The Limits Of Urban Growth Boundaries And Urban Rail

A new Reason report examining San Jose's smart growth policies demonstrates that urban growth boundaries and light rail don't always work as planned.

1 minute read

April 27, 2003, 11:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen

A new report by the Reason Public Policy Institute demonstrates some of the negative, unintended consequences that come with city planning regulations and warns that smart growth policies can severely reduce the upward mobility and home ownership opportunities for lower- and middle-income families.The study examines San Jose, California, and finds that urban growth boundaries were a chief reason housing prices soared by an astronomical 936 percent from 1976 to 2001 the highest increase in the nation during that span. In October 2002, the average sale price of a single-family detached home in Santa Clara County was $641,000. As a result, residents continue to move to outlying areas 60 to 100 miles away, like Modesto and Los Banos. [Editor's note: The link below is to a 1.2 MB Adobe PDF document.]

Thanks to George Passantino

FULL STORY: San Jose Demonstrates the Limits of Urban Growth Boundaries and Urban Rail

Thursday, April 24, 2003 in Reason Public Policy Institute

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