The Social Goals Of New Urbanism

"The author finds that New Urbanism cannot realistically create community, because New Urbanism is a physical design construct, whereas developing community requires developing social relationships. New Urbanism can more appropriately affect social equity. This is through using design to promote equitable access to public goods and services-ensured through community compactness, housing unit mix, and transportation improvement. The social goals of New Urbanism are most attuned to promoting the "common good," using a meaning whereby the common good has to do with the promotion of place-based identity. Place-based identity is vital because it promotes a sense of sharing of and belonging to that place, which in turn reinforces commitment and caring about place. This place-based identity is supported by the New Urbanism focus on the neighborhood and block scale in its design principles-components used to create boundaries and delineate place."

Thanks to Chris Steins