Resident sparks outrage after sharing photo of bleak new housing development: 'This is sad, especially for the kids'

A photo of a new neighborhood in Fort Worth, Texas, drew criticism online after being posted to Reddit's r/McMansionHell community. The image shows a row of large, similar houses packed closely together on a treeless street, with no sign of green space, sidewalks, or yards.

The original poster wrote, "The City of Fort Worth, Texas is bragging about its new giant development of a McMansion neighborhood." The homes are tall and wide, with uniform designs, and one features a large garage. The street itself looks freshly paved, but there is no landscaping or shade in sight.

Critics of these kinds of developments often point to the environmental impact. Bigger homes require more energy to heat and cool, especially when they have high ceilings, little insulation, and no protection from the sun. A 2024 report by the Energy Information Administration shows that residential energy use rises with square footage, meaning more pollution and higher bills for the people living inside.

This style of building is also tied to poor land use. According to a study published on Nature's Scitable platform, urban and suburban development characterized by low-density, single-family homes contributes to sprawl, removes natural ecosystems, and makes communities more car-dependent. It's a pattern well known to fast-growing cities, where developers prioritize short-term profit over long-term sustainability or livability.

That said, there are ways for homeowners to cut down on energy loads in large houses. Solar panels can offset a significant amount of electricity use, especially in places such as Texas with consistent sunshine. Getting quotes from vetted local installers via EnergySage can also help people find options that work with their budgets. The free service can save you $10,000 on a solar installation.

Some people are also turning away from oversized homes altogether. Smaller houses, accessory dwelling units that offer major space-saving benefits, and neighborhood designs that leave room for trees, parks, and walkable streets are becoming more appealing to those looking for a better balance of comfort, cost, and impact.

"Reach out and touch your neighbor's house from your bathroom window for only 1.9 million!!!" one person wrote.

"This is sad, especially for the kids," another user wrote about the size of the yards. 

"A term my grandfather used was 'chicken coop' for houses packed close together with teeny-tiny yards," someone else added. 

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