Compact Development

SEPTA Bus Transit

Do Denser Neighborhoods Have Safer Streets?

Erick Guerra of the University of Pennsylvania writes about a recent article he co-authored in the Journal of Planning Education and Research

June 11, 2019 - JPER

Dar es Salaam

Compact Cities Are Environmentally and Economically More Sustainable

Sprawl leads to more emissions, but the economic costs are also high. Policies and strategies that ensure compact growth are essential.

December 3, 2018 - World Resources Institute

Manhattan

Live Long and Prosper: Compact Development Increases Life Expectancy, Economic Development

The U.S. has lower average life expectancy than most peer countries. New research indicates that this results in part from sprawl. Life expectancy, economic mobility, mobility options, personal health and safety all improve in less sprawling areas.

July 5, 2018 - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Density

Debating the Relationship Between Compact Development and Driving

Leading researchers debate whether more compact urban development reduces automobile travel in the Journal of the American Planning Association. The issues are complex and important.

March 2, 2017 - Journal Of The American Planning Association

New York City

An Accurate Answer to an Interesting Question: Are Compact Neighborhoods Really Most Affordable?

Contrary to recent claims, the evidence really does indicate that compact, multi-modal neighborhoods tend to be most affordable overall, considering both housing and transportation costs.

June 1, 2016 - Todd Litman

Editorial: Connecticut Must Do More to Support Compact Development

Though Connecticut is well served by commuter rail, a new report indicates that only half of the communities with Metro-North station have land use regulations in place to maximize development around them.

August 4, 2013 - The Hartford Courant

Nice Tramway

Three Everyday Ways to Inspire Urban Change

Chuck Wolfe suggests three, perhaps non-traditional ideas for how to inspire acceptance of change in our cities through accessible experiences.

June 23, 2013 - The Huffington Post

Will Compact Development Define America's Next Era of Land Use?

'America 2013', a report released this week by the Urban Land Institute, presents the results of a nationwide survey on housing, transportation, and community preferences. Demographic trends indicate a continued demand for city living.

May 16, 2013 - Urban Land Institute

Successful Strategies for Building Up the Suburbs

A new report from the Urban Land Institute highlights successful strategies for adapting the infrastructure of America's suburbs to accommodate a densification of development.

February 12, 2013 - Urban Land

For the Sake of Santa, Please Don't Build Any More Suburbs

Santa is sounding the alarm: "Christmas is in jeopardy.” What's making St. Nick a little less jolly this year? New analysis shows that suburban development patterns are driving up costs at the North Pole, say Paul Knight and Kevin Clark.

December 25, 2012 - paullknight.com

The U.S. Military: The Next Apostle of New Urbanism?

The Department of Defense has released new guidelines encouraging mixed-use, compact, walkable development throughout the nation's military bases, Sean Reilly reports.

May 23, 2012 - USA Today

The Housing Market Revolution

Haya El Nasser describes the housing market's fundamental structural changes as the housing industry rethinks what type of housing to build and where to build it.

May 17, 2012 - USA Today

An Argument for Housing Choice

Trying to thread the needle between those who celebrate the demise of the exurb and those who bemoan smart growth policies, Edward Glaeser argues that we can, and should, have it all when it comes to housing choice in America.

May 10, 2012 - Bloomberg View

An Inaccurate Attack On Smart Growth

Note: This column was originally titled, "A Stupid Attack on Smart Growth," intended as a pun on 'smart' and 'stupid.' However, that sounds harsh so I retitled it. - T.L. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has a well-financed campaign to discourage communities from considering smart growth as a possible way to conserve energy and reduce pollution emissions. They contend that compact development has little effect on travel activity and so provides minimal benefits. The NAHB states that, “The existing body of research demonstrates no clear link between residential land use and GHG emissions.” But their research actually found the opposite: it indicates that smart growth policies can have significant impacts on travel activity and emissions.

June 9, 2011 - Todd Litman

Redefining "Smart Growth" for the 21st Century

Kaid Benfield of the NRDC thinks it is time to add more specifics to the definition of smart growth. He prescribes a set of six new focus areas, including equity and health, that he argues should be emphasized in the 21st-century smart growth agenda.

December 7, 2010 - Natural Resources Defense Council

Smart Growth = Clean Air

Kaid Benfield presents the evidence that compact development can bring about a decrease in noxious emissions.

September 16, 2010 - NRDC Blog

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