Urban cities

Urban area

A densely populated region characterized by significant human-made structures such as buildings, roads, and infrastructure, often serving as economic and cultural centers.

Metropolitan area

that includes a central city and its surrounding suburbs, linked economically and socially.

Site impact on city

How the geographic location benefits/harms the city, like with nearby water sources and elevation.

Situation impact on city

refers to the broader context of a city's location relative to other areas, including its connectivity, economic relationships, and accessibility to resources, which can affect its growth and development.

Urban sprawl

the uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into the surrounding rural land, often resulting in increased traffic and environmental degradation.

Edge city

A term that describes a relatively new suburban area that has developed its own economic and commercial centers, often located at major highway intersections, distinct from traditional downtown areas.

Boomburb

a suburban area experiencing rapid growth and development, typically characterized by a significant population increase and thriving commercial centers.

Exurb

A residential area located outside a suburb, often characterized by low-density development and a high level of affluence.

Infill

The process of developing vacant or underused parcels within existing urban areas, often to increase density and utilize resources more efficiently.

Relocation diffusion + urbanization/city development

The spread of people and ideas from urban centers to surrounding areas, leading to urban growth and transformation of communities through colonizationand migration patterns, resulting in economic opportunities and changes in demographics.

Expansion diffusion + urbanization/city development

The process by which cultural traits, technologies, or populations spread outward from an urban center, often resulting in increased urban growth and spatial expansion. This type of diffusion contrasts with relocation diffusion as it involves the spread of ideas and innovations rather than movement of people.

Urban density

The measure of population per unit area in urban settings, reflecting how crowded a city or neighborhood is. Higher urban density often leads to increased demand for housing and services. High density are closer to CBD and have poorer people than low density places.

Infill development

The process of developing vacant or underused parcels within existing urban areas, enhancing urban density and revitalizing neighborhoods.

Urban development cycle

Development causes more companies to come in, increasing population and taxes, more taxes causes less people to be able to afford to stay, causing them to move, causing land to become cheap…this then restarts the cycle.

Infrastructure and the urban development cycle

This depends on how well cities support population, richer people can afford nicer infrastructure than poorer people

Fiscal squeeze

A situation where increasing costs and declining revenues lead to budget constraints, affecting urban services and development.

Economic base

The fundamental activities that provide economic stability and growth to a city, influencing job creation and investment.

Redlining

A discriminatory practice in which banks and insurers deny services to residents of certain neighborhoods based on racial or ethnic composition, leading to systemic disinvestment and segregation.

Redlining history

Redlining was a government-backed practice, formalized in the 1930s through New Deal agencies like the Home Owners' Loan Corporation, in which neighborhoods with Black and minority residents were literally outlined in red on maps and deemed too "hazardous" for mortgage lending or insurance. This locked generations of Black Americans out of homeownership at the exact moment federal subsidies were helping white families build wealth in the postwar suburbs. Though outlawed by the Fair Housing Act of 1968, its effects proved remarkably durable — research shows that neighborhoods marked "hazardous" nearly a century ago remain disproportionately poor and nonwhite today, making redlining one of the most consequential drivers of the racial wealth gap in American history.

Blockbusting

An exploitative practice where real estate agents induce panic selling by inflating fears of minority neighbors moving into a community of whites, leading to property devaluation. White people sold houses for very cheap, and realtors bought them at lower prices to sell to minority families at a profit, further perpetuating segregation and economic instability.

White flight

refers to the phenomenon of white residents moving out of neighborhoods as Black or other minority populations move in, often driven by racial prejudice and fear of declining property values. This has contributed to urban decay and segregation. This caused more black and hispanic people/minorities in urban areas, and white people in suburban areas.

Social and economic urban challenges

refers to the wide range of issues faced by urban populations, including poverty, unemployment, inadequate housing, crime, and access to education and healthcare. These challenges are often exacerbated by systemic inequalities and can hinder overall community development. Many of these issues are in marginalized communities when desperation takes over.

Environmental injustice for marginalized communities

refers to the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on marginalized groups, often due to systemic racism and inequity. This includes issues like pollution, lack of access to clean air and water, and inadequate response to environmental disasters, which further entrenches social and economic disparities. This is because factories, railroads, etc. are in these areas, with high pollution, simply because these communities do not have the money or resources to fight back.

Squatter settlements

are informal housing areas where residents occupy land without ownership or legal rights, often arising in urban contexts due to rapid migration and housing shortages. These settlements typically lack basic services like sanitation, clean water, and infrastructure, leading to significant health and social challenges.

Urban renewal

is a process in which urban deteriorated areas are redeveloped to improve living conditions, enhance economic opportunities, and modernize infrastructure. This often involves the rehabilitation of buildings, the creation of public spaces, and the provision of new amenities, but can also lead to displacement of existing residents.

Inclusionary zoning

is a planning policy that requires a portion of new residential developments to be affordable for low- and moderate-income households. This practice aims to create mixed-income communities, combating segregation and promoting economic diversity.