What Does Community Really Mean?

James Chung of Reach Advisors had a big message for the Pacific Coast Builders Conference today:  There is a serious mismatch between trade up housing inventory and demand.  One reason is changing demographics.  The peak age for trade up is 46, and Boomers have now passed that age.  The next big wave of consumers won't get there until 2020.  But when they do, they will want something very different.  Gen X places less value on traditional housing characteristics.  They put far more emphasis on community.  

How do builders build community?  For the traditional subdivison developer, the answer is programming and design.  But in cities, programming and design of community are delivered by a much broader set of players -- the city, neighbors, strangers, service personnel, small business people, other developers, architects of the public realm.  It's one of the wonderful, but unpredictable things about cities.

If Gen X really values community, this is one desire cities ought to be able to deliver with superiority.

For one charming example of community, take a look at "Here You Go!"  This is a simple expression of community that one would remember for a lifetime.

  

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