The Northeast-Midwest Institute has released a report that explores some defining characteristics and persistent challenges of local governments in the legacy cities of the northeastern and midwestern United States. Once thriving industrial hubs, these cities have suffered decades of population loss, economic disinvestment, and social decline.
A central focus of the report is the issue of limited local government capacity, which impedes effective service delivery, innovation, and long-term revitalization. The report analyzes contributing factors such as fragmentation, staffing shortages, and technological gaps, and proposes solutions rooted in cross-sector leadership, collaborative governance, university partnerships, digital modernization, and federal support. It advocates for institutional reforms that can equip legacy city governments to meet the demands of the 21st century.
The report, written by NEMWI intern Eloise Wyatt of Bates College, is part of NEMWI’s Revitalizing Older Cities program, which conducts research on former industrial hubs in the Midwest and northeast United States that have experienced significant economic, demographic, and infrastructural decline.