Downturn Proves Resiliency of Smart Growth

In an interview with the <em>San Diego Union-Tribune</em>, Geoffrey Anderson and Bill Fulton reflect on the new normal for development across the country, which astonishingly to anyone looking back twenty years, has absorbed Smart Growth principles.

February 17, 2012, 7am PST | Anonymous

Smart Growth America's President and CEO Geoff Anderson and Vice President of Policy and Research Bill Fulton sat down last week with the San Diego Union Tribune‘s Roger Showley to talk about places using smart growth strategies in a tough economic climate and the state of the smart growth movement.

Some interesting quotes below:

Anderson on lessons learned from the recession: "Part of what we've learned is where we have really overbuilt. Virtually every place around the country forms a concentric circle. Moving out, values have been dropping. You see center areas and walkable areas holding values best, and large-lot, drive-only places are losing value."

Anderson on the influence of NIMBYs: "The places people hate the most are abandoned brownfields ... and strip retail. They want something. This is one of the new phenomena we're seeing. We're seeing places generating YIMBYs (yes in my backyard) and I think it is because of our success in demonstrating the success of smart growth."

Thanks to Thomas Madrecki

Full Story:

'Smart Growth' gaining traction in downturn

Published on Monday, February 13, 2012 in UT San Diego