Learn about San Jose's urban sprawl, its impact on climate change and population growth. Discover the city's efforts for a denser, greener future through biking, building urban villages, and embracing innovative ideas for sustainable cities.
San Jose's urban sprawl has led to increased carbon emissions and housing challenges.
San Jose aims to combat sprawl by building denser, mixed-use neighborhoods and exploring alternative housing solutions like ADUs.
Deep dives
The Sprawl of San Jose
San Jose, the most populous city in the Bay Area, experienced a development boom after World War II with the construction of suburbs and the Interstate Highway System. However, this urban sprawl has led to increased carbon emissions from transportation and challenges in housing a growing population.
Rethinking Housing in San Jose
In an attempt to combat sprawl and create a greener future, San Jose is working towards building dense, mixed-use neighborhoods focused on public transit. The city's plan includes developing 60 urban villages, but progress has been slow, and the introduction of apartment buildings faces obstacles due to existing policies and developer considerations.
Alternatives to Urban Sprawl
To address the housing crisis and achieve a sustainable future, San Jose is exploring alternative solutions such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs). These smaller, more affordable housing options allow for increased density without sacrificing neighborhood aesthetics. ADUs have gained popularity and are seen as a way to add more housing while maintaining the charm of existing communities.
San Jose is the most populated Bay Area city with a million residents. Yet, for a city its size, it feels pretty spread out. And that's not great for climate change or population growth. This week we're sharing an episode of the podcast Sold Out from our colleagues at KQED. Reporter Adhiti Bandlamudi takes stock of why San Jose is a so characterized by urban sprawl, and how the city is looking at ways to build for a denser, greener future.
This story was reported by Adhiti Bandlamudi. The Sold Out team also includes Erin Baldassari, Erika Kelly, Kevin Stark, Jen Chien and Brendan Willard.
Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, and Holly Kernan.
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