Rural America is progressing through a dramatic and sustained post-industrial economic transition. For many, traditional means of household sustenance gained through agriculture, mining and rustic tourism are giving way to large scale corporate agriculture, footloose and globally competitive manufacturing firms, and mass tourism on an unprecedented scale. These changes have brought about an increased presence of affluent amenity migrants and returnees, as well as growing reliance on low-wage, seasonal jobs to sustain rural household incomes. This book argues that the character of rural housing reflects this transition and examines this using contemporary concepts of exurbanization, rural amenity-based development, and comparative distributional descriptions of the "haves" and the "have nots". Despite rapid in-migration and dramatic changes in land use, there remains a strong tendency for communities in rural America to maintain the idyllic small-town myth of large-lot, single-family home-ownership. This neglects to take into account the growing need for affordable housing (both owner-occupied and rental properties) for local residents and seasonal workers. This book suggests that greater emphasis be placed in rural housing policies that account for this rapid social and economic change and the need for affordable rural housing alternatives.

Rural America is progressing through a dramatic and sustained post-industrial economic transition. For many, traditional means of household sustenance gained through agriculture, mining and rustic tourism are giving way to large scale corporate agriculture, footloose and globally competitive manufacturing firms, and mass tourism on an unprecedented scale. These changes have brought about an increased presence of affluent amenity migrants and returnees, as well as growing reliance on low-wage, seasonal jobs to sustain rural household incomes. This book argues that the character of rural housing reflects this transition and examines this using contemporary concepts of exurbanization, rural amenity-based development, and comparative distributional descriptions of the "haves" and the "have nots". Despite rapid in-migration and dramatic changes in land use, there remains a strong tendency for communities in rural America to maintain the idyllic small-town myth of large-lot, single-family home-ownership. This neglects to take into account the growing need for affordable housing (both owner-occupied and rental properties) for local residents and seasonal workers. This book suggests that greater emphasis be placed in rural housing policies that account for this rapid social and economic change and the need for affordable rural housing alternatives.

Rural America is undergoing a dramatic and sustained post-industrial economic transition. This book draws on contemporary concepts of ex-urbanization, rural amenity-based development, and increased conurbation to argue that that the character of rural housing reflects this transition. The work argues that housing policy must hence be modified to reflect such radical economic and societal changes.

Housing is crucial to the quality of life and wellbeing for individuals and familes, but the availability of adequate or affordable housing also plays a vital role in community economic development. Rural areas face a substantial disadvantage compared to urban areas in regard to housing, and this book explores these issues. Rural Housing and Economic Development includes chapters from nationally known experts from throughout the U.S. to provide insight to help understand and address the difficult housing concerns within rural areas. The chapters cover a variety of issues including housing for rural minorities, the extent of and problems associated with mobile home dwelling, the extent to which affordable rental housing is available in rural areas, the rapidly growing elderly population, and the housing consequences of rapid population and economic growth associated with energy development. The authors not only describe various housing problems, but also suggest policy approaches to more effectively address them. This book will be a vital resource to policy makers at the local, state or national level as they grapple with difficult rural housing problems. Researchers and professionals dealing with housing issues will also benefit from the insights of these experts while the book will also be appropriate for upper level undergraduates or graduate students in courses on housing or economic development.

International Encyclopedia of Human Geography, Second Edition, Fourteen Volume Set embraces diversity by design and captures the ways in which humans share places and view differences based on gender, race, nationality, location and other factors—in other words, the things that make people and places different. Questions of, for example, politics, economics, race relations and migration are introduced and discussed through a geographical lens. This updated edition will assist readers in their research by providing factual information, historical perspectives, theoretical approaches, reviews of literature, and provocative topical discussions that will stimulate creative thinking. Presents the most up-to-date and comprehensive coverage on the topic of human geography Contains extensive scope and depth of coverage Emphasizes how geographers interact with, understand and contribute to problem-solving in the contemporary world Places an emphasis on how geography is relevant in a social and interdisciplinary context

Since publication of the groundbreaking Encyclopedia of Housing in 1998, many issues have assumed special prominence within this field and, indeed, within the global economy. For instance, the global economic meltdown was spurred in large part by the worst subprime mortgage crisis we′ve seen in our history. On a more positive note, the sustainability movement and "green" development has picked up considerable steam and, given the priorities and initiatives of the current U.S. administration, this will only grow in importance, and increased attention has been given in recent years to the topic of indoor air quality. Within the past decade, as well, the Baby Boom Generation began its march into retirement and senior citizenship, which will have increasingly broad implications for retirement communities and housing, assisted living facilities, aging in place, livable communities, universal design, and the like. Finally, within the last twelve years an emerging generation of young scholars has been making significant contributions to the field. For all these reasons and more, we are pleased to present a significantly updated and expanded Second Edition of the Encyclopedia of Housing.

This fourth Rural Sociological Society decennial volume provides advanced policy scholarship on rural North America during the 2010?s, closely reflecting upon the increasingly global nature of social, cultural, and economic forces and the impact of neoliberal ideology upon policy, politics, and power in rural areas. The chapters in this volume represent the expertise of an influential group of scholars in rural sociology and related social sciences. Its five sections address the changing structure of North American agriculture, natural resources and the environment, demographics, diversity, and quality of life in rural communities.