Detroit was, is, and will be the case study of what happens when liberal politicians remain in power too long. California, New York, and several other states will provide a larger scale example.
The economic impact must be massive for the writer confessed that Detroit had to condemn and then destroy multiple city blocks because Detroit couldn't afford to provide basic civic services.
Where will Detroit go next?
The industrial base that made large cities possible is gone and quite probably will never return. With that loss goes money, the “live blood” that made the city possible. Bottom line - Detroit as I remember reading about is gone. But, unfortunately the drones, aka the political class, that feed of the city haven't left.
Eventually these new gardens and what ever economy, based on farmer markets?, will also disappear much like the heavy industries did. Why?
When you look at a society you discover that there are two “knuckles” it is development curve. While the sources of the economy will change these knuckles remain.
The first knuckle occurs when the economic community becomes self sustaining. It generates enough activity that the younger members don't have to move away to survive. The leading edge of this first knuckle drove our expansion to the west, the immigration waves, and the formation of cities. The trailing edge of this knuckle was the explosive economic growth that occurred between 1890 and 1920 - robber barons and all.
The second knuckle occurs when the economic community can no longer handle the toxic waste generated by its citizens. This waste comes in many forms - increased crime rates, collapse of the family elements, urban blight, and “quality of ;life” issues. There are medical elements too but they are very controversial. Another symptom is the concentration of economic and political power because the problems being faced are ‘too big for us to solve alone”. The trailing edge of this knuckle is Europe and Detroit today.
The good news, I think, is the whole thing is cyclic. As the economic curve follows the trailing edge of the second knuckle it reaches the self sustaining first knuckle and the cycle begins anew.
IIRC, Detroit’s govt changed to liberal/progressive in early 60’s and the Feds gve it gazillions of taxpayer money to “evolve” to the utopian city they dreamed could exist.
The results have been catastrophic and the Halloween “Devils Night” destruction that began in late 60’s was just a precursor of things to come.