Designing Neighborhoods to Reduce Forclosures, Minimize Environmental Impact

I came across and excellent article that explains research published by the Natural Resources Defense Fund conducted by researchers looking at the foreclosure rate vs. transportation costs. In short, mortgage foreclosures were correlated with neighborhood "compactness" and access to public transportation. According to the abstract from the article, "With transportation costs accounting for roughly 17 percent of the average American household’s income, the need for better land use planning and better lending practices has never been more clear. NRDC recommends changes both to planning-related policies and mortgage underwriting procedures that can reduce transportation costs and risk of foreclosure while offering significant environmental benefits."