Jane Jacobs is best known for The Death and Life of Great American Cities, a book that was written over 60 years ago. What we seem to be seeing today is the gradual demise of great cities for a variety of reasons. I’m not sure if the problems are 100% in line with Jacobs’ arguments but she certainly pinpointed some fundamental issues.

People discuss and complain about various problems such as poverty, crime, homelessness, traffic congestion, and the lack of public transportation. But Jacobs took a more holistic view, looking at how cities are actually made of blocks and neighborhoods. Apparently I’m not the only one who still thinks she’s relevant today, as a documentary was created about her a few years ago. I recently wrote a review/discussion of The Death and Life of Great American Cities, which I’ll link to below.

Why Jane Jacobs Still Matters Today