How Concentrated Housing Can Save Our Cities—and Our Environment: 10 Reasons Why Measure T is Good For the Environment
There’s no denying it—cities need to grow. But the how of that growth matters more than ever. San Mateo needs to find a smart way to accommodate more housing in our community, and Measure T provides a way to do so sustainably. Concentrated housing, focusing on building vertically and clustering homes near downtowns and transit, holds the key to smart, sustainable expansion. Let’s break down the top ten environmental benefits of this approach and why it could make all the difference in our fight against climate change.
Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions
When people live close to work, school, or public transit, they don’t need to drive as much—or at all. This shift dramatically reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Fewer cars on the road mean fewer tailpipes emitting carbon dioxide, which helps clean up the air we all breathe. The result? Healthier communities and a meaningful step toward combating climate change. Measure T facilitates exactly this type of development—making it easier for residents to walk, bike, or take transit instead of drive.
Focusing on Strategic Infill Redevelopment
Urban sprawl doesn’t just gobble up open space; it severely impacts, reducing biodiversity and straining natural resources. Infill redevelopment - using underutilized land within already developed areas - prioritizes growth where infrastructure already exists, reducing the need to strain less developed parts of the community. Measure T enables the transformation of San Mateo's downtown into a residential hub close to transit that takes people to San Francisco and San Jose within thirty minutes, all without consuming more open land.
Energy Efficiency Done Right
There’s a hidden efficiency to sharing walls. Apartments and multi-unit buildings use less energy per household than standalone homes. Shared walls mean less heat escaping in winter and cooler homes in summer, which translates to lower energy bills and reduced overall consumption. It’s simple, but it works. The kinds of mixed-use and residential developments encouraged by Measure T can bring these benefits to more of our community.
Smarter Use of Infrastructure
Think of all the resources that go into extending roads, power lines, and water pipes out to far-flung developments. Concentrated housing allows cities to make better use of existing infrastructure, which not only saves money but also reduces the environmental footprint of urban expansion. In other words, it’s doing more with what we already have. Measure T supports focused growth that makes better use of existing infrastructure—like public transit and community services—which not only saves money but also reduces the environmental footprint of urban expansion.
Protecting and Creating Green Space
Building dense housing in core areas frees up land for the kinds of spaces that make cities livable: parks, community gardens, and natural reserves. These green spaces aren’t just nice to have; they’re crucial for maintaining biodiversity, improving air quality, and giving people a chance to reconnect with nature—right in their backyard. With Measure T, we have the opportunity to integrate more shared spaces and green spaces into a smartly planned urban landscape reimagining.
Tackling Stormwater Runoff
When we cover huge areas with pavement and rooftops, rainwater has nowhere to go. Concentrated, well-designed urban developments - like those proposed under Measure T - can incorporate solutions like green roofs and permeable pavements, which help absorb and filter rainwater. This means less flooding and less pollution running off into our waterways. It’s a win for both people and the planet.
Encouraging Sustainable Transportation
Living near transit hubs and downtown areas makes it easier to choose public transportation, walking, or biking over driving. Compact communities support sustainable transportation, which means fewer cars, less traffic, and cleaner air. Plus, a walkable city is a healthier city—for both the environment and its residents. Measure T supports housing near transit, ensuring that our community moves forward with options that benefit both the environment and residents’ quality of life.
Using Fewer Resources
Sprawling subdivisions and large single family home lots require a lot of resources: more roads, more plumbing, more electrical lines. Building more densely requires less raw material and energy per person. Concentrated housing cuts down on construction waste and limits the impact on the environment, creating homes that are not only space-efficient but also resource-efficient. Measure T supports increased resource efficiency by concentrating growth in areas where infrastructure already exists, cutting down on construction waste, and limiting the environmental burden of building in areas which cannot provide easy access to transit and businesses.
Building Where It Makes Sense
In San Mateo, it's not about finding new places to build but deciding where development will make the most sense for everyone. Measure T promotes growth in areas that are already developed—near downtown and transit corridors—rather than pushing into residential neighborhoods or less-connected parts of the city. This approach keeps our established communities intact while making smart, strategic use of existing resources and infrastructure. It’s about adding capacity where it aligns best with the city’s needs, reducing congestion and environmental strain.
Streamlining Waste Management
It’s easier to manage waste effectively when people live close together. Higher-density areas are better suited for efficient recycling and composting programs because the logistics just work better. Concentrated housing means more people participating in green waste initiatives, which keeps landfills smaller and neighborhoods cleaner.
Why This Matters Now
Measure T is about more than just housing—it’s about making smart choices that shape the future of San Mateo in a way that’s good for people and good for the environment. Concentrated housing, building up rather than out, and embracing transit-oriented development are powerful tools in the fight against climate change. By reducing greenhouse gas emissions, protecting green spaces, and creating more energy-efficient living environments, we make our cities not only more resilient but more enjoyable places to live.
It’s about building for the future—without sacrificing what we love about our cities today. When done thoughtfully, dense, transit-friendly housing leads to vibrant, green communities. So there you have it, 10 reasons why Measure T is good for the environment. Measure T is our chance to rethink how we grow and to take the steps needed to create a healthier, more sustainable San Mateo for everyone.
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