Apartment industry leaders are again urging owners and developers of multi-family buildings to plead the industry's case before municipal building officials and so-called "smart growth" groups, complaining that apartment developments are being singled out as harmful to community lifestyles.

In an executive commentary distributed to apartment building owners and developers, Leonard Wood and Jonathan Kempner, chairman and president respectively of the National Multi-Housing Council, said apartment buildings were suffering from stereotyping and myths being spread by single-family housing interests.

"Almost any active apartment developer will confirm that despite the resounding success of several smart growth-inspired rental communities, the average American remains averse to higher residential densities," the commentary said. "The same citizen groups calling for smarter growth are still banding together to oppose new apartment construction.

"Local governments, in response, are erecting zoning and other barriers to higher-density development. The end result is that apartment developers eager to design and deliver new pedestrian-friendly, livable neighborhoods are often blocked from doing so."

The NMHC leaders say opponents to apartment developments historically brand them as high-crime areas that put extraordinary burdens on local schools and civil services. NMHC says, however, the allegations are not true.

"When analyzed on a per-unit basis, there is little evidence that the rate of police activity is higher in apartment communities than in single-family houses," the commentary said.

"And apartments do not cause property values to plummet. Between 1987 and 1995, single-family houses located within 300 feet of apartment communities appreciated at roughly the same rate as those not near an apartment property, 3.12 percent compared to 3.19 percent.

Also, "contrary to conventional wisdom, apartment properties do not disproportionately burden local school systems or roads. In 1999, only 20 percent of apartment households had one or more school-aged children, compared to 33 percent of owner-occupied single-family houses.

"And because apartment households are more likely to use public transportation, they generate 30 to 40 percent fewer vehicle trips."

Wood and Kempner say apartment community owners need to work with smart-growth groups and municipal leaders to change the stereotypical thinking about apartments.

"The momentum of the 'smart growth' movement presents the apartment industry with a unique opportunity to educate stakeholders about the critically important role of apartments play in creating more livable communities," they said. "Apartment executives need to inform local leaders, planning officials, and concerned citizens that higher-density housing makes it easier to preserve open space and create walkable neighborhoods."

Published: February 28, 2000

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.