Mortgages, Community and the Justin Timberlake of New Urbanism
April 2, 2008 · Print This Article
Welcome back!
A few days ago a discussion on this blog got quite passionate as commentators put forth opinions as to the cause of the current Mortgage Crisis. Among the list of possible contributors to the current problem mentioned were the group of home buyers with a lust for larger homes on larger lots with larger mortgages. It was felt that their quest and subsequent inability to meet these new mortgage obligations helped to create the current mess.
That may be a bit of a simplification, but it is a concern of not only those hurting during this mortgage crunch, but by new urbanists who have been crying for years about the need to stop the suburban sprawl created by builders churning up rural land to feed their mcmansion fanbase.
For those of you who are diehard new urbanist, you’ll be pleased at the heightened awareness of new urbanism today. Between the environmental cost of sprawl (commuter traffic, elimination of pristine lands, etc.) and the financial meltdown of the middleclass that fueled sprawl, everyone is looking to the common sense that has been sprouted by new urbanist for years.
In basic terms, where we live is important to our environment, our family life and our business and economic propserity. The closer we live together, the better. When towns, villages and cities are planned well to accommodate the needs of families, students, business owners and the envrionment–we all benefit.
I can’t say it any better than the guru himself, world renowned American new urbanist and professor, Richard Florida. The author of the wildy popular Rise of the Creative Class and new book Who’s Your City
“New ideas are generated and our productivity increases when we locate close to one another in cities and regions.”
Based on his data and research, Florida asserts that many of our urban centers (cities, towns, villages) are a hotbed for creativity and productivity. It’s not forced or manufactured it is just what happens when talented and productive people locate themselves close to one another.
I see that where I live in my own community which was re-shaped based on the new urbanist philosophy, but what I find really interesting is that I see this “hotbed of creativity and productivity” happening in my online communities as well.
The Moms Radio Network, for example is a concept led by entrepreneur Kelly McCausey to help encourage and promote mom podcasters. This isn’t a multi-national corporate outfit. It’s WAHM effort driven by the creativity of the women involved. Not only does it generate one of the widest rangest of topics for a target niche market (women entrepreneurs and stay at home moms), but it helps to generate revenue for the podcast entrepreneurs involved.
Once again this one example highlights how the power of community (the human, creative element) can be amplified and enabled through good infrastructure (natural and manmade) and technolgy. It makes me wonder why new urbanism has taken 20 years to become “popular.” It just makes such good sense.
Sharon, fantastic stuff here. I have to add one thing, and that is a need to be cautious even if you are a New Urbanist. Here in NE Ohio that translates into tax abatements dangled like a carrot in front of a rabbit. You get approved up to a certain point, but then with tax abatements for 10 or 15 years, you can afford more house for the same monthly payment.
What’s wrong with this picture? Sometimes nothing. But for some, when the abatement period is up the payments go up higher than they can afford. Ten or fifteen yrs seemed a long way away. And we have the tax abatement ‘carrot’ here in Cleveland proper, for new town homes, new single family dwellings.
I think it’s pretty true that most of us would be hard pressed to know what we can afford ten or fifteen yrs down the road…heck most of us would be lucky to be working at the same place. I just urge caution.
Thanks for that information Carole. How a community chooses to reshape itself as a new urbanist center is so important. People have to be educated and new initiatives have to be launched ethically and responsibly which as you explain was not always the case in Cleveland.
My community was abysmal for businesses and dreary for residents interested in a more culturally focused community.
New urbanist initiatives improved that situation as did an attitute that was open and supportive of new immigration and new technology companies and infrastructure.
It took 25 years for our initiatives to take shape (the community is over 200 years old). But I remember the protests regarding bad decisions that our city officials were going to make and I remember our community triumphs. Big kudos also go to our mayor who had a vision (and surrounded himself with good people). He was also very practical. He had the knowledge (former computer biz professional) and education to put in place a strong and ethical foundation for our city’s improvements.
Leadership is key…unfortunately that has been, at best, an inconsistent factor in Cleveland’s situation.
Sharon, if there was one attribute you could transfer from your mayor to ours, what would that be?
Carole: The Mayor I’m speaking of is Don Cousens, former mayor of Markham – he suffered kidney disease in recent years and retired last year after 32 years in public office. But if there was one attribute I could transfer it would be his collaborative approach to management.
He pulled upon community development advocates and international thought leaders on relevant issues for advice. He had national market research companies involved in helping to engage and poll residents here on so many plans, initiatives and proposals that not only did we feel respected but we understood that we had a stake and say in the future development of our city.
He also had relevant business experience. He was the founder of our regional technology association and stayed active in it as Mayor. Thanks to him Markham is now known as Canada’s Technology capital.