The long-run implications of slum clearance: A neighborhood analysis

Abstract

This paper analyzes the federal urban renewal and slum clearance program. This program was one of the largest and most controversial policies used to rehabilitate neighborhoods in the United States. Using a newly constructed dataset, I examine the characteristics of neighborhoods cleared for redevelopment and the effect that such projects had on neighborhoods over time. I show that conditional on experiencing urban blight, Black neighborhoods were twice as likely as white neighborhoods to be targeted for clearance. Redevelopment led to a decline in housing density, population density, and the share of Black residents while simultaneously increasing median rents and incomes.