College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Graduation Date

11-2011

Document Type

Thesis

Department/Program Conferring Degree

Leadership & Policy

Keywords

shrinking city, Cleveland Ohio, urban agriculture, policy

Abstract

Shrinking cities in the United States have undergone massive physical transformations in the wake of significant population loss and economic decline. In particular, these cities are challenged by the growing presence of vacant land and the need to find new policy and planning strategies for managing this land. This paper examines the role of urban agriculture as one such strategy within the local context of Cleveland, Ohio. This paper presents an analysis of the city’s growing urban agriculture movement with a focus on municipal policies supporting the practice of urban agriculture, including eighteen interviews with individuals knowledgeable about the development of local policy in Cleveland. The findings suggest that municipal government is supportive of urban agriculture as an important tool within more comprehensive and ongoing efforts to revitalize the city of Cleveland.

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