This report by Richard A. Harris, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy & Administration, and Alex Kremstein, MPA, former WRI student employee, proposes a new understanding of the structure of urban regimes in Camden and other, smaller distressed cities like it. With historical analysis alongside original research, the report looks at the ways in which policy agendas are set both within and outside of municipal governments and how such motivations may see community development regimes take the place of older, weakened governing systems.