In an Executive Order on February 19, 2009, President Barack Obama established the brand new White House Office of Urban Affairs. The president cites the need for a "coordinated and comprehensive approach...concerning urban America"in order to face the rapid growth of our cities which are home to over 80 percent of the population. Recognizing the importance of American urban spaces, he said "the economic health and social vitality of our urban communities are critically important to the prosperity and quality of life for Americans. "Urban areas in the United States of America are becoming increasingly important as centers of development and growth for the entire nation. The White House has acknowledged how "vibrant cities spawn innovation, economic growth, and cultural enrichment through the businesses, universities, and civic, cultural, religious, and nonprofit institutions they attract," and they are developing the right urban policies, including taking a regional approach and promoting inclusive growth, in order to better face the shifting needs of American cities.
The hope is to foster an urban paradigm shift aimed to "lift up and revitalize urban areas holistically and invest in community development." Communty development and revitalization efforts in the past have not been the best methods of improving urban areas, but with a new federal platform to work on these issues, this may be the change American cities have been waiting for.
Obama appointed Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion as the Director of the Office of Urban Affairs. The 47-year-old New York politicain "oversaw the creation of 40,000 new units of housing, 50 new schools, $7 billion in capital and infrastructure expenditures and more than $400 million in new parks and parkland renovation" in his career so far, and he is very well qualified to lead this nation in a major urban change.
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