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Its the opposite for a lot of other countries than it is in America. In Canada a lot of large metro areas have the slum areas on the outskirts of the cities and metro areas. I doubt that suburbs in America will ever turn into slums though, at least the outer ring ones, because people will always want more land and more peace and quiet. The city will never offer peace and quiet because of the density and all the traffic. Im guessing that maybe by 2030 that only 5% of the suburbs will actually be slums, if even that much.
I hope the move back into cities will continue. However, it won't be as drastic as the move to the suburbs was.
Most likely a good thing. The move to the suburbs created all sorts of problems for cities that everyone here is aware of... to think that a drastic move back to the cities wouldn't have a negative effect somewhere would be ridiculous. The best change is usually gradual and calculated.
Mass population migrating in one direction all at once is bad thing.
You may think that people rushing back into the cities will be a great thing, but don't think that it won't come with problems. Seriously, be careful what you wish for.
I like a healthy, thriving city as much as the next person, but I hate overcrowding and the problems that come with it. I think everyone rushing back into the cities would honestly cause more harm than good at this point.
That said, I don't think it's anything we'll have to worry about in the near future. With the rising popularity of e-commerce and doing every via computers, it will be easier than ever for people to live AND work in the suburbs. Even with rising gas prices, the suburbs will still be a pracitcal option for people in many professions.
Mass population migrating in one direction all at once is bad thing.
You may think that people rushing back into the cities will be a great thing, but don't think that it won't come with problems. Seriously, be careful what you wish for.
I like a healthy, thriving city as much as the next person, but I hate overcrowding and the problems that come with it. I think everyone rushing back into the cities would honestly cause more harm than good at this point.
That said, I don't think it's anything we'll have to worry about in the near future. With the rising popularity of e-commerce and doing every via computers, it will be easier than ever for people to live AND work in the suburbs. Even with rising gas prices, the suburbs will still be a pracitcal option for people in many professions.
But more importantly, the city will become a practical option for all income levels. I am very heartened by this article.
I think it will be interesting to see how the political makeup of our country will change as more people move to the city. Typically areas where people interact with a diverse population daily tend to be more liberal (nearly every major city in the country...excluding suburbs).
I wonder if the urban makeup of other countries have influenced their more liberal world views.
I don't necessarily think that suburbs will become slums. But I do think that there is an overabundance of large homes in the suburbs that are not going to find buyers in the future. My parents are currently trying to sell their 3,200 sq. ft. home and are having a very tough time because it is a two-story colonial and most of the growth in their town is from retirees who want one-level homes (and often smaller homes).
As energy prices go up and as the population ages, there is going to be a serious crash for people owning these McMansions. What happens is people buy these big homes to raise families because they think they need the room and they need a place to store all their stuff (and maybe for the status too). Then one day, they wake up, the kids are gone and they realize they have too much stuff. Everyone around them is going to be waking up to the same thing, putting their house on the market, and there simply won't be enough buyers.
I think it will be interesting to see how the political makeup of our country will change as more people move to the city. Typically areas where people interact with a diverse population daily tend to be more liberal (nearly every major city in the country...excluding suburbs).
I wonder if the urban makeup of other countries have influenced their more liberal world views.
It will basically be the reverse of what happened when the run to the burbs began. Today, many conservative Republican suburbanites are the sons and daughters and grandsons and granddaughters of blue collar Democats who grew up and lived in the city.
Businesses just follow the rooftops, that's all. There is no reason for lots of suburbanites to even bother with the core city anymore-- plenty of them don't even work in the city center now that the businesses have also migrated to the burbs.
I'm also not sure it's universally true that urban living produces liberal tolerance. Especially not if the urban living isn't a matter of "lifestyle choice" as it mostly is now for professional-type liberal whites.
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