Brief history of important periods.

 a. 1945-into 1950s. Still overcrowded; demand for units. rental.
  some who move out, keep city house and rent it

 b. mid 1950s through 1960s

  cities already affected by trends in manufacturing employment
   new factories built on cheaper land

  some services harder to provide
   public transportation -- buses now ...

  malls compete with CBD
   Princeton Shopping Center first in this area  1954
   Georges Rd. and Rt. 1    1957
   Midstate Mall on 18   1958
   Menlo Park Shopping Center  April 1960; open then; enclosed 1965
   Woodbridge Center   1971

  belief in value of land in/near CBD remains, but hard to actually sell
   urban renewal'; slum clearance
   high rise public housing built from late 1950s

 1970s
  housing abandonment; stop paying property taxes, and city takes over property
  HUD program for FHA mortgages in inner city destroys more housing
 
manufacturing employment down nationally, and especially in older cities of NE and Midwest.  Rustbelt.
auto, steel, other metals, sewing machines (Eliz.), etc.
                                   Industries automating, -- e.g. chemicals, in NJ

  High unemployment in inner city neighborhoods

  Alternate economy
   off-the-books jobs
   drug trade

1980s crack -- more publicity for drug crimes