Introducing, Small Bites.
Small Bites is a virtual training series delivering relevant and valuable tools on the implementation of small-scale development. Led by our diverse faculty, they’ll offer expertise drawn from real-life experiences. These one-hour “bite size” sessions are for people of all skill levels, from small-scale developers and local advocates, to policymakers. An opportunity to ask questions is included at the end of each session.
Time advertised is in Central Time.
The Great Housing Reversal and the New American Dream
Presented by Mike Hathorne
For nearly seventy years, America’s housing market has run on one basic formula: growth. We built bigger, farther, and faster — fueled by cheap land, cheap energy, and the Baby Boom generation’s demand for space. That system worked for decades. It created wealth, jobs, and a powerful cultural story: the American Dream as a house on the edge of town. But that dream is now running in reverse. Our demographics have flipped. Fertility rates are at historic lows. The average household size has shrunk dramatically.
More Americans live alone than ever before. And the largest generation in history — the Boomers — is aging out of the market, preparing to sell tens of millions of homes that younger generations can’t afford or don’t want. So we’re facing not just a housing shortage, but a housing misalignment: too much of the wrong kind of housing in the wrong places. We’re still building for the 1970s family in a 2020s world.
Join us with author Mike Hathorne, as he discusses what his book “The Great Housing Reversal” uncovers about America’s housing future. We’ll explore:
The Great Housing Reversal: the largest demographic shift in housing since WWII, changing where people want to live and how value is created.
What the next generation wants: smaller homes, walkable neighborhoods, and real connection, while sprawl leaves cities with unsustainable costs.
The adaptation opportunity: retrofitting suburbs and repurposing aging infrastructure around connection instead of distance.
The new American Dream: prosperity from shared ground that connects people and generates both economic vitality and social trust.
Making it happen: aligning policies and capital with demographic reality by funding reinvestment over sprawl and designing for proximity.
This webinar provides a unique framing and is perfect for urban planners, developers, local officials, housing policy professionals, and anyone shaping the future of American communities.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Mike Hathorne
Mike Hathorne is an author, urban strategist, and consultant specializing in demographic change, housing markets, and community design. Mike has a strong and relentless passion for community building. He is dedicated to shaping walkable, diverse neighborhoods and centers through strategic planning and design. His efforts are rooted in the belief that thoughtful community building is foundational to societal progress. His book 'The Great Housing Reversal and the New American Dream' is a demonstrated effort in this regard exploring how America can adapt its built environment to the realities of an aging, diversifying society.
REGISTRATION
Small Bites sessions are a complementary membership benefit for Associate and Charter Members. Become a member today! Non-members can register for each session for $25 per ticket.
Recordings will be sent to those who register following the session. This event will be held in Central Standard Time. Details will be sent to attendees upon registration.
Contact
For any questions, message us at training@incrementaldevelopment.org.