Open Space
Americans cherish “wide open spaces.” A national survey conducted in 2000 by the nonprofit Smart Growth America showed that 83 percent of…
Trees
Trees can have far-reaching effects on community air and water quality, residential heating and cooling, property values, community aesthetics, and even public…
Waste Prevention
Rising resource consumption translates into increased waste generation, and local governments are mainly responsible for managing this waste stream. Assisted by state…
Solid Waste Management
In recent decades, recognizing the environmental consequences of waste, committed Californians from all sectors have collaborated on extensive waste mitigation efforts aimed…
Social Equity
Many hope the smart growth movement will help distribute wealth and resources more evenly within communities, to the benefit of low-income and…
Renewable Energy
Coal, nuclear and natural gas plants are the United States’ primary sources of electricity, generating about two-thirds of the nation’s greenhouse gas…
Land Conservation
Livable communities and healthy economies depend upon careful conservation of critical habitat, scenic landscapes, ecologically valuable land, and recreational open space. Between…
Housing
Safe, comfortable housing is a key element of a livable community. However, post-World War II housing in the U.S. has tended to favor…
Downtown & Neighborhood Centers
The downtowns of America’s great cities suffered terribly after World War II, when federal highway building and suburban home mortgage programs fueled…
Schools
Executive Summary Without question, education is a critical component of a livable community; the quality of a community’s schools is often a…