Family zoning actually means something cool
Forget San Francisco - I wish every single US city would do this. We're too car-dependent, too isolated, too unhealthy. (Honestly, European mixed-use development should be the model.)
Link: Thomas Goetz in The San Francisco Standard.
Beyond San Francisco, I wish every single US city would do this. We're too car-dependent, too isolated, too unhealthy:
"The “family zoning” concept offers a way to say yes to a whole new vision of healthy housing. We need a smart mix of retail, office, housing, and parks to create the sorts of neighborhoods that encourage walking to the store and bumping into your neighbors. Healthy housing also means more than parks or exercise equipment. We need spaces that foster socializing and fun almost by accident."
We need the kind of mixed-use neighborhoods that Jane Jacobs would have approved of. Honestly, European mixed-use development should be the model, with plenty of public art, shared spaces, and amenities the author suggests like fitness circuits and lots of kinds of libraries added into the mix. That sounds like the kind of place I'd like to live.
If San Francisco wants to be the model for this, great! But it's one of the most expensive places to live in the world. For this to be effective and interesting, it needs to be expanded to cities that are more affordable for everyone, too.
[Link]
