As with other socially-responsible industries, the real estate
industry must be a part of addressing issues relating to
communities and the environment. Towns and cities, as well as
recreational developments, have environmental impacts and, with
growing awareness of land use issues and pollution, the public
requires both the public and private-sectors to collaborate to
address these problems. Home ownership is also considered by
many in a democratic society to be a right but, for many of the
poor and disadvantaged, this becomes an unrealizable dream. Real
estate professionals are conscious of these issues, including
urban sprawl, and are exploring ways to help governments and
communities to address them. This section provides a brief
introduction to some of these important issues facing the real
estate industry.