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0 <br />Some o[ the ma jo r f ac:, o rs � aus ing this hous ia�g dominartc e a re the s ame <br />one� which influ�ence the pattcrn of re�idential development, as weli as, <br />the housing ��-nsity ar.d reeighbnrhood. P: obably the most gowerful force <br />ca�sin the a�minance pf ti:is housin t e to contirue x�a e summar- <br />i,��e �tatin that most o the active orces in the i•nar et t�n �o <br />er �tuate the stat�us uo, num er o ve: y in uentia institutions and <br />,a�en�ae�z in t� en ing �e1d have as one of their ��zajor objectives the <br />�z�arnotion of home ��vr�ership, wHich in this A�rea is equated with the <br />singl� cietach�d r,ouse. Ir� discussion with lenders and �iuilders about <br />their attitud� toward : uw housing as an example of a diff�rent housing <br />type, �t was apg�.rent that most of the:m viewed row housing as a rental <br />u�n�t for v�ry cen�.ral lotatior_s. The dorninance of single cletached house <br />had yie�d.ed a�ovv ��.r�using den�i.ty. I� is true that th� housing type its�lf <br />does not mean that �iensities r.ecessarily would have to be as low as they <br />are in this Area. Hr�w�ver, there are a number nf other fa�ctors, for <br />example, lot size, thai: cogether wiih the single detached hous� makes <br />lower densities ir��vit��blc.. <br />The attitude of mast builde rs ; l ende rs , and consume rs is that s inc e the <br />automobile is available to almos� ever one, distances to various acili- <br />t��s are rF: ativel unimpc►rtar.t. Thus, there is little pressur.e or high- <br />er ensities. 'The neighborhood principle that th� elementary school be <br />in �close physical proximity to the bulk of houses it serves has broken <br />down under this general attitude, and mar.y children are �arried to <br />school by bus. Again, it is the s�me type of circular interaction be- <br />tw�en these groups tihat cor�tinue� this situation, If tY�e builder were as <br />greatly concern�d about the ger_eral location of his su.bdivision as he <br />usually is when building apartment hou�es , the current density woulc <br />most likely have been �iigher. By the sai�e token, if the lender were <br />as concerned about the lor,ation of a single far.�ily house as he is about <br />an apartment, he too wo�.�td be a ma,jor force in keeping development <br />much more contiguous ar_d compact. <br />The lack of requirement for water and sewage systexns has made pos- <br />sible scattered development at lov�� ciensities. The economics of pro- <br />viding thPse utilities to scattered developments would not ha.ve permitted <br />� this to occur. <br />Given the predorninance of single family homes, partially becaus� of the <br />• reasons just enumera��d, high land costs in the closer-in. areas encour- <br />aged �auilders to go out farther and, thus , over-all densities are further <br />r�duced. Because land has been readil available and travel is r, ela- <br />tively �asy, ihere has not been a great deal o pressure to build on th^ <br />closer-in, higher pric:ed land� The relative ease of travel l�as not put <br />living in r�1e outlying sul�urban areas at such a great disadvantage as to <br />force the consume.r to seek closer-ir. loc�.tions, An urban location <br />might alter his image or desires for a single detached housP. <br />The lender's reluctance to finance other housing types on equal terms <br />with single detached housing is a very strong deterr�nt to changes. If <br />there is to be greater freesiom in developing different housing types, <br />39 <br />