Rehabilitation of Infrastructure in Infill Sites

Abstract

Infrastructure deficiencies increase the problems of minorities in ghettos. The advantages of infrastructure rehabilitation are obvious. Examples and guidelines concerning successful rehabilitation should be studied. Rehabilitation of infrastructure on sites that have been leapfrogged and passed over can be more economical and face less resistance than the construction of new public improvements and services in newly developed areas. In addition to the analysis provided, more research concerning infill sites should be undertaken. The financing problems of needed infrastructure are due in large part to our governmental deficits, bad loans by saving and loans, speculation in takeovers leveraged beyond junk bond excess, and other wasteful economic practices. There is a need to educate Americans concerning the beneficial payoffs that can be yielded by intelligent infrastructure planning and implementation. Without such planning and implementation, current economic trends in the United States will persist. This will mean that the average American's standard of living will continue to suffer. People in our older cities are especially vulnerable because the financing of infrastructure through local property taxes has been impaired by population and employment losses. One hopes that infrastructure financing for new and old American communities will be more available because of military expenditure reductions and other savings.