Earlier this spring, our 2025 Equity Summit brought smart growth leaders, advocates, and practitioners together to explore how communities can work together to address their most pressing priorities for the built environment. From moving beyond housing scarcity to focusing on outcomes over process, the conversations we had over our two days together helped us gain confidence in our work’s future—and some practical tools to continue advancing healthy, prosperous, and resilient communities in 2025 and beyond.
This year’s Summit featured candid discussions about the structural barriers that keep communities from building the places they envision and how adapting our approach can lead to tangible results. Speakers and attendees alike reinforced that progress isn’t just about policy—it’s about shifting mindsets, elevating the right voices, and embracing abundance rather than scarcity. Whether through zoning reform, community engagement, or messaging strategies, every conversation kept coming back to one essential question: How do we build forward?
Jerusalem Demsas’ keynote address underscored the moment’s urgency, which was both energizing and a call for deeper reflection. She challenged us to rethink how we approach housing production, demand, and financing, highlighting how process-focused debates have slowed progress. Her insights set the stage for a Summit filled with perspectives from different backgrounds and ideologies, and challenging but necessary conversations about the future of smart growth.
Advancing equitable outcomes through smart growth is about working to find shared goals with partners, even with some that may seem unlikely, to ensure all communities have the necessary resources and opportunities they need to thrive. Here are three takeaways that emerged across sessions and conversations:
1. Building bridges across political divides
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from this year’s Summit was the recognition that broad coalition-building is needed to make meaningful change. One of the most encouraging aspects that came out of the event was the willingness to engage in bipartisan conversations to achieve the results communities are looking for. The Summit brought a unique opportunity to hear from folks with different political perspectives, reinforcing that smart growth priorities like housing should not be partisan issues.
But these conversations don’t happen in a vacuum — they require trust, connection, and a sense of shared purpose. As one speaker from Oregon reflected, his biggest takeaway was the importance of having a “home base” — a space and a community to return to when navigating difficult conversations or shifting language. In this sense, community building became just as important as bridging political divides. Attendees emphasized how being a resource for one another, offering safe spaces, and fostering connections across differences are what will result in tangible progress.
2. Abundance is what’s next
A central theme throughout the event was the link between supply shortages in the built environment and inequity. As Jerusalem Demsas stated, “Equity is impossible under conditions of scarcity.” She pointed to studies that show that interregional mobility, once a path to economic opportunity, is declining. Cities that fail to produce enough housing exacerbate stark imbalances in housing affordability within our communities, allowing the wealthy to secure housing while lower-income residents struggle. Scarcity can pit even inclusive communities against newcomers, reinforcing exclusionary policies.
3. Outcomes over process
Too often, discussions about smart growth topics (like zoning) get lost in bureaucratic processes rather than focusing on tangible results. Speakers noted how misplaced priorities, such as overemphasizing permitting details or environmental review during attempts to advance infill development, can stall the production of much-needed housing. Instead, the goal should be to remove unnecessary roadblocks and create pathways for more housing, especially in high-demand areas.
This year’s Summit helped remind us that building forward isn’t just about changing policies—it’s about shifting how we think, speak, and engage. By prioritizing outcomes, embracing abundance, and fostering long-term community connections, we can break down the barriers that stand in the way of progress. The connections we made and the ideas we explored at the Summit will continue to shape our movement in the months and years ahead. We’re more energized to keep the momentum going—together.