Quote Originally Posted by bailey View Post
Well, you're assuming all the variables are the same. Detroit failed because it's population left for the suburbs and that leaving was facilitated by some very short sighted planning and policies. The difficulties in the suburbs stem from the fact the industry that this state relied on for 100 years has left the country. I mean HP doesn't have one in ten houses sitting vacant because those folks all moved to Auburn Hills. Those vacant homes are vacant because the people that lived in them don't have jobs anymore.
I don't think your two theories are disconnected. If Metro Detroit was building new housing at a slower rate than the population was growing then there would be little abandonment. Build more than the population can absorb and you get Detroit. Since the practices haven't changed, what happened in Detroit is just spilling into the suburbs. The loss of industry is probably exacerbating the problem, but it's not the root cause.