Traces development of U.S. cities through the colonial town, market place town, radial center, fringe city, and the multicentered metropolis. Notes the 1970 census showed the United States as a suburban nation. Examines the housing patterns of urban cities that continue to lose population. (NL)

Reviews recent literature on urban politics and urban policy. Focuses on issues faced by cities of the 1990s: city planning, growth, politics, problems of housing, homelessness, cost of government, racial, and ethnic conflicts. Suggests that field trips and computer simulations can be used in college courses in urban studies. (CH)