Smart Growth America

FROM OUR MISSION STATEMENT: Americans want fewer hours in traffic and more opportunities to enjoy green space; housing that is both affordable and close to jobs and activities; healthy cities, towns and suburbs; air and water of the highest quality; and a landscape our children can be proud to inherit. Smart growth offers the best chance we have of attaining those goals.

To that end: Smart Growth America's coalition is working to support citizen-driven planning that coordinates development, transportation, revitalization of older areas and preservation of open space and the environment.

Projects and Campaigns

	Urban Vitality Ensuring the continued economic success of our country depends on revitalizing and restoring our older industrial cities to the economic, political, and cultural hubs they once were. The Restoring Prosperity Initiative, a joint effort of groups in six states and at the national level, provides a roadmap for revitalizing America’s struggling cities.		Smart Schools Whatever happened to the neighborhood school? You know, the beautiful two-story building that fit into its surroundings, with a playground bigger than the parking lot. The place kids could walk to, whether during school hours or for a weekend pickup game. For that matter, what ever happened to kids walking? The Smart Schools Initiative is a national effort designed to bridge the movements for education equity and for smart growth.
	State Policy State leaders have tremendous ability to shape the landscapes of their states — enabling better design, planning, and development. To this end, The Governors’ Institute on Community Design advises governors and state leaders as they seek to guide growth and development.		Vacant Properties Vacant property can comprise 15% of land in large cities. The National Vacant Properties Campaign exists to provide everyone – individuals, advocates, agencies, developers, non-profits, and others – with information resources, tools, and assistance to support their vacant property revitalization efforts, to create opportunity from abandonment.
	Complete Streets The streets of our cities and towns ought to be for everyone, whether young or old, motorist or bicyclist, walker or wheelchair user, bus rider or shopkeeper. In communities across the country, a movement is growing to complete the streets, and the National Complete Streets Coalition is at the forefront.		Leadership and Training The Smart Growth Leadership Institute is dedicated to developing strategies and tools to help communities gain greater control over the pace and pattern of development, helping state and local elected, civic and business leaders design and implement effective land use strategies to successfully leverage the coming growth.

NATIONAL SMART GROWTH COUNCIL: A bi-partisan group of business, labor, government and civic leaders will share ideas and use influence to advance alternatives to urban sprawl. PRESS RELEASE and COUNCIL BIOS.