Navigating Growth: Solutions for a Better Future!

26 Mar 2024 · 1 min

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In this commentary, the speaker discusses the concept of "smart growth" in real estate, questioning which policies can attract new residents without compromising existing community quality. They warn that unchecked development can lead to overly dense housing on tiny lots and excessive concrete, which impedes natural water drainage. The speaker shares a personal anecdote: a developer upstream dumped excess sand into a tributary, which later clogged during heavy rain, causing the speaker's backyard to flood and resulting in the death of 20 chickens. While acknowledging that development provides needed housing, the speaker emphasizes the need to consider environmental ramifications, particularly water flow, when planning growth.

Chapters

In the real estate world, we talk about it as smart growth. What are the best policies that can both welcome people, but not sacrifice our community? And when I talk about sacrifices, I'll just point out that when you have unfettered growth, you can wind up with seas of neighborhoods with houses on pocket handkerchief-sized lots, so much concrete the water can't go anywhere. And frankly, that's why my backyard flooded and I lost 20 chickens, because of the development upstream from a couple of years ago where the developer dumped a bunch of excess sand into the tributary. And then on one big heavy rain, it choked up into our yard and drowned our chickens. It's not something they intended to happen, but we can call that an unintended consequence of growth that can be good 'cause it provides houses for neighbors. But you have to take a good look at what the ramifications are going to be of where the water goes.