The Downsides of the Back-to-the-City Movement

The back-to-the city movement is a cause for celebration for some who see it as reviving previously fading cities and ushering in an era of denser, more innovative and sustainable urban growth. At the same time, it is a source of considerable concern and consternation for others who see gentrification as the main force that’s making many cities less affordable and more unequal.

But what, and who, are really behind the back-to-the-city movement? And what do the outcomes it’s ultimately producing mean for different groups or classes of people?