Here's the audio file (MP3/17.6MB/1:17:14) for this Saturday, October 18, 2008, session: Download C3_Land
Panelists discussed why many Americans appear to be leaving the suburbs in record numbers. Citizens are seeking better means of transportation and affordability as a result of economic changes in the U.S. "Many people are willing to rent or buy in places with transportation options, whether they be short drives, public transit, or walking," said Parris Glendening, president of Smart Growth Leadership Institute and former Governor of Maryland.
Rising gas prices and the current state of the economy are only a few reasons why many Americans are deciding to move to inner cities and trade their cars for public transportation. Empty-nesting Boomers and Generation Xers are choosing to relocate to more walk-able urban areas rather than suburban areas.
According to the Metropolitan Research Center at the University of Utah, America adds 100 million people faster than any other nation except India and Pakistan. As the demand for urbanization increases, "We are going to be gentrifying cities and closing areas — on steroids in the next 20 years," said Arthur "Chris" Nelson, presidential professor and director of Metropolitan Research.
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