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What’s more, the study finds, it’s not that regional policies are herding people back into urban neighborhoods. Personal preference seems to be driving much of the change. Turns out more people are deciding they want to live near walkable neighborhoods, transit lines, other urban stuff.<\/p>\n
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Overall construction has tanked in the last few years, of course. But the proportion of home building that happens in central cities has doubled since 2000 in 26 of those metro areas. Here we can see it:<\/p>\n
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Environmental Protection Agency<\/p>\n
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The Obama administration’s new Partnership for Sustainable Communities<\/a>—a joint venture of the EPA, Transportation Department, the Department of Housing and Urban Development—should be glad to see the housing market’s already trending this direction.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n More from Greenwire: ‘Smart Growth’ Taking Hold in U.S. Cities, Study Says<\/a><\/p>\n Related Links:<\/strong><\/p>\n Whoops: Energy Star approves gas-powered alarm clock<\/a><\/p>\n Reminder: the U.S. already has cap-and-trade—in the Northeast<\/a><\/p>\n From Pyramids to Paris, landmarks to go dark for Earth Hour<\/a><\/p>\n