Comments on: Suburban Sprawl to Smart Growth – Shifting the American Dream http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/08/suburban-sprawl-to-smart-growth-shifting-the-american-dream/ The former home of the 100k Blog Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:21:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: The Blame Game… Who’s Accountable for Pedestrian Deaths? « UCLA Extension Public Policy Program Blog: The Stuff You Might Have Missed http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/08/suburban-sprawl-to-smart-growth-shifting-the-american-dream/comment-page-1/#comment-7452 The Blame Game… Who’s Accountable for Pedestrian Deaths? « UCLA Extension Public Policy Program Blog: The Stuff You Might Have Missed Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:10:41 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1381#comment-7452 [...] http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/08/suburban-sprawl-to-smart-growth-shifting-the-american-dream/ [...] [...] http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/08/suburban-sprawl-to-smart-growth-shifting-the-american-dream/ [...]

]]> By: Kris http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/08/suburban-sprawl-to-smart-growth-shifting-the-american-dream/comment-page-1/#comment-6890 Kris Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:33:33 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1381#comment-6890 Ah, once again another environmental discussion that gets polarized into a "this is the solution". I am in the camp of people that hates seeing poorly designed development whether it is in an urban, suburban, or rural setting. The problem is not so easily solved by just saying "build urban" because it is the most sustainable. The solution is making sustainable choices wherever someone decides to live or build. To me, one of the biggest points of sustainability (though certainly not the only one) is being able to work near where you live. This challenge is greater because of dual career households. I think the assumption made in the post and in the comments about the stereotypes of suburban or urban living are just that, assumptions. Urban development is unsustainable if it is not planned well with adequate public transportation (greatly lacking in our urban area...but slowly improving), good schools, and safe neighborhoods. Surburban development is unsustainable if it continues to resist doing mixed zoning areas so that it can create smaller "communities" in which people can walk or bike safely. Many 1st ring suburbs in our area have small business zones mixed with residential but that model is dropped as you go further out. I think governmental cooperation is important. Having "mixed" development also increases the chance that people will find housing close to their work place. I think we should look at what works well in urban settings and push for that to be our stanndard and look at what works well in suburbs and push for that to be a standard. Neither type off development is the answer by itself. And, frankly, I think the best path to sustainability no matter where people opt to live is education which Postgreen has done well. Teaching developers that they can build smarter and more sustainably and still be profitable is so needed. Educating homeowners when they buy such houses how this improves their lives and the environment is key. Getting local governments to balance development in their community with efficient transportation, work opportunities close to home, well supported schools, well designed green spaces in addition to addressing poverty, affordable housing, crime and other issues that destroy a community is key. It doesn't necessarily matter where people builda community, it matters how they build a community. Ah, once again another environmental discussion that gets polarized into a “this is the solution”. I am in the camp of people that hates seeing poorly designed development whether it is in an urban, suburban, or rural setting. The problem is not so easily solved by just saying “build urban” because it is the most sustainable. The solution is making sustainable choices wherever someone decides to live or build. To me, one of the biggest points of sustainability (though certainly not the only one) is being able to work near where you live. This challenge is greater because of dual career households. I think the assumption made in the post and in the comments about the stereotypes of suburban or urban living are just that, assumptions. Urban development is unsustainable if it is not planned well with adequate public transportation (greatly lacking in our urban area…but slowly improving), good schools, and safe neighborhoods. Surburban development is unsustainable if it continues to resist doing mixed zoning areas so that it can create smaller “communities” in which people can walk or bike safely. Many 1st ring suburbs in our area have small business zones mixed with residential but that model is dropped as you go further out. I think governmental cooperation is important. Having “mixed” development also increases the chance that people will find housing close to their work place. I think we should look at what works well in urban settings and push for that to be our stanndard and look at what works well in suburbs and push for that to be a standard. Neither type off development is the answer by itself.

And, frankly, I think the best path to sustainability no matter where people opt to live is education which Postgreen has done well. Teaching developers that they can build smarter and more sustainably and still be profitable is so needed. Educating homeowners when they buy such houses how this improves their lives and the environment is key. Getting local governments to balance development in their community with efficient transportation, work opportunities close to home, well supported schools, well designed green spaces in addition to addressing poverty, affordable housing, crime and other issues that destroy a community is key.

It doesn’t necessarily matter where people builda community, it matters how they build a community.

]]> By: Audrey Bottomly http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/08/suburban-sprawl-to-smart-growth-shifting-the-american-dream/comment-page-1/#comment-5884 Audrey Bottomly Wed, 30 Jun 2010 05:08:08 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1381#comment-5884 Durham, NC is restoring and redoing a bunch of old brick former tobacco buildings as lofts and Carborro, NC has mixed use buildings as well. Carborro is a great example of how people can live in neighborhoods but still super close to shops and walk and ride bikes everywhere. I loved living there! There was an atmosphere of space and urban life. Durham, NC is restoring and redoing a bunch of old brick former tobacco buildings as lofts and Carborro, NC has mixed use buildings as well. Carborro is a great example of how people can live in neighborhoods but still super close to shops and walk and ride bikes everywhere. I loved living there! There was an atmosphere of space and urban life.

]]> By: Paul Joice http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/08/suburban-sprawl-to-smart-growth-shifting-the-american-dream/comment-page-1/#comment-5573 Paul Joice Tue, 13 Apr 2010 16:15:54 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1381#comment-5573 Lawrence, Send me an email with these "statistics" that show that low density housing is better for the environment. As someone who works with statistics in the field of urban planning, I would be happy to tell you why they're wrong. Here's a short version: "There are a lot of old people in Florida. Florida is sunny and has a lot of hurricanes. Statistics show that hurricanes and the sun make people old." This logic is comparable to yours. Lawrence,

Send me an email with these “statistics” that show that low density housing is better for the environment. As someone who works with statistics in the field of urban planning, I would be happy to tell you why they’re wrong.

Here’s a short version: “There are a lot of old people in Florida. Florida is sunny and has a lot of hurricanes. Statistics show that hurricanes and the sun make people old.” This logic is comparable to yours.

]]> By: Lawrence http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/08/suburban-sprawl-to-smart-growth-shifting-the-american-dream/comment-page-1/#comment-5571 Lawrence Tue, 13 Apr 2010 09:18:23 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1381#comment-5571 Lol you are saying suburban living causes global warming? China uses far more public transportation than the US and yet its cities are some of the most badly polluted CO2 emitting areas in the world. In fact, Obama is thinking about imposing sanctions on them until they can get their CO2 emissions under control. I see a lot more green in my suburban neighborhood than in New York City. In fact, I think the front yards in my neighborhood alone are home to more grass than all of central park. Also, I live on a lake in a suburban neighborhood. There are friggin pelicans and seagulls and ducks and cranes and egrets and swans and all kinds of birds and fish life that flourish there. Do pigeons count as wildlife? I guess new york isnt doing so bad if they do. Statistics show that low density housing sprawl is much better for the environment at large than high density urban living. Lol you are saying suburban living causes global warming? China uses far more public transportation than the US and yet its cities are some of the most badly polluted CO2 emitting areas in the world. In fact, Obama is thinking about imposing sanctions on them until they can get their CO2 emissions under control. I see a lot more green in my suburban neighborhood than in New York City. In fact, I think the front yards in my neighborhood alone are home to more grass than all of central park. Also, I live on a lake in a suburban neighborhood. There are friggin pelicans and seagulls and ducks and cranes and egrets and swans and all kinds of birds and fish life that flourish there. Do pigeons count as wildlife? I guess new york isnt doing so bad if they do. Statistics show that low density housing sprawl is much better for the environment at large than high density urban living.

]]> By: Land Ethics- And Idea of the Past or a Solution for the Future? | 100K House Blog http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/08/suburban-sprawl-to-smart-growth-shifting-the-american-dream/comment-page-1/#comment-4755 Land Ethics- And Idea of the Past or a Solution for the Future? | 100K House Blog Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:03:12 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1381#comment-4755 [...] as many of you know by know, is interning with us. This is her second post (catch up with the first). Read it and grace her with some of your expertise and ideas in the [...] [...] as many of you know by know, is interning with us. This is her second post (catch up with the first). Read it and grace her with some of your expertise and ideas in the [...]

]]> By: buy aion kinah http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/08/suburban-sprawl-to-smart-growth-shifting-the-american-dream/comment-page-1/#comment-4712 buy aion kinah Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:15:57 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1381#comment-4712 Interesting discussion. Personally, I have a hard time working from home because I need the 9-5 face to face interaction with people. Interesting discussion. Personally, I have a hard time working from home because I need the 9-5 face to face interaction with people.

]]> By: buy aion kinah http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/08/suburban-sprawl-to-smart-growth-shifting-the-american-dream/comment-page-1/#comment-4706 buy aion kinah Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:58:50 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1381#comment-4706 Nic and Yvette, I am not a suburban proponent nor am I glorifying it, I’m a pragmatist. Just to be clear, We moved OUT of Orange County for the reasons I stated. Our move was not prompted because we came to the realization that we were a scourge on the land or thoughts of idealistic environmentalism. Nic and Yvette, I am not a suburban proponent nor am I glorifying it, I’m a pragmatist.

Just to be clear, We moved OUT of Orange County for the reasons I stated. Our move was not prompted because we came to the realization that we were a scourge on the land or thoughts of idealistic environmentalism.

]]> By: Goran http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/08/suburban-sprawl-to-smart-growth-shifting-the-american-dream/comment-page-1/#comment-4694 Goran Sun, 18 Oct 2009 02:51:40 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1381#comment-4694 Interesting discussion. Personally, I have a hard time working from home because I need the 9-5 face to face interaction with people. I lived in Sunset Park, Brooklyn a long, long time ago. Despite loving the city, I was glad to leave Sunset Park because of the horrible schools and crime. Today the neighborhood is transforming itself from a gang infested ghetto to a desireable place to live, because of the heavy influx of Chinese and Mexican residents. I've seen other blighted communities turned around the same way, with the support of a single "sponser" group, either ethnic or political. New Haven, CT, Providence, RI. To create the kind of change Nic is suggesting takes effort from everyone in the community, and that requires a strong human instinct like our tendency to join groups. The other, universally successful, way I've seen of building up a community is to improve the school system. I have a 5 month old daughter, and I can tell you the quality of the public school system is a very strong attraction for residents. Look on "greatschools.com", find the top rated (10) school districts, and compare the real estate values to other areas right next door. Sometimes they're double. The communities may have started out as "sprawl" at some point, but because of the strong attractor of schools, people maintain the community, rebuild the homes, improve the infrastructure. People that raise families make a great backbone to a neighborhood. So, build the schools, and they will come, or attract an ethnic or political minority. Interesting discussion. Personally, I have a hard time working from home because I need the 9-5 face to face interaction with people.

I lived in Sunset Park, Brooklyn a long, long time ago. Despite loving the city, I was glad to leave Sunset Park because of the horrible schools and crime. Today the neighborhood is transforming itself from a gang infested ghetto to a desireable place to live, because of the heavy influx of Chinese and Mexican residents. I’ve seen other blighted communities turned around the same way, with the support of a single “sponser” group, either ethnic or political. New Haven, CT, Providence, RI.

To create the kind of change Nic is suggesting takes effort from everyone in the community, and that requires a strong human instinct like our tendency to join groups.

The other, universally successful, way I’ve seen of building up a community is to improve the school system. I have a 5 month old daughter, and I can tell you the quality of the public school system is a very strong attraction for residents. Look on “greatschools.com”, find the top rated (10) school districts, and compare the real estate values to other areas right next door. Sometimes they’re double. The communities may have started out as “sprawl” at some point, but because of the strong attractor of schools, people maintain the community, rebuild the homes, improve the infrastructure. People that raise families make a great backbone to a neighborhood.

So, build the schools, and they will come, or attract an ethnic or political minority.

]]> By: Chris http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/08/suburban-sprawl-to-smart-growth-shifting-the-american-dream/comment-page-1/#comment-4687 Chris Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:49:11 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1381#comment-4687 This idea that somehow the Earth can't support more population growth without going vertical is quickly discredited by hopping on an airplane and flying hundreds (or thousands) of miles in any direction. Nothing but open space as far as the eye can see. There is plenty of space on this planet for everyone to enjoy blue sky and a little elbow room. It just takes creative thinking, and technology will play a huge role. Better energy efficiency and resource management. More efficient transportation. And perhaps most importantly, the reduction of this archaic need to trudge to city center skyscrapers just to type on computers and talk on phones all day. Many of us are information worker now, not factory workers. Yet we still subscribe to the factory worker mentality. In the information business I can do the same work from, say, Bozeman, Montana that I can in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Yet here we all are, millions of us, hopping into metal transporters that carry us many miles through congestion-clogged concrete arteries to human worker compartments (err...cubicles) where we "plug in" for the day. Bizarre. It's like bad sci-fi come true. This idea that somehow the Earth can’t support more population growth without going vertical is quickly discredited by hopping on an airplane and flying hundreds (or thousands) of miles in any direction. Nothing but open space as far as the eye can see. There is plenty of space on this planet for everyone to enjoy blue sky and a little elbow room. It just takes creative thinking, and technology will play a huge role. Better energy efficiency and resource management. More efficient transportation. And perhaps most importantly, the reduction of this archaic need to trudge to city center skyscrapers just to type on computers and talk on phones all day. Many of us are information worker now, not factory workers. Yet we still subscribe to the factory worker mentality. In the information business I can do the same work from, say, Bozeman, Montana that I can in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Yet here we all are, millions of us, hopping into metal transporters that carry us many miles through congestion-clogged concrete arteries to human worker compartments (err…cubicles) where we “plug in” for the day. Bizarre. It’s like bad sci-fi come true.

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