LOCUS – About us
LOCUS, Latin for “place,” is a national coalition of real estate developers and investors who advocate for sustainable, equitable, walkable development in America’s metropolitan areas.
As a unique advocacy coalition, LOCUS brings together purpose-driven investors and partners to advance and affect smart growth policy and outcomes at the federal, state, and local levels. With unprecedented funding supporting infrastructure and investment in communities nationwide, LOCUS is poised for continued impact in 2024.
LOCUS enables smart growth development that strengthens community, prosperity, and environmental health by:
- Building and engaging a diverse coalition—driven by the private sector—around issues of development and mobility;
- Advocating for development and mobility policies that catalyze federal, state, and local change;
- Providing members with the resources and tools needed to drive change in development and mobility policies in their own communities.
LOCUS’ mission also reflects SGA’s North Star: we envision a country where no matter where you live, or who you are, you can enjoy living in a place that is healthy, prosperous, and resilient.
Membership
LOCUS offers a unique opportunity for real estate developers and investors to advocate for smart growth and amplify their visibility and influence in policy. United under a common dedication to advancing sustainable, equitable development, LOCUS members share a passion, industry expertise, and experience delivering best-in-class walkable and transit-oriented development projects.
Through education, advocacy initiatives, and network building, LOCUS provides members with critical tools and resources to advance smart growth development in communities across the country. Member benefits include a policy newsletter curated for real estate development professionals, policy analyses, invitations to events and workshops with policymakers, and the opportunity to inform Smart Growth America’s overall policy agenda.
Learn more about LOCUS and its membership here.
Three bills that would advance equitable, sustainable development
LOCUS, a coalition of triple-bottom-line real estate developers convened by Smart Growth America, made significant advocacy efforts this summer. The coalition’s work aims to advance legislation that could lead to more equitable, sustainable development and better connectivity between land use and transportation policy. A core focus of this advocacy work has been establishing strategies to deliver more mixed-income and mixed-use development near transit. Below are three important bills that would advance these goals.
New White House actions on equitable community development
Building on its earlier series of executive orders on advancing racial equity and supporting underserved communities (EO 13985 and 14091), the Biden administration has announced a series of interagency actions and principles to strengthen equitable urban development. The proposed actions address federal infrastructure investment, land use, housing, and regional planning policies.