Zoom Towns: Broadband and the Culture of Connection

What You'll Learn

  • Identify ways that communities are taking advantage of work-from-home trends.
  • Understand the importance of broadband to support communities seeking to benefit from telecommuting.
  • Explore strategies for supporting development that mitigates the adverse impacts of work-from-home trends and supports quality places.

More Course Details

Many rural and suburban communities with outstanding natural assets — and robust internet service — have become attractive places for telecommuters to locate full time. Hear from communities that are weighing the benefits and pitfalls of the "zoom town" phenomenon, working to collect data about it, and seeking to understand potential long-term implications of working from home. Planners can help communities prepare by developing a deeper understanding of the influencing factors and how different approaches to accommodating them have impacts on both the physical environment and people's daily lives. Identify key considerations for making decisions about policies and programs that address this phenomenon.

It's important for planners to consider how benefits can be distributed equitably across segments of the population. How can the economic advantages of zoom towns benefit all community members?