A new report from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies released this week claims that sprawl is poised to make a comeback after a pause driven by the recession, and not lasting changes in lifestyle choice, reports Robbie Whelan.
We've already seen the stirrings of the moribund housing market's revival causing an increase in home sizes. So perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise that, rejecting optimism about a new normal of shrinking home sizes, the crux of the annual "State of the Nation's Housing" [PDF] report states that, "The current pause in exurban housing development has more to do with cooling demand caused by the downturn than with a major change in lifestyle choices."
"What drives people to buy those homes is a combination of price and the type of house they're looking for," says Chris Herbert, the center's director of research. "This is not a fundamental shift in trends. It's more a reflection of how the recession has shifted people's behavior."
People that are now "frozen in place" by the effects of the recession, "will likely continue to move to where the space is: the suburbs, and even more so, the exurbs," once the market returns to "normal" strength, says the report.
"How much new housing will we need when household growth gets back to normal and vacancies start to clear? About 1.6 million units a year," Mr. Herbert says. "That's a lot of housing to squeeze into the existing urban and suburban infrastructure."
FULL STORY: What’s Next For Housing? More Sprawl

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

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

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

Why a Failed ‘Smart City’ Is Still Relevant
A Google-backed proposal to turn an underused section of Toronto waterfront into a tech hub holds relevant lessons about privacy and data.

When Sears Pioneered Modular Housing
Kit homes sold in catalogs like Sears and Montgomery Ward made homeownership affordable for midcentury Americans.

Starting in 2026, You Can Charge Your EV at Waffle House
The 24-hour chain infamous for brawls and, to a lesser extent, waffles plans to install fast-chargers at many of its locations.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions