A new study looking at neighborhood satisfaction finds that people living in the suburbs are less satisfied than urban dwellers.
The authors suggest that loneliness and isolation are to blame.
"The problem isn't really suburbia itself; it's isolation, which can affect anyone. (Fess up, city dwellers. Do you really even know who lives next door?)
During the same period, we began to see the outside world as hostile and our homes as a haven, partly because we couldn't understand our new neighbors with different backgrounds, says Parks. As a result, even city dwellers retreated into their homes and focused on their intimate relationships.
And why does this make us unsatisfied? "Humans are social beings who need friends," says Parks. The better our friend network, the more satisfied we are with all aspects of our lives-including our neighborhoods, says Parks."
FULL STORY: Welcome to Disturbia, USA
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Some theorists want to design cities to reduce loneliness and isolation. Others want to accommodate them.
Fighting the ‘Loneliness Epidemic’ in Cities
While urban design alone can’t mend the tears in our social fabric, planning decisions and thoughtful, inclusive design can offer or hinder opportunities for interaction.
How Can Urban Planning Address the ‘Loneliness Epidemic’?
The U.S. Surgeon General is sounding the alarm about the health effects of isolation. Planners have a role to play in rebuilding our “social infrastructure.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
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The Five Most-Changed American Cities
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San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
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Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts
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Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
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