Breaking Down Barriers to Shared Open Space

Anne Marie Chaker reports on the emergence of the "shared backyard," in which a surprising number of neighbors are combining resources to create bigger gardens and more space to entertain.

1 minute read

June 15, 2012, 12:00 PM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


The American dream might really be in for a rethink. With sprawl in (possible) retreat, and the suburbs going through radical changes, neighbors are now ripping out their white picket fences to reap the benefits of shared backyards. Chaker profiles a variety of projects, from communal landscaping to shared gardens and dining spaces, in which, "homeowners are bucking the notion that good fences make good neighbors."

While "Communal living does tend to give real-estate agents pause," notes Chaker,"Yard-sharing is rare in new developments of single-family homes, big
builders say, with privacy fences often required under community
covenants and building codes."

"A shared yard could damp an individual home's value and prolong the
time spent on the market, says San Jose, Calif., real-estate broker
Denise Shur. When a fence isn't there, she says, 'potential buyers
instantly start calculating the cost' to build one."

If the trend continues, shared backyards may become a desired amenity, rather than a perceived liability. 

 

Tuesday, June 12, 2012 in The Wall Street Journal

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight