NatGeo Surveys Countries’ Transit Use: Guess Who Comes In Last
Americans are far less likely to use public transportation than residents of other countries, according to the National Geographic Society’s 2009 Greendex report. Only five percent of Americans surveyed report […]
Federal Stimulus Threatened to Overrun Small Town with Sprawl
The federal government has a history of subsidizing sprawl, wittingly or not. Even the Clean Water Act contains a mechanism that, according to my NRDC colleague Nancy Stoner, “continues to […]
Considering the Role of Density in Sustainable Development
Later this week, I am going to be participating with my friend David Dixon and marketing whiz Laurie Volk in a seminar on development density at the annual meeting of […]
My Favorite Revitalization Story: The Rebirth Of Old North
My view is that no other single category of activity is more important to sustainable development than revitalization. When done properly, it’s great for residents old and new, great for […]
Giving New Meaning to “Green” Transit
In the US, we tend to think of public transportation as inherently green, which of course it is compared to our addiction to driving. It becomes even more so when […]
When the Market Recovers, Smart Growth Will Claim a Larger Share
Even before the recession began, the market for residential and commercial property in the US was changing away from a model of unmitigated suburban sprawl and toward one of more […]
Strong Centers Make Healthier Regions
The signs continue to mount that the housing market continues to move in favor of central locations, and away from sprawl. It’s all a matter of degree, of course, but […]
It�s Time To Adjust To The Metropolitan Reality
One of the recurring themes of my writing (for example, here) has been that, to achieve sustainability in our cities, suburbs, and rural areas, we need to get beyond the […]
HUD & DOT Team Up To Promote Sustainable Communities
This is awesome. Here is an excerpt from yesterday’s joint press release from HUD and DOT: “WASHINGTON — U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan and […]
Giving Community Organizing A Good Name In East Hollywood
Through the combination of my insatiable curiosity and the wonders of the internet, I have stumbled upon a magic kingdom in Southern California. No, not that magic kingdom, but the […]
Sprawl’s share of US housing starts has declined dramatically, says EPA
A new report from the US Environmental Protection Agency documents a dramatic shift in the pattern of new development in the nation over the past two decades: Central cities and […]
Where We Live Affects How Much We Drive and What We Can Afford
The Urban Land Institute has produced a remarkable report that examines in depth how where we live affects how much we drive, and consequently how much we must spend on […]