This Land: The Battle over Sprawl and the Future of AmericaAn expert in American housing examines the rise of sprawling subdivisions, their effect on the environment, and sustainable development strategies. Americans are spreading out more than ever—into “exurbs” and “boomburbs” miles from anywhere, where big subdivisions offer big houses. We cling to the notion of safer neighborhoods and better schools, but what we get are longer commutes, higher taxes, and a landscape of strip malls and office parks. The subdivisions and extra-wide roadways are encroaching into the wetlands of Florida, ranchlands in Texas, and the desert outside Phoenix and Las Vegas. But with up to 120 million more people in the country by 2050, will the spread-out pattern cave in on itself? Could Americans embrace a new approach to development? In This Land, veteran journalist and Harvard scholar Anthony Flint tells the untold story of development in America. It is the story of a burgeoning anti-sprawl movement, a 1960s-style revolution of New Urbanism, smart growth, and green building. And it is the story of landowners fighting back on the basis of property rights, with free-market libertarians, homebuilders, road pavers, financial institutions, and even the lawn-care industry right alongside them. |
Contents
Suburbias Promise and Curse | |
New Paradigm New Urbanism | |
The Smart Growth Revolution | |
Walk Daily Buy Local Build Green | |
Hands Off My Land | |
Dream Defenders and Sprawl | |
The Density Dilemma | |
Smart and Fair | |
Planning and Disaster | |
Six Healthy Habits for Sensible Growth | |
Notes | |
Bibliographical Essay | |
Acknowledgments | |
Index | |
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acres activists affordable housing Andrés Duany anti-sprawl movement architects architecture areas Association backlash big-box big-box stores boomburbs Boston Builders built California called campaign cars centers cities commercial compact Court Dallas dense density development patterns downtown drive Duany economic environment environmental environmentalists fair growth farmland farms federal going governor green building growth management highway homebuilders Hurricane Katrina infrastructure Institute John Kentlands land landscape light rail Little Elm live lots Maryland Massachusetts Measure 37 miles million Mitt Romney National neighborhoods older suburbs Oregon Oregonians Oregonians in Action organization Palazzolo percent places planners planning policies political projects property rights real estate recycled regional residents restrictions road rules schools Smart Growth America smart growth movement South sprawl spread-out streets subdivisions suburban development suburbia there’s things town traffic transit transit-oriented development transportation urban growth boundary Urbanists walk Washington York zoning