Even when fewer people live in sprawling suburban communities than dense urban communities, one of these settlement types has the benefit of being much cheaper to serve.
New research by Christopher Goodman details the costs of sprawl—in terms of its effect on the bottom line of local governments.
Goodman studied 30 years of public spending at the county level to reveal that compact development is less costly to local governments. Sprawling, spread out development "drives up the cost of providing services, despite fewer being needed to service a relatively smaller population."
An article by Goodman details more of the findings from the study, "The Fiscal Impacts of Urban Sprawl: Evidence From U.S. County Areas," published by the Public Budgeting and Finance journal.
FULL STORY: Why your sprawling, low-density suburb may be costing your local government money
Density and Disorder: The Imaginary Link
A recent article tries to tie public transit and walkability to social disorder — but in fact, sprawling Sunbelt cities like Memphis are as likely to have high crime rates as transit-rich metropolises such as New York and San Francisco.
Commentary: We Need a Return to the Adaptability of Traditional Urban Form
How the rigidity of modern suburban development fails to prepare cities for the future.
Commentary: Minimum Lot Sizes Drive Up Housing Costs
How making residential building requirements more flexible can ease the housing crisis and make neighborhoods more livable for more households.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.
BLM To Rescind Public Lands Rule
The change will downgrade conservation, once again putting federal land at risk for mining and other extractive uses.
Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path
Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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Jessamine County Fiscal Court
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Harvard GSD Executive Education
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NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service