Posted on 06/13/2009 4:32:34 PM PDT by John Semmens
Many cities in the US’s so-called “rust belt” have been in decline for years—losing both jobs and population. Dan Kildee, treasurer of Genesee County, Michigan has proposed leveling portions of these cities in order to reach a more optimal balance between living accommodations and needs.
“The idea is that rather than continuing to waste society’s resources maintaining unnecessary housing, we demolish the surplus units and move people closer together to gain economies of scale,” Kildee said.
While Kildee’s focus is on cities already in a decaying state, the Obama Administration’s Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Shaun Donovan, sees a much wider potential application for the idea. “Americans’ consumption of housing far exceeds that of other countries,” Donovan pointed out. “On top of this there are redundancies in the way we configure living space. Too much of the space is only used on a part time basis.”
The Secretary suggested that “a college dormitory style configuration would be the most efficient housing arrangement. Sleeping quarters could certainly be individualized. But dining, bathroom, and recreation facilities could be shared.”
“A side benefit of these more efficient living arrangements would be the boost in community solidarity and camaraderie,” Donovan added. “Instead of the lonely, isolated existences promoted by our current dispersed and atomized lifestyles, we’d have more togetherness.”
Donovan hastened to clarify that individualized accommodations would not be outlawed. Private dwellings would still be available, but at a “premium price.”
The demolition activities are expected to provide employment that will stimulate the economy. The demolished areas will provide much prized “open space” for our urban regions.
(Excerpt) Read more at azconserv1.wordpress.com ...
Someone has been playing too much SimCity.
What if they don't want to move closer together? Who decides what housing is "unnecessary"?
Thanks for that John. Enjoyed your presentation as usual.
Just don’t move all those urbs to my back yard!
They’re too close together already, maybe if they spread them out it would slow down the breeding rate!
ping
Charlie to destroy the evidence?
What if it's private property, as in houses people own and don't want bulldozed?
"Urban planners" aren't God, and don't have the right to just impose their will.
As for the other part of the article, it sounds reasonable to knock down older rundown housing as it would improve the city. It is true that cities today are competing with the suburbs which did not even exist before the existence and popularity of the automobile. Since there is not a great demand for housing in the cities, it is good for the cities to demolish the worst housing and open up those areas for parking, selling the empty lots to neighbors would let them enjoy larger yards etc. Small parks and parking garages would also benefit the neighborhoods.
later
They should not be allowed to bulldoze houses that the owners want to keep but in many cities there are abandoned housing and slum housing that are a blight to the neighborhood. There are also many unscrupulous landlords who have property in the poorer areas but do not keep up their property and do not pay taxes, ie Tony Rezco in Chicago.
Could these idiots use the Kelo decision to justify tearing down half the houses to for everyone to move into the other half - destroying tax revenue but increasing “efficiency”?
So, now some 0bamunist gasbag has decided that the gubmint should decide who lives where and under what conditions? Communal dining, bathroom and recreational facilities? No thanks.
You can keep your marxist BS. I’ll take my freedom...
It’s time to take back the country.
“The Secretary suggested that “a college dormitory style configuration would be the most efficient housing arrangement. Sleeping quarters could certainly be individualized. But dining, bathroom, and recreation facilities could be shared.”
So my kid can’t go into the kitchen to make a sandwich without supervision because of fear of some lunatic sharing my ‘space’ will harm them?
The government has lost it’s everloving mind.
“Someone has been playing too much SimCity.”
Can you believe these people?
Americans want to prosper and this is what they have to offer?
Hokey smokes...After the counter revolution, a right winger will be a mayor of even DC.
Of course there will be a lot less lefties...
In the theology of the left, humanity is God and the Left is God’s brain. They feel they can and should do anything at all for the greater good of the brain.
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