Suburbia R.I.P.

FastCompany.com via Yahoo! Finance ^ | March 12, 2009 | Michael Cannell

[Disambiguator]

The downturn has accomplished what a generation of designers and planners could not: it has turned back the tide of suburban sprawl. In the wake of the foreclosure crisis many new subdivisions are left half built and more established suburbs face abandonment. Cul-de-sac neighborhoods once filled with the sound of backyard barbecues and playing children are falling silent. Communities like Elk Grove, Calif., and Windy Ridge, N.C., are slowly turning into ghost towns with overgrown lawns, vacant strip malls and squatters camping in empty homes.

[aposiopetic]

Thanks. Sounded fishy.

[Hildy]

I’m Jewish, and I’d move into that neighborhood with you...I’ll do the baking. :)

[Kevmo]

You have never encountered a smaller mind than a city planner.
***Almost tagline worthy

[grey_whiskers]

Apache Junction? How was the Renaissance Festival this year?

Cheers!

[sergeantdave]

The big city Marxists live in fear of being surrounded by heavily armed Christians living in the countryside. Their water and food could be shut off anytime so they also fear that. Plus they don’t have the intelligence or skill to produce their own food. Hell, most liberals don’t know how to turn the water on in their rat box tenements. We in the countryside could bring the big city Marxists to their knees and make them our slaves, but we’re Christian about it and allow them to live. Don’t know for how much longer, though.

[starlifter]

We certainly don't want any Jews to move in and bring down property prices.

[Disambiguator]

It is just incredible, the knee-jerk contempt that liberals have for suburbia. It's like it's written into their DNA, a psychological tic that they all have. To have a nice house away from the city with a lawn for the kids to play in -- this is a swindle on par with Madoff to a lib. Incredible.

It's made worse by the fact that many suburbanites are also *gasp* gun owners!

[nyconse]

Wishful thinking on this author’s part...one word...schools. Most city schools are awful-can’t send your dog to one. Private schools are very expensive these days so the Suburbs will be back...even the next generation (my kids for example) talks about that house with a white picket fence.

[Lorianne]

Satisfaction in the suburbs

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2203817/posts

[ElkGroveDan]

Thank you for pointing it out. I sent a note to the author asking him to tell me exactly which street or neighborhood he was talking about.

[kalee]

Top 10 Worst Foreclosure Cities For 2008
City Total Rate Change 2007

CA STOCKTON 21,127 9.46 99.16
NV LAS VEGAS/PARADISE 67,223 8.89 121.31
CA RIVERSIDE/SAN BERNARDINO 112,284 8.02 117.02
CA BAKERSFIELD 16,208 6.17 115.42
AZ PHOENIX/MESA 97,684 6.02 220.77
FL FORT LAUDERDALE 47,387 5.95 127.81
FL ORLANDO 46,843 5.48 195.84
FL MIAMI 49,697 5.21 96.46
CA SACRAMENTO 39,876 5.20 67.74
MI DETROIT/LIVONIA/DEARBORN 38,106 4.52 -7.67

[kalee]

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200803/subprime/

81 of the 132 houses in Windy Ridge NC are in foreclosure.

[Marie2]

My point about a Christian group was that it could be a mission effort, as well, with the goal of starting a neighborhood church and some Christian ministries (school, etc.). I am totally fine with Jewish people being there. You need not read hatred of Jews into my post.

[Marie2]

Jews welcome! My point about the Christians was in regards to evangelism/church planting - not intended to insult anyone of any other religion.

[nomad]

Is it a shooting gallery,mine was.And no I don`t blame guns,I blame the lefties who push liberal garbage like welfare which allows some to crap out babies that they don`t really want except as meal tickets.You see,those meal tickets tend to grow up to be two legged animals who prey on the productive,or baby crappers themselves.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

people are willing to put up with commutes so their kids have a yard to play in.

Something that is overlooked is that businesses have moved to the suburbs as well. If I moved into the city I would have to commute to the burbs for work.

[Rebelbase]

"Communities like Elk Grove, Calif., and Windy Ridge, N.C., are slowly turning into ghost towns with overgrown lawns, vacant strip malls and squatters camping in empty homes"

There is no Windy Ridge, NC.