26 
New communities built in outlying rural areas would probably not 
serve to stimulate the economy in those lagging sections; a new 
community which seeks to achieve a self-contained economic market 
will find that seeking closure at such a scale will result in lower capital 
production.» From the point of view of making a successful public 
investment it would be most. sensible to build new communities in 
metropolitan areas where they could draw on neighboring and sur- 
rounding settlements for a substantial part of their economic base and 
infrastructure especially during the early stages of development. Not 
only would the initial capital investment in a new community in an 
outlying rural location have to be much greater (since there would be 
no existing infrastructure and job base to draw on), but the operating 
expenses would always be greater since a new community in an outlying 
area would have to be built at considerably larger scale if it were to 
succeed. 
New communities developed as growth centers within metropolitan 
areas are probably more likely to succeed because of the immediate 
accessibility of existing settlements; although other difficulties arise 
in such situations because long-time residents are resistant to new 
large-scale development which seems to threaten their style of life 
and the power they have over the political situation. These political 
issues are examined more fully in chapter LUI. 
NEW COMMUNITIES AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO SUBURBAN SPRAWL 
It is often argued that the development of new communities or 
large-scale planned urban growth will help to avoid a replication of 
past suburban development with all its attendant problems—sub- 
urban sprawl, segregation of social groups, political balkanization, 
and municipal fiscal imbalance.” The concept or strategy of planned 
urbanization seems to offer an opportunity for the development of 
completely organized environments with the most efficient, least 
wasteful uses of land and the most equitable provision of public 
services and facilities. Some of the public advantages which stand to 
be gained by planning for urban growth include: “hs 
1. Lower per capita costs to the resident because of the advantage 
of carefully planned uses designed to reduce unit costs (thereby 
achieving economies of scale) .?® 
2. The optimum development of open space and recreational areas 
through careful planned unit or cluster development within the new 
community.?® 
3. Maximum choice of housing for a full range of income and racial 
groups because of lower development costs and avoidance of dis- 
criminatory zoning practices.*° 
_4. A comprehensive transportation system not only for internal 
circulation but also for travel to larger urban centers and outlying 
communities through comprehensive planning. 
26 Alonso, op. cit. fies 
27 Donald Canty, ed. “The New City” (The National Committee on Urban Growth, Policy published 
by Urban America, Inc., by Frederick A. Praeger, New York), 1969 or “New Towns: A New- Dimension. 
of ; Urbanism”? International City Managers Association, Chicago, 1968. 
hes William H. Whyte, “Cluster Development” (New York, N .Y., American Conservation Association) ;* 
““ William H. Whyte, ‘The Last Landscape” (New York, N.Y:: Doubleday), 1968. 
30 This is not to say that new communities can provide a range of housing opportunities without govern- 
ment subsidy, because they can not. See M.B. Zuckerman, “Zurban Report,’’ prepared for President 
Johnson's Lask Force on New Communities, 1968, for a full discussion of mechanisms for financing low- 
and middle-income housing in new communities. 
