Varshani historiography and Housing in Urcea: Difference between pages

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The history of [[Varshan]] is largely based on records, stories, epics, and sagas retained in the cultural memory and archives of Varshan. Many problems exist with recounting the history of Varshan. It is consistently characterized by inconsistencies, especially chronological problems that often put dynasties existing at overlapping periods where none exist at a sequentially earlier part. [[Occidental]] historians and scholars, given access to all Varshani records and arhives after the [[Final War of the Deluge]], have been actively working to construct concise, legible histories of Varshan for global use; this process has run into significant difficulties due to the many historiographical issues encountered.
'''Housing in Urcea''' is a vital sector in the [[Economy of Urcea|Urcean economy]], with housing development and adjacent activity comprising approximately a tenth of all economic activity as of 2020. Urceans have strong social views on housing and housing strongly relates to Urcea's view of itself and its relationship with both private property and {{wp|Catholic social teaching}}. Since the mid-20th century, [[Disurbanism|disurbanist approaches]] have been popular in [[Urcea]]. Much of Urcea's housing stock was constructed in the form of low density {{wp|suburban}} single family homes following the [[Second Great War]], although since the 1980s the priority has shifted to even lower-density exurban development due to both environmental and social concerns.


==Cultural factors==
In [[Urcea]], housing policy issues are typically regulated by the [[Ministry_of_Administration_of_the_Realm_(Urcea)#Agency_for_Housing_Development|Agency for Housing Development]] outside of cities and the [[Ministry_of_Administration_of_the_Realm_(Urcea)#Agency_for_Urban_Development|Agency for Urban Development]] within cities. The Agency for Urban Development also works closely with the [[Ministry_of_Administration_of_the_Realm_(Urcea)#Agency_for_Royal_Public_Housing_and_Royal_Dormitory_Aid|Agency for Royal Public Housing and Royal Dormitory Aid]] to identify and develop new public housing opportunities.
===Legendweavery===
Legendweavery was a cultural expectation of all Varshani leaders and most high [[Varshani caste system|caste men]] to produce a historical recounting of their life's work as well as those of their predecessors and ancestors. The term "legendweavery" or "legendweave" is usually used to refer to this tradition, being an imprecise translation of a [[Hieratic Varshani]] term. Initially oral, the legendweaves became written by ca. 1200 AD. Most legendweaves were crafted by the individual discussing events with notable elders, including their own recounting, consulting other legendweaves and other written sources, as well as the introduction of fantastical events or even deliberately altering the facts and placements of events in order to complete the story. Consequently, legendweaves were viewed to be less concerned with facts and more with the major moral or theme of the story. Unlike Occidental histories, most legendweaves are not concerned with necessarily presenting an impartial view; many 17th-century legendweaves, for example, include a statement by the author that the description of events has been deliberately altered because the author wished it to be so and, with their version being more satisfactory, that is the "true history" of events. Legendweaves were not "published" in the Occidental sense, but commonly more than one written copy was created and distributed to all living individuals who participated in the events described there in. Friends and supporters of the legendweaver would also distribute copies of their legendweave and destroy copies of their rivals' works.


In pre-Deluge Varshan, no legendweave was more valued or given higher cultural authority than that of Zurgs, whose overarching legal authority included even legally binding positions on chronologies and historical events. This force of law often meant that earlier legendweaves, if known, were deliberately altered or destroyed if their account differed from that of a Zurgite legendweave. This practice left many extant legendweaves having confused narratives which often run contrary to the original theme. The alteration of legendweaves, already having fantastical chronologies in their unaltered state, often left a completely garbled historical chronology. These altered legendweaves were continually used by later legendweavers as source material. A post-Deluge survey of available digitized legendweaves in [[2028]] indicated that only around 15% had a "chronology which was half correct or better". Despite these issues, these materials remained central to the history and cultural memory of Zurgite Varshan.
==History and overview==
===Enclosure===
{{wp|Enclosure}}, the process by which land held in common is transferred to private ownership (especially within the context of the {{wp|Feudal system}}) took place from approximately the end of the [[Saint's War]] in 1401 to the beginning of the [[Caroline Wars]] in 1740, during which time the vast majority of land held in common was enclosed for ownership. While much of the land was enclosed on behalf of local magnates, a great portion of it - especially following the weakening of the nobility during the [[Great Confessional War]] - was enclosed into relatively small parcels on behalf of the urban [[Social class in Urcea#Privilegiata|privilegiata]]. Unlike many other countries, however, anti-enclosure sentiments gained many successes in the period of the 17th century and onward. Balancing the various [[Social class in Urcea|social classes]] became an increasing concern to the [[Apostolic King of Urcea|Apostolic King]] and [[Government of Urcea|His Governments]] in the wake of the social upheavel of the Great Confessional War and subsequent [[History_of_Urcea_(1575-1798)#Gassavelian_integration_and_uprising|Gassavelian uprising]]. Accordingly, considerable amounts of common land began to be preserved beginning in 1620 onward, though these sentiments slowed rather than halted the process of enclosure. By 1740, further enclosure was prohibited by law, but conflicting and inconsistent land title deeds for enclosed lands existed, inaugurating more than two hundred years of legal disputes until land surveyance and commune reform efforts succeeded in [[Housing_in_Urcea#Proprietor_communes|in the 1950s]].


===Different concepts of history===
===Attitudes===
Traditional Varshani historiography's focus differs significantly from that of [[Occidental]] historiography. Its primary document, the legendweave, is largely unconcerned with presenting itself as either objective or based on facts, instead recounting events in a way to support a central theme or moral argument and constructed in such a way that the author thought events should unfold, rather than how they actually factually occurred. Chronological adaptation is present throughout this methodology, as great rulers of completely different dynasties often precede the sitting Zurg author of a legendweave in order to portray the author as inheriting a responsibility of greatness; alternatively, a legendweave about a bad Zurg often sees him as the culmination of a string of historically bad rulers. Dynastic histories usually ignore any non-direct ancestor of that dynasty who ruled as Zurg, and these histories can often use different familial names or symbolic titles, and accordingly many histories of the same dynasty were viewed as recording completely different families and time periods when first encountered by Occidental historians.
===Suburban rise and fall===
===Passage of the Family Living Act===
{{Main|Family Living Act of 2003}}


===Damnatio memoriae===
==Public housing==
Throughout Varshani history, the practice of {{wp|damnatio memoriae|erasing the historical record}} of deceased enemies of the regime, rivals of ruling Zurgs, or other individuals was common, peaking in the 18th century. In Varshan, this took the form of destruction of statues and carved names of those individuals, but also the significant redaction or rewriting of historical records, including and especially legendweaves. Most legendweaves dealing with the person would be destroyed directly, but in some instances of major religious significance the story would be rewritten without its major character. Legendweaves making ancillary references to an individual would often be simply redacted and that person's name would be replaced with that of the sitting Zurg, creating historiographical turmoil within their narratives. Destruction and redacted sources of erased individuals in Varshani history, especially before ca. 1700, have led to major scholarly debates about even the most basic historical events in early Varshan.
Public housing in [[Urcea]] is generally overseen by the [[Ministry_of_Administration_of_the_Realm_(Urcea)#Agency_for_Royal_Public_Housing_and_Royal_Dormitory_Aid|Agency for Royal Public Housing and Royal Dormitory Aid]] or by provincial and local governments. Since the 1960s, the Agency has had specific policies for public housing, preferring to maintain single or multi-family rent controlled units within the same neighborhood within cities rather than {{wp|tower blocks}}. The general prohibition on tower blocks came about largely as both an ideological one as well as problems encountered in constructing them in the Urceopolis borough of [[Urceopolis_(City)#Campori|Campori]] following the [[Second Great War]]. The Agency is responsible for the general property maintenance of these facilities in conjunction with the occupants in the case of single family houses. Several "legacy" {{wp|tower blocks}} public housing projects exist as well, especially in and around [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]].


==Dark time==
==Private housing==
"Dark time" is a period in Varshani historiography where no recorded events take place, not due to a lack of activity but due to chronological misplacement. Occidental historians in [[Anzo]] made great strides in the late 2020s in eliminating most incidents of dark time and many chronological contradictions, but the work still continues. As of the 2030s, most historians would still classify most of the period between ca. 1000 BC and 200 BC and a period between ca 750 AD and 950 AD as the existing consensus "dark time".


==Žuqul problem==
Most [[Urcea|Urceans]] live in a {{wp|single family home}} or low-unit multi-family home according to surveys conducted over the course of the 2010s. Urcean society places a high value on home ownership, and private housing enjoys pride of place among types of housing in Urcea. As part of these efforts, the [[Ministry_of_Administration_of_the_Realm_(Urcea)#Agency_for_Royal_Public_Housing_and_Royal_Dormitory_Aid|Agency for Royal Public Housing and Royal Dormitory Aid]] provides subsidies to lower income families as part of the Royal Dormitory Aid program in order to encourage ownership.
The Žuqul problem is the culmination of conflicting chronologies, dark times, and general issues with Varshani historiography. Most scholars agree with the assessment of P. G. W. Gelema Jr. who called it "the catastrophic center of Varshani history". It relates to the time of the reign of the Zurg Žuqul I. Žuqul is credited with functionally establishing Varshani social system that existed until the [[Final War of the Deluge]], creating [[Orthodox Arzalism]] and entrenching [[Orthodox Arzalism#The_Death_God|the Death God]] at the center of Varshani religion and life. The majority of available outside sources from the [[North Songun civlization]] and a plurality of legendweaves place the reign of Žuqul in the 15th century, with his reforms occurring as a reaction to [[Aster's expedition]]. However, archaeologically verifiable plinths and monuments, as well as a minority of well-constructed legendweaves, place the reign of Žuqul during the {{wp|iron age}}, in the period of [[Varshani_historiography#Dark_time|dark time]] around 400 BC. Efforts by scholars to argue that sources simply conflate two same-named rulers have proven difficult to conclusively prove, since an iron age Žuqulid death cult is attested in the archaeological record. Arguments that the latter Žuqul patterned his reign after the earlier one have also proven problematic due to previously unknown archaeological sites attributing successes of the latter Žuqul to the earlier Žuqul. These same events are attributed to the 15th century Žuqul by North Songun contemporaries. Many historians hope that unknown sources and materials in [[Anzo]] will solve the dispute, but Žuqul remains a mystifying figure to most historians in the 2030s.
 
[[Category: IXWB]]
===Urban===
[[Category: Varshan]]
====Single family====
[[Category: History]]
====Multi family and apartments====
===Suburban===
{{wp|Suburban}} development was the primary form of housing development during the 20th century in [[Urcea]] and comprises a large plurality of the nation's housing stock. From the end of the [[Second Great War]] to the end of the century, government policy, economic factors, and social attitudes drove the creation of Urcea's suburbs. By the end of the century, suburban sprawl comprised most of [[The Valley (Urcea)|the Valley]], with relatively close together single family homes extending out from [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]] especially. Suburban development in other areas of the country also occurred but to a less sprawling extent given the population and relative population density of the [[Archduchy of Urceopolis]] and its surrounding provinces. Many social commentators by the 1980s had begun to grow concerned regarding suburban sprawl due to environmental concerns (including both waste and pollution) as well as social concerns, as many perceived a kind of isolation and alienation from the extended family and estate [[Culture_of_Urcea#Kinship|kinship groups]] on which Urcean society was traditionally organized. Suburban development began to wane during this time in favor of exurban development, which developed both due to public policy pressures and market forces interested in different models; this shift had the practical effect of causing massive disruption in Urcea's [[Economy_of_Urcea#Construction|construction industry]]. The [[Family Living Act of 2003]] essentially prohibited the construction of new, "core suburbs" and subsequent legislation has created large preservation areas around [[Urcea]] and particularly within [[The Valley (Urcea)|the Valley]]. The preservation areas, which not only preserve existing natural areas but also has properties and homes default to the government for demolition in the event of no property heir or in the event of foreclosure, has had the unintended effect of decreasing the Kingdom's housing stock according to many policy analysts and {{wp|Non-governmental organization|non-governmental organizations}}.
 
===Exurban===
{{wp|Exurbs|Exurban}} development has comprised the large part of [[Urcea|Urcean]] real estate development since the mid-1980s reflecting increased distances from urban centers as well as changing social views.
 
In [[2003]], the [[Concilium Daoni]] led by [[Michael Witte]] enacted the [[Family Living Act of 2003|Family Living Act]] (FLA), which establishes several rules governing the construction of multiple structures on a property by real estate developers intending to sell the land, known as {{wp|Subdivision (land)|subdivisions}}. Among other provisions, the FLA requires that contractors must first offer a condensed area within a development (intended to describe cul de sacs and other insular portions) to bidding by extended family groups before individually selling each house. In effect, this law has had the effect of making many portions of neighborhoods or even entire housing developments being comprised of related individuals. Since a considerable portion of Urcea's single-family housing stock has been constructed since 2003, the policy has had a large impact on Urcean housing and social relations, with many policy analysts calling the project a "major success" in restoring the proximity of extended families. Critics have said that the FLA has had the effect of artificially raising the price of homes and home ownership while suppressing housing stock and discouraging development.
 
====Urban town and country====
[[File:GlensFalls.jpeg|thumb|left|200px|Marchts, a small town in [[Hardinán]], exemplifies urban town and country design mostly utilizing older structures instead of new builds.]]
The primary design philosophy of exurban development in [[Urcea]] revolves around the notion of creating "urban town and country" (UTC), a design which has grown in frequency and popularity since the end of the 20th century. Though they existed prior to [[2003]], the [[Family Living Act of 2003]] introduced significant economic incentives for the design and construction of this style of development. Urban town and country design creates areas of moderate density housing, typically one to two blocks of {{wp|5-over-1}}s (or earlier mixed use structures) surrounding a {{wp|village green}}, {{wp|town square}}, or {{wp|roundabout}} park, surrounded by consistent low density housing with secluded cul de sacs and streets with large plots for homes separated by greenspaces and trees. This design is intended to allow individuals who can not own a home - either due to being short term transients to an area, lack of income, or some other reason - to live in rental units in and around the "central square" while simultaneously providing retail spaces - usually small businesses - in the central area. The "downtown area" is usually made up of several small retail outlets with restaurants in freestanding areas with parking, and this area is usually serviced by a [[Rail transportation in Urcea|rail-fed]] warehouse located on the periphery of town. Besides residential areas, churches schools, and libraries, and one to two large parking structures (depending on the size of the area) are intended to be constructed directly adjacent to the central square area for easy access to services by local residents. Since 2018 and 2019, most new UTCs are required to provide electric charging stations both in homes and in the public spaces, and many companies exist to transition existing UTC areas to electric compatibility on a large scale.
 
Most UTCs have only one or two major roads leading to the town square area, with small limited access urban neighborhood roads radiating outwards. The larger roads are typically multiple lanes in order to allow for commercial traffic to efficiently enter and exit the community. The major roads in UTCs typically lead to other UTCs or to highway access, while most of them also have a degree of access to {{wp|park and ride}}s and mass transit options. These transit options were enhanced with direct government subsidies to local public transit corporations with the Connectivity Act of 2012.
 
===Proprietor communes===
Throughout [[Urcea]], small parts of land which escaped {{wp|enclosure}} exist. Efforts were made during the 19th and 20th century to create a stable legal framework for these entities to survive, and accordingly the distinction of a "proprietor commune" or PC exists within law. The creation of PCs was the result of massive land surveyance efforts conducted in the immediate wake of the [[Second Great War]] in the 1940s and 50s, as individuals living on ancestral communal land objected to encroaching real estate developers; the [[Government of Urcea]] issued a large number of charters for these lands in 1954. PCs are governed by the [[Consolidated_Laws_of_HMCM%27s_Kingdom_and_State#List_of_chapters|Alternative Housing Law]]. PCs are lands in which the title is held by a corporation consisting of all of the residents within it, and accordingly all lands under a corporate charter are owned in common. PCs can only be dissolved with a supermajority of members voting in favor. Most charters individually lay out the terms on which individuals and families can build structures within the commune, but most provide for an enforceable prohibition on trespassing, ensuring a kind of private property for homeowners. Charters also give the communes wide latitude to establish standards for structures within the PC while not totally exempting them from local and provincial zoning laws. In effect, PCs function in a similar manner to {{wp|home owners associations}} and collect fees. [[Levantine banking and finance|Banks]] are [[Family_Living_Act_of_2003#Protections_for_Proprietor_Communes|prohibited by law from discriminating against PCs]] and mortgages for individual homes are often assumed by the entire commune, who then levy the costs on the individual home resident.
 
[[Category: Urcea]]
[[Category: Culture of Urcea]]
[[Category:IXWB]]
[[Category: 2022 Award winning pages]]

Revision as of 11:25, 13 July 2023

Housing in Urcea is a vital sector in the Urcean economy, with housing development and adjacent activity comprising approximately a tenth of all economic activity as of 2020. Urceans have strong social views on housing and housing strongly relates to Urcea's view of itself and its relationship with both private property and Catholic social teaching. Since the mid-20th century, disurbanist approaches have been popular in Urcea. Much of Urcea's housing stock was constructed in the form of low density suburban single family homes following the Second Great War, although since the 1980s the priority has shifted to even lower-density exurban development due to both environmental and social concerns.

In Urcea, housing policy issues are typically regulated by the Agency for Housing Development outside of cities and the Agency for Urban Development within cities. The Agency for Urban Development also works closely with the Agency for Royal Public Housing and Royal Dormitory Aid to identify and develop new public housing opportunities.

History and overview

Enclosure

Enclosure, the process by which land held in common is transferred to private ownership (especially within the context of the Feudal system) took place from approximately the end of the Saint's War in 1401 to the beginning of the Caroline Wars in 1740, during which time the vast majority of land held in common was enclosed for ownership. While much of the land was enclosed on behalf of local magnates, a great portion of it - especially following the weakening of the nobility during the Great Confessional War - was enclosed into relatively small parcels on behalf of the urban privilegiata. Unlike many other countries, however, anti-enclosure sentiments gained many successes in the period of the 17th century and onward. Balancing the various social classes became an increasing concern to the Apostolic King and His Governments in the wake of the social upheavel of the Great Confessional War and subsequent Gassavelian uprising. Accordingly, considerable amounts of common land began to be preserved beginning in 1620 onward, though these sentiments slowed rather than halted the process of enclosure. By 1740, further enclosure was prohibited by law, but conflicting and inconsistent land title deeds for enclosed lands existed, inaugurating more than two hundred years of legal disputes until land surveyance and commune reform efforts succeeded in in the 1950s.

Attitudes

Suburban rise and fall

Passage of the Family Living Act

Public housing

Public housing in Urcea is generally overseen by the Agency for Royal Public Housing and Royal Dormitory Aid or by provincial and local governments. Since the 1960s, the Agency has had specific policies for public housing, preferring to maintain single or multi-family rent controlled units within the same neighborhood within cities rather than tower blocks. The general prohibition on tower blocks came about largely as both an ideological one as well as problems encountered in constructing them in the Urceopolis borough of Campori following the Second Great War. The Agency is responsible for the general property maintenance of these facilities in conjunction with the occupants in the case of single family houses. Several "legacy" tower blocks public housing projects exist as well, especially in and around Urceopolis.

Private housing

Most Urceans live in a single family home or low-unit multi-family home according to surveys conducted over the course of the 2010s. Urcean society places a high value on home ownership, and private housing enjoys pride of place among types of housing in Urcea. As part of these efforts, the Agency for Royal Public Housing and Royal Dormitory Aid provides subsidies to lower income families as part of the Royal Dormitory Aid program in order to encourage ownership.

Urban

Single family

Multi family and apartments

Suburban

Suburban development was the primary form of housing development during the 20th century in Urcea and comprises a large plurality of the nation's housing stock. From the end of the Second Great War to the end of the century, government policy, economic factors, and social attitudes drove the creation of Urcea's suburbs. By the end of the century, suburban sprawl comprised most of the Valley, with relatively close together single family homes extending out from Urceopolis especially. Suburban development in other areas of the country also occurred but to a less sprawling extent given the population and relative population density of the Archduchy of Urceopolis and its surrounding provinces. Many social commentators by the 1980s had begun to grow concerned regarding suburban sprawl due to environmental concerns (including both waste and pollution) as well as social concerns, as many perceived a kind of isolation and alienation from the extended family and estate kinship groups on which Urcean society was traditionally organized. Suburban development began to wane during this time in favor of exurban development, which developed both due to public policy pressures and market forces interested in different models; this shift had the practical effect of causing massive disruption in Urcea's construction industry. The Family Living Act of 2003 essentially prohibited the construction of new, "core suburbs" and subsequent legislation has created large preservation areas around Urcea and particularly within the Valley. The preservation areas, which not only preserve existing natural areas but also has properties and homes default to the government for demolition in the event of no property heir or in the event of foreclosure, has had the unintended effect of decreasing the Kingdom's housing stock according to many policy analysts and non-governmental organizations.

Exurban

Exurban development has comprised the large part of Urcean real estate development since the mid-1980s reflecting increased distances from urban centers as well as changing social views.

In 2003, the Concilium Daoni led by Michael Witte enacted the Family Living Act (FLA), which establishes several rules governing the construction of multiple structures on a property by real estate developers intending to sell the land, known as subdivisions. Among other provisions, the FLA requires that contractors must first offer a condensed area within a development (intended to describe cul de sacs and other insular portions) to bidding by extended family groups before individually selling each house. In effect, this law has had the effect of making many portions of neighborhoods or even entire housing developments being comprised of related individuals. Since a considerable portion of Urcea's single-family housing stock has been constructed since 2003, the policy has had a large impact on Urcean housing and social relations, with many policy analysts calling the project a "major success" in restoring the proximity of extended families. Critics have said that the FLA has had the effect of artificially raising the price of homes and home ownership while suppressing housing stock and discouraging development.

Urban town and country

Marchts, a small town in Hardinán, exemplifies urban town and country design mostly utilizing older structures instead of new builds.

The primary design philosophy of exurban development in Urcea revolves around the notion of creating "urban town and country" (UTC), a design which has grown in frequency and popularity since the end of the 20th century. Though they existed prior to 2003, the Family Living Act of 2003 introduced significant economic incentives for the design and construction of this style of development. Urban town and country design creates areas of moderate density housing, typically one to two blocks of 5-over-1s (or earlier mixed use structures) surrounding a village green, town square, or roundabout park, surrounded by consistent low density housing with secluded cul de sacs and streets with large plots for homes separated by greenspaces and trees. This design is intended to allow individuals who can not own a home - either due to being short term transients to an area, lack of income, or some other reason - to live in rental units in and around the "central square" while simultaneously providing retail spaces - usually small businesses - in the central area. The "downtown area" is usually made up of several small retail outlets with restaurants in freestanding areas with parking, and this area is usually serviced by a rail-fed warehouse located on the periphery of town. Besides residential areas, churches schools, and libraries, and one to two large parking structures (depending on the size of the area) are intended to be constructed directly adjacent to the central square area for easy access to services by local residents. Since 2018 and 2019, most new UTCs are required to provide electric charging stations both in homes and in the public spaces, and many companies exist to transition existing UTC areas to electric compatibility on a large scale.

Most UTCs have only one or two major roads leading to the town square area, with small limited access urban neighborhood roads radiating outwards. The larger roads are typically multiple lanes in order to allow for commercial traffic to efficiently enter and exit the community. The major roads in UTCs typically lead to other UTCs or to highway access, while most of them also have a degree of access to park and rides and mass transit options. These transit options were enhanced with direct government subsidies to local public transit corporations with the Connectivity Act of 2012.

Proprietor communes

Throughout Urcea, small parts of land which escaped enclosure exist. Efforts were made during the 19th and 20th century to create a stable legal framework for these entities to survive, and accordingly the distinction of a "proprietor commune" or PC exists within law. The creation of PCs was the result of massive land surveyance efforts conducted in the immediate wake of the Second Great War in the 1940s and 50s, as individuals living on ancestral communal land objected to encroaching real estate developers; the Government of Urcea issued a large number of charters for these lands in 1954. PCs are governed by the Alternative Housing Law. PCs are lands in which the title is held by a corporation consisting of all of the residents within it, and accordingly all lands under a corporate charter are owned in common. PCs can only be dissolved with a supermajority of members voting in favor. Most charters individually lay out the terms on which individuals and families can build structures within the commune, but most provide for an enforceable prohibition on trespassing, ensuring a kind of private property for homeowners. Charters also give the communes wide latitude to establish standards for structures within the PC while not totally exempting them from local and provincial zoning laws. In effect, PCs function in a similar manner to home owners associations and collect fees. Banks are prohibited by law from discriminating against PCs and mortgages for individual homes are often assumed by the entire commune, who then levy the costs on the individual home resident.