The new American Dream

In a New York Times blog, Allison Arieff describes sprawl as a vicious cycle that generates homes ever further away from jobs, creating more traffic, and demanding more highways, which leads to more sprawl. "Everything in our culture today reinforces this idea of home as castle (or fortress) rather than home as part of a larger whole (i.e., neighborhood). We need to find our way to the latter view ... " There are some who want to perpetuate the status quo, but others are pursuing a new and more sustainable American Dream. "People who want another option will have a greater opportunity to live their own version of the American dream," she says.

For more in-depth coverage on this topic: 

• Subscribe to Better! Cities & Towns to read all of the articles (print+online) on implementation of greener, stronger, cities and towns.

• See the June 2012 issue of Better! Cities & Towns.Topics: Michigan placemaking initiative, Affordable housing around transit, Unnoticed New Urbanism, Housing pressures in Massachusetts city, LA looks at displacement, Waiting for the recovery, Running bike-share, Homeownership and TND, Live-work planning, the Great Inversion, Freeway teardown.

• Get New Urbanism: Best Practices Guide, packed with more than 800 informative photos, plans, tables, and other illustrations, this book is the best single guide to implementing better cities and towns.