Urban Development

Acreage
Acreage refers to the measurement of land specifically denoting parcels over one acre, commonly used in agricultural, rural, and development scenarios to define and quantify large plots of land.
Blighted Area
A blighted area refers to a section of a city primarily characterized by deteriorating, dilapidated, or unsafe structures. It often necessitates significant urban renewal and rehabilitation to revitalize and redevelop the area.
Blockbusting
Blockbusting is a racially discriminatory and illegal practice involving coercing a homeowner to sell their property at a depressed price and causing others in the neighborhood to sell by using scare tactics.
Carriage House
A carriage house is a secondary structure used primarily for parking vehicles or providing additional living space, often located on the same property as a principal residence. Originally designed to house horse-drawn carriages and the carriage driver, it now serves versatile roles in modern real estate.
Demography
The study of the characteristics of people residing in an area, including age, sex, income, educational levels, and more. Understanding demographics is crucial for real estate market analysis and strategic planning for developments.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
The Department of HUD plays a pivotal role in American housing policy to ensure liquidity, stimulate economic development, and facilitate fair access to housing.
Directional Growth
Directional growth refers to the location or direction toward which a city or urban area is expanding. Understanding directional growth is crucial for real estate investors, developers, city planners, and policymakers to make informed decisions about property investments, infrastructure development, and urban planning.
Ekistics
Ekistics is the scientific study of human settlements, including city growth, planning, and design. It involves analyzing how people utilize and organize spaces in urban and rural environments.
Filtering Down
Filtering Down is the process whereby over time, a housing unit or neighborhood is occupied by progressively lower-income residents.
Gentrification
Gentrification is the process wherein a neighborhood experiences displacement of lower-income residents by higher-income residents, often due to revitalization or rehabilitation of older homes and community spaces.
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Department
The Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Department is a U.S. government agency devoted to ensuring decent, safe, and sanitary housing for all Americans, particularly focusing on urban development and housing discrimination issues.
Inclusionary Zoning
Inclusionary zoning is a local law that requires housing developers to reserve a certain percentage of housing units for lower-income buyers in exchange for approval of their projects, aiming to increase the availability of affordable housing.
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy is a nonprofit educational organization committed to the research and discussion of land policy and property tax issues on a global scale.
Megalopolis
A megalopolis is a large, sprawling urban area that consists of several metropolitan regions merging into an unbroken stretch of urban development.
National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO)
The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) advocates for adequate and affordable housing, contributing to strong and viable communities, especially for low and moderate-income Americans.
Neighborhood Life Cycle
The neighborhood life cycle represents the generalized pattern of physical and social changes that residential areas undergo over time. This cycle can be influenced by various factors including economic conditions, demographic shifts, and policy interventions.
Rurban Areas
Rurban areas are located on the fringe of urban development, transitioning from rural characteristics to being developed for urban uses. These areas often showcase a mix of rural and urban features.
Shopping Center
A shopping center is a collection of retail stores with a common parking area and generally one or more large department, discount, or food stores; often including an enclosed mall or walkway.
Swale
A swale is a shallow, often vegetated, depression on a site used to manage water runoff, filter pollutants, and increase rainwater infiltration. Swales are integral to sustainable urban drainage systems and contrast with berms, which are raised mounds of earth.
Tax Abatement
Tax abatement is a financial incentive offered by a government to reduce or eliminate property taxes on a property for a certain period. This encourages development and investment in specific areas or projects.
Transferable Development Rights (TDR)
Transferable Development Rights (TDR) are a zoning tool that allows property owners to transfer the right to develop one parcel of land to another parcel, facilitating controlled urban development and the preservation of resources.

Real Estate Lexicon

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