The Cul-de-Sac Syndrome Turning Around the Unsustainable American Dream

by Wasik, John F.

• ISBN13: 9780470918081
• ISBN10: 047091808X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-02-08
• Publisher: Bloomberg Pr

Summary

The roots of the worst housing bust in generations lie in the mythology of the American dream: buy as much house as possible, move away from urban centers, home prices will always go up, the schools are "better." The foundation of the dream itself is faulty; indeed, the desire that "every man have his castle" is bankrupting us. Today's crisis in home values is the least of suburbia's problems. The Cul-de-Sac Syndrome details the intimate connections between home ownership, economics, and the environment. John Wasik provides powerful insights into how the U.S. suburban lifestyle became unsustainable. Wasik's observations are firmly grounded in exclusive on-the-ground research, interviews with thought leaders, and the latest studies and statistics. He exposes the untold truths about home ownership: "green" isn't always so "green," life isn't cheaper after accounting for gas, water, and taxes, and modern suburban living isn't so idyllic considering the toll it takes on our health. However, some are attempting to revive suburbia, and Wasik shows us how. He offers insights into ways to improve our current lifestyle: eco-friendly communities, rebuilding and reclaiming inner cities, improvements in home design, and more.

Author Biography

John F. Wasik is a personal finance columnist for Reuters and the author of twelve other books including The Audacity of Help: Obama's Economic Plan and the Remaking of America. He has won eighteen awards for his writing, speaks all over North America, and has appeared on NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, FOX, CNN, Bloomberg TV/Radio, PBS, NPR, and radio stations from Australia to Boston.

For more information, visit www.culdesacsyndrome.com

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xi
Introduction: The Foundation Cracks	p. 1
A Dream Gone Bad	p. 15
False Economics: American Dreamers in the Sunshine State	p. 17
Origins of a Dream	p. 27
How Debt Addiction Fed a Housing Crisis	p. 39
Cul-de-Sac Nation: Symptoms of a Syndrome	p. 55
The Spurbing of National Health	p. 67
Reinventing Home and Community	p. 75
Toward Sustainable Dreams	p. 77
Building Smarter	p. 93
The Near Death of a Suburb	p. 111
Reclaiming the Inner City	p. 123
Sustainability and Development: Bridging the Gap	p. 139
The Bill Comes Due: Which Places Will Prosper?	p. 153
Epilogue: Cleaning Up, Moving On	p. 171
Notes	p. 175
Index	p. 194
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.