In most American cities, the phrase “economic development” has become a glittering euphemism; one that evokes progress, revitalization, and growth. But peel back the polished press releases and ceremonial groundbreakings, and you’ll often find something far less democratic at the core.
Economic development isn’t usually driven by the will of the people.
Instead, it’s typically orchestrated through a closed-loop system of cooperation between real estate developers, entrenched economic elites, local politicians, and critically, the mainstream media that frames it all as a public good.
A Well-Oiled Machine with Familiar Faces
This machine runs smoothly because everyone involved benefits…except for the working-class residents often pushed aside in the name of progress.
Real estate developers get lucrative tax breaks and subsidies to build luxury condos, stadiums, or tech campuses. Political leaders gain campaign contributions, ribbon-cutting photo ops, and a narrative of “bringing jobs” or “modernizing the city.”
The media, funded in part by the same developers and elite institutions, reinforces the message by calling these projects “revitalization” and “urban renewal.” Rarely do they ask who’s being displaced, who actually benefits, or why these deals often bypass public input or oversight.
Displacement Disguised as Progress
In cities like Detroit, Atlanta, and San Francisco, entire neighborhoods have been rebranded out of existence. Black and brown communities are often labeled as “blighted” to justify demolitions and rezonings, clearing the path for gentrification disguised as revitalization.
Economic development, in this framework, becomes a code word for cultural erasure.
Meanwhile, working-class people (especially renters) watch as their homes become investment opportunities for out-of-town landlords, and as public dollars are diverted from essential services into private hands.
Policing as a Tool for Profit Protection
One of the lesser-discussed consequences of these schemes is their connection to policing. As developers move in and property values rise, law enforcement often becomes a de facto security force for private capital.
“Tough on crime” rhetoric and broken-windows policing intensify in areas undergoing redevelopment. Unhoused people, street vendors, and longtime residents are over-policed and criminalized; not because they’re dangerous, but because their presence threatens the sanitized, investor-friendly image of the “new” neighborhood.
In many cases, public safety is redefined to mean protecting investments rather than people.
As scholar Alex Vitale notes in The End of Policing:
“[p]olicing is not a solution to poverty or disinvestment; it is a way to manage the inequality these systems create.” When cities prioritize economic growth at the expense of community wellbeing, aggressive policing fills the vacuum left by abandoned public services.
Alex Vitale, The End of Policing
The Myth of the “Trickle Down”
The common justification for these schemes is the promise of jobs and tax revenue. But time and again, these benefits fail to materialize for the communities that need them most. Studies show that tax incentives often go to companies that would have located in the city anyway, while job creation numbers are inflated or short-lived.
In short: the trickle never really trickles.
Reclaiming the Narrative
True economic development should be inclusive, accountable, and democratically shaped. That means community benefit agreements, participatory budgeting, and independent media willing to challenge powerful interests, not just repeat their talking points.
Until that happens, we have to keep asking uncomfortable questions:
- Who gets to decide what progress looks like?
- Who is being left behind—or pushed out?
- And why do the same players always seem to profit, no matter the outcome?
Because when developers, elites, politicians, and media collude under the banner of “development,” it’s not a city being built; it’s a façade.
Additional Reading:
- Florida, R. (2017). The New Urban Crisis. Basic Books.
- Grisold, A., & Theine, H. (2017). Economic Inequality: How Come We Know? The Media Coverage of Economic Inequality. International journal of communication, 11, 20.
- Jacobs, J. (1992). The Death and Life of Great American Cities. Random House.
- Urban Displacement Project. https://www.urbandisplacement.org
- Center for Economic and Policy Research. (2022). Effectiveness of R&D tax incentives in OECD economies.
- Center for Global Development. (2017). The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: How do Tax Incentives Impact Investment?.
- Vitale, A. (2017). The End of Policing. Verso Books.
