HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES FOR A CHANGING WORKFORCE

The author discusses some of the results of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's research on telework and home-based employment and explores how changes in the nature of the Canadian work force are impacting the use, design and regulation of their housing stock and communities. He takes us to visit Montgomery Village, Canada's first telecommunity. The community integrates a variety of housing types. It also provides Integrated Services Data Network (ISDN) or mid-band telecommunications services and zoning laws that permit most home occupations throughout the neighborhood. The author notes that increasing home-based employment challenges some of the foundations of Canadian post-war housing and planning. That is the exclusion of work activities from the home; the separation of commercial, institutional and residential uses within communities; and traditional patterns of peak hour traffic between the home and the workplace. The division between home life and work activities is becoming increasingly blurred. This creates opportunities for new housing and community planning. Telework and home-based employment will continue to change the way we will use, perceive, design and regulate our communities. It will require renovations and adaptations to the existing housing stock to meet the needs of home workers. Moreover, new flexible, adaptable and innovative designs will be needed to meet the diverse needs of this changing workforce. Finally, the challenge for cities will be to make the necessary adjustments in land use plans and regulations to unleash the potential for telework and home-based employment to generate economic growth, revitalize neighborhoods and improve the quality of life of citizens.

• Record URL:
  http://media.tmiponline.org/clearinghouse/udes/chamberland.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Texas Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System, 200 E Abram, Suite 600
  Arlington, TX  United States  76010

  Federal Transit Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Chamberland, D
• Conference:
  • Urban Design, Telecommuting and Travel Forecasting Conference
  • Location: Williamsburg, Virginia
  • Date: 1996-10-27 to 1996-10-30
• Publication Date: 1997-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 57-66
• Monograph Title: URBAN DESIGN, TELECOMMUTING AND TRAVEL FORECASTING CONFERENCE. SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND COMPENDIUM OF PAPERS

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: City planning; Communities; Dwellings; Economic growth; Housing; Housings; Land use planning; Neighborhoods; Planning; Quality of life; Regulations; Telecommunications; Telecommuting; Work environment; Workforce; Zoning
• Uncontrolled Terms: Home offices; Telework
• Old TRIS Terms: Integrated services data networks; Telecommunities
• Subject Areas: Economics; Highways; Law; Planning and Forecasting; Society; Terminals and Facilities; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00754926
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT-T-98-2,, FHWA-PD-98-027
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Oct 26 1998 12:00AM