system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why in suburban areas are all houses exactly the same. Who decided this was the best model for a house, and when did everyone get on board to build their houses all the same.
gpt
Suburban building works like this: 1) Developer buys a big block and subdivides it into lots; 2) Builder builds 3-5 model homes and offers to build whatever model people pick on whatever empty lots in the development remain; 3) Buyers decide which home to build and where to put it.  When (3) most Buyers like one model, you get a lot of copies of that in the development.  Building houses all different is much more expensive.  In recent eras, local governments have pushed harder to make the building front exteriors look different, but the houses are made with the same cookie-cutter mentality.