"Skid row" is a term that refers to an area of a city that is characterized by its high poverty and homelessness rates. However, there are several other synonyms used to describe such neighborhoods. These include "the ghetto," "the slums," "the bad part of town," "the rundown district," "the inner city," and "the impoverished area." While each term may carry its own connotations and historical associations, all are used to refer to communities that have suffered from a lack of investment and disinvestment, leading to high crime rates, underemployment, and poor living conditions. Regardless of the term used or the historical context from which it derives, such neighborhoods represent the urgent need for equitable economic development.