Table Of ContentAdvance Praise for People Habitat
“Kaid Benfield distills the true essence of a broad range of city-building
and sustainability issues more often and more capably than almost
anyone else I’ve ever read. Many authors write because they’re hoping to
change things for the better, and it’s easy to explode into shouting and
fist-pounding when all is not well in the world. Kaid, however, keeps it
positive better than anyone else I read, repeatedly pointing out places and
principles done well, and higher ideals to which we should aspire.”
—Stephen A. Mouzon,
author, The Original Green: Unlocking the Mystery of True Sustainability
“I strongly encourage anyone with even a passing interest in the quality
of the place where they live to read Kaid Benfield’s writing. His framing
of the ecology of ‘people habitat’ is immensely useful in celebrating how
an enormous number of small actions to create healthier local places can
contribute to a healthier planet.”
—Keith Laughlin,
President, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
“Environmentalist Kaid Benfield clearly explains how dense cities, if done
right, are a friend not an enemy of nature. I always have my students read
a blog or two of his on walkable, mixed use, transit-rich, livable, healthy,
and lovable urbanism. People Habitat finally gathers his insightful
writings into its own dense little city of ideas.”
—Douglas Kelbaugh,
Professor and Dean Emeritus of Architecture and Urban Planning,
University of Michigan
“Kaid Benfield, like Jane Jacobs, is a talented writer who isn’t burdened by
preconceptions or jargon, who can explain the ideas of others or express
his own in a style that is accessible and comprehensible. These 25 essays
are not just about cities; they are about making sense of the way we live.”
—Lloyd Alter,
Managing Editor, Treehugger.com
“People Habitat promises to give us 25 ways to look at greener, healthier
cities, but as anyone who has read one of Kaid Benfield’s books, articles,
or blog posts knows, he delivers at least that many insights on every page.
He doesn¹t just love cities—he gets them, in all their social, demographic,
economic, and almost always paradoxical and volatile complexity.”
—Richard Florida,
author, The Rise of the Creative Class;
Professor, University of Toronto and NYU;
co-founder and Editor-at-Large, The Atlantic Cities
“After reading this book, you’ll know why Kaid Benfield is one of the
nation’s leading thinkers regarding the future of America’s urban cores.
Together, these writings offer a ‘greenprint’ for both development and
redevelopment of our cities that can help mayors, city planners, and all
informed urbanites shape the future for the better.”
—Nancy C. Somerville,
executive vice president and CEO, American Society of Landscape Architects
“Kaid Benfield’s writings about the shape and strength of our
communities constantly challenge readers to think about issues and
problems in new ways. He correctly reminds us that ‘green’ is not always
green, ‘sustainable’ is often not, and ‘smart growth’ is more than a tag to
be hung on a new project like a sales ticket.”
—Hon. Parris N. Glendening,
President, Governors’ Institute on Community Design;
governor of Maryland, 1995-2003
“Kaid Benfield, an environmentalist who loves cities, exposes the
phoniness of claiming ‘green’ status for buildings that can only be
reached by car. If you love cities, you’ll love Kaid’s book.”
—Hon. John O. Norquist,
President, Congress for the New Urbanism;
mayor of Milwaukee, 1988-2004; author, The Wealth of Cities
n
© 2014 by F. Kaid Benfield
First edition
Design by Brenda Ruby
Main cover image: Payton Chung; Cover insets L to R by F. Kaid Benfield;
F. Kaid Benfield; Payton Chung
All rights reserved. Published in the United States of America by People Habitat
Communications, P.O. Box 9755, Washington, DC 20016. www.peoplehabitat.com
Distributed by Island Press, 2000 M St, NW, Suite 650, Washington, DC 20036.
www.islandpress.com
ISBN: 978-0-9897511-0-0 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-0-9897511-1-7 (e-book)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2013913852
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ......................................................................ix
Prologue: Cities of the Imagination ...........................................xi
1. It’s Not Really about Cities .................................................1
More about regions: Multi-jurisdictional authority and cooperation in
Portland; California’s SB 375; Ontario’s Places to Grow initiative
2. What Seems Green May Actually Be Brown ......................13
More about “green”: The Walmart conundrum
3. But when Green Elements Align, the Results Can Be
Impressive .......................................................................23
More about maximizing green: A look at some research
4. Revitalization Can Be Powerful .........................................29
More about revitalization: Using LEED for Neighborhood
Development to improve recovering neighborhoods
5. In a Revitalizing District, Some Gentrification
Might Be OK; but Not Too Much .....................................37
More about changing city demographics: Do current trends
support families?
6. Cities Need Nature ............................................................47
More about city greenery: Perhaps my favorite city park
7. There Can Be So Much in a Name—or Not ....................61
More about shopping malls: The emptiest mall in the world
8. Sustainability Requires Attention to Legacy ......................69
More about legacy: We must be discerning about what we preserve
9. But the Past Is Not the Future ..........................................77
More about the future: What will technology and changes in
workplace practices mean for cities?
10. Community Isn’t What It Used to Be, Apparently .............91
More about the habit of saying no: A personal journey to yes
11. Meet the Environmental Paradox of Smart Growth .........101
More about the paradox: How much urbanism is enough?
12. Design Matters, but It Can Be Messy ..............................113
More about design: Making it wrong in New Orleans
13. There Must Be a There ....................................................123
More about distinctiveness of place: Laissez les bons temps rouler!
14. Human Habitat Should Nourish the Mind,
Body, and Spirit ...............................................................131
More about well-being: A public index of happiness
15. Americans Don’t Walk Much, and I Don’t Blame Them ....143
More about walkability: The night the ‘burbs come to town
16. Driving Should Be an Option ..........................................153
More about reducing driving: Going car-free in Vauban
17. Getting to School Shouldn’t Be So Hard ..........................163
More about schools and community: Principles for
“smart growth schools”
18. Walk, Drink, Walk Back ..................................................171
More about reasons to walk: How far are we willing to walk
somewhere?
19. Successful Suburbs Will Adapt to the
Twenty-First Century .......................................................181
More about remaking suburbs: A green showcase to replace failing
big-boxes
20. Childhood Should Be about Exploring.............................191
More about inter-generational community: The elusive goal of
aging in place
21. Grow Food, but Not Just Anywhere .................................199
More about farming in the city: The Grow Dat Youth Farm
22. Cities Are Made for Faith, and Vice Versa ........................211
More about faith in the city: The Boston Project Ministries
23. Think Globally, Plan Locally ...........................................227
More about resilient land use: How compact development can
mitigate the impacts of drought
24. Sustainability Is Where the Heart Is ................................239
More about a lovable place: Berlin’s Hackesche Höfe
25. Sprawl Is Dying. Will Smart Growth Be Next? ...............247
Epilogue: People Habitat and the Landscape ..........................255
Bibliography............................................................................263
Index .......................................................................................271
About the Author ....................................................................284
Acknowledgments
This book would have suffered greatly but for the intellect and
diligence of its principal editor, Meghan Bogaerts, and the
talent, professionalism, and good spirits of its principal designer,
Brenda Ruby. Both were and are a delight to work with and very
good at their tasks. It also would not be the same without my fre-
quent writing collaborator, Lee Epstein, co-author of two of these
essays and someone whose friendship and insights contribute to
my thinking and writing even when he isn’t trying to. Thank you,
Meghan, Brenda, and Lee.
Special thanks also to the excellent photographers and illus-
trators who have allowed their work to enhance this book through
commercial use license and personal communications. To be honest,
I’m not sure I would have wanted to write it without your generosity
and kindness.
The life of a writer can be a lonely one at times, punctuated by
episodes of doubt. Thanks so much to those who have supported and
encouraged my writing on these topics. You keep me going. I have to
begin with Phil Gutis, former communications director at the Natu-
ral Resources Defense Council who always believed in my instincts,
and Ian Wilker, without whom there never would have been the blog
from which most of these essays were born. Lloyd Alter, Richard
Florida, and David Whitaker, you are too kind in encouraging my
