Europeans got it right from the start

I just finished to read a funny theory in what concerns the american housing market (Christopher B. Leinberger in the Atlantic Monthly). He argues that for 60 years, Americans have pushed steadily into the suburbs, leaving the cities behind. Just to give some facts, it is not unusual for people in Atlanta for example to live 2 hours from work way in the country side, just to have the possibility to live in a huge house.

However today the pendulum is swinging back toward urban living, and suburbs may become slums characterized by poverty, crime and decay. He calls this development walkable urban living, and argues that it is an healthy development, for it could improve personal health, and of course energy related issues (fewer cars, ...). Sounds familiar? To me it ressembles the way we live on the other side of the Atlantic, in Europe! We got it right on that one it seems... Aha!