Planning and US

It took me a couple of days but I think I finally made a connection to WV, coal mining, and development thanks to a magazine at the Doctor's.

A sign of growth in the towns in mining areas was the appearance/development of gated communities. (What is this, Brazil? Though, there was an article about the growing income/wealth disparities and how we are the closest country to Brazil, but very far away from it) For awhile now gated communities have been the thing, but maybe they are a good. I can see how higher density developments (townhouses and apts) need a way to restrict car access because of parking constraints. Traditional suburban development provides each house with more than enough parking with driveways and such, but near apts, parking is at a premium and needs to managed. Call me a convert, gated communities for all.

What I actually wanted to discuss is affordable housing and affordable rentals, which is somewhat unrelated to WV because I am not sure if these towns have a plan for their development or are just cashing in wherever possible...a la big box retailers and such. All across America in either wealthyareas or tight housing markets, or both, we see low income and public servants (teachers, police officers, etc.) being priced out of the area. And yet, these communities need these people. Where will they live. Movements towards affordable housing and affordable rentals are usually stalled because of NIMBY issues, forcing people to commute ridiculous distances. It is the wealthy's (wealthies') right to get the undesirables (sic)(is the the proper usage of "sic"?) out of there neighborhoods/boroughs/counties. But, there should either be reduced services or increased wages in these areas. Ahhhh, the problem is becoming too complex to right in a blog. The nature of the planning problem could possibly be addressed in a Phd thesis. Would it require planning down to a house by house basis and a monitoring of the system to ensure the needy get the benefits.

Everybody wants a house because a house can store equity..and you can live there while doing it. It is automatic saving. Everybody wants a backyard and a two-car garage and privacy from neighbors. But that takes space and infrastructure and stuff in general. Apartments/condos decay over time and there is nothing individual owners can do to stop the building itself from eventually ecoming obsolete, especially when other tenants/owners neglect the property. Where is the answer....

West Virginia

West Virginia coal country is "booming". The price of coal has more than doubled over the last 6 years and mines are re-opening and such. This is probably due to Bush and China, among other things. The whole Sago mine accident overshadows the prosperity seen in parts of West Virginia becuase of coals resurgence. Is coal really such a blessing to the area?

Appalachia is the poorest area of the country....

I am not sure where to go from here. I will try again later.