Main Policies
The Clean Air Act was established to help regulate emissions, and made housing closer to public transportation more desirable and thus, more expensive. The Clean Water Act was established to regulate run-off, development, residential and commercial pollution. It regulates development by requiring proper storm drainage or other means to prevent harmful runoff, this causes development prices to increase thus, raising housing prices. The Comprehensive Environmental Response Act (CERCLA) is a superfund that was created to help clean up hazardous waste. It makes owners responsible for toxic waste found on their property. The process of checking or removing toxic waste is expensive and contributes to housing prices. The Endangered Species Act is meant to protect species in danger of becoming extinct and to protect habitats and food sources. Desirable land close to protected land becomes more expensive because of the decrease in supply.
Impact on Urban vs. Suburban Housing
The Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act do not have as great an impact in urban areas because of the availability of public transportation, and storm drainage or other issues are typically integrated into the infrastructure of a city. Further, apartment buildings with 5+ units generally use less energy. These Acts have more effect on suburban living because of the environmental inefficiency of suburban living. Suburbs typically have larger homes, are more spread out, have larger/higher numbers of vehicles, and often infrastructure is not in place prior to the development of the area. The larger homes require more energy to heat or cool and suburban residents consume more gasoline because of their driving habits. Emissions from cars and transportation account for about 50% of all household emissions which can be avoided by using public transportation or alternative means of movement. City-dwellers have a smaller carbon footprint than suburbanites. Suburban areas tend to have fewer transportation options, although they are good candidates for electrical vehicles and solar energy.
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is more likely to affect suburban development than urban development. This is mostly because “conventional housing development has contributed to converting rural land at a rate three times faster than population growth.” This means that they are encroaching on rural land that hosts more wild species. There are cases in urban areas where the ESA applies, but it is far more common in suburban and rural areas.
Benefits of Smart Growth and Green Construction
Advocacy for “smart growth” and green construction also impacts housing supply. Smart growth encourages green construction or approaches that consider the building’s whole life cycle. This means considering alternative uses for the building after its original purpose has been served or considering how the demolition of the building will impact the local environment. Green construction/building standards involve considering and pushing for the use of sustainable sites, energy and water-efficient materials and practices, sustainable materials and resource use, indoor environmental quality, emissions, operations, and maintenance (the resources available to fix issues safely and sustainably). Green construction can lead to savings on utilities through more efficient systems by reducing energy and water consumption. Examples of this include better insulation, low-flush toilets, building design that conserves heat such as window placement.
