The Lawyer's Role in Urban Revitalization: St. Louis as a Case Study

1 unit

This 1 unit course meets during the January Intersession. The problems of a struggling city are shaped by - and arguably can be addressed through - local government law, the structures of municipal institutions, private sector interests, community engagement, and the practicalities of politics. This course will use local government law to examine some of the institutional and public policy challenges facing the St. Louis metropolitan region and examine potential pathways to growth for St. Louis city. Each session will couple local government law doctrines with a particular public challenge faced by St. Louis: inner city decline vs. suburban growth, economic development in a fragmented landscape, issues of inequity and inequality (including access to economic opportunity and improving economic mobility), the role of neighborhoods and strategies for building strong communities, segregation vs. approaches to integration, and aspects of regional governance. It will put students in the position of serving as legal and policy advisers and, ultimately, decision makers with the goal of challenging students to think strategically about the trade-offs decision-makers face. To this end, a final, 5-7 page writing assignment will require students to analyze one specific public problem from the larger subset of course themes and apply local government law doctrines covered in class in developing possible solutions. Attendance is mandatory. Grading will be based on class participation and the final memo. In addition, students will be expected to hold time for two afternoon site visits in St. Louis. These site visits will be in addition to regular class time. More details will be forthcoming to enrolled students.