How to Collapse thriving urban areas, so you can buy them for nothing, and turn them into smart cities:

1. Unleash a virus, having planned the response to be unscientific lockdowns which wipe out half of small businesses in urban areas.

2. Get Attorney General's elected which wont prosecute crime.

3. Encourage camping on sidewalks, streets, and in public spaces.

Initiate and maintain this for as little as 6 years, and you can completely collapse an urban economy enabling you to buy it for nothing, or have your politician friends just take it over.