Broke : Hardship And Resilience In A City Of Broken Promises by Jodie Adams Kirshner

Essential in showcasing people who are persistent, clever, flawed, loving, struggling and full of contradictions, Broke affirms why it’s worth solving the hardest problems in our most challenging cities in the first place. – Anna Clark, The New York Times

Through in-depth reporting of structural inequality as it affects real people in Detroit, Jodie Adams Kirshner’s Broke examines one side of the economic divide in America – Salon

What Broke really tells us is how systems of government, law and finance can crush even the hardiest of boot-strap pullers – Brian Alexander, author of Glass House

A galvanizing, narrative account of a city’s bankruptcy and its aftermath told through the lives of seven valiantly struggling Detroiters – Broke

Bankruptcy and the austerity it represents have become a common “solution” for struggling American cities. What do the spending cuts and limited resources do to the lives of city residents? In Broke, Jodie Adams Kirshner follows seven Detroiters as they navigate life during and after their city’s bankruptcy.

Reggie loses his savings trying to make a habitable home for his family. Cindy fights drug use, prostitution, and dumping on her block. Lola commutes two hours a day to her suburban job. For them, financial issues are mired within the larger ramifications of poor urban policies, restorative negligence on the state and federal level and–even before the decision to declare Detroit bankrupt in 2013–the root causes of a city’s fiscal demise.

Like Matthew Desmond’s Evicted, Broke looks at what municipal distress means, not just on paper but in practical–and personal–terms. More than 40 percent of Detroit’s 700,000 residents fall below the poverty line. Post-bankruptcy, they struggle with a broken real estate market, school system, and job market–and their lives have not improved.

Detroit is emblematic. Kirshner makes a powerful argument that cities–the economic engine of America–are never quite given the aid that they need by either the state or federal government for their residents to survive, not to mention flourish. Success for all America’s citizens depends on equity of opportunity.

Broke: Exploring the Human Cost of Bankruptcy in Distressed Cities

I’m Jody Kirschner, author of the book “Broke: Hardship and Resilience in a City of Broken Promises.” In 2013, as cities like Detroit were facing economic distress, I noticed a lack of discussion about the impact on the individuals living in these cities. While bankruptcy was being touted as a solution, nobody seemed to be talking about the human cost.

I delved into the subject of bankruptcy law and the experiences of individuals affected by it. Detroit’s bankruptcy, which lasted 17 months and cost $180 million, served as a prominent case study. However, Detroit is not the only city dealing with these issues. By understanding the stories of seven Detroit residents, I aim to inspire better outcomes in other cities.

These chronicles reveal the limitations of bankruptcy as a solution. They showcase the immense humanity, talent, and intelligence within these communities, underscoring the loss our country faces when we fail to provide opportunities to match their potential.