ABSTRACT
One of the first discussions of the neighborhood unit concept in American planning literature was written by Clarence Arthur Perry; it appeared in 1929, published as a part of The New York Regional Plan. It is recognized that neighborhoods do exist in built-up urban areas, although they usually were not consciously planned as such in older cities. Neighborhood plans are usually considered to be essential for urban renewal programs if residential areas are involved. Concerning the comment that there is a lack of a "sense of design" in cities and suburbs, much of this criticism can be attributed to a difference in the design philosophies of urban planners and architects. Old as it is, the neighborhood planning concept is being used to good effect when planning large, new residential areas. However, the basic concept does appear to be adaptable for use in many contemporary situations when planning new towns or planning large residential subdivisions.
