MSArch RED Alumni and the RED Office were featured in The New Pioneers, a book on urbanism and American cities by JP Faber. The New Pioneers is the story of Americans—millennials, immigrants, artists, and entrepreneurs innovating in cities across the nation, including Detroit, San Diego, New Orleans, Phoenix, and many more.
The book explores the MRED program and it’s affect on the environment of San Diego, including pushing through a small lot ordinance for the city.
The New Pioneers shows the entrepreneurs of today, especially those in urban areas, how they can work around obstacles to create wealth and revive cities. Small business owners and individual builders have the power to fix what’s broken in society. This book is an optimistic look at how to rebuild cities and jump-start more small businesses, and how to make better use of resources, both human and physical.
“Imagine a world where there are no building codes, no licensing requirements, no permit fees, no inspectors—no rules or regulations, only common sense and the desire to build something better. This is the world that forged America, the land where the early pioneers and town developers thrived. But this type of open environment is long gone. It’s prohibitively expensive for young entrepreneurs to start a business today. In fact, it is almost impossible to build anything unless you are part of a larger organization that has the expertise and resources to navigate the system. Our municipal, state, and federal codes, from business permitting and OSHA compliance to occupational licenses and tax requirements, have blossomed out of control. Today’s innovators and builders must ignore the rules, go to places where the rules are not enforced, or figure out how to get around them. The New Pioneers is the story of Americans who are doing just that.”