Hank Dittmar was a globally recognized urban planner, advocate, and policy advisor. Over his long and storied career, he wrote extensively on a wide range of topics, including architectural criticism, community planning, and transportation policy.

My Kind of City reflects the breadth of Dittmar's experience in working for better cities for people. Common themes emerge in the engaging prose including Dittmar's belief that improving our cities should not be left to the "experts"; his appreciation for the beautiful and the messy; and his rare combination of deep expertise and modesty.

In the following excerpt, Seeing Empty Homes as an Asset, Not a Liability, Dittmar writes about Detroit's revitalization work.