War on the Dream: How Anti-Sprawl Policy Threatens the Quality of Life [Paperback]

Wendell Cox (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 3, 2006

People around the world associate the “universal dream of home ownership” with an unprecedented improvement in quality of life. But there is a war on this dream, the result of policies that seek to control urban sprawl or suburbanization. The proponents and governments that implement such anti-suburban policies do so with little debate and virtually without any serious analysis of the consequences.

Anti-suburban policies outlaw development on large swaths of land, creating scarcity and increasing housing prices. This means less home ownership in the future and less wealth creation. Anti-suburban policies hopelessly seek to force people to use mass transit instead of cars, while failing to build roadway capacity to accommodate rising demand. The result is more intense traffic congestion, air pollution, and less productive urban areas.

Author Wendell Cox takes a closer look at this growing problem in War on the Dream: How Anti-Sprawl Policy Threatens the Quality of Life. With most of the world still living in relative poverty, it is clear that neither economic growth nor wealth creation can be taken for granted. Anti-suburban policies must be rejected and repealed. Only by such actions will national economies and their urban areas be positioned to ensure that future generations have a better quality of life.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Wendell Cox is an international demographic, urban policy, and transport consultant. He is a visiting professor at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers in Paris and served terms on the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission and the Amtrak Reform Council. Cox lives in the metropolitan St. Louis area.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (November 3, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595399487
• ISBN-13: 978-0595399482
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.6 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,466,857 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars What Cox does not see.. affordability and choice February 1, 2013

By J. Henry

Its really unfortunate that people are looking to this book for advice.

Cox fails to see that the quality of life in the suburbs is only good for those that can afford it. The middle, lower-middle, and lower class struggle to make ends meet in the suburbs. Ask any real estate investor and they will tell you that the majority of the cheapest homes are the ones farthest from common daily amenities like schools, work, and places to shop.

This means that those looking to buy a home, and are not well off financially, or maybe they just started a family and money is tight, they will buy up the ones farthest away from those amenities. Sometimes it is hardly their choice whether they want to live that far away or not, it is only what they can "afford." The problem with this is that because they live so far from amenities, they must drive to get to them. This means more money from their pocket. The costs associated with owning a vehicle, or multiple vehicles, is only continuing to rise. We all can see the gas prices. We all know they have risen steadily for years. The price of gas coupled with maintenance, registrations, emissions, car accidents, and insurance add up very quickly.

Those of us that advocate for smart growth, new urbanism, neo-urbanism, whatever you want to call it, care about people. I truly care for others and I can see the suburban American dream is not for everyone. It used to be more affordable in the 70's and 80's. Now, many people struggle to have a life beyond paying for their car and a home. Also, our policies do not dictate removal of current suburbs, they will always exist. Those that can, and choose, to afford it can do so freely.

We encourage choice and opportunity.
We simply want to build more homes closer to employment centers, closer to schools..
We want to see more buses, bike lanes and commuter rail, so that everyone can be mobile and can save money that would normally be spent on gas and time that would normally be spent sitting in traffic, so that..

...they can improve their quality of life.

Cox fails to see that it is not affordable for many citizens and the suburban American dream is not always a choice, sometimes it is a trap.

Please read my comments and consider them before picking up this book. Please.

I come from a upper-middle class family. I grew up in the suburbs.

22 of 43 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Solid facts about Not So "Smart Growth" March 31, 2009

By K. Mangus

This book is a must read for anyone concerned about regulatory takings, private property rights, and social engineering. Mr. Cox provides hard data to answer the "but it looks pretty" arguments that plague current planning and zoning philosophy. I discovered his book while looking for answers after a proposed "Smart Growth" zoning ordinance in my Township threated my property thru regulatory takings. Mr. Cox's focus is on the true costs and economic realities too often ignored when our elected officials blindly follow the latest fads. The text is information heavy but definately worth the time and energy. It's like a crash corse in history, economics, social engineering, as it pertains to planning and zoning. This book will make you proud of where we come from and concerned about where we are going.

33 of 63 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Flawed and wrong December 1, 2009

By Post Graduate Planning Student

Amazon Verified Purchase

As a planning student, I read this book to get a different view from the mainstream on how to meet the housing demands of the world's growing population. While the book is well researched, I generally found his arguments to be weak and/or flawed on many levels. The author advocates unending urban sprawl, while it is easy to demonstrate that unending sprawl is socially, economically and environmentally unsustainable. He also tries to develop an unhelpful fear campaign about higher density living. This book deserves to go in the recycle bin.