Are Compact Cities a Desirable Planning Goal?

1997/03/31 by Peter Gordon, Harry W. Richardson · 8 citations
Economics, Econometrics and Finance · #Housing Market and Economics #Regional Economics and Spatial Analysis #Fiscal Policy and Economic Growth

paper · doi:10.1080/01944369708975727

openalex publication_date 1997/03/31 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29

Abstract

This paper considers some key issues that help to evaluate whether or not the promotion of compact cities is a worthwhile planning goal. These are: the pressures on prime agricultural land; residential density preferences; energy resource savings; the potential for expanding transit use and promoting TODs (transit-oriented developments); the costs and benefits of suburbanization; the efficiency gains from compactness; the impact of telecommunications on the density of development; the prospects for downtowns; the influence of rent-seeking on the promotion of downtown projects; the social equity of compactness; and the effects of competition among cities. Our evaluation of these issues does not support the case for promoting compact cities.

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