The Collapse-Proof Housing Tract

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The collapse-proof housing tract would incorporate many recycle-reuse, passive and closed-system elements into the buildings, as well as innovative design ideas for the community as a whole.

The buildings would be designed to use as little energy as possible.  They would have "tight envelopes", incorporate rain water catchment into their roofs, have water tanks, re-user gray water, generate their own energy via solar and wind power as well as with bio-fuel-powered generators, utilize passive heating/cooling and lighting, be oriented South, use LED lights, etc.  Some would have steam engines, others might be built partially underground or hacienda-style with a naturally defensible courtyard.  Wells would be strongly discouraged, as they disrupt the water table.  Tree planting would be encouraged.

Each residential parcel would probably be a 1/2 acre in size, with the possibility of multiple contiguous parcels an option.  Each parcel would be large enough to have a house, outbuildings, a large garden and livestock.  In effect every parcel would be a mini-ranch.  All residential areas would also be zoned for small home/cottage businesses, thus allowing small-scale enterprises such as cafes, restaurants, dairies, cheese-making, bicycle-repair, auto-repair, bio-fuel production, etc, to flourish on a community scale

The tract would be a grid with square blocks, oriented North-South.  Asphalt paving would be discouraged at all levels.  Gravel, plastic panels, etc. would instead be used to fortify roads.  Bicycling and walking would be encouraged at all times as a primary form of transportation.  Any cul-de-sac would have a through-path for pedestrians.  Although most houses would provide their own energy, the tract as a whole would be wired to create its own micro-grid, and the central "energy park" would have a large scale wind and solar array to assist the grid.

Small commercial areas would be incorporated into the tract to provide cultural and economic focal points.  Community areas would include a swimming pond w/beach, an outdoor theater, a "great hall",  a central square with a park, a community garden, a town hall, a marketplace, a tool-lending library, etc.  There would be a basic medical facility.  Charter schools would provide local education.

Commerce would involve any one of several "currencies" - US dollars, timeshares, barter, local currency, precious metals or barter tokens.  Innovation on all levels would be encouraged, but so would simplicity, effectiveness, conservation and minimal environmental impact.

Security would be an important aspect of community life.  The tract would be surrounded by a berm, fence and concertina wire, Kibbutz-style.  Citizens would form a volunteer militia.  Crime would not be tolerated.  Friendly citizen patrols would police on "beats".  Households would be armed.  Open carry would be commonplace, as would vehicle-carry.

Any elected "tract" officials or workers would be volunteer only, serving without pay.

Each residence and business within the community would attempt to be self-sufficient, as would the community as a whole.  The tract's motto would be: "Get It Done".

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