Monday, October 3, 2011

The Public Health Risks of Densification

Among the smart growth/sustainability/livability crowd, the concept of "densification" is all the rage.  (Think soviet-style apartment blocks for everyone.)

The concept runs as follows:  by increasing the density (crowding) of urban areas, public transit makes more sense, people will walk/bike to work, and "sprawl" will be reduced.

As Wendell Cox documents over at New Geography, density has a downside, as well.  It turns out that turn-of-the-last-century Lower East Side of Manhattan tenement-style crowding is bad for public health.  Who knew?

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