I recommend reading this article due to its relevance to the "ERE City" concept. In particular, the importance ofxmj wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2024 1:35 am... and the linked "Urban vs Rural Sustainability" article, his points are really starting to land.
- living in an area with like-minded people who are mostly on the same page so as to maximize the ability to communicate beyond polite small-talk.
- being close enough to have frequent spontaneous interactions(*)
(*) Even little things can make a difference. A few years ago, it became fashionable around here to install 6' (the maximum allowed height) vinyl fencing around one's backyard. The idea was for people to have more privacy when they were sitting in their backyard. Well, they got it, but at the cost of being part of the rest of the community. If community is seen as a network, you can imagine what happens when enough "nodes" start fencing themselves in. While this effect was observed in reverse, it also seems that in order to build a network in the first place, it's best if it's not structurally handicapped by each home being set up as its own private island.