Justice

Andrew Yang Wants to Save Your Dying Mall

The Democratic presidential candidate wants to fight suburban blight by repurposing dying retail centers.
Andrew Yang, pictured at an Iowa event, announced the American Mall Act from a dying mall in South Carolina.Charlie Neibergall/AP

Entrepreneur and presidential hopeful Andrew Yang has a new policy proposal that promises to set him apart in the crowded Democratic field. He hopes to address an issue affecting the economic vitality of communities all across the country. Yang wants to save the malls.

According to his campaign, some 300 malls will fold over the next 4 years, a number in line with an estimate by Credit Suisse that one-quarter of all malls will close by 2022. Many dozens or hundreds more will struggle as anchor stores collapse and retail outlets wither. Yang’s American Mall Act would devote $6 billion to finding new purposes for these dying retail complexes.