The Record talks with June Williamson, co-author of the popular book "Retrofitting Suburbia", about the importance of preparing suburbs for a new and different future.
Of course, many of the reasons cited by Williamson for why the suburbs need retrofitting are environmental:
"The suburban lifestyle, on average, has three times the carbon footprint of the average urban resident. The old environmental notion was that it was better to go back to the land, live in the country. But a lot of the quantitative evidence suggests that living in an apartment in a city is less destructive of the larger environment."
Williamson also talks about adaptive reuse, the role of government, and the good aspects of traditional suburbs.
FULL STORY: Putting the urban in suburban

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

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

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Crime Continues to Drop on Philly, San Francisco Transit Systems
SEPTA and BART both saw significant declines in violent crime in the first quarter of 2025.

How South LA Green Spaces Power Community Health and Hope
Green spaces like South L.A. Wetlands Park are helping South Los Angeles residents promote healthy lifestyles, build community, and advocate for improvements that reflect local needs in historically underserved neighborhoods.

Sacramento Plans ‘Quick-Build’ Road Safety Projects
The city wants to accelerate small-scale safety improvements that use low-cost equipment to make an impact at dangerous intersections.
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