The evolution and planning of cities and towns intrigues me. Many of my newsletters have been about urban green space, active transportation, the automobile headache, and affordable housing. In this new category, I will attempt to put some order into my scattered approach to the topic. There may be some repetition – I am sorry.
Cities and Towns, The Affordable Housing Problem
People living on the street have come to symbolize the global housing crisis but they are only the tip of the iceberg. While the examples of Finland and Houston demonstrate a focussed plan pursued diligently can resolve the housing situation for the chronically homeless, addressing the affordable housing problem is much more complex. Defining Affordability […]
Cities and Towns 8, A City is About People
Kings Cross, once a thriving industrial and transport centre in London, was effectively closed off to the public by the end of the 20th century. Then in 1996, the decision was made to move the British terminus for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link from Waterloo to St-Pancras. The landowner saw a re-development opportunity for […]
Cities and Towns 7, Cities and Towns Evolve
I have postulated that cities and towns evolve. That towns and villages first grow in areas where the basics to support life were plentiful. Typically, that means good agricultural land and good access to water. Other valuable considerations include safety, and resilience. The bonus – access to trade routes. Walt Disney and the Fully Formed […]
Places to Live – Cities & Towns 5
A Tale of Two Cities This is a Tale of Two Cities. Houston, Texas is the fourth largest city in the United States. It has a population of about 2.4 million people and Harris County about has about 4.3 million residents. Over the past ten years Houston / Harris has reduced chronic homelessness by 63%. […]
Places to Live – Cities and Towns 4
So how did Finland accomplish these results? As already set out in an earlier instalment, Article 19.4 of the Finnish Constitution establishes housing as a basic human right in. Finland bases its resultant strategy on four guiding principles to eliminate homelessness: 1 – Housing enables independent Lives The homeless can go straight to living in […]
Places to Live – Cities and Towns 3
Think First of the Homeless When I think about places to live, I think first of the homeless. Imagine standing on a street corner at eight o’clock in the evening with all of your earthly belongings. It is drizzling and cold. You have no where to shelter, call your own, sleep, or feel safe. Maybe […]
Cities and Towns, 2
Community imperatives are to provide shelter, sustenance, places to work, areas to shop, and opportunities for personal growth and entertainment. But first, some basics are required. Towns and villages grew in areas where the basics to support life were plentiful. Typically, that meant good agricultural land and good access to water. Other valuable considerations included […]
The Messy Business of Building Cities, 1.
City building is a messy business. Most started as a collection of self-sufficient neighbourhoods or villages. Mobility was limited so people lived, worked, farmed, and entertained themselves in compact, densely-populated, self-sufficient neighbourhoods. Everything was accessible by foot. London I always think of London, England when I consider cities as a collection of neighbourhoods. Two thousand […]