Household Mix
. . . the mix of households in an area does almost more than anything else to generate, or destroy, the character of an Identifiable Neighborhood, of a House Cluster, of a Work Community, or, most generally of all, of a Life Cycle. The question is, what kind of mix should a well-balanced neighborhood contain?
Problem:
No one stage in the life cycle is self-sufficient.
Background & Research: Not Included on the site—Go read the book!
Solution:
Encourage growth toward a mix of household types in every neighborhood, and every cluster, so that one-person households, couples, families with children, and group households are side by side.
Usage:
Make especially sure there are provisions for old people in every neighborhood—Old People Everywhere, and that even with this mix, young children will have enough playmates—Connected Play; and build the details of the different kinds of households, according to the appropriate more detailed patterns to reinforce the mix—The Family, House for a Small Family, House for a Couple, House for One Person . . .
pg. 188