Comments on: The End of the American Exurbs and the Death of Sprawl? http://thecityfix.com/the-end-of-the-american-exurbs-and-the-death-of-sprawl/ Sustainable Urban Mobility Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:15:25 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5.2 hourly 1 By: The Illusive Dream of Modern American Rail | The Green Economy Post: Green Careers, Green Business, Sustainability http://thecityfix.com/the-end-of-the-american-exurbs-and-the-death-of-sprawl/comment-page-1/#comment-7164 The Illusive Dream of Modern American Rail | The Green Economy Post: Green Careers, Green Business, Sustainability Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:12:25 +0000 http://thecityfix.com/?p=2682#comment-7164 [...] plan that unleashes the creative genius of American planners and engineers and is in tune with the diverse transportation and land use realities around the country. How can America best accomplish this? The trend appears to be towards ramping [...] [...] plan that unleashes the creative genius of American planners and engineers and is in tune with the diverse transportation and land use realities around the country. How can America best accomplish this? The trend appears to be towards ramping [...]

]]> By: Can Maryland Curb the Red Dots? | TheCityFix DC http://thecityfix.com/the-end-of-the-american-exurbs-and-the-death-of-sprawl/comment-page-1/#comment-6788 Can Maryland Curb the Red Dots? | TheCityFix DC Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:59:23 +0000 http://thecityfix.com/?p=2682#comment-6788 [...] Be sure to check out my other recent posts on the flaws of Maryland nationally acclaimed smart growth policy and the enduring underlying causes of sprawl in American metropolitan areas. [...] [...] Be sure to check out my other recent posts on the flaws of Maryland nationally acclaimed smart growth policy and the enduring underlying causes of sprawl in American metropolitan areas. [...]

]]> By: Priced Out of Housing and Into the Car | TheCityFix DC http://thecityfix.com/the-end-of-the-american-exurbs-and-the-death-of-sprawl/comment-page-1/#comment-6299 Priced Out of Housing and Into the Car | TheCityFix DC Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:49:03 +0000 http://thecityfix.com/?p=2682#comment-6299 [...] the fluctuating price of gas) is finally making the incentives point in the right direction – toward more compact, urban growth and against sprawl.  Buying a home in an outlying area far from one’s job no longer makes as much sense as it once [...] [...] the fluctuating price of gas) is finally making the incentives point in the right direction – toward more compact, urban growth and against sprawl.  Buying a home in an outlying area far from one’s job no longer makes as much sense as it once [...]

]]> By: The Illusive Dream of Modern American Rail | TheCityFix.com http://thecityfix.com/the-end-of-the-american-exurbs-and-the-death-of-sprawl/comment-page-1/#comment-6030 The Illusive Dream of Modern American Rail | TheCityFix.com Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:02:17 +0000 http://thecityfix.com/?p=2682#comment-6030 [...] plan that unleashes the creative genius of American planners and engineers and is in tune with the diverse transportation and land use realities around the country. How can America best accomplish this? The trend appears to be towards ramping [...] [...] plan that unleashes the creative genius of American planners and engineers and is in tune with the diverse transportation and land use realities around the country. How can America best accomplish this? The trend appears to be towards ramping [...]

]]> By: david http://thecityfix.com/the-end-of-the-american-exurbs-and-the-death-of-sprawl/comment-page-1/#comment-5931 david Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:29:54 +0000 http://thecityfix.com/?p=2682#comment-5931 I would agree that long-term trends are more important than economic cycles though cycles allow time to re-consider regulatory schemes that encourage or discourage development. I would consider the biggest long-term change the continued decrease in household size and increasing diversity of household type. Large lot, large structure detached development may not say as much to single or unrelated adults who share a household as two-parent households with young children. The big wild card is immigration, both the change in households for second and third generation immigrants and the overall decrease of first generation immigrants in the overall population. I would agree that long-term trends are more important than economic cycles though cycles allow time to re-consider regulatory schemes that encourage or discourage development. I would consider the biggest long-term change the continued decrease in household size and increasing diversity of household type. Large lot, large structure detached development may not say as much to single or unrelated adults who share a household as two-parent households with young children. The big wild card is immigration, both the change in households for second and third generation immigrants and the overall decrease of first generation immigrants in the overall population.

]]> By: Kevin B. Morrow http://thecityfix.com/the-end-of-the-american-exurbs-and-the-death-of-sprawl/comment-page-1/#comment-5872 Kevin B. Morrow Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:14:20 +0000 http://thecityfix.com/?p=2682#comment-5872 Wonderful theory but you have left one thing out - Human Nature. Even Andres Duany has admitted that new urbanism, transit oriented development and smaller lot development are a housing choice not a fix. Due to the cost, urban housing will always be in some form elitist. I live and sell homes in the exurbs and I am amazed daily by the people who reject 3000 s.f. 5 br homes on a full basement and a 1/3 acre homesite as too small and want a bigger lot. Thank goodness for the people who do overcome this and make the move and sacrifices to urban living But A Homebuilder I represent has changed his home plans due to market conditions. Instead of 2800 s.f. fully optioned 5 br homes he is now building 4br 2400 s.f. homes without granite countertops that are Energy Star certified but we are monitoring market acceptance constantly. These are first time buyers buying these homes and they consider it settling. In contrast my first home bought in 1983 was a 3Br/2Ba and had 1185 s.f. In other words - after 25+ years in the real estate and new home industries I will say, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. MANY americans still want McMansions on estate homesites and as soon as they can figure out how to pay for them, they will be buying them again. Your data shows 2010 data which I think is probably accurate but what will we begin to see by 2011 and 2012? Wonderful theory but you have left one thing out – Human Nature.

Even Andres Duany has admitted that new urbanism, transit oriented development and smaller lot development are a housing choice not a fix.

Due to the cost, urban housing will always be in some form elitist.

I live and sell homes in the exurbs and I am amazed daily by the people who reject 3000 s.f. 5 br homes on a full basement and a 1/3 acre homesite as too small and want a bigger lot.

Thank goodness for the people who do overcome this and make the move and sacrifices to urban living

But

A Homebuilder I represent has changed his home plans due to market conditions. Instead of 2800 s.f. fully optioned 5 br homes he is now building 4br 2400 s.f. homes without granite countertops that are Energy Star certified but we are monitoring market acceptance constantly. These are first time buyers buying these homes and they consider it settling. In contrast my first home bought in 1983 was a 3Br/2Ba and had 1185 s.f.

In other words – after 25+ years in the real estate and new home industries I will say, you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.

MANY americans still want McMansions on estate homesites and as soon as they can figure out how to pay for them, they will be buying them again.

Your data shows 2010 data which I think is probably accurate but what will we begin to see by 2011 and 2012?

]]> By: Warren Karlenzig http://thecityfix.com/the-end-of-the-american-exurbs-and-the-death-of-sprawl/comment-page-1/#comment-5866 Warren Karlenzig Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:35:18 +0000 http://thecityfix.com/?p=2682#comment-5866 Nice post, David. I recently authored a draft report for the Post Carbon Institute, "Empty Houses in the Desert: American Suburbanization meets the Resources Crises of the 21st Century" http://www.commoncurrent.com/publications.shtml. Features case studies from California and Oregon. I also wrote two-part overview blog post summarizing this report, titled the "Death Of Sprawl" Nov. 6 (http://www.commoncurrent.com/notes/2009/11/death-of-sprawl-part-2-mcmansi.html) and October 26: http://www.commoncurrent.com/notes/2009/10/suburbanization-meets-the-cris.html". Look for the final report to be released in January by PCI as part of its "Roadmap for the Transition" series, which will include a book. Nice post, David. I recently authored a draft report for the Post Carbon Institute, “Empty Houses in the Desert: American Suburbanization meets the Resources Crises of the 21st Century” http://www.commoncurrent.com/publications.shtml. Features case studies from California and Oregon.

I also wrote two-part overview blog post summarizing this report, titled the “Death Of Sprawl” Nov. 6 (http://www.commoncurrent.com/notes/2009/11/death-of-sprawl-part-2-mcmansi.html) and October 26: http://www.commoncurrent.com/notes/2009/10/suburbanization-meets-the-cris.html“.

Look for the final report to be released in January by PCI as part of its “Roadmap for the Transition” series, which will include a book.

]]> By: Ben Welle http://thecityfix.com/the-end-of-the-american-exurbs-and-the-death-of-sprawl/comment-page-1/#comment-5865 Ben Welle Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:05:28 +0000 http://thecityfix.com/?p=2682#comment-5865 Hey David! Glad to see you blogging at City Fix. That's great. Excellent post, too. You're getting past the rhetoric of "the end of sprawl" and really trying to see what's happening. Your point that sprawl will continue without better public policy and funding is a great one. Hey David! Glad to see you blogging at City Fix. That’s great.

Excellent post, too. You’re getting past the rhetoric of “the end of sprawl” and really trying to see what’s happening. Your point that sprawl will continue without better public policy and funding is a great one.

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