Donald and I have recently began dialoguing about housing. The conversation quickly moved to zoning changes needed to better plan our cities. Higher density housing often provides the opportunity for affordable units to be included… and it is often coupled with walkable streets.
If you ask people why they live where they do, most of the time it has to do with the cost of housing and safety. Where I live in Pasadena, the freeways are jammed from 3-7 pm with folks going home to what they see as safer, better, and often bigger and more affordable housing.
But they don’t always realize how this has a huge cost on the health of the environment, our bodies, our families and more.
Much research is being done on how to design our cities in a way that our jobs are closer to where we can afford to live, and with more walkable distances between where we live, shop, and work.
Jonathan, my other friend who is working on creating “complete streets” here in Pasadena, sent me this wonderful video from Every Body Walk. “Complete streets” allow space for bikes, walking, and cars — but cars slowed a bit to safer speeds.
I was inspired. I hope you are as well. Let me know what you think. Jill Shook
Making Housing and Community Happen 
I believe research shows that a mixture of different socio-economic households within a neighborhood increases the level of empathy in that neighborhood’s wealthy individuals.
Moreover, the top health risks in our nation are greatly reducing when communities are more walkable. Top health risks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoW8PSGPzAo