Blog
What Does Community Really Mean?
Posted by Carol Coletta on June 10, 2010 |
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.
A New American Dream
Posted by Julia Klaiber on May 07, 2010 |
The Great Reset, Richard Florida's latest book, takes on the fundamental ways of American life that are no longer sustainable. Namely, he believes (and we agree) that as a country, we went overboard with the push for every American to own a home.
A better balance of rental housing with homeownership makes communities more flexible and resilient to economic downturns. In fact, Richard's research shows that metro areas with the highest rates of homeownership typically had worse economic outcomes across the board than did metros with lower rates. They also reported lower levels of well-being and happiness.
These unintended negative consequences on our quality of life are a result of an outdated policy paradigm that CEOs for Cities is challenging with its US Initiative. We intend to bring into very clear focus how communities can define a new American dream that delivers opportunity, connectivity, community, livability and optimism -- fundamental values of The Great Reset.
The Failure of Materialism
Posted by Julia Klaiber on May 05, 2010 |
In The Great Reset, his latest book, Richard Florida takes on the American way of life that took hold after World War II, when people were indoctrinated to believe that buying bigger cars and bigger houses was going to propel American greatness.
In an interview with Smart City, Richard tells us that The Great Reset is as much about the failure of materialsm as it is technology and infrastructure. In pursuit of a spacious, car-centered good life, many Americans unwittingly sacrificed true community.
Today, Richard points out, those who are downsizing their homes and the number of cars they own are surprised to learn that it is in fact a better life.
The Big Lunch
Posted by Rebecca Eggleston on July 24, 2009 |
What better excuse to get people out on the streets, enjoying each other’s company and reveling in what unites rather than divides them, than The Big Lunch?
This project launched nationwide in Britain by The Eden Project calls for people to stop what they’re doing and sit down together for a lunch party in their street – all in aid of putting smiles back on peoples’ faces.
This effort to rebuild communities and help knit together the relationships and narratives that bond communities is aimed at encouraging “sustainable living”.
And what more important time for such an initiative than when the “biggest single concern, across the social spectrum, was that communities are weak and people are increasingly isolated from their neighbors”, giving rise to safety concerns, as expressed in a survey of 3500 people. At a time of economic turmoil and overwhelming environmental problems, this initiative has arisen to focus on community as a foundation for dealing with big challenges.
People are encouraged to not only bring meals out to share with neighbors, but foods they have grown or other talents they can share such as playing music or entertaining.