Essay - Article Summary: Affordable Housing and Smart Growth Introduction Smart Growth...

ARTICLE SUMMARY: AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SMART GROWTH

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Smart Growth is an initiative started to increase the quality, distribution *****d supply of affordable housing for low-income earners.

***** is recognized that the growth ***** cities has been mainly influenced by ***** public, private and non-profit sector, with the traditional methods of town development not providing adequate ***** for low-income earners.

The impact of this ***** led to an "affordable housing crisis," with over 5.4 million United States households living in accommodation that is either severely ********** or ***** payments over half their income.

Smart growth is aimed ***** just to serve affordable housing needs, but also to serve the ***** of the economy, ***** environment and the community.

As the report says "smart growth in new developments is more *****-centered, transit and pedestrian oriented, ***** has a greater mix of housing, commercial and retail uses...Smart ***** ensures greater environmental protection, ***** preserving open space and o*****r environmental amenities, and leads to stronger communities by recognizing the imp*****tance of integrating development and ***** ***** life."

Smart ***** is also an initiative that has ***** support with a survey conducted in 2000 showing that "78 percent of Americans ***** policies to curb sprawl, the haphazard and wasteful development that is damaging the environment and draining resources from established communities."

SECTION I: THE DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT

The Economic, Social and Environmental Costs of Current Development Patterns.

Current development patterns were driven ***** by public policy. The development patterns are characterized by a sep*****ration of uses, dependency on automobiles ***** ***** consumption of space in suburban and ex-urban areas. This pattern is supported by strict zon*****g regulations, transportation systems and a l*****ck of coordination in planning. This is important, because these factors are ***** obstacles to making changes.

The booming economy ***** the 1990's ***** seen housing and rental costs increase at more than twice ***** rate of inflation. This has meant that many low-income owners ***** now unable to find ***** housing. Low-income earners are forced into substandard housing, ***** to live in ***** where affordable housing is available but at the expense of good security or good schooling, or forced to be homeless.

Also noted is ***** fact ***** job growth largely takes place on the suburban fringe rather than the central business di***** (CBD), which distances people from jobs and increases commuting costs. These commuting costs are the sec*****d largest cost o*****r than ***** f***** housing and create further problems for ***** earners. Also noted is the fact that ***** ***** are increasingly effecting middle-income earners as well as low-income earners.

There is also a social cost, with traditional development ***** causing isolation ***** ***** earners and ***** health concerns. The ***** *****s have meant that affordable housing exists in specific **********, ***** low-income ***** ***** concent***** in specific areas. This gives low-income earners less access to educations and jobs. This environment also leads to ***** health problems, especially asthma, as low-income earners often live in traffic-congested areas. Low-income ***** are also