Louisville, Colorado. The spawling Indian Peaks development in it’s last phase. It’s really a shameful continuance of the destruction of beautiful open spaces, as are most housing developments. The US has created a monster called the "American Dream" — owning a home. This dream has morphed into Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the financial crisis, huge numbers of realtors and bankers that could be doing other more important things in society, sprawl, pollution, over-consumption, and on and on. We need a new American dream. We Americans could and should live more modestly. Our tax laws should not encourage bigger and bigger houses. It’s ok to live in an apartment.
I am all for capitalism but the housing industry and it’s partners, the home loan industry and the realtors, are not capitalistic – they get all kinds of legal protections, tax anomalies, etc that skew the economy and muddy the competition waters. For example, realtor fees would be considered price fixing in any other industry.
I don’t believe in governments doing social engineering, but if they must, should we engineer reuse and conservation, not wild consumption. I prefer absolutely no tax incentives for anything. second choice would be tax incentives to consume less: small homes, refurbished old homes, etc.
Farewell old farm.
McStain’s web page ( www.mcstain.com ) boasts "We’re pioneer green builders and supporters of smart growth." A pioneer would try to not try to provide 2000 square feet of house for every person. Their idea of green means high efficiency appliances! Ha. The greenest approach is to remodel old homes – new insulation, thermal windows, etc.
There is a tad of humor in this sign: "The Final Chapter" since McStain has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. ( www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2009/05/25/daily73.html ).
By: Let Ideas Compete
