Cities around the world are growing at an unprecedented rate, and for the first time in recent history represent the preferred place for people to live. Urbanization has historically aided millions in escaping hardship through increased employment opportunities, better education and healthcare, large-scale public investments, and access to improved infrastructure and services. The city has been the ideal for heightened livability for people worldwide.
These extraordinary opportunities have also propagated unanticipated pressure on the livability of cities that remains pervasive today. US cities are faced with new 21st century challenges which corrode three interwoven drivers of livability: equity, safety, and affordability. These drivers have been the pillars of American cities, and are now being dangerously tested by the increasing pressures of urbanization.
