Infill Dev elopment Rebuilding Our Citie s for a Sustainable Futur e . REENBELT ALLIANCE IS THE BAY . Area’s citizen land conserva- . tion and urban planning . G . organization. Known for opposing . sprawl development, we also work to . promote its alternatives, including . “infill development.” . Wha t is infill dev elopment? . Infill is building homes, businesses . and public facilities on unused and . underutilized lands within existing . urban areas. Infill development keeps . resources where people already live . and allows rebuilding to occur. Infill . development is the key to accommo- . dating growth and redesigning our . cities to be environmentally and . socially sustainable. Does infill provide more . Infill can encourage a variety of designs . visibility and creating a sense of . housing options? . and housing options— second units, . community through natural interac- . townhouses, bungalows, studios, and . tions and shared spaces. Absolutely. These days we are seeing . cohousing— which are closer to jobs . smaller families with working and . and services and less expensive than . Will higher density crowd our . single parents, singles of all ages, and . oversized housing at the urban fringe. cities and wors en traf fic . people wanting work spaces in their . congestion? . homes. This diversity of needs is . Will infill bring low-income . often overlooked by development . All growth increases traffic, but infill . housing projects to my . built exclusively for the 1950’s-style . can alleviate congestion by reducing . neighborhood? . family (working dad and domestic . trips and encouraging alternative . mom) which now accounts for only . Not necessarily, but we still need to . transportation. 14% of U.S. households (see below). provide housing opportunities for all . kinds of people. Instead of huge . Good infill projects are sometimes . housing projects, proponents of infill . “mixed-use,” placing residences and . U . S . H O U S E H O L D S . often recommend a mix of market-rate . businesses in close proximity. Bring- . A diverse popula tion ne eds . and affordable housing. As in the . ing homes and jobs together, along . housing options. natural world, achieving balance and . with services like shopping, schools . diversity in our communities is healthy . and recreation, shortens trips and . Working Working . and creates richer experiences in the . makes walking and bicycling more . Couples Singles . places we live. appealing. (31%) (26%) . Only higher housing densities can . Will higher density incre as e . support transit like light rail. A major . crime? . study found that in a neighborhood . with 15 homes per acre, one-third . No on e . No! No study has ever established a . fewer auto trips occur compared to a . Married & works . link between crime increases and . suburban tract. The bottom line is . on e spouse works (e.g. re tired) . housing density. In fact, density and . (14%) (28%) . design can enhance safety by ensuring . (continued on reverse). GREENBELT ALLIANCE • 530 Bush Stre e t, Suite 303 • S a n Francisco, C a li fornia • 94108 • 415-398-3730 . HOUSING TYPES AND DENSITIES . Density is not crowding! Good d esigns are attractiv e with any number of units per acre. LOW DENSITY MODERATE DENSITY HIGH DENSITY . Usually called " sprawl" " Compact Development " Appropriate in limited areas . Older suburb Suburban neighborhood Apartments / condominiums . 6 units per acre 14 units per acre 30 units per acre . that infill is necessary for giving us . How do infill’s costs add up? . air pollution, traffic congestion and . transportation choices beyond the . loss of open space. The costs of . automobile. Without doubt, infill development is . sprawl are passed on to communities . less expensive than sprawl in the long . as higher taxes, the deterioration of . Wha t does infill dev elopment . run. However, because of up-front . local businesses, and a declining . costs, building within the city is often . quality of life. me an for children? . less profitable to the developer, who . Infill can be a boon for children, . pays for site clean-up, zoning permits, . Wha t can I do to encourage . creating safe opportunities for play . building on a small scale, and accom- . infill? . and discovery. As infill offers more . modating neighborhood concerns. transit options and closer destinations, . A great deal. Citizen participation is . But according to the Urban Land . teenagers will not be entirely depen- . important in the rebuilding process. Institute, urban sprawl eventually costs . dent on their parents for transporta- . You can work with Greenbelt Alliance . from 40-400% more than infill develop- . tion. Of course, successful infill . on a variety of pro-city projects, which . ment due to the costs of building and . designs will be attentive to a variety of . include: . maintaining new roads, sewers, fire . special needs and enhance the lives of . stations and schools, not to mention . • awareness and education; . all people, old as well as young. the health and psychological costs of . • endorsements of appropriate . compact housing proposals; and . INFILL GLOSSARY . • policy research and partnership . development. • Infill — Development of unused and underutilized land within urban areas. For more information about our . • Density — The number of units per acre, either net (just buildings) or gross . programs and volunteer opportuni- . (buildings and streets). ties, call us at 415-398-3730. • Mixed-Use — Residential and commercial uses on the same site. • Transit Oriented Developments (TODs) — Higher density and mixed-use . development around transit centers, particularly rail and light rail. • Redevelopment — Official government process that relies on " tax-exempt " . financing for rebuilding “blighted” areas of cities. P E O P L E F O R O P E N S P A C E . GREENBELT ALLIANCE • 530 Bush Stre e t, Suite 303 • S a n Francisco, C a li fornia • 94108 • 415-398-3730.