The Hidden Costs Of Sprawl

Suburban neighborhoods are heavily subsidized by the rest of the region. Is this fair?

1 minute read

July 20, 2002, 11:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"Myron Orfield is the author of the book "American Metropolitics: The New Suburban Reality." He says the people who live in the upscale suburbs get the advantages of the good schools and the nice roads… but they don't pay all of the underlying costs. Much of that is passed on to others... But the price you're paying is just the beginning of the costs that make it possible for you to live there. Much of the rest of it is paid by people outside of your suburb; people who never realize the benefits."

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