The Effects of Growth Management on Housing Affordability
Urban planners have theorized and advocated for the practice of various growth management techniques in order to employ smart growth and curb urban sprawl. Growth management frameworks include urban containment methods that restrict where development may occur, impact fees which require developers to cover environmental and infrastructural costs, and design guidelines that promote higher densities and more diverse development types and mixed uses (Addison, Zhang, & Coomes, 2012). These frameworks are deigned to mitigate the market effects that result in the process and pattern of urban sprawl. The process of urban sprawl is an ongoing development that results in a settlement pattern …show more content…
The strategies are designed to maintain environmental quality, and promote affordable and healthy communities by restricting the supply of developable land, increasing density, providing diversified housing options for various types of households and income groups, reducing automobile dependence, and the distance between home, amenity, and work (Aurand, 2007) (Addison, Zhang, & Coomes, 2012). affect on affordability. Understanding the effects of applied smart growth strategies are complex. This is because research methods for assessing their application are inconsistent, and the application of smart growth is different in every case. Researchers built or cited conclusions that additional administrative costs, reducing the supply through land constraints, and the “amenity affect” are all aspects of smart growth strategies that have resulted in decreasing housing affordability (Addison, Zhang, & Coomes, 2012) (Dawkins & Nelson, 2002). The amenity affect is the increase in house price due to its proximity to amenities such as public transit, employment and recreational opportunities (Addison, Zhang, & Coomes, 2012). Researchers also built or cited conclusions that higher densities and land use mixes provide more housing options provides more affordable housing, and land containment programs will not raise house prices if coupled with requirements for high densities (Aurand, 2007) …show more content…
First, only 2 thorough analytical research reports on the relationship with the application of smart growth strategies have been produced since 2006. These studies used either did not use control groups, or did not observe housing patterns for a long enough period. The lack of these measures reduces the reliability of found results. Specifically, house price increases in Florida may not be significant because prices also rose at a similar rate in a comparable state; and, the house price increase may be a larger economic pattern that is unrelated to the applied smart growth strategy. In addition, no study discussed the benefits of the application of smart growth strategies. For example, did it allow more individuals to enter the market as homeowners? Do the positives of the amenity affect outweigh the negative? Does employment, income, or life satisfaction increase or decrease after the application of smart growth strategies? How does this relate to housing
Urban planners have theorized and advocated for the practice of various growth management techniques in order to employ smart growth and curb urban sprawl. Growth management frameworks include urban containment methods that restrict where development may occur, impact fees which require developers to cover environmental and infrastructural costs, and design guidelines that promote higher densities and more diverse development types and mixed uses (Addison, Zhang, & Coomes, 2012). These frameworks are deigned to mitigate the market effects that result in the process and pattern of urban sprawl. The process of urban sprawl is an ongoing development that results in a settlement pattern …show more content…
The strategies are designed to maintain environmental quality, and promote affordable and healthy communities by restricting the supply of developable land, increasing density, providing diversified housing options for various types of households and income groups, reducing automobile dependence, and the distance between home, amenity, and work (Aurand, 2007) (Addison, Zhang, & Coomes, 2012). affect on affordability. Understanding the effects of applied smart growth strategies are complex. This is because research methods for assessing their application are inconsistent, and the application of smart growth is different in every case. Researchers built or cited conclusions that additional administrative costs, reducing the supply through land constraints, and the “amenity affect” are all aspects of smart growth strategies that have resulted in decreasing housing affordability (Addison, Zhang, & Coomes, 2012) (Dawkins & Nelson, 2002). The amenity affect is the increase in house price due to its proximity to amenities such as public transit, employment and recreational opportunities (Addison, Zhang, & Coomes, 2012). Researchers also built or cited conclusions that higher densities and land use mixes provide more housing options provides more affordable housing, and land containment programs will not raise house prices if coupled with requirements for high densities (Aurand, 2007) …show more content…
First, only 2 thorough analytical research reports on the relationship with the application of smart growth strategies have been produced since 2006. These studies used either did not use control groups, or did not observe housing patterns for a long enough period. The lack of these measures reduces the reliability of found results. Specifically, house price increases in Florida may not be significant because prices also rose at a similar rate in a comparable state; and, the house price increase may be a larger economic pattern that is unrelated to the applied smart growth strategy. In addition, no study discussed the benefits of the application of smart growth strategies. For example, did it allow more individuals to enter the market as homeowners? Do the positives of the amenity affect outweigh the negative? Does employment, income, or life satisfaction increase or decrease after the application of smart growth strategies? How does this relate to housing