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Residential Construction Trends in America's Metropolitan Regions
Across the country, many urban neighborhoods are experiencing dramatic transformations. Parking lots, underused commercial properties, and former industrial sites are being replaced by condos, apartments, and townhouses. In spite of the many impressive projects, a central question remains: Do such examples add up to a fundamental shift in the geography of residential construction?
To answer this question, EPA examined residential building permits in the 50 largest metropolitan regions. The main goal was to clarify: 1) if there has been a shift toward redevelopment; and 2) in which regions the shift has been most significant.
The trends indicate that the distribution of residential construction has significantly changed over time in many regions. In more than half of the largest metropolitan areas, urban core communities have dramatically increased their share of new residential building permits.
- The central city has more than doubled its share in 15 regions.
- The increase has been particularly dramatic over the past 5 years.
- Data from 2007 show the trend continuing in the wake of the real estate market downturn.
However, in many regions, a large share of new residential construction still takes place on previously undeveloped land on the urban fringe.
- Redevelopment in urban core communities adds up to more than half of new residential construction in only one region: New York.
- In 7 regions, infill development accounts for between ¼ and ½ of new construction: San Francisco; Miami; San Diego; Dallas; Chicago; Portland, Oregon; and Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Virginia.
- In 13 regions, infill development significantly increased but accounted for less than ¼ of new residential units.
- In 12 regions, there was very little change in the distribution.
If you have any questions about this study, please contact John Thomas (202-566-1285, thomas.john@epa.gov).
Read the report: Residential Construction Trends in America's Metropolitan Regions (PDF) (33 pp, 664 KB) EPA 231–R-08-001