Berkeley Planning Journal

The purpose ofthis paper is to explore some ofthe reasons for suburban resistance to higher-density housing developments and to propose some policies which will address underlying concerns without sacrificing the density itself. Threecasesare examined where a parcel of land was developed amid existing singlfamily neighborhoods. Aside from opposition to socio­ economic and racial integration, the dominant concerns were the physical character of the new development-the size of the abuildings and the quality of construction and maintenance-and a fear of (overall) change in the physical character of the existing neighborhood.