Throughout the US there is an increasing debate about the nature of urban d
evelopment, including such aspects as suburban sprawl and continuing centra
l city poverty. This debate is driven by a range of motivations, including
concerns about the effect of growth on the environment, quality of life, go
vernment efficiency, economic competitiveness, and equity. Several metropol
itan areas have developed new governmental and fiscal structures or land us
e policies to address problems caused by growth, or by inequalities within
regions. A detailed case study of Chicago shows how different groups deal w
ith these issues politically. The article concludes with an overview of the
policies most likely to be successful.