Overview

American communities face serious challenges when military bases close. But affected municipalities and metro regions are not doomed. Taking a long-term, flexible, and incremental approach, Michael Touchton and Amanda J. Ashley make strong recommendations for collaborative models of governance that can improve defense conversion dramatically and ensure benefits, even for low-resource municipalities. Communities can't control their economic situation or geographic location, but, as Salvaging Community shows, communities can control how they govern conversion processes geared toward redevelopment and reinvention. In Salvaging Community, Touchton and Ashley undertake a comprehensive evaluation of how such communities redevelop former bases following the Department of Defense's Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. To do so, they developed the first national database on military redevelopment and combine quantitative national analyses with three, in-depth case studies in California. Salvaging Community thus fills the void in knowledge surrounding redevelopment of bases and the disparate outcomes that affect communities after BRAC. The data presented in Salvaging Community points toward effective strategies for collaborative governance that address the present-day needs of municipal officials, economic development agencies, and non-profit organizations working in post-BRAC communities. Defense conversion is not just about jobs or economic rebound, Touchton and Ashley argue. Emphasizing inclusion and sustainability in redevelopment promotes rejuvenated communities and creates places where people want to live. As localities and regions deal with the legacy of the post-Cold War base closings and anticipate new closures in the future, Salvaging Community presents a timely and constructive approach to both economic and community development at the close of the military-industrial era.

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9781501700064

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Reviews

This valuable book brings to light the hidden, influential process of military land transfer. Touchton and Ashley show why it matters, how it works, and how communities can better take advantage of the rare, transformative opportunity military base closure provides. -- Marc Doussard, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and author of <I>Degraded Work</I> The closure of a military base is always disruptive for the residents and businesses in nearby cities and towns. Touchton and Ashley perform a vital service in this carefully researched book by showing how former defense communities can find creative ways to convert these facilities to more productive uses. -- Christopher Preble, Cato Institute Salvaging Community is well researched, timely, and necessary, and will add significant depth to all economic issues related to base closings.- -- John Mullin, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Author Information

Michael Touchton is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Miami. Amanda J. Ashley is Associate Professor of Urban Studies and Community Development in the School of Public Service at Boise State University.

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