The Center for Zoning Solutions’ work empowers people to create livable places, community health, and shared prosperity through zoning solutions, including form-based codes and other innovations.

We envision a country where every community has implemented equitable land use policies that support people to live, work, and thrive, no matter where they call home.

We believe the built environment of our cities and towns must allow all people — regardless of age, ability, income, race, or ethnicity — to safely, comfortably, and conveniently access homes, employment, schools, shops, health facilities, and other destinations by foot, bicycle, public transportation, car, or truck.

To fulfill our mission, we work with communities and lead a national conversation and movement to expand the number of communities that have adopted smart growth and equitable development through zoning reform. We work to advance the zoning reform movement by providing technical assistance to local governments and communities, releasing research and reports, webinar series, and continuing to advocate for zoning reform at the state, local, and federal levels.

CZS advocates for zoning solutions to achieve smart growth in every community

We believe everyone deserves a well-designed, accessible community. Zoning solutions are regulatory interventions designed to transform communities. Key solutions include:

• Comprehensive regulatory solutions that advance smart growth
• Zoning and housing interventions to advance missing middle housing, infill, and affordable housing typologies
• Regulations, policies, programs, and strategies to facilitate mixed-use and small-scale commercial development
• Strategies to facilitate investment in civic and public benefits

These zoning solutions will be advanced through the following suite of Center for Zoning Solutions resources:

Technical Assistance Programs

• Providing technical assistance to local and state governments and community-based organizations to develop and implement zoning solutions that improve the quality of life of residents in their communities.
• Host forums and via in-person convenings.
• Work with communities to adopt and implement smart growth regulatory tools such as Form-Based Codes and other smart growth regulations.

Thought Leadership

• Offerings will include signature reports, articles, and research on the local impacts of zoning barriers and the solutions to these barriers.
• Virtual education sessions will be offered, including a webinar series focusing on how diversity strengthens local economies.
• CZS will continue to administer the Form-Based Codes award to uplift community examples that can be leveraged by municipalities looking to implement a form-based code in their local context.

Advocacy

• Federal and state-based advocacy efforts
• CZS’s advocacy will work in tandem with Smart Growth America’s other programs, including Transportation for America, the National Complete Streets Coalition, the National Brownfields Coalition, and LOCUS.