Mayor Embraces Shrinking Detroit

[Zacha341]

Exactly... what do they plan to do? Wall or brick off these areas as forbidden zones like some kind of "thunderdome"? Yes, crime would be rife in these areas, but supposedly no spill over to the rescued areas!? Yeah, where else here has this been successful...? Well successful or not, it is the life of parts of New Orleans shut off and shut down after Katrina......... Hmmmm.

Is there precedent for shrinking a city this drastically anywhere else in the world? And if so, where?

I understand the thinking behind the idea, but I worry that it won't work. If they stop city services to certain areas without tearing down the houses and breaking up the streets, those areas will become places for squatters and criminal activity, which won't stop the need for police and fire services there.