21ST CENTURY WILL LEAD TO NEW ERA OF
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

NORMAN – America’s suburban landscape was shaped from 1954 through 1980 by the Federal Housing Administration’s “Act 701” planning grant program, which was based largely on serving a society composed substantially of households with children. In the 21st century, as more individuals choose to focus on careers before starting families, a shift will occur in America’s building strategies.

Arthur “Chris” Nelson, director and professor of urban affairs and planning at Virginia Tech’s Alexandria Center, will discuss “Planning Leadership in the New Era” at 3 p.m. Monday, Oct. 9, on the University of Oklahoma Norman campus. The free, public presentation will be held in 213B Hester Hall, 729 Elm Ave., and is sponsored as part of the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Economics Seminar.

“During the next generation, planners may have an unprecedented opportunity to reshape America’s built landscape,” Nelson said.

Nelson’s research indicates that a population growth of approximately 67 million will occur between the years 2000 and 2025, bringing the total population to roughly 349 million people. However, in 2025, Nelson says only a fourth of all households will have children and they will account for just one-eighth of the net change in total household growth.

“Because of these changing realities, much of America’s built landscape will be rebuilt. Upwards of $30 trillion may be spent on new construction,” Nelson said. “Planners have an opportunity to exert leadership in crafting a new template for the next planning era.”

For the past 20 years, Nelson has conducted research in land use planning, growth management, public facility finance and urban development policy. He has made notable contributions to the areas of development impact fees, farmland and forestland preservation, urban containment, the preservation of small town character in the face of urbanization and the effect of metropolitan governance structures on metropolitan economic development.

Nelson served in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for a year in the Clinton and Bush administrations. His research has been supported by numerous national organizations, including the American Planning Association, Brookings Institution, Fannie Mae Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Academy of Sciences, and the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Commerce, and Transportation. Nelson’s research also has led to the publication of eight books and more than 150 scholarly and professional publications.

For more information on Nelson’s visit or accommodations on the basis of disability, contact the department at (405) 325-2861.