Gated Community Information

An online resource for articles and information about gated communities and their impact.

This page is intended to acquaint you with some of the issues surrounding the growing number of gated communities in the United States. If you know of other interesting articles or information sources about gated communities and their impact, especially information about cities and towns that have restricted the construction of gated communities, please let us know. Also, if you have any questions about the page, gated communities or anything else, feel free to email us.

"Fortress America, Gated Communities in the United States" by Edward J. Blakely and Mary Gail Snyder is the best resource available about gated communities. The book discusses different types of gated communities, their social impact, the reasons people move into gated communities, and includes a study of residents. A good review of the book, which discusses many of its findings, is below. We strongly recommend buying it (try Amazon.com) or getting it at the library.

 

Gated Community Articles

A review of "Fortress America" that gives excellent background and commentary about gated communities in general. The Nation, December 26, 1997

An article by Edward Blakely and Mary Gail Snyder for the National Housing Institute. June, 1997

An article in the Los Angeles Times about the trend towards gating entire towns and cities. January 25, 1999 (Gated Cities LAT) See other articles about specific gated cities below.

 

Gated School?

Here are a couple recent articles about a public school that has been proposed to be built within a gated community in California. The issue is a very concrete example of the types of problems that can be caused by gated communities.

Article from the Los Angeles Times. December 14, 1998

Article from the Boston Globe. December 26, 1998

 

Additional Articles

An article by Edward Blakely in the LA Daily News. March 1, 1998

New York Times review of Fortress America. December 28, 1997

A very good article in the Boston Globe about Rosemont, a mostly gated town near Chicago. August 25, 1997

An old, but good article about a gated town in California, Hidden Hills. Los Angeles Times, February 9, 1992

An article that discusses two towns that have decided to ban gated communities. June, 1998

An article about a California town that banned gated communities. Los Angeles Times, September 20, 1990

An article from the perspective of developers deciding whether or not to gate a development. March, 1998

Gated Communities International (CGI). This is a message board for researchers and other interested people to exchange information about gated communities


The Coalition for a Healthy Worcester 1998
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