However it happens, America needs more housing. Economists estimate the current shortage at somewhere between four million and seven million units, which would take several decades to build at the current pace of construction. The easiest way to boost those numbers is to build more housing on the urban edge, where land and construction are less expensive. The unifying thesis of projects like California Forever and Esmeralda is to use the logic of sprawl-style growth — build on undeveloped land outside city centers — to create neighborhoods that aim to minimize the use of cars.
“When I look around America and I see what’s being built, I have a hard time finding places I want to live,” said Zuegel, the chief executive of Esmeralda. “I’m not thrilled about the idea of raising kids in a city like San Francisco, where it would be hard to have independence at a young age. At the same time, I don’t want to live in a car-centric suburb where you can’t walk to a store.”
Open land represents the future in its purest form — after all, every place was no place at some point. The quest for resources, escaping bondage or seeking places to worship freely have all motivated new settlements and fresh modes of living. Buildings, sure, but also a chance to improve society in a place where the future looms larger than the past.