Detroit Case Study Flashcards
What was Detroit known as?
‘Motor City’
What did Detroit suffer from?
Lack of diversified industry
What were the ‘Big 3’?
Ford, Chrysler, GM
What did globalisation cause?
Increased mechanisation and competition (1970s)
To where was GM production outsourced?
Mexico City
How many people were arrested by the National Guard during the 1967 race riots?
7200
How was the city segregated?
‘8-mile’ highway separated white and black communities
How has regeneration recently been attempted in Detroit?
Regeneration of inner-city ‘Hudson’s Site’ - £1.4 billion mixed-use development completed in 2024
What percentage of the population are African American?
75%
When did the ‘Great Migration’ occur?
1916-1970
When did the ‘White Flight’ occur?
1970-1980
How many people left Detroit during the ‘White Flight’?
310,000 white residents
How much was invested by the government for the revitalisation of the CBD?
$2.5 billion
What was Detroit’s population in 1950?
1.85 million (5th largest US city)
What was Detroit’s population in 2019?
650,000 (23rd largest US city)
When did GM file for bankruptcy?
2009
When did Quicken Loans move its HQ to Detroit?
2010 (CEO - Dan Gilbert)
How many jobs did Quicken Loans provide?
2010 - 1,700
2024 - 17,000
When did the city declare bankruptcy?
2013
How many buildings are abandoned in Detroit?
100,000
What was the poverty rate in 2014?
38%
What problems does Detroit’s scattered population cause?
- Expensive to maintain wide network of infrastructure due to large metropolitan limits
- Slow emergency service response time
How much deficit is the city operating on?
$300 million deficit (below municipal sustainability)
When was the ‘Detroit Future City’ plan developed?
2012 (By the mayor and Detroit Works)
What is the ‘Detroit Future City’ plan?
A 50-year plan for sustainability
What did Detroit host in 2006?
Super Bowl
Why was the Super Bowl ineffective at rebranding Detroit?
- Wealth gap was widened
- Middle-class power in the suburbs increased as that is where most development occurred
- Encouraged status competition
What is the most significant issue facing Detroit’s workforce?
A shortage of public service workers due to migration out of the city
Why did competition increase in the automotive industry?
Consumers wanted a better fuel economy
What are the terms used to describe urban decline in Detroit?
- Spiral of decline
- Cumulative causation
What did decreased tax revenue lead to?
Decreased police funding and therefore increased crime
