Neal Peirce responds to tough questions about smart growth and regionalism posed by prominent California economist Steven Levy.
Is smart growth smart enough to deal with the complex realities, and competing demands, of metro area development and population expansion? Steven Levy asks: "Professionally, I work with regional planning councils doing long-term projections of job and housing trends. At this level, it is always the case in California that what is called "smart-growth" cannot possibly fill more than a fraction of overall regional housing needs. Moreover, there are profound ethical and equity issues which I never find adequately addressed by "smart-growth" advocates. One question is "what if I don't want to live in an urban infill, walkable community setting?" Does my family lose its right to new housing? Is my family "less important" than a family who wants to live in an urban setting?"
Thanks to Chris Steins
FULL STORY: What About the Non-Smart Growthers?
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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
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ULI Northwest Arkansas
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