance.

Gentrification

• Definition: The process of renovating and improving a neighborhood, often leading to increased property values and displacement of low-income residents.

• Description: Gentrification can lead to cultural changes and tension between new and long-term residents.

• Example: Brooklyn, New York, has experienced significant gentrification, attracting higher-income residents and displacing poorer communities.

Gray Field

• Definition: Underutilized or outdated commercial or retail spaces.

• Description: Unlike brown fields, gray fields are not environmentally contaminated but require repurposing.

• Example: An abandoned shopping mall turned into a mixed-use development.

Gravity Model

• Definition: A model that predicts the interaction between two places based on their size and distance from each other.

• Description: The larger and closer two places are, the more likely they will interact.

• Example: New York City and Philadelphia have high levels of interaction due to their size and proximity.

Greenbelts

• Definition: Rings of open space around cities where development is restricted.

• Description: Designed to limit urban sprawl and preserve natural areas.

• Example: The Green Belt around London restricts urban development to control city expansion.

Megacities

• Definition: Cities with populations over 10 million people.

• Description: Megacities often face challenges with infrastructure, housing, and pollution.

• Example: Tokyo, Mexico City, and Mumbai are examples of megacities.

Mixed-use Commercial

• Definition: Developments that combine residential, commercial, and recreational spaces.

• Description: Encourages walkability and reduces dependence on cars.

• Example: A downtown area with shops on the ground floor and apartments above.

New Urbanism

• Definition: A planning movement promoting walkable neighborhoods and mixed-use development.

• Description: Focuses on reducing sprawl and creating more vibrant communities.

• Example: Seaside, Florida, was designed using New Urbanist principles.

Primate City

• Definition: A city that is disproportionately larger and more influential than other cities in the country.

• Description: Primate cities dominate economic, political, and cultural life.

• Example: Mexico City is a primate city in Mexico.

Redlining

• Definition: A discriminatory practice where banks refuse to lend money or offer mortgages in minority neighborhoods.

• Description: Redlining reinforced racial segregation and economic inequality.

• Example: U.S. government maps from the 1930s marked minority neighborhoods in red, indicating high-risk areas for loans.

Rank-Size Rule

• Definition: A rule that states the population of a city should be inversely proportional to its rank.

• Description: If the largest city has 1 million people, the second largest would have 500,000, the third 333,000, and so on.

• Example: The United States roughly follows the rank-size rule.

Slow-Growth Cities

• Definition: Cities that limit growth to avoid the negative effects of urban sprawl.

• Description: Often use zoning laws and urban planning to control expansion.

• Example: Portland, Oregon, uses urban growth boundaries.

Smart-Growth Policy

• Definition: Policies designed to encourage sustainable urban development.

• Description: Focus on reducing sprawl, preserving green space, and improving transportation.

• Example: Transit-oriented development in Denver.

Suburban

• Definition: The spread of low-density residential areas outside urban centers.

• Description: Leads to increased car dependence and loss of green space.

• Example: Suburban expansion in Los Angeles.

Zones of Abandonment

• Definition: Areas that have been deserted due to economic or social decline.

• Description: Often characterized by high crime rates and poor infrastructure.

• Example: Parts of Detroit after the decline of the auto industry.

City Models

Burgess Concentric-Zone Model

• Cities grow in rings from a central business district (CBD).

• Example: Chicago.

Hoyt Sector Model

• Cities grow in sectors, often along transportation lines.

• Example: Industry and wealth distribution in San Francisco.

Harris-Ullman Multiple-Nuclei Model

• Cities develop around multiple centers of activity.

• Example: Los Angeles.

Galactic City Model

• Cities develop into decentralized clusters connected by highways.

• Example: Atlanta. 

Agglomeration

• Definition: The clustering of businesses and industries in a particular area for mutual benefit.

• Description: Businesses and industries locate near each other to share resources, reduce costs, and access a common labor pool. Agglomeration often leads to increased innovation and economic efficiency.

• Example: Silicon Valley is an example of agglomeration where tech companies benefit from proximity to skilled labor and venture capital.

Bid-Rent Theory

• Definition: A theory that explains how the price and demand for land change as the distance from the central business district (CBD) increases.

• Description: Land value decreases as the distance from the city center increases because accessibility and economic activity are concentrated near the CBD.

• Example: Retail stores in downtown New York City pay higher rent than stores in suburban areas.

Central Business District (CBD)

• Definition: The downtown or commercial center of a city where businesses and commerce are concentrated.

• Description: The CBD is often the most accessible and densely developed part of a city, featuring high-rise buildings, offices, and retail spaces.

• Example: Manhattan in New York City is a prime example of a CBD with financial institutions, corporate headquarters, and shopping centers.

Counterurbanization

• Definition: The movement of people from urban areas to rural areas or smaller towns.

• Description: This trend is often driven by the desire for a quieter lifestyle, lower cost of living, and improved quality of life.

• Example: Families leaving Los Angeles for smaller towns in Oregon or Idaho.

Decentralization

• Definition: The process of shifting population and businesses from the city center to suburban and rural areas.

• Description: Decentralization reduces congestion in the city center but can increase suburban sprawl and infrastructure costs.

• Example: The rise of business parks and shopping malls in the suburbs of Chicago.

Edge City

• Definition: A large center of business and retail that has emerged on the outskirts of a metropolitan area.

• Description: Edge cities have their own economic base, reducing dependence on the central city.

• Example: Tyson’s Corner, Virginia, outside of Washington, D.C., is a major edge city with offices, hotels, and retail.

Exurbs

• Definition: Residential areas located beyond the suburbs, often inhabited by wealthier individuals seeking more space.

• Description: Exurbs are characterized by larger homes, low population density, and longer commutes to the city.

• Example: Areas like The Woodlands, Texas, located outside Houston, are considered exurbs.

Filtering

• Definition: The process through which houses are passed from one social group to another, often leading to decline over time.

• Description: As higher-income groups move out of neighborhoods, the housing stock is occupied by lower-income residents, leading to gradual physical decline.

• Example: Older housing in Detroit has filtered down to low-income renters after middle-class flight.

Infrastructure

• Definition: The basic physical systems of a city, including transportation, utilities, and communication networks.

• Description: Strong infrastructure supports economic activity and improves the quality of life for residents.

• Example: Roads, bridges, airports, and internet networks are essential infrastructure.

Land-Use Zoning

• Definition: The legal regulations that control how land can be used (e.g., residential, commercial, industrial).

• Description: Zoning laws determine the type of development allowed in different areas to create order and prevent conflicts.

• Example: A city may zone certain areas for residential use and others for commercial use.

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

• Definition: A large city and its surrounding areas that are linked economically and socially.

• Description: MSAs include the urban core and the surrounding suburbs and exurbs.

• Example: The New York City metropolitan statistical area includes parts of New Jersey and Connecticut.

Mixed-Income Development

• Definition: A housing strategy that combines market-rate and affordable housing in the same area.

• Description: Mixed-income development aims to reduce economic segregation and promote social diversity.

• Example: The redevelopment of Cabrini-Green in Chicago included mixed-income housing.

Public Housing

• Definition: Government-funded housing for low-income residents.

• Description: Public housing often faces challenges with maintenance, overcrowding, and crime.

• Example: The Pruitt-Igoe housing complex in St. Louis was a major public housing project.

Revitalization

• Definition: The process of renovating or improving an urban area to attract new businesses and residents.

• Description: Revitalization often involves investment in infrastructure, housing, and commercial development.

• Example: The revitalization of downtown Detroit with new businesses and entertainment venues.

Segregation

• Definition: The separation of groups of people based on race, income, or ethnicity within an urban environment.

• Description: Segregation can be intentional or result from historical and economic factors.

• Example: Racial segregation in Chicago created distinct African American and white neighborhoods.

Shantytown

• Definition: An informal settlement with poor housing and lack of infrastructure, often found on the edges of cities.

• Description: Shantytowns are characterized by makeshift housing and poor sanitation.

• Example: The favelas of Rio de Janeiro are large shantytowns.

Squatter Settlement

• Definition: An informal and often illegal settlement where people build housing on land they do not own.

• Description: Squatter settlements lack access to public services and infrastructure.

• Example: Dharavi in Mumbai is one of the largest squatter settlements in the world.

Urban Hierarchy

• Definition: A ranking of settlements based on their size and economic function.

• Description: Large cities have more specialized functions and services than smaller towns.

• Example: New York City ranks higher than Albany within the U.S. urban hierarchy.

Urban Renewal

• Definition: Programs that aim to redevelop urban areas, often involving displacement of existing residents.

• Description: Urban renewal can lead to improved infrastructure but also to gentrification.

• Example: The renewal of the Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego involved restoring historic buildings and adding new businesses.

World City

• Definition: A city that serves as a major center for finance, trade, culture, and communication on a global scale.

• Description: World cities have influence beyond their national borders and are connected to global networks.

• Example: London, Tokyo, and New York City are considered world cities.