In spite of the U.S. Census data for the past decade showing continued job de-centralization, there is now much anecdotal evidence for the just the opposite. READ MORE >>
Walk, Don’t Drive, to the Real Estate Recovery
The front page and lead home page New York Times story this past Saturday had the startling headline: “Bad Times Linger in Homebuilding.” The Times concludes that “A long term shift in behavior seems to be underway. Instead of wanting the biggest and newest, even if it requires a long commute, buyers now demand something smaller, cheaper and, thanks to $4 a gallon gas, as close to their jobs as possible.” You don’t say? READ MORE >>
Cities Versus Suburbs Is the Wrong Debate
There is an old joke among demographers (a group well known for their hilarity) about a drunk who loses his car keys at the front door of a house that has no porch light. After he realizes his loss, he goes to the nearest street light but well away from the front door to look for them. When asked why he wasn’t looking where he lost the keys, he replied, “This is where the light is.” READ MORE >>
The New York Times’ profile of celebrated and embattled New York City Transportation Commissioner, Janette Sadik-Khan, shows how getting things done in a democracy can be bad for your political future. READ MORE >>
Why the Continued Economic Weakness? A Huge Chunk Is M.I.A.
The revision downward in fourth quarter GDP from 3.2 percent to 2.8 percent last week and continuing high unemployment just reinforces the underlying reason for this lackluster recovery: the 35 percent of the economy’s assets comprised of the built environment (real estate and the infrastructure that supports real estate) is M.I.A. READ MORE >>
Gas Tax Part of Avoiding the Pitfalls of the PIGS
There is a fictional series named After America which speculates what would happen to the world if America was mysteriously wiped out. As it turns out, the result was chaos, with the disappearance of the American defense shield, the economic foundation of world commerce, and the countless social and diplomatic networks we help manage. READ MORE >>
Boosting Jobs with the Right Kind of Housing and Transportation Efforts
Last week, President Obama called for “any idea, any proposal, any way we can get the economy growing faster so that people who need work can find it faster.” There is a tried and true idea that has always been used in past recoveries; activate the building of the built environment … but with a major twist. READ MORE >>
Toronto Takes Off to a Great Walkable North
Just back from a four day trip to Toronto with my University of Michigan graduate students learning about pedestrian-oriented urban development. We toured seven major walkable urban places from downtown to a couple downtown-adjacent places, but especially suburban-located walkable urban places redeveloping old town centers and strip commercial centers. READ MORE >>
Pretend and Extend--Our Mortgage Crisis Fantasy
The Infrastructure Bank is a Triple Win
There is nothing like getting two or even three benefits for the price of one investment. Getting a two-fer and even better, a three-fer, is something to strive for when making a business investment. President Obama’s proposed infrastructure bank for transportation investment is a three-fer America desperately needs … plus it is fiscally conservative. READ MORE >>
