For introductory undergraduate/first year graduate courses in Urban Planning, Urban Administration, Urban Politics, and Urban Problems in departments of political science, geography, and urban studies.

Based on the author’s extensive experience as a working planner, this book gives students an insider’s view of sub-state urban planning-the nitty-gritty details on the interplay of politics, law, money, and interest groups. The author takes a balanced, non-judgmental approach to introduce a range of ideological and political perspectives on the operation of political, economic, and demographic forces in city planning. Unlike other books on the subject, this text is strong in its coverage of economics, law, finance, and urban governance. It examines the underlying forces of growth and change and discusses frankly who benefits and loses by particular decisions.