All of those are good reasons we as conservatives should work for a truly free market in housing as opposed to defending the suburban sprawl brought to us by government planning and zoning. I trust the individual to be able to make those choices in a free market.
The choice isn't, and shouldn't be, the old government way versus the new government way. There are many better options we creative and inventive Americans can come up with if government would get out of the way.
(For the record, there are all sorts of jobs from shopkeeper to banker where living near where you work would be quite enjoyable. Have you ever lived in a prosperous, busy urban environment?)
Have you heard of Sunne Wright McPeak? You're from California so I presume you have.