zoning laws and property developer profit maximization get in the way.

Proper living requires decentralizing commerce and fractalizing the structure. Old Denver has one block devoted to commerce every 5-10-ish blocks of houses - often with small businesss on the corners of other blocks. Pedestrian commerce/mixed use planning needs to return.

Then, you meet your neighbors.

Developers do the opposite - they force commerce to the megamall and make parking miserable, walking impractical, and people drive straight into their garages never meeting their next door neighbors. What a sucky way to live.