Part 2, Chapter 12, Some Myths About Diversity Summary and Analysis

Diversity results in congestion. Cities end up fighting diversity through zoning regulations to reduce the congestion. This ends up destroying that which makes the neighborhoods alive and vibrant. Diversity means that there are differences, like old buildings and new buildings. This doesn't mean that the mix has to be bad or ugly to look at. Homogeneity would be boring and monotonous, or what Jacobs calls, the Great Blight of Dullness. Even in areas without diversity, people take actions to distinguish themselves and their belongings from those of others. In certain successful areas, there are short blocks of houses that are very similar that do not result in monotony. This wouldn't be true if they were repeated on the next block, but as they exist, they stand out as a unit. Resident...