Illustration by Rich Hauck
Will America rediscover growth?
Recently, several books have been published (“Abundance,” “Stuck,” “Why Nothing Works”), advising the country to fight lethargy and re-engage its can-do spirit.
To which, I say: “Amen!”
For too long, these books argue, America has been stuck in a scarcity mentality, so that every major project gets bogged down in process—regulation, approvals, litigation, complexity—which leads to prolonged delays and escalating costs.
According to the authors, the country should embrace an optimistic mindset, along with reforms, that will make it easier and less expensive to build housing, infrastructure, etc., and solve other difficult problems. One of the books, “Abundance,” explicitly counsels Democrats, wandering in the political wilderness and looking for a new, positive message, to lead the charge.
Last month, in this space, I wrote a column detailing four qualities that I’ll be looking for in candidates as I head out to vote in the municipal primary on May 20. These include two that are relevant to this discussion: pragmatism and vision.
In my mind, pragmatism speaks to the city’s ability to soberly assess and solve current problems, both large and small. Vision means imagining what this city can be longer-term—then assertively steering it in the direction of that potential.
Notably, this does not include getting mired in politics, process and personalities, things that Harrisburg excels at and that have impaired the progress of the city.
As leaders get elected this year, they should adopt a through-line of “abundance.” This means abandoning a zero-sum, us vs. them mentality, which sets people against each other, and aggressively working towards more—more housing, better infrastructure and more robust amenities.
Fortunately, Harrisburg is better positioned than many old industrial cities to embrace an abundant future.
First of all, Harrisburg has a ton of dormant, spare capacity in the form of empty land and empty (or nearly empty) office/commercial buildings, which can be used for housing. Moreover, the city’s residential rental and for-sale markets have been strong for years, indicating healthy demand for quality housing. The rub, though, is that building costs also have escalated, making ground-up projects tough to execute—but that’s where leadership steps in.
This year, the administration and City Council need to revisit Harrisburg’s tax abatement program, after extending it for a year just as it was about to expire in December. The current program has worked reasonably well for renovations, but not for new construction, as it includes additional restrictions so onerous that most developers took a pass—and very little new, unsubsidized housing was built. That’s the opposite of abundance.
City leaders also should comb through the city’s zoning code and historic preservation rules to see where changes can be made to encourage more housing. Greater density, fewer parking minimums and more flexibility on material use are just a few ideas to make projects more financially viable. A quick Google search or AI inquiry will result in many more ideas than I have room for here.
On the infrastructure side, the city should conduct a roads audit. A lot has changed in the capital city since the commonwealth rolled up the carpet and said, “good-bye and good luck” (though they didn’t wish us good luck either).
Harrisburg no longer needs three-lane, one-way mini-highways slashing through its neighborhoods and downtown. These streets should be narrowed, with a lane removed in each direction, improving walkability, livability and safety for the people who want to be here.
Speaking of vision, the city desperately needs to formulate an economic development plan, especially for downtown. As I just mentioned, Harrisburg has been kneecapped by its own state government, resulting in empty downtown storefronts, buildings and streets.
Over the past few years, some downtown stakeholders have tried to step up, but the city itself needs to take the lead in fielding ideas, herding the cats and formulating a long-term recovery plan. No other entity has the resources, stature and authority to do this.
Well, abundance can mean so many other things—more street art, more pocket parks, more small businesses, etc., etc. Harrisburg is a creative place, and I’m sure readers will have a million ideas.
Embracing abundance will require real leadership—people who are pragmatists short-term, visionaries long-term and hard-working, tenacious advocates all the time. I’m confident that Harrisburg’s people want a more prosperous, abundant future. But are its officials ready to drop the old, stagnant ways, the sluggish processes and the tired, predictable personal attacks—and do what needs to be done?
Lawrance Binda is publisher and editor of TheBurg.
If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!
