Is the growth of working from home turning America into a ‘suburban nation?’
As the rapid shift to remote work freed many Americans from their commutes, leading them to seek more affordable housing options farther from urban centers, the American suburb is experiencing a renaissance, writes Chloe Berger in Fortune, as “the pandemic has given new legs to the idyllic, then dreaded, then beloved suburban lifestyle.”
According to new data from a Bank of America study, “Older millennials (age 31-41) are almost three times as likely to move into a house than an apartment.” According to BofA, “43% to 45% of millennials—of every age—expect to buy a house in the suburbs.”
But Berger notes that today’s suburbia differs from the past. “One of suburbia’s worst qualities or stereotypes was its pervasive whiteness, now with the surge in interest the suburbs are starting to grow to reflect the diversity of the country at large. Big suburbs are actually now more racially diverse than the nation, according to a Brookings analysis.”
This all begs the question, what do we want the suburbs of the future to look like? Are homeownership and access to open space incompatible with walkable, dense, transit-oriented places, or can the suburbs be reimagined to be more sustainable, complete communities?
FULL STORY: Remote work is turning America into a ‘suburban nation,’ a massive millennial survey by BofA finds
How Remote Work Could Reshape American Cities
If projections about remote work hold true, the resulting migration could shift economic centers, disperse housing market pressures, and transform the politics of small communities.
Pandemic-Era Big City Population Loss More Dramatic Than We Thought
A new analysis indicates that many big cities saw their biggest population declines in at least a decade, with suburbs also showing a slowdown in growth.
How COVID-19 and Skyrocketing Housing Costs Accelerated Sprawl
In search of space and affordability, American families are increasingly moving to suburbs and exurbs.
‘Forward Together’ Bus System Redesign Rolling Out in Portland
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Plan to Potentially Remove Downtown Milwaukee’s Interstate Faces Public Scrutiny
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Can New York City Go Green Without Renewable Rikers?
New York City’s bold proposal to close the jail on Rikers Island and replace it with green infrastructure is in jeopardy. Will this compromise the city’s ambitious climate goals?
700-Acre Master-Planned Community Planned in Utah
A massive development plan is taking shape for lakefront property in Vineyard, Utah—on the site of a former U.S. Steel Geneva Works facility.
More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus
Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.
Air Pollution World’s Worst Public Health Threat, Report Says
Air pollution is more likely to take years life off the lifespan of the average human than any other external factor, according to a recent report out of the University of Chicago.
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