Tuesday, May 23, 2006

It takes a village

"New planned communities are designed so that people can live and work with everything they need nearby...

Today's home shoppers demand better homes and neighborhoods than ever, and developers are meeting the challenge. The best communities are places where people can build their lives -- where everything they need -- schools, stores, jobs and meaningful social relationships -- are nearby.

Driving America's housing trends are changing demographics. The nation's population is getting older and more diverse, with recent immigrants make up a growing share of the mix. Households are increasingly made up of smaller families, non-families and single people. A majority of women now hold jobs outside the home. All of these factors influence the kinds of homes and neighborhoods people want.

Less than a quarter of all households are the "traditional" married couples with children, while more than a quarter consist of a single person. Despite decreasing household size, the average size of new homes keeps increasing -- 2,140 square feet today, up from about 1,600 square feet 20 years ago..."

W: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060521/OPINION/605210396/1002