The idea of Smart Growth is under attack from both sides; here are some ideas for updating it to the 21st century. Continue reading
Share on FacebookMay 1, 2013
by MoreRecycling
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Tag Archives: Smart Growth
February 13, 2013
by Kaid Benfield
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10 principles for making high-density cities better
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
Getting the right city density – generally expressed in the US as people per square mile or homes per acre – to support sustainable and pleasant living… Continue reading
February 6, 2013
by Amanda Eaken
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Sacramento County Board of Supervisors reverses decades of smart growth planning overnight
Amanda Eaken, Deputy Director, Sustainable Communities, San Francisco
When people criticize California for being stuck in the ‘60s, they’re usually talking about hippies and flower power. Yet last week, the Sacramento County… Continue reading
February 6, 2013
by Tiffany Traynum
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Smart City Planning: Reviving Your City – and You
Tiffany Traynum, Program Assistant, San Francisco
As I’ve said before, “I love my four-wheels”, partly because I’m the offspring of the car enthusiast of all enthusiasts and partly because I’m a Californian… Continue reading
February 4, 2013
by Kaid Benfield
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Are Main Streets a thing of the past? Is that OK?
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
As someone whose job is to promote sustainability in our communities, I sometimes think the traditional American Main Street is a terrific model worth preserving a… Continue reading
January 28, 2013
by Kaid Benfield
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Culture clash, or culture convergence? Rightist survivalism meets green urbanism
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
There is a very interesting and highly idealistic planned community in the works in northern Idaho. It is contemplated for about 3,500-7,000 families on two … Continue reading
January 18, 2013
by Kaid Benfield
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As good and important as it is, LEED can be so embarrassing
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
As most readers are likely to know, “LEED” (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a voluntary set of standards for judging and certifying g… Continue reading
December 28, 2012
by Kaid Benfield
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The voices behind a remarkably inclusive green neighborhood-in-progress
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
If you can find a better process of community engagement for a city-sponsored housing initiative than the one undertaken by the Denver Housing Authority for Maripo… Continue reading
November 28, 2012
by Kaid Benfield
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EPA honors seven outstanding community sustainability projects
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
Today, the US Environmental Protection Agency announced seven winners of its 2012 National Awards for Smart Growth Achievement. As I have noted in the past, … Continue reading
November 26, 2012
by Kaid Benfield
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Mitigating the environmental paradox of smart growth: softening urban density
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
To move more deliberately toward anything resembling a sustainable future, we need to use land more efficiently, building more compactly, with significantly higher… Continue reading
November 20, 2012
by Kaid Benfield
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Massachusetts takes a step for smart neighborhoods, workforce housing
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
Last week, Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick announced a new policy initiative designed to encourage diverse, walkable neighborhoods that use land efficiently.&… Continue reading
November 14, 2012
by Rob Perks
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Housing near transit creates thriving communities
Rob Perks, Transportation Advocacy Director, Washington, D.C.
“A city is like a pizza, and a neighborhood is like a slice of pizza. Just as a slice of pizza should contain all the ingredients of the pizza, each neighborhood should conta… Continue reading
November 1, 2012
by Kaid Benfield
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How Barcelona is becoming a leader in solar energy
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
I’m not writing much this week, because I’m traveling, very glad to be away from US presidential politics but concerned for all my colleagues and frien… Continue reading
October 16, 2012
by Kaid Benfield
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How to use LEED-ND to improve an older neighborhood
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
An inner-city neighborhood in Boston is providing a strong example of how the LEED for Neighborhood Development rating system can be used to guide improvements to … Continue reading
September 18, 2012
by Kaid Benfield
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A fiscal conservative’s manifesto against sprawl
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
I don’t know that I was the first national writer to notice Chuck Marohn’s Strong Towns family of web sites and enterprises, including a very good blog… Continue reading
September 7, 2012
by Kaid Benfield
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The fall – and rise – of small downtown America (by Lee Epstein)
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
A few years ago, I co-authored a post here that featured the small town in which I grew up in Pennsylvania. I tried not to be nostalgic, but the town did hav… Continue reading
September 5, 2012
by Kaid Benfield
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Cities, sustainable placemaking, & the careful use of words
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
I’ve been clean and sober for 20 months now and still counting. Lest you think that I am about to take you down a path of Too Much Information, please … Continue reading
August 3, 2012
by Kaid Benfield
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Two minutes on updating the American Dream, with Peter Calthorpe
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
Innovative architect and urban thinker Peter Calthorpe has directly and indirectly been a huge influence on the field of sustainable communities, particularly with respect… Continue reading
July 19, 2012
by Kaid Benfield
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How sprawl worsens the impacts of drought and how smart growth can help
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
If you live in the US and have been outside lately, chances are you don’t need to be reminded that this is the hottest summer many of us can remember, and al… Continue reading
July 6, 2012
by Kaid Benfield
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The military case for energy independence
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
A Tampa TV station has produced a feature highlighting environmental work in the US military – along with important strategic reasons for pursuing renew… Continue reading