New Urbanism is actually an old idea with a few new twists. Before World War II and America's love affair with the automobile, people lived in neighborhoods where schools and shopping centers were all within walking distance. Some of the ideas of new urbanism aren't new at all. The federal government is incorporating new urbanism into an inner-city program called Hope 6. The plan calls for the tearing down of public housing and replacing it with village-like housing.
Home ownership is featured and towers are replaced with townhomes.
We need to minimize the impacts of new developments. Studies done by the Environmental Protection Agency show the United States could significantly lower car pollution levels by promoting more in-fill development and building subdivisions in the new urbanism model. According to Fleissig examples of new urbanism on a large scale can be seen at the Highland Gardens development site of the old Elitch Gardens in West Denver and at Prospect Village in Longmont.