{"id":175,"date":"2017-08-30T10:57:08","date_gmt":"2017-08-30T14:57:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/realtorparty.com\/?page_id=175"},"modified":"2023-04-28T15:36:34","modified_gmt":"2023-04-28T15:36:34","slug":"walkable-community-resources","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/realtorparty.realtor\/community-outreach\/walkable-community-resources","title":{"rendered":"Walkable Community Resources"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1353\" style=\"width: 160px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Resources-Community-Outreach-Walkable-Communities-Fact-Sheet.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1353\" class=\"wp-image-1353 size-thumbnail\" style=\"border: 1px solid #eeeeee;\" src=\"https:\/\/realtorparty.realtor\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Resources-Community-Outreach-Walkable-Communities_Page_1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/realtorparty.realtor\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Resources-Community-Outreach-Walkable-Communities_Page_1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/realtorparty.realtor\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Resources-Community-Outreach-Walkable-Communities_Page_1-70x70.jpg 70w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1353\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Download the Walkability Fact Sheet<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Walkable communities are becoming the latest trend in real estate and REALTORS\u00ae need to be aware of how the demand for walkable communities impacts real estate and their business.<\/p>\n<p>Homebuyers rely on REALTORS\u00ae\u2019 knowledge of local markets and conditions to help them find a home in a neighborhood of choice.\u00a0 As the walkability trend continues, homebuyers will expect REALTORS\u00ae to know how walkable a community is and what are the most walkable communities in an area.<\/p>\n<p>A walkable community is one where residents can walk, bike or take public transit (light rail, trolleys and\/or buses) to grocery stores, shops, schools, work, cafes, markets, playgrounds and parks.\u00a0 Walkable communities have a mix of housing types as well as mixed-use buildings that combine residential, office, and retail.\u00a0 They can be high-rise urban neighborhoods, traditional downtowns and main streets, or suburban town centers.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cCreating walkability with restaurants and stores can help transition an edgy part of town into one that is hip and hopping with pedestrians. This type of real estate development transforms the community for the better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist, National Association of REALTORS\u00ae<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>NAR has created several resources to help make your community more walkable.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Resources-Community-Outreach-Walkable-Communities-Fact-Sheet.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Walkable Community Fact Sheet<\/a>: a two-page overview to share with others in your community<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/realtorparty.realtor\/wp-content\/uploads\/appsDocs\/community-outreach\/walkable\/Walkable-Communities-Overview.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Walkable Community Overview for REALTORS\u00ae<\/a>: a short overview to introduce walkable communities, the demand for walkable communities and the impact on the real estate market<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/realtorparty.realtor\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Walkable_Communities_Advocating_Guide2023.pdf\">Advocating for a More Walkable Communities:<\/a> a guide to advocate for more walkable communities including an overview on zoning and policies to advance walkability in your community<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/realtorparty.realtor\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Walkable-Communities-WalkShopUpdated2023.pdf\">Walkable Community Workshop How-to-Guide:<\/a> a how-to guide on conducting a WalkShop, or walkable community workshop, in your community to make it more walkable<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nar.realtor\/on-common-ground\/realtors-help-cities-plan-for-walkability\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">REALTORS\u00ae Help Cities Plan for Walkability<\/a> &#8211; Find out how 6 local REALTOR\u00ae Associations have partnered with their local governments to sponsor Walkable Community Workshops in their communities.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.oncommonground-digital.org\/oncommonground\/winter_2017_walkable_neighborhoods?pg=1#pg1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>On Common Ground<\/em> issue on Walkable Neighborhoods<\/a> articles include \u201cThe Walkable Demand\u201d, \u201cZoning for Walkable Neighborhoods\u201d, and \u201cMyrtle Beach: Working on Walking\u201d.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>REALTOR\u00ae Associations can take advantage of the <a href=\"https:\/\/realtorparty.realtor\/community-outreach\/smart-growth\">Smart Growth Grant<\/a> to be engaged in a project to make their community more walkable, such as organizing a walkable community workshop.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Questions?<\/strong> Contact Hugh Morris, <a href=\"mailto:hmorris@nar.realtor\">hmorris@nar.realtor<\/a>, 202-383-1278[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row disable_element=&#8221;yes&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text]<a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Resources-Community-Outreach-Walkable-Communities-Fact-Sheet.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-1353 size-medium\" style=\"border: 1px solid #eeeeee;\" src=\"https:\/\/realtorparty.realtor\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Resources-Community-Outreach-Walkable-Communities_Page_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"232\" height=\"300\" \/><\/a>Walkable communities are becoming the latest trend in real estate and REALTORS\u00ae need to be aware of how the demand for walkable communities impacts real estate and their business.<\/p>\n<p>Homebuyers rely on REALTORS\u00ae\u2019 knowledge of local markets and conditions to help them find a home in a neighborhood of choice.\u00a0 As the walkability trend continues, homebuyers will expect REALTORS\u00ae to know how walkable a community is and what are the most walkable communities in an area.<\/p>\n<h2>Walkable Communities in a Nutshell<\/h2>\n<p>A walkable community is where residents can walk, bike or take public transit (light rail, trolleys and\/or buses) to grocery stores, shops, schools, work, cafes, markets, playgrounds and parks.\u00a0 Walkable communities have a mix of housing types as well as mixed-use buildings that combine residential, office, and retail.\u00a0 They can be high-rise urban neighborhoods, traditional downtowns and main streets, or suburban town centers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What makes a community walkable?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li>A center and public spaces: a main place for everyone to meet whether that be a main street or plaza as well as plenty of other public spaces for the community to gather.<\/li>\n<li>Mixed income, mixed use: a choice of all types of housing; retail on the ground level and residential on upper levels; a variety of buildings.<\/li>\n<li>Parks, trails and paths: plenty of open spaces to gather and play.<\/li>\n<li>Pedestrian design: buildings close to the street; parking lots to the back; safe lighting<\/li>\n<li>Shops, schools and workplaces: close enough that most residents can walk from their homes or transit.<\/li>\n<li>Complete streets: streets designed for all including bicyclists, pedestrians, cars and public transit; bike lanes; crosswalks.<\/li>\n<li>People: enough people for businesses to succeed and for public transit to run frequently.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Benefits to Communities<\/h3>\n<p>Walkable communities attract tourists, reduce commuting costs and emissions and facilitate good health bringing more value to a neighborhood. Cities that focus on walkability are experiencing new growth, development and revitalization. They are seeing an increase in retail, restaurant and office investment.<\/p>\n<p>Residential walkable communities generate four times the tax revenue compared to regional and business malls, bringing more value to the area, according to\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.realtor.org\/news-releases\/2015\/05\/walkable-urban-places-are-the-future-of-real-estate-development\">a panel organized by the REALTOR\u00ae University Richard J. Rosenthal Center for Real Estate Studies<\/a>\u00a0during the REALTORS\u00ae Legislative Meetings &amp; Trade Expo.<\/p>\n<p>As the demand for walkable communities rise, retailers are drawn into these communities because of the growing sense of dynamism and potential to develop a new customer base.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.walkable.org\/\">Walkable Communities, Inc.<\/a>\u00a0also suggests that walkable communities lead to more social interaction, physical fitness, diminished crime, and increased wellness, addressing many social and economic problems.<\/p>\n<p>Walkable areas provide financial benefits not only to the community but also to the individuals living there. Despite the rising prices commonly seen in walkable areas, those communities are inherently more affordable since individuals living in walkable areas usually spend about 43 percent of their income on housing and transportation, as opposed to those living in non-walkable areas, who spend about 48 percent.<\/p>\n<h3>Why Not More Walkable Communities<\/h3>\n<p>Creating more walkable communities does present challenges, from lending practices that favor conventional suburban development to outdated zoning and regulations that prohibit things like stores mixed with residences; a diversity of housing types in the same development; and pedestrian-first design that places building entrances closer to sidewalks.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.strongtowns.org\/s\/rpa-the-unintended-consequences-of-housing-finance__final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u201cThe Unintended Consequences of Housing Finance\u201d<\/a>, a recent report by the Regional Plan Association, shows that while growing numbers of Americans want to live in walkable communities, outdated federal restrictions make it harder to build the types of buildings that make these communities work.\u00a0 The Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Housing Administration, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac all place regulatory limits on the amount of non-residential space that a development can have and still qualify for federally guaranteed loans and loan insurance.<\/p>\n<p>A major issue for developers is outdated federal, state and local transportation, tax, zoning and other policies.<\/p>\n<p>But there are ways to address some of these challenges.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.usgbc.org\/articles\/getting-know-leed-neighborhood-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">LEED for Neighborhood Development<\/a>, or LEED-ND, offers a set of standards for updating zoning and regulatory barriers to creating more walkable neighborhoods by establishing criteria for development that prioritizes things like access to shops and services, streets and sidewalks, transit access, efficient use of land, affordable housing, and environmentally sensitive building practices.<\/p>\n<p>Form-based codes are also another tool where the idea is to create, rather than inhibit, a walk-friendly environment.\u00a0\u00a0 Form-based codes de-emphasize the regulation of building uses and instead focus on the size and positioning of buildings and their physical relationship to each other and to public spaces such as streets and sidewalks.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Walkable communities are becoming the latest trend in real estate and REALTORS\u00ae need to be aware of how the demand for walkable communities impacts real estate and their business. Homebuyers rely on REALTORS\u00ae\u2019 knowledge of local markets and conditions to help them find a home in a neighborhood of choice.\u00a0 As the walkability trend continues, homebuyers will expect REALTORS\u00ae to know how walkable a community is and what are the most walkable communities in an area. A walkable community is one where residents can walk, bike or take public transit (light rail, trolleys and\/or buses) to grocery stores, shops, schools, work, cafes, markets, playgrounds and parks.\u00a0 Walkable communities have a mix of housing types as well as mixed-use buildings that combine residential, office, and retail.\u00a0 They can be high-rise urban neighborhoods, traditional downtowns and main streets, or suburban town centers. \u201cCreating walkability with restaurants and stores can help transition an edgy part of town into one that is hip and hopping with pedestrians. This type of real estate development transforms the community for the better.\u201d Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist, National Association of REALTORS\u00ae NAR has created several resources to help make your community more walkable. Walkable Community Fact Sheet: a two-page overview to share with others in your community Walkable Community Overview for REALTORS\u00ae: a short overview to introduce walkable communities, the demand for walkable communities and the impact on the real estate market Advocating for a More Walkable Communities: a guide to advocate for more walkable communities including an overview on zoning and policies to advance walkability in your community Walkable Community Workshop How-to-Guide: a how-to guide on conducting a WalkShop, or walkable community workshop, in your community to make it more walkable REALTORS\u00ae Help Cities Plan for Walkability &#8211; Find out how 6 local REALTOR\u00ae Associations have partnered with their local governments to sponsor Walkable Community Workshops in their communities. On Common Ground issue on Walkable Neighborhoods articles include \u201cThe Walkable Demand\u201d, \u201cZoning for Walkable Neighborhoods\u201d, and \u201cMyrtle Beach: Working on Walking\u201d. REALTOR\u00ae Associations can take advantage of the Smart Growth Grant to be engaged in a project to make their community more walkable, such as organizing a walkable community workshop. Questions? Contact Hugh Morris, hmorris@nar.realtor, 202-383-1278[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row disable_element=&#8221;yes&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text]Walkable communities are becoming the latest trend in real estate and REALTORS\u00ae need to be aware of how the demand for walkable communities impacts real estate and their business. Homebuyers rely on REALTORS\u00ae\u2019 knowledge of local markets and conditions to help them find a home in a neighborhood of choice.\u00a0 As the walkability trend continues, homebuyers will expect REALTORS\u00ae to know how walkable a community is and what are the most walkable communities in an area. Walkable Communities in a Nutshell A walkable community is where residents can walk, bike or take public transit (light rail, trolleys and\/or buses) to grocery stores, shops, schools, work, cafes, markets, playgrounds and parks.\u00a0 Walkable communities have a mix of housing types as well as mixed-use buildings that combine residential, office, and retail.\u00a0 They can be high-rise urban neighborhoods, traditional downtowns and main streets, or suburban town centers. What makes a community walkable? 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