infill

Or in-fill

[in-fil]

verb (used with object)

1. to fill in.

   The old stream beds have been infilled with sediment.

noun

1. the planned conversion of empty lots, underused or rundown buildings, and other available space in densely built-up urban and suburban areas for use as sites for commercial buildings and housing, frequently as an alternative to overdevelopment of rural areas.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or involving the use of infill in urban planning.

   infill condominium projects; infill office buildings and retail space.

infill

/ ˈɪnfɪlɪŋ, ˈɪnfɪl /

noun

1. the act of filling or closing gaps, etc, in something, such as a row of buildings

2. material used to fill a cavity, gap, hole, etc

3. an acrylic gel application that fills in the gap between a false nail and the root of the real nail, which is created as the real nail grows

Word History and Origins

Origin of infill¹

First recorded in 1875–80; in- ¹ + fill

Example Sentences

Specifically, the Assembly bill will exempt most urban infill housing from CEQA, meaning most housing projects built in already-developed areas will no longer be required to undergo environmental review.

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“This signals a seismic shift in Democratic politics in California from NIMBYism to abundance,” said Mott Smith, board chair of the Council of Infill Builders, a real estate trade group that advocates for urban housing.

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In April, Conor Dougherty wrote a story for the New York Times Magazine questioning the conventional wisdom of anti-sprawl, arguing that exurban development has been a vital escape valve for the nation’s failure to build enough infill housing.

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To the extent infill grew its share of the pie, it was because the 2008 housing crash sent tract-home sprawl down to levels not seen since the Eisenhower administration.

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“It’s time to accelerate urban infill. It’s time to exempt them from CEQA, it’s time to focus on judicial streamlining. It’s time to get serious about this issue. Period, full stop,” Newsom said during the morning budget news conference.

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