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Introducing Smart Growth America

At the heart of the American dream is the simple hope that each of us can live in a neighborhood that's healthy, prosperous, and resilient.
Our work helps make these dreams a reality.

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Smart Growth America cultivates vibrant, sustainable communities with diverse living and transportation options, enhancing quality of life for all.
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Smart growth is an approach to community design that connects housing, transportation, and land use to create healthy, prosperous, and resilient neighborhoods.
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Smart Growth America cultivates vibrant, sustainable communities with diverse living and transportation options, enhancing quality of life for all.
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Even the best-planned cities have a few hidden alleys.

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Dangerous by Design 2026 Cover

<a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/signature-reports/dangerous-by-design/">A new study</a> by Smart Growth America and the National Complete Streets Coalition identifies the deadliest metro areas for people walking in the United States. Dangerous by Design 2026 ranks all 50 states and the 101 largest metro areas for pedestrian deaths and finds the vast majority—more than 80%—have gotten more deadly over time.
In 2024, the year with the most recent complete federal data, 7,080 people were struck and killed while walking in the U.S. Despite modest improvements from historic highs in 2022, that number represents 72% more pedestrian fatalities than seen in 2009. Even if pedestrian fatalities continue to decline at the current rate, we wouldn’t reach 2009 levels until 2042.
"Our leaders are celebrating small improvements from historic deaths as some major victory, while thousands of people continue to be hit and killed while walking every year," said Beth Osborne, President and CEO of Smart Growth America.  “If we were any other country, this would be treated as a national crisis. Instead, our leaders are quick to accept these deaths as a necessary aspect of our transportation system.”
“If we were actually serious about safety, we would stop patting ourselves on the back for minor reductions in deaths and ask why thousands of people are still being killed from a problem we already know how to solve," continued Osborne.
Dangerous by Design researchers found that Black Americans are killed while walking at 171% of the national average, while American Indian and Alaska Native populations experience pedestrian fatality rates that are 367% of the national average.
Memphis, Tennessee, remained the deadliest metro area in the nation for people walking, followed by Albuquerque, New Mexico; Bakersfield-Delano, California; Tucson, Arizona; and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, Arkansas; Fresno, California; Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL; New Orleans-Metairie, LA; and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA, rounded out the ten deadliest metro areas in the report.
New Mexico remained the deadliest state for people walking, followed by Louisiana, Arizona, South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, California, Georgia, and Delaware.
Among the report's findings:
<ul>
<li>Memphis, TN remains the deadliest metro area in the nation for people walking, with a pedestrian fatality rate of 5.5 deaths per 100,000 residents—the highest pedestrian fatality rate ever observed in Dangerous by Design since 2009.</li>
<li>New Mexico remains the deadliest state in the nation for people walking, with a pedestrian fatality rate of 4.42 deaths per 100,000 residents.</li>
<li>Many communities that improved in the rankings did not become safer. In many cases, these were places where pedestrian fatality rates increased while other places became dangerous even faster.</li>
<li>Only 18 of the 101 metro areas saw decreases in their long-term pedestrian fatality rates (comparing 2015-2019 avg. pedestrian fatality per 100k people to 2020-24 avg. pedestrian fatality per 100k people). Of the 18 metro areas that improved their pedestrian fatality rates in our 2024 report, only 7 of those maintained their progress in this edition.</li>
<li>The most dangerous places today are far deadlier than those identified when Dangerous by Design was first released. The deadliest metro area in the 2009 edition would rank only 15th today.</li>
</ul>
The report also finds that the U.S. continues to fall behind its global peers on pedestrian safety. According to the report, if the United States had matched the average safety improvements achieved by peer nations over the last decade, 63,441 lives otherwise lost to traffic violence could have been saved.
Dangerous by Design 2026 calls on policymakers and transportation agencies to adopt a higher standard for success and stop treating small reductions in fatalities as evidence that the problem has been solved.
"We know how to prevent deaths on our streets," said Heidi Simon, Director of Thriving Communities at Smart Growth America and a co-author of the report. "Communities across the country have shown that safer street design saves lives. But one-off interventions don’t erase a decade of rising fatalities. Real progress is sustained progress, and until we commit to making safer street design the default, thousands of people will continue to pay the price."
Methodology
This edition of Dangerous by Design ranks states and metro areas based on pedestrian deaths per 100k residents over a five-year timeframe (2020-2024). The year 2024 is the most recent year available for final federal data, including nationwide numbers on pedestrian fatalities that can be broken down by localities and compared with census tracts. Additional reports in this series will be issued this summer

News

Dangerous by Design

Pedestrian

Press Release

Safety over Speed

Dangerous by Design 2026: America's most dangerous places for people walking are still getting more dangerous

Transportation

Action Alert

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment recently <a href="https://energycommerce.house.gov/events/environment-subcommittee-markup-1">marked up</a> <a href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF18/20260514/119291/BILLS-119HR8739ih.pdf">H.R. 8739, or the Brownfield Revitalization for a Better Tomorrow Act</a>, to reauthorize the U.S. EPA Brownfields Program. Although the revised legislation includes several important policy improvements in response to concerns raised by the National Brownfields Coalition (NBC) and partner organizations, it also slashes funding for the Brownfields Program.
Right now, the bill only allocates $123.5 million annually for FY 2027-31, substantially below the committee’s earlier draft proposal of $250 million annually and the program’s current authorization of $200 million annually. Moreover, the current proposal includes provisions that severely undercut the program, including a reduction in state funding, an arbitrary cap on the indirect cost rate, and a restriction on increasing funding over the next five years, leaving the program vulnerable to inflation.
The EPA Brownfields Program has been one of the federal government’s most successful economic development and land reuse programs, leveraging substantial private investment to create healthier, safer, and more economically productive communities. Every reauthorization of the program has received strong bipartisan support, with politicians from across the aisle recognizing the program’s impact over the past 30 years. But this year’s reauthorization has been highly partisan, with both sides unable to agree on the program’s funding.
Before the bill advances to a full committee markup, we need you to join us and call on your representative to restore brownfields authorization to the previously proposed $250 million. Click the button below to check whether your representative is on the Energy and Commerce <a href="https://energycommerce.house.gov/representatives">Committee</a> and send them a message. If your representative is not on the committee, you can use the provided template and reach out to the House Energy and Commerce Committee's staff at caitlin.haberman@mail.house.gov (Minority) and christen.harsha@mail.house.gov (Majority).
<a style="background: #0081c6; padding: 10px; margin: 10px 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; font-size: 12pt; color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; display: inline-block;" role="button" href="https://smartgrowthamerica.salsalabs.org/reauthorize_funding_for_brownfields_redevelopment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Take Action</a>

Brownfields Reauthorization

Tell the House Energy and Commerce Committee to reauthorize critical funding for brownfields cleanup and redevelopment

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Smart Growth America (SGA) is seeking a graphic designer or design firm to support the design and layout of several upcoming national research reports.
SGA produces research and policy reports that help practitioners, advocates, and decision-makers understand how transportation, land use, and housing policies shape outcomes for communities across the country. We are looking for a designer to help translate complex research and case studies into clear, engaging, and visually compelling reports.
<h2>Project overview</h2>
Smart Growth America anticipates producing up to three reports over the next six months. Each report will be approximately 20–40 pages and will include a mix of narrative text, charts, maps, graphics, and photography.
Anticipated reports include:
<ul>
<li>Foot Traffic Ahead: Report exploring the economic impacts of walkable development patterns.</li>
<li>Congestion Con: Report examining long-term congestion trends and added lane capacity.</li>
<li>Building for Health: Report focused on the intersection of housing, public health, and community design.</li>
</ul>
Reports will be released on a rolling basis. Smart Growth America will provide the completed draft text, data, and initial charts or figures.
<h2>Scope of work</h2>
The selected contractor will work with SGA staff to design and produce publication-ready reports.
This includes:
<ul>
<li>Designing and laying out each report (approximately 30–40 pages each)</li>
<li>Applying Smart Growth America’s branding and visual identity</li>
<li>Creating a consistent template or visual system across reports</li>
<li>Formatting text, headings, callouts, and key findings</li>
<li>Designing or refining charts, graphs, and infographics</li>
<li>Incorporating maps, photos, and other visual elements</li>
<li>Ensuring strong visual hierarchy and readability</li>
<li>Preparing final, publication-ready PDFs</li>
</ul>
Smart Growth America will provide draft text, data, and initial charts/figures to minimize design development time.
The designer will collaborate closely with SGA’s communications and research teams and incorporate feedback through multiple rounds of revisions. Smart Growth America anticipates up to 2–3 rounds of revisions per report.
<h2>Deliverables</h2>
For each report, the selected contractor will provide:
<ul>
<li>A fully designed, publication-ready PDF</li>
<li>Packaged design files (e.g., Adobe InDesign)</li>
<li>High-resolution graphics and visual assets</li>
<li>Web-ready graphics or figures, as requested</li>
<li>Accessible PDF with alt text for images</li>
</ul>
<h2>Timeline</h2>
Each report is expected to follow a general timeline of:
<ul>
<li>Draft provided by SGA</li>
<li>Initial design concepts and layout within 2-3 weeks</li>
<li>2–3 rounds of revisions</li>
<li>Final delivery within 4–6 weeks from draft</li>
</ul>
<h2>Qualifications</h2>
We are seeking designers or firms with:
<ul>
<li>Experience designing research, policy, or data-driven reports</li>
<li>Strong data visualization and infographic design skills</li>
<li>Experience working with nonprofits, advocacy organizations, or research institutions</li>
<li>Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop)</li>
</ul>
Experience with transportation, land use, housing, or related policy topics is preferred but not required.
<h2>Proposal requirements</h2>
Interested applicants should submit:
<ul>
<li>A brief description of the firm or individual</li>
<li>Relevant experience and examples of similar work</li>
<li>Links to or samples of past report design projects</li>
<li>A proposed approach to managing multiple reports over time</li>
<li>A total bundled cost for all three reports</li>
<li>Pricing for the first report (including template development) and subsequent reports</li>
<li>Any assumptions about efficiencies or cost reductions across reports</li>
<li>An hourly rate for additional work outside the agreed scope</li>
<li>Availability and anticipated turnaround times</li>
</ul>
<h2>Budget</h2>
Smart Growth America intends to select a single designer or firm to support the production of three reports under one contract.
We anticipate a total budget in the range of $15,000–$25,000 for all three reports.
Proposals should reflect bundled pricing that accounts for efficiencies gained by developing a consistent design template and visual system across reports.
<h2>Submission instructions</h2>
Please submit proposals to: <a href="mailto:epomeroy@smartgrowthamerica.org">epomeroy@smartgrowthamerica.org</a> with the subject line: “RFP: Smart Growth America report design”
Proposals must be received by June 30, 2026.
<h2>Selection criteria</h2>
Proposals will be evaluated based on:
<ul>
<li>Relevant experience and quality of past work</li>
<li>Demonstrated ability to design clear, engaging research reports</li>
<li>Understanding of the scope of work</li>
<li>Ability to meet timelines</li>
<li>Cost</li>
</ul>
<h2>About Smart Growth America</h2>
Smart Growth America helps create healthy, prosperous, and resilient places to live for all people through research, advocacy, and direct community support. Our work spans housing and land use, transportation, and economic development to find solutions to communities’ most pressing needs. We work with elected officials at all levels, real estate developers, chambers of commerce, transportation and urban planning professionals, and residents to improve everyday life for people across the country through better development.

Request for Proposal

Request for proposals: Graphic designer for Smart Growth America reports

General

2023.08.12-by Kurt Martig-DJI_0476

Community members have expertise essential to creating a safer, more convenient transportation system that works for everyone. That’s why effective community engagement should be part of every planning process. Community engagement efforts give practitioners the tools to implement projects that align with what residents want and need, and ensure that these projects have a more meaningful impact.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-114303 size-large" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-painting-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="768" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-painting-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-painting-300x225.jpg 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-painting-768x576.jpg 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-painting.jpg 1500w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Over the years, Smart Growth America has worked with hundreds of communities across the country to make our transportation system safer and more effective. One key to achieving that goal is helping the communities we work with build the skills and capacity for effective community engagement.
Community engagement is too often treated as a checkbox—an occasional open house, a survey for a major project, or a public meeting that happens after decisions are already made. But real community engagement is more than just occasional feedback. It’s an invaluable tool for making informed decisions around transportation, creating space for the people who have historically been left out, and building lasting relationships—and communities across the country are showing what that looks like in action.
<h2>1. Be proactive</h2>
Engage early and often.
When community engagement starts after decisions have already been made, projects usually don’t reflect what the community wants and needs. When that vision is shaped by community voices, from the beginning, it leads to better projects and stronger relationships.
In<a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/boyle-heights-california-centering-the-creative-autonomy-of-the-community-to-define-resilience-for-itself/"> Boyle Heights, CA</a>, organizers and artists led workshops, artmaking, and collective mapping to explore how residents defined “resilience” in a community with a history of disinvestment. The process helped planners develop a vision and strategies to make the changes to streets and transportation that meet the community’s needs. Now, the community has a roadmap they can use to advocate for the types of changes they want to see.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-114306 size-large" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-engagement-4-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="768" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-engagement-4-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-engagement-4-300x225.jpg 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-engagement-4-768x576.jpg 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-engagement-4-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-engagement-4.jpg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
In <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-center/reconnecting-harrisonburg-va/">Harrisonburg, VA</a>, planners realized in the early stages of a redesign project on a historically divisive highway that the surrounding community hadn’t been engaged with enough. So, they paused working on the project to hold listening sessions and neighborhood gatherings with residents. This shift not only helped refine the project’s goals but also reestablished trust with residents whose neighborhood had been harmed when the highway was originally installed in the 1960s.
How to do it:
<ul>
<li>Assign responsibility for community engagement to specific member(s) of the project team</li>
<li>Create systems that support successful community engagement as soon as projects are approved</li>
<li>Make a list of key stakeholders for outreach 
Embed opportunities for community input at multiple points in the project timeline</li>
</ul>
<h2>2. Be transparent</h2>
Build open lines of communication that support strong collaboration.
Clear expectations and honest communication are central to effective community engagement. Community members should know how projects, policies, and initiatives are developing, how they might be affected, what opportunities they have to influence decisions, and what problems the project intends to solve.
Transparent, consistent communication between agencies and communities is especially important. One great way to support this is through regular reporting. Doing this allows the public to see what progress is being made and keeps agencies accountable. <a href="https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/abc7bc3a4cbb4aca86e5699fbc3c8242">Milwaukee’s annual Complete Streets reports</a> and <a href="https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/51287d0486474daf9b05c6b08153d3ab">Knoxville’s Vision Zero reports</a> are great examples for agencies to follow. They provide yearly data, analyze progress, and evaluate current trends in an approachable format.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-114304 size-large" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-engagement-2-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="682" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-engagement-2-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-engagement-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-engagement-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-engagement-2-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-engagement-2.jpg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
In <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/chattanooga-tn-csla/">Chattanooga, TN</a>, city staff gathered input from residents living on a street where they planned to test pedestrian safety improvements before implementing any changes. These early efforts to make sure that the changes didn’t blindside residents also allowed community members to develop a sense of ownership and connect with the project. The city built on this by including residents in an art-making portion of the project after its installation, which added color and fun to the space while highlighting the upgrades.
How to do it:
<ul>
<li>Consistently collect and publish data and project details</li>
<li>Keep residents informed about project schedules and changes, especially those who will be impacted by construction or detours</li>
<li>Provide multiple opportunities for community members to learn about projects—both in-person and virtually</li>
</ul>
<h2>3. Be creative</h2>
Community engagement should be…engaging!
Engagement doesn’t have a single correct format. Every community is unique and diverse, and engagement approaches should reflect that. Creative tools that allow all community members to participate regardless of age, primary language, or ability result in fuller representation and better feedback.
For example, in <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/doraville-georgia-cultural-organizing-for-awareness-and-solidarity-around-mobility-justice-among-latinx-youth-and-artists/">Doraville, GA</a>, youth organizers led creative mapping projects and photography exercises to document how unsafe and disconnected their built environment felt. These collaborative activities—which explored the intersections of data, climate change, and transportation systems—helped participants better understand that the way we build communities shapes our lives. Latinx teens walked away understanding how to advocate on issues that affect their daily lives, such as inadequate crosswalks and long bus waits. Lessons and art from these sessions were also shared with decision-makers.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-114305 size-full" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-engagement-3.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="400" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-engagement-3.jpg 800w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-engagement-3-300x150.jpg 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Complete-Streets-engagement-3-768x384.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />
In Boston, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) found that some of the community’s most critical industries are being heavily impacted by climate change. To develop strategies for mitigating these impacts, they convened <a href="https://www.mapc.org/planning101/schools-of-thought-on-climate-change-mapcs-newest-art-installation/">focus groups</a> and conducted follow-up interviews with managers, employees, and representatives from the construction, farming, home healthcare, and fishing industries. In addition to this effort, city staff coordinated a<a href="https://carolynl.net/2019/06/17/schools-of-thought-on-climate-change/">n art installation</a> that brought together residents and partners to visually represent the community’s perspective and experience with climate change.
How to do it:
<ul>
<li>Provide multiple ways for participants to express themselves</li>
<li>Promote a sense of ownership among community members through individual or group art</li>
<li>Integrate your community’s unique identity into community engagement efforts by centering activities on things your community is already passionate about</li>
</ul>
<h2>4. Be reciprocal</h2>
Give-and-take builds trust and meaningful partnerships.
Too often, community members are asked to show up, share stories, and contribute time without being paid, credited, or truly included in decision-making. But when engagement is reciprocal, it builds strong symbiotic relationships.
In <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/tampa-heights-florida-arts-and-culture-as-celebration-and-resistance-against-displacement-in-an-historic-african-american-suburb/">Tampa Heights, FL</a>, a church in a historically Black neighborhood was at risk of being removed. As part of an effort to save the church, community groups held a gathering in the space to emphasize its significance and build support for preservation of the space. The event included dance, spoken word, and visual art created by residents. Critically, local creatives who participated in the event were compensated for their time and contributions, demonstrating respect for the artists in a concrete way that is critical to building long-term partnerships. This public celebration also helped illustrate the value of protecting cultural spaces.
When agencies show up, they can demonstrate that they truly value community members’ input and time, which moves community engagement from occasional consultation into meaningful partnerships. Residents treated as respected co-creators are more willing to bring their expertise to future projects.
How to do it:
<ul>
<li>Hire local vendors and service providers whenever possible</li>
<li>Make sure that compensation for time and contributions is part of the project planning and budgeting process</li>
<li>Look for ways to partner with local organizations and leaders, like co-hosting events and cross-promoting each other’s updates and calls to action</li>
</ul>
Community engagement shouldn’t be viewed as just another task to check off. It’s the foundation for stronger relationships and more effective transportation decisions.
<h3>More community engagement resources to explore:</h3>
<a href="https://groundworkusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/GWUSA_Best-Practices-for-Meaningful-Community-Engagement-Tip-Sheet.pdf">Best Practices for Meaningful Community Engagement | Groundwork USA</a>
<a href="https://visiblenetworklabs.com/guides/community-engagement-101/">Community Engagement 101: Ultimate Beginner’s Guide | Visible Network Labs</a>
<a href="https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/community-engagement-model">Community Engagement Model | California Air Resources Board</a>
<a href="https://www.nadtc.org/community-engagement-toolkit/">Community Engagement Toolkit: Essentials for Planning &amp; Facilitating Meaningful Conversations | NADTC</a>
<a href="https://upward-mobility.urban.org/toolkit-increasing-upward-mobility/3-engaging-community-members-planning-and-decisionmaking">Engaging Community Members in Planning and Decisionmaking | Urban Institute | Upward Mobility Initiative</a>
<a href="https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2022-10/Promising%20Practices%20for%20Meaningful%20Public%20Involvement%20in%20Transportation%20Decision-making.pdf">Promising Practices for Meaningful Public Involvement in Transportation Decision‑Making | U.S. Dept. of Transportation</a>

Community engagement

Building connections: 4 principles for successful community engagement

Chesterfield County, VA_credit_Providence Hill Real Estate

In Columbus, Ohio and Chesterfield County, Virginia, IMPACT Community Action and Partnership for Smarter Growth are using mapping and visual storytelling tools to help communities better understand how zoning decisions shape health, housing, and transportation outcomes. Through ZEST, these organizations developed new tools to support more informed community engagement and advocacy.
<hr />
Throughout the fall and winter of 2025, Smart Growth America’s<a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/programs-and-coalitions/center-for-zoning-solutions/"> Center for Zoning Solutions</a> supported 19 community-based organizations (CBOs) across the country through the <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/services/grants/zoning-for-equitable-solutions-and-thriving-communities-zest/">Zoning for Equitable Solutions and Thriving Communities</a> (ZEST) program. Together, they strengthened each organization’s ability to connect land use and health outcomes, identify zoning barriers, and translate complex policies into practical, community-driven strategies.
Zoning is a powerful driver of health outcomes, shaping nearly every aspect of daily life—from housing and transportation to environmental exposure and access to opportunity—in both visible and invisible ways. Over six months, Smart Growth America delivered tailored technical assistance spanning policy analysis, data analysis, ArcGIS StoryMaps, and education and advocacy tools, building participants’ capacity to turn complex zoning systems into actionable strategies for creating healthier communities.
A key takeaway from this work was the power of storytelling as an essential tool for translating complex issues into relatable, actionable narratives. This blog series <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/connecting-health-and-land-use-reflections-from-the-inaugural-zest-cohort/">builds on those lessons</a>, highlighting real-world examples, tools, and insights to support others navigating zoning challenges and advancing reform in their own communities.
<h2>Introducing our partners</h2>
In central Ohio, <a href="https://www.impactca.org/">IMPACT Community Action</a> provides education and training to empower residents, cultivating advocates and local leaders who work toward creating more equitable communities. As Columbus underwent a comprehensive zoning code update through its <a href="https://zone-in-columbus.hub.arcgis.com/">Zone In Columbus</a> initiative, IMPACT saw an opportunity to engage more community members by communicating the proposed zoning changes and their implications for environmental justice, housing affordability, and health outcomes.
Similarly, in Chesterfield County, VA—just outside of Richmond—the <a href="https://www.chesterfield.gov/5102/Zoning-Ordinance-Modernization-Project">Zoning Ordinance Modernization (ZOMod)</a> project is reshaping the county’s zoning code and creating new opportunities for public engagement in decision-making. <a href="https://www.psgrichmond.org/">Partnership for Smarter Growth</a> (PSG) is a local organization working to advance smart growth by promoting infill development and multimodal transportation options.
Through ZEST, SGA developed an ArcGIS StoryMap that compares health equity indicators across the county—such as pedestrian fatalities, access to grocery stores, and physical activity levels—and overlays them with key zoning factors, including where multifamily housing development is permitted. Designed as an educational and advocacy tool, the StoryMap will help community members, planning staff, and elected officials better understand how zoning decisions shape health outcomes as they engage with the ZOMod project.
<h3 style="text-align: center;">“Many neighborhoods [in Columbus] lack access to grocery stores with fresh produce, forcing residents to rely on convenience stores and fast food.” - Katie Devlin, Director of Climate Justice Initiatives, IMPACT Community Action</h3>
<h2>Support from SGA</h2>
For both communities, SGA created unique StoryMaps to help translate zoning changes into clear, community-relevant insights. This work examined demographic trends, built-environment conditions, public health indicators, and existing and proposed zoning codes to determine the overlap between existing health inequities and the existing zoning framework.
In Columbus, we worked with IMPACT to map key indicators, including food access, environmental burdens (air pollution, asthma rates, tree canopy, and air temperature differences), and housing costs and availability. We overlaid this analysis with recent rezonings completed under the first phase of Zone In, LinkUS transit corridors slated for pedestrian, cycling, and transit infrastructure improvements, and broader residential and industrial zoning patterns. We brought these elements together in an interactive <a href="https://arcg.is/15u84q3">StoryMap</a> to visualize the intersections between zoning, the built environment, and health disparities.
<a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/impact-columbus-2-1.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-113312" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/impact-columbus-2-1-1024x410.png" alt="" width="1024" height="410" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/impact-columbus-2-1-1024x410.png 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/impact-columbus-2-1-300x120.png 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/impact-columbus-2-1-768x307.png 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/impact-columbus-2-1.png 1500w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
For Chesterfield County, SGA conducted a similar analysis, mapping job centers, vehicle ownership, pedestrian safety, and food access alongside housing trends and changes to residential zoning under the ZOMod initiative. These findings were compiled into another StoryMap.
<h3 style="text-align: center;">“High-injury road networks are concentrated in areas with high poverty rates—communities that are often predominantly Black and Brown. While this may appear to be a transportation issue, it is fundamentally rooted in zoning.” - Finn Pollard, Coordinator for Strategy &amp; Outreach, Partnership for Smarter Growth </h3>
<h2>Connecting zoning to community health</h2>
Both IMPACT Community Action and the Partnership for Smarter Growth prioritize strengthening community participation in zoning reform because they recognize the importance of residents having a direct role in shaping the built environment.
In producing these StoryMaps, ZEST equipped both organizations with visual storytelling and educational tools to galvanize more informed and inclusive civic participation. When communities like Columbus and Chesterfield County can more clearly see how zoning shapes their daily lives, people are better positioned to participate in local decision-making and advocate for healthier, more equitable outcomes.

Case Study

ZEST

zoning

Mapping health inequities and zoning challenges | Community zoning stories

Land Use and Development

Technical assistance

McCormick County, SC_credit_Savanna Lakes Village Real Estate

Across the country, community organizations are looking to better understand how zoning shapes health, housing, and access to opportunity. Through the ZEST program, participants strengthened their ability to communicate complex land-use issues and connect them to everyday community concerns.
<hr />
Throughout the fall and winter of 2025, Smart Growth America’s<a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/programs-and-coalitions/center-for-zoning-solutions/"> Center for Zoning Solutions</a> supported 19 community-based organizations (CBOs) across the country through the <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/services/grants/zoning-for-equitable-solutions-and-thriving-communities-zest/">Zoning for Equitable Solutions and Thriving Communities</a> (ZEST) program. Together, they strengthened each organization’s ability to connect land use and health outcomes, identify zoning barriers, and translate complex policies into practical, community-driven strategies.
Zoning is a powerful driver of health outcomes, shaping nearly every aspect of daily life—from housing and transportation to our environmental exposure and access to opportunity—in both visible and invisible ways. Over six months, Smart Growth America delivered tailored technical assistance spanning policy analysis, data analysis, ArcGIS StoryMaps, and education and advocacy tools, building participants’ capacity to turn complex zoning systems into actionable strategies for creating healthier communities.
A key takeaway from this work was the power of storytelling as an essential tool for translating complex issues into relatable, actionable narratives. This blog series <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/connecting-health-and-land-use-reflections-from-the-inaugural-zest-cohort/">builds on those lessons</a>, highlighting real-world examples, tools, and insights to support others navigating zoning challenges and advancing reform in their own communities.
<h2>Introducing our partners</h2>
Several organizations joined ZEST to better understand zoning and support their work in areas outside traditional planning. For example, <a href="https://www.healutah.org/">Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah</a> (HEAL Utah) works to “protect Utah’s environment and its people by promoting clean air, clean energy, and comprehensive solutions to radioactive and toxic waste.” Through its policy advocacy program, <a href="https://joiningforces.connect2home.org/">Joining Forces for Affordable Housing</a>, <a href="https://www.connect2home.org/">Connections for the Homeless</a> organizes and mobilizes neighbors to advocate for equitable residential zoning that increases affordable housing while reducing displacement in northern Cook and Lake counties, IL. And in rural South Carolina, <a href="https://www.ourstrategies.org/">Organized Uplifting Resources &amp; Strategies</a> (OURS) works to “reclaim, revitalize, and sustain rural communities.” Whether addressing environmental health, housing instability, or rural community development, these organizations recognized that land-use policies are shaping outcomes, even though zoning is not their primary focus.
<figure id="attachment_114172" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-114172" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/McCormick-County-SC_credit_Savanna-Lakes-Village-Real-Estate.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-114172" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/McCormick-County-SC_credit_Savanna-Lakes-Village-Real-Estate-1024x610.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="610" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/McCormick-County-SC_credit_Savanna-Lakes-Village-Real-Estate-1024x610.jpg 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/McCormick-County-SC_credit_Savanna-Lakes-Village-Real-Estate-300x179.jpg 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/McCormick-County-SC_credit_Savanna-Lakes-Village-Real-Estate-768x457.jpg 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/McCormick-County-SC_credit_Savanna-Lakes-Village-Real-Estate.jpg 1470w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-114172" class="wp-caption-text">McCormick County, SC. Photo Credit: Savanna Lakes Village Real Estate</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Barriers they face</h2>
For many participants, the challenge is not just navigating zoning systems, but explaining them to community members and partners. Zoning processes are often technical, opaque, and difficult to engage with, making it hard to know when and how to get involved in decision-making.
At the same time, clearly communicating the consequences of zoning is a barrier in itself. The connections between land use and outcomes in housing affordability, public health, and transportation access can be indirect and difficult to visualize, making it harder to build awareness and generate momentum for change.
<h3 style="text-align: center;">“This is helping a lot in figuring out the visioning piece to the puzzle on rezoning.”</h3>
<h2>Support from SGA</h2>
To address these challenges, SGA delivered support to strengthen technical knowledge and communication capacity. This work included accessible resources explaining key zoning, land-use, and housing concepts, such as Euclidean zoning, development standards, and missing-middle housing.  SGA also provided guidance on data sources and metrics that effectively demonstrate zoning impacts for advocacy efforts. HEAL Utah received support with identifying tools specifically focused on tracking environmental and health outcomes, while OURS received guidance on rural zoning processes and reform pathways tailored to McCormick County, SC. For Connections for the Homeless, SGA curated communications and messaging resources to support engagement on local housing and land-use issues. 
<h2>Connecting zoning to community health</h2>
Across the cohort, organizations reinforced that “demystifying” zoning is critical to advancing health equity. Making zoning understandable requires engaging a wide range of perspectives—skeptical elected officials, outspoken neighbors, and other community members—who care but don’t have enough time to get involved.
This requires clearly connecting land-use decisions to everyday health outcomes. Having more transportation options can reduce automobile dependence and improve air quality; better connectivity and walkable neighborhoods can increase physical activity and reduce cardiovascular disease; and building housing near daily needs can lower transportation costs and reduce financial stress and anxiety.
Providing clear, accessible language to communicate these connections is the first step toward creating meaningful change. When communities understand how zoning shapes their daily lives, they are better equipped to advocate, advance, and ultimately achieve better health outcomes.

Demystifying zoning for community advocacy | Community zoning stories

Requity

In West Baltimore, Requity Foundation is transforming vacant properties into opportunities for workforce development, environmental sustainability, and community revitalization. Through its participation in ZEST, we worked with Requity to strengthen its understanding of the zoning barriers that often make community-led land activation more difficult than it should be.
<hr />
Throughout the fall and winter of 2025, Smart Growth America’s<a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/programs-and-coalitions/center-for-zoning-solutions/"> Center for Zoning Solutions</a> supported 19 community-based organizations (CBOs) across the country through the <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/services/grants/zoning-for-equitable-solutions-and-thriving-communities-zest/">Zoning for Equitable Solutions and Thriving Communities</a> (ZEST) program. Together, they strengthened each organization’s ability to connect land use and health outcomes, identify zoning barriers, and translate complex policies into practical, community-driven strategies.
Zoning is a powerful driver of health outcomes, shaping nearly every aspect of daily life—from housing and transportation to environmental exposure and access to opportunity—in both visible and invisible ways. Over six months, Smart Growth America delivered tailored technical assistance spanning policy analysis, data analysis, ArcGIS StoryMaps, and education and advocacy tools, building participants’ capacity to turn complex zoning systems into actionable strategies for creating healthier communities.
A key takeaway from this work was the power of storytelling as an essential tool for translating complex issues into relatable, actionable narratives. This blog series <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/connecting-health-and-land-use-reflections-from-the-inaugural-zest-cohort/">builds on those lessons</a>, highlighting real-world examples, tools, and insights to support others navigating zoning challenges and advancing reform in their own communities.
<h2>Using vacant land for workforce development</h2>
Based in west Baltimore’s Coppin Heights-Easterwood neighborhood, <a href="https://www.requity.org/">Requity Foundation</a> runs programs that connect students from Carver Vocational-Technical High School—located across the street—and other nearby schools to real-world experience and job training in construction, digital media, business, and the culinary arts. A core feature of their programming includes transforming vacant neighborhood properties into living laboratories to train students who will become the next generation of the local workforce.
Despite being a relatively new organization, founded only in 2020, Requity quickly steeped in the community development space, working to activate unused spaces that municipal systems had struggled to revitalize. Requity launched its first major program in 2021, rooted in an idea that began nearly a decade earlier when Carver student-athlete Sterling Hardy asked his baseball coach, Michael Rosenband, “Why don’t we work on rehabilitating those houses across the street?” The question stayed with Rosenband, who later founded Requity and turned that idea into action.
The organization acquired a vacant house across from the school, which participating students have been working to rehabilitate into an environmentally sustainable, energy-efficient home. This means that “Carver House” will have significantly lower energy costs. As this project gained momentum, Requity identified another poorly maintained vacant parcel in the middle of a nearby block of rowhomes, presenting a similar opportunity—this time for a community garden.
These projects require navigating the City of Baltimore’s zoning and regulatory systems, which are—like others across the country—often bureaucratic and unintuitive. And over time, it has become clear that zoning and regulatory processes remain a key barrier to scaling their work, limiting Requity’s ability to acquire and activate vacant land to support its broader community and workforce development goals. Through its participation in ZEST, the organization gained a clearer understanding of how to navigate these systems, positioning it to expand programs to additional sites.
<figure id="attachment_114169" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-114169" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Requity.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-114169" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Requity-1024x803.png" alt="Two teenagers engaged in construction in front of a row home" width="1024" height="803" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Requity-1024x803.png 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Requity-300x235.png 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Requity-768x602.png 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Requity-1536x1205.png 1536w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Requity.png 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-114169" class="wp-caption-text">Photo Credit: Requity</figcaption></figure>
<h2>How the city’s Comprehensive Plan makes this work difficult</h2>
The city’s zoning ordinance should make it easier for community members and organizations actively working to improve their neighborhoods in accordance with the city’s Comprehensive Plan.
For example, in Baltimore’s R-6 Residential-Zoned Districts, where Requity works, “youth vocational programming” is legally defined as a conditional commercial use rather than the simple community-serving activity it is. (Requity isn’t a trade school in the traditional sense, but a community organization.) The code also defines “urban agriculture” as an activity that requires special board approval. That means Requity has to jump through an additional regulatory barrier and get permission from the Board of Zoning Adjustments, which can add weeks, if not months, before they even begin to reactivate a long-vacant,ill-maintained lot for community benefit.
<h3 style="text-align: center;">“We’ve been stuck in limbo for several months—there’s confusion about whether we even need to go before the board, and delays in getting a site visit scheduled,” said staff members from Requity.</h3>
Acquiring city-owned lots also involves parallel, sometimes unaligned, review processes across multiple departments—including the Housing and Community Development and Planning and Permitting departments.
In short, Requity’s programming that directly aligns with Baltimore’s goals still encounters regulatory fiction. Granted, the City of Baltimore is in the process of revising its zoning ordinance to be more straightforward and congruent with the updated Comprehensive Plan.
<h2>Support from SGA</h2>
SGA conducted a targeted scan of zoning ordinances and land-use policies, identifying and explaining gaps between the lofty goals stated in Baltimore’s Comprehensive Plan and the actual legal zoning ordinances that allows the plan’s vision to be implemented.  This analysis provided Requity with a stronger understanding of the regulatory framework and explained why their efforts to acquire a vacant lot for community use aren’t as easy as they should be.
SGA also documented some of the regulatory barriers Requity has encountered, including permitting delays and parallel, separate lot-acquisition processes, and pointed out other municipalities that simplified their regulatory systems to make it easier for community-based organizations to acquire and use land.
The resulting memo translated technical definitions and provided practical strategies to help Requity navigate the city’s zoning regulations in future vacant lot acquisitions.
<h2>Connecting zoning to community health</h2>
Requity’s work addresses food access, workforce development, housing stability, and environmental sustainability—all core determinants of health outcomes. Unfortunately, most American zoning regulations are still written and structured to treat such community-serving activities as special exceptions, rather than priorities. This disconnect underscores why Smart Growth America, in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is working to elevate the connection between land use and health equity through ZEST.
Our work with Requity underscores a broader lesson: When zoning codes reflect community goals and priorities, the community-based organizations already doing this important work can focus less on navigating red tape and more on building the healthier, sustainable neighborhoods that communities deserve.

Navigating land acquisition and vacant property barriers | Community zoning stories

Freedom Org

In North Carolina, Freedom Org is working to transform FEMA buyout parcels into community gardens and other spaces that make their communities thrive. Through the ZEST program, the organization strengthened its ability to navigate complex floodplain regulations and land-use requirements tied to these properties.
<hr />
Throughout the fall and winter of 2025, Smart Growth America’s<a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/programs-and-coalitions/center-for-zoning-solutions/"> Center for Zoning Solutions</a> supported 19 community-based organizations (CBOs) across the country through the <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/services/grants/zoning-for-equitable-solutions-and-thriving-communities-zest/">Zoning for Equitable Solutions and Thriving Communities</a> (ZEST) program. Together, they strengthened each organization’s ability to connect land use and health outcomes, identify zoning barriers, and translate complex policies into practical, community-driven strategies.
Zoning is a powerful driver of health outcomes, shaping nearly every aspect of daily life—from housing and transportation to environmental exposure and access to opportunity—in both visible and invisible ways. Over six months, Smart Growth America delivered tailored technical assistance spanning policy analysis, data analysis, ArcGIS StoryMaps, and education and advocacy tools, building participants’ capacity to turn complex zoning systems into actionable strategies for creating healthier communities. 
A key takeaway from this work was the power of storytelling as an essential tool for translating complex issues into relatable, actionable narratives. This blog series <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/connecting-health-and-land-use-reflections-from-the-inaugural-zest-cohort/">builds on those lessons</a>, highlighting real-world examples, tools, and insights to support others navigating zoning challenges and advancing reform in their own communities.
<h2>Introducing the partner</h2>
<figure id="attachment_114167" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-114167" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Freedom-Org.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-114167 size-large" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Freedom-Org-1024x768.png" alt="A group of Black children excitedly showing off cucumbers grown in The Tarboro/Edgecombe Community Demonstration Garden" width="1024" height="768" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Freedom-Org-1024x768.png 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Freedom-Org-300x225.png 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Freedom-Org-768x576.png 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Freedom-Org-1536x1152.png 1536w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Freedom-Org.png 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-114167" class="wp-caption-text">The Tarboro/Edgecombe Community Demonstration Garden. Photo Credit: Freedom Org.</figcaption></figure>
In Edgecombe County, NC, the towns of Tarboro and Princeville sit across from one another on opposite sides of the Tar River. Flooding from hurricanes Floyd (1999) and Matthew (2016) devastated both towns, leaving behind damaged lots which, through FEMA’s floodplain buyout program, are kept vacant to prevent future losses. Despite this, many residents in the region remain, driven by deep historical, cultural, and generational ties—Princeville, notably, was the <a href="https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/homecoming-race-place-and-living-tar-river-part-i">first town</a> in the U.S.  founded by freed Black people after the Civil War. 
<a href="https://www.freedomorg.org/">Freedom Org</a> works to foster growth, empowerment, and sustainable change for historically disinvested communities in both towns. Through its agriculture, cultural preservation, and economic development departments, Freedom Org works to build and maintain a sense of community, support local food systems, and promote equitable economic development. One of its key initiatives—the <a href="https://www.freedomorg.org/community-garden">Tarboro/Edgecombe Community Demonstration Garden</a>—transforms vacant lots into community gardens to improve local food access, boost flooding resilience, and provide spaces for youth agricultural education. Building on this, Freedom Org aims to continue leveraging  FEMA buyout parcels to build additional gardens and related infrastructure. 
However, overlapping federal and local regulations create significant barriers to this work. Strict and confusing requirements designed to limit future flood risk make it difficult for Freedom Org to identify eligible parcels, navigate approval processes, and ultimately move forward in the application process to acquire these lots. 
<h3 style="text-align: center;">“These requirements can be disproportionately burdensome for grassroots organizations without access to engineering support, even when projects are nature-based and low-risk.” - Aerhealle Chace, Agriculture Director, Freedom Org</h3>
<h2>Support from SGA</h2>
SGA accessed an inventory of FEMA buyout parcels in Tarboro and mapped them against the town’s zoning regulations and FEMA flood zones to conduct a targeted analysis of relevant regulations. This analysis clarified which uses are permitted and outlined in the step-by-step application process—such as community garden projects—as well as the necessary documentation and certifications needed to advance these projects. 
SGA also identified key constraints on design, construction, and operations for these land parcels, as well as potential pathways for program implementation that consider these challenges. By translating complex regulatory requirements into clear, actionable guidance, our work helped reduce uncertainty in the process and better positioned Freedom Org to expand its programming. 
<a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/BuyoutLand.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-114151" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/BuyoutLand-1024x791.png" alt="Buyout Land and Floodplains map in Tarboro, NC" width="1024" height="791" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/BuyoutLand-1024x791.png 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/BuyoutLand-300x232.png 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/BuyoutLand-768x593.png 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/BuyoutLand-1536x1187.png 1536w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/BuyoutLand.png 1650w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
&nbsp;
<h2>Connecting zoning to community health </h2>
Freedom Org’s work on community gardens (as well as their other work on <a href="https://www.freedomorg.org/history-and-cultural-preservation">cultural preservation</a> and <a href="https://www.freedomorg.org/community-economic-development">economic development</a>) addresses several social determinants of health outcomes. Transforming vacant lots into community gardens not only increases access to fresh, healthy food but also cultivates a sense of place and community identity.
Freedom Org’s experience in Tarboro highlights a broader challenge faced by others in the ZEST cohort: complex and onerous zoning regulations often make community-driven projects prohibitively expensive and difficult, particularly for local organizations with limited resources. Streamlining regulations for community gardens and similar projects can unlock the potential of underutilized land and build healthier, more resilient communities.

Reimagining FEMA buyout land  | Community zoning stories

The Beacon Center, Montgomery AL

In Montgomery, Alabama the Metropolitan United Methodist Church is building community power to tackle zoning challenges. Through its participation in ZEST, we supported Metropolitan in better navigating complex land-use systems and advocating for long-term community change.
<hr />
Throughout the fall and winter of 2025, Smart Growth America’s<a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/programs-and-coalitions/center-for-zoning-solutions/"> Center for Zoning Solutions</a> supported 19 community-based organizations (CBOs) across the country through the <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/services/grants/zoning-for-equitable-solutions-and-thriving-communities-zest/">Zoning for Equitable Solutions and Thriving Communities</a> (ZEST) program. Together, they strengthened each organization’s ability to connect land use and health outcomes, identify zoning barriers, and translate complex policies into practical, community-driven strategies.
Zoning is a powerful driver of health outcomes, shaping nearly every aspect of daily life—from housing and transportation to environmental exposure and access to opportunity—in both visible and invisible ways. Over six months, Smart Growth America delivered tailored technical assistance spanning policy analysis, data analysis, ArcGIS StoryMaps, and education and advocacy tools, building participants’ capacity to turn complex zoning systems into actionable strategies for creating healthier communities.
A key takeaway from this work was the power of storytelling as an essential tool for translating complex issues into relatable, actionable narratives. This blog series <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/connecting-health-and-land-use-reflections-from-the-inaugural-zest-cohort/">builds on those lessons</a>, highlighting real-world examples, tools, and insights to support others navigating zoning challenges and advancing reform in their own communities.
<h2>Introducing the partner</h2>
The <a href="https://metropolitanumc.tithelysetup2.com/">Metropolitan United Methodist Church</a> (Metropolitan) is an anchor institution in western Montgomery, Alabama. Its Beacon Center, established by lead Pastor Richard Williams, serves as a community hub that distributes food and provides healthcare, education, and workforce development programming, serving more than 9,000 households through its food pantry program alone. Metropolitan provides these direct services to community members while also addressing entrenched challenges related to housing stability and limited transportation options.
Despite visionary and committed stewardship, Metropolitan is not always recognized for its important role in the community or welcomed as an equal partner in decisions that shape the lives of those it serves. In response to those experiences, Metropolitan joined ZEST to better understand the rules of the game to help change them.
<figure id="attachment_114163" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-114163" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/The-Beacon-Center-Montgomery-AL.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-114163" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/The-Beacon-Center-Montgomery-AL-1024x682.png" alt="The Beacon Center, Montgomery AL with colorful murals on the side of the building" width="1024" height="682" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/The-Beacon-Center-Montgomery-AL-1024x682.png 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/The-Beacon-Center-Montgomery-AL-300x200.png 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/The-Beacon-Center-Montgomery-AL-768x512.png 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/The-Beacon-Center-Montgomery-AL-1536x1024.png 1536w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/The-Beacon-Center-Montgomery-AL.png 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-114163" class="wp-caption-text">The Beacon Center, Montgomery, AL. Photo Credit: Jake Crandall</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Barriers to community-led change</h2>
This development disparity reflects the long-term impacts of segregation, disinvestment, and unequal access to opportunity, as investment continues to be concentrated in Montgomery’s wealthier, predominantly white eastern neighborhoods.
Additionally, the city lacks a functioning municipal land bank, leaving vacant and tax-delinquent properties inaccessible to community organizations with neighborhood-centered visions. The city's ongoing zoning rewrite offers a rare opportunity, but only for those who know how to effectively participate in this process.
<h2>Support from SGA</h2>
Through ZEST, SGA reviewed Montgomery's zoning ordinance and provided Metropolitan with a memo examining eight land-use barriers—from fragmented revitalization tools and missing middle housing to parking minimums and procedural confusion—and an advocacy roadmap identifying who holds power in Montgomery's planning system and which community voices have the most leverage. SGA also developed a customizable presentation designed to inform Pastor Williams and equip Metropolitan leaders and residents with adaptable messages for different audiences and settings—whether a traditional church meeting, a conversation over coffee with a city official, or a local interfaith gathering.
<h2>Human element</h2>
Pastor Williams envisions an interfaith coalition in which different faith communities and organizations each steward different pieces of a broad policy agenda. The goal is to move from being a messenger for the city government to being an architect of community power.
<h2>Connecting zoning to community health</h2>
Addressing Metropolitan’s challenges is critical to improving public health. Housing instability, displacement, and limited mobility are established determinants of poor health outcomes, from chronic disease and mental illness to reduced life expectancy. By building community leadership and advocacy capacity, Metropolitan is positioning itself to pursue three policy priorities with direct implications for community health:
<ol>
<li>Community-centered acquisition and redevelopment of vacant and tax-delinquent properties;</li>
<li>The modernization of Montgomery's zoning to allow a greater variety of housing types that expand affordable options for its community; and</li>
<li>The reform of parking minimums and street design standards to reduce car dependency and increase safe and efficient transportation options.</li>
</ol>
Each of these reforms addresses a structural condition that shapes the daily health and well-being of Montgomery residents served by Metropolitan. By helping Metropolitan connect land-use policy and zoning reform to its work, ZEST is equipping a faith institution already addressing the symptoms of disinvestment to pursue systemic solutions at the core of its work.
<h2>Learn more:</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/resources/social-determinants-of-health-and-land-use-reforming-zoning-to-improve-health-outcomes/">Social Determinants of Health and the Built Environment</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/connecting-health-and-land-use-reflections-from-the-inaugural-zest-cohort/">Connecting Health and Land Use: Reflections from the inaugural ZEST cohort</a></li>
<li><a href="https://envisionmontgomery2040.org/zoning/">Envision Montgomery 2040 </a><a href="https://envisionmontgomery2040.org/zoning/">Zoning Update</a></li>
</ul>

Strengthening local leadership for zoning reform | Community zoning stories

West Dallas, TX_credit_D Magazine

In Buffalo and Dallas, community organizations are addressing the long-term health impacts of industrial zoning and environmental harm. Through the ZEST program, the Clean Air Coalition of Western New York and Downwinders at Risk strengthened their advocacy efforts by examining how other communities have approached industrial land-use reform and environmental justice.
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Throughout the fall and winter of 2025, Smart Growth America’s<a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/programs-and-coalitions/center-for-zoning-solutions/"> Center for Zoning Solutions</a> supported 19 community-based organizations (CBOs) across the country through the <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/services/grants/zoning-for-equitable-solutions-and-thriving-communities-zest/">Zoning for Equitable Solutions and Thriving Communities</a> (ZEST) program. Together, they strengthened each organization’s ability to connect land use and health outcomes, identify zoning barriers, and translate complex policies into practical, community-driven strategies.
Zoning is a powerful driver of health outcomes, shaping nearly every aspect of daily life—from housing and transportation to environmental exposure and access to opportunity—in both visible and invisible ways. Over six months, Smart Growth America delivered tailored technical assistance spanning policy analysis, data analysis, ArcGIS StoryMaps, and education and advocacy tools, building participants’ capacity to turn complex zoning systems into actionable strategies for creating healthier communities.
A key takeaway from this work was the power of storytelling as an essential tool for translating complex issues into relatable, actionable narratives. This blog series <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/connecting-health-and-land-use-reflections-from-the-inaugural-zest-cohort/">builds on those lessons</a>, highlighting real-world examples, tools, and insights to support others navigating zoning challenges and advancing reform in their own communities.
<h2>Legacies of former industrial centers</h2>
In upstate New York, Buffalo’s legacy as a major industrial center left behind a landscape of both active industrial uses and dormant brownfield sites. While brownfield sites offer significant redevelopment opportunities, they have historically imposed environmental health burdens on surrounding communities, particularly when redevelopment decisions were made without meaningful community input. <a href="https://www.cacwny.org/">The Clean Air Coalition of Western New York</a> is learning from other industrial regions around the country facing similar challenges to strengthen its education and advocacy efforts on environmental justice and public health.
There’s a similar story in Dallas, TX. <a href="https://www.downwindersatrisk.org/">Downwinders at Risk</a> amplifies community voices in neighborhoods across southern and western Dallas that have long experienced adverse environmental health effects of redlining and industrial zoning. These communities—whose residents are predominantly Black, Latino, and low-income—have been disproportionately exposed to air pollution and other environmental hazards from the concentration of heavy industry allowed to exist nearby. Downwinders has served as a voice for these communities during local planning processes, advocating for stronger environmental justice considerations and reimagining how former and current industrial sites can be repurposed to better serve surrounding communities. Their core belief is that "environmental justice is a civil right," and that belief guides their approach with community partners.
<h2>Challenges with recent redevelopment opportunities</h2>
In both Buffalo and Dallas, as well as countless other communities across the country, legacy industrial zoning patterns continue to negatively affect public health outcomes. Industrial sites often remain embedded in or near residential neighborhoods, and the local systems governing land-use decisions can make it confusing and difficult for community organizations like Clean Air Coalition and Downwinders to actually influence decision-making processes.
Even when redevelopment opportunities emerge, communities face barriers in navigating notoriously complicated local zoning regulations and identifying the most effective paths forward. Ensuring that the communities most adversely affected by industrial activity have a meaningful voice in shaping future land use is an ongoing challenge nationwide.
<h3 style="text-align: center;">“Poor zoning choices in the 20th century, rooted in discriminatory practices, directly contributed to many of the issues these communities face - but modern zoning practices rooted in equity and justice with a goal of reparations and reconciliation can not only make these neighborhoods whole but build a better world for today and tomorrow.” - Bridge Rauch, Environmental Justice Organizer, Clean Air Coalition</h3>
<h2>Support from SGA</h2>
Through ZEST, SGA supported both organizations by providing research and analysis of communities facing similar challenges to strengthen their advocacy strategy and engagement efforts.
For the Clean Air Coalition, our work included providing case studies of cities that incorporated environmental justice protections into their zoning codes, including <a href="https://newark.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2770971&amp;GUID=D0C566D0-463A-482D-A4AC-78884351DA79&amp;FullText=1">Newark, NJ</a>, and examples of equitable brownfield redevelopment projects, such as <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/flint/2014/04/public_shows_overwhelming_supp.html">Chevy Commons</a> in Flint, MI. SGA also provided resources on recent zoning reforms that better regulate emerging industrial uses such as data centers, which are being developed on former industrial land at an increasing rate.
For Downwinders at Risk, SGA conducted a targeted review of Dallas’ industrial zoning framework, breaking down the city’s four industrial zoning classifications, permitting processes, and allowable uses. This analysis helped clarify advocacy opportunities related to reimagining and repurposing industrial-zoned land in West Dallas. SGA also researched and compiled case studies from <a href="https://theworksatl.com/">Atlanta</a>, <a href="https://sfocii.org/projects/mission-bay/overview">San Francisco</a>, <a href="https://www.oaklandca.gov/Planning-Building/General-Plan-Neighborhood-Plans/Neighborhood-and-Citywide-Plans/West-Oakland-Specific-Plan">Oakland</a>, and other cities that have successfully transformed former industrial areas into community-oriented and mixed-use districts.
<h2>Connecting zoning to community health</h2>
Both organizations’ work centers on the connection between industrial land use, environmental conditions, and public health. Industrial facilities are often concentrated in historically disinvested communities, resulting in disproportionate exposure to air pollution and other environmental hazards that contribute to adverse health outcomes.
By providing analysis, case studies, and examples from other communities, ZEST helped the Clean Air Coalition and Downwinders at Risk advance local efforts to reshape how industrial land is regulated and repurposed. More broadly, the work of both organizations underscores a critical issue: addressing the legacy of industrial zoning is one of the most pressing land-use challenges today. Sustainable, community-centered land-use policies are essential to improving health outcomes in groups that have long borne the brunt of harmful planning decisions.

Confronting industrial zoning and environmental harm | Community zoning stories

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Communities that have successfully embraced Complete Streets often discover that safer transportation cannot be separated from housing and land-use policy. The places making the biggest improvement for their communities are not just redesigning streets; they are also updating zoning, expanding housing choices, and creating more opportunities for people to live in connected, walkable neighborhoods.
Complete Streets is a bit of a misnomer. While we focus on addressing safety and accessibility on roads, we also care about what is happening alongside them. The businesses, houses, parks, and public spaces not only create destinations for people to access using those streets we work so hard to make complete, but also give life and character to the trips being taken. Communities need a variety of housing to draw in and support the people who will make that place their home and bring their expertise to conversations about transportation and more. A strategy like Smart Growth America’s approach to building more housing in locations with abundant, safe transportation options will support this and the successful implementation of Complete Streets.
<h2>Type</h2>
In the same way that streets need to serve a clear purpose and meet the needs of all roadway users, housing needs to serve a purpose and meet the needs of all community members. That means providing a range of housing types and sizes that allow people to remain in their communities as they move through different chapters in their lives. Not every street needs a bike lane for Complete Streets to work, but to be effective, the overall network must ensure that someone on a bike can get where they need to go safely and conveniently. In that same way, we need to think about the network of housing available in different sizes, forms, and ownership options, providing options that make sense for them and their loved ones.
<hr />
<h2>Price</h2>
If you look at roadway safety data closely enough, a disturbing truth begins to emerge—people can pay a safety premium in order to reduce their risk of being killed on our roads. Whether it is by purchasing newer or larger vehicles or living in dense, walkable cities, there are ways for higher-income individuals to escape the dangers we have designed into our streets. There shouldn’t be a cost barrier to safe transportation, and similarly, there shouldn’t be a cost barrier to having a safe, stable place to call home in places that are close to your daily needs. We need housing options that provide livable places for people that are affordable across the spectrum. Investments in housing should expand access and opportunity, not drive up costs to the point where longtime residents are priced out of places they have called home.
<hr />
<h2>Place</h2>
Housing is the starting point and end destination for many of the trips people make every day. It is also where people are most likely to be pedestrians, whether taking a short trip to a nearby destination or making the first leg of a multi-modal journey. This is why where we build housing matters as much as how much housing we build. We need strategies that put houses in places that expand access to jobs, schools, and other essential places, while making walking, biking, and public transportation as convenient, safe, and accessible options. We know people want to live in walkable communities that provide shorter commutes, increased access, and improved livability. To make the most of the improvements we make for walkability, we need to build more housing in places that are already connected, while also creating opportunities for walkability in those places where housing already exists.
<hr />
A community that has successfully implemented Complete Streets will have also tackled its housing and zoning policies alongside any transportation changes. Places that are beginning work to address transportation safety should look for opportunities to combine that with efforts to improve the types of housing available at different price points and in well-connected places. Policymakers, practitioners, and advocates will quickly see the connection between the two topics as they work to achieve a shared vision for healthy, prosperous, and resilient communities.

Housing

Place

Price

Type

When more people can live near Complete Streets, everyone benefits

Advocacy

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Bipartisan House leaders drafted an amended version of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the most ambitious piece of housing legislation in generations and a critical measure to alleviate America’s housing shortage. Originally passed in the Senate, the amended version addresses outstanding issues and will likely be voted on within the next week. Tell your representatives to support the amended version and its smart growth provisions so that communities across America can access more affordable housing.
On Wednesday, May 13, senior leadership in the House of Representatives negotiated across party lines and <a href="https://financialservices.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=411119">released amended text </a>for the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a major federal housing package bill, originally passed by the Senate.  While President Trump had called for the <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5873550-trump-congress-housing-bill-gop/">Senate version to pass as-is</a>, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and housing advocates have urged changes to key provisions, including those on community banking and the ability of large institutional investors to build and keep homes for rent.
The amended bill retains key <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/21st-century-road-to-housing-advances-in-senate-but-could-face-a-major-obstacle-in-the-house/">smart growth provisions</a> from the previous version, as well as some additions and improvements, which would support housing development in well-connected places, of diverse housing types, and at affordable prices:
<ul>
<li>NEW Title 1 miscellaneous provisions: This title includes sections that promise zoning guidance for point access block (single-stair) buildings, exempt infill development from environmental effects studies, create a publicly accessible, searchable federal database for publicly owned land, and offer grants to support local financial institutions in issuing small-dollar (under $100,000) mortgages. Under this guidance, an infill site is not eligible for preferential treatment if it is located in an area prone to flooding or wildfires.</li>
<li>NEW Title 9 community banking provisions: This title provides regulatory relief for community and rural banks and credit unions and enables new community financial institutions to develop, especially in rural areas. Improving access to community banking allows for broader access to capital for housing development.</li>
<li>IMPROVED Section 1001 (formerly 901) on large institutional investors: By changing the definition of “single family housing”, this section now allows institutional investors to purchase manufactured homes and homes built or renovated to rent. It also removes the requirement that homes owned by large institutional investors built as long-term rentals be sold after seven years to individual homebuyers. The provision, as previously written, would have negatively impacted housing supply and was the most controversial aspect of the previous version of the bill.</li>
</ul>
Despite these improvements, key provisions had been removed from the Senate version:
<ul>
<li>Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) Program (Section 201): HUD’s RAD program has long been used to preserve and improve affordable housing and make existing housing stock accessible to residents seeking affordable housing.</li>
<li>Price Act (Section 304): This program would have provided grant funding to improve manufactured housing communities, including improving housing units and adding community services.</li>
<li>Reforming Disaster Recovery Act (Section 501): This program would have created a new Office of Disaster Management and Resiliency at HUD and permanently authorized HUD’s Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program.</li>
</ul>
The federal housing package, as a whole, supports much-needed housing development and is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to implement impactful housing reform in the U.S. Many of its provisions support smart growth by enabling the development of expanded housing options that meet a range of price points, adjusting for local housing needs, and accommodating various housing types. As America faces an affordability crisis and housing supply shortage, federal efforts to support new, diverse housing supply in the right places at the right price are needed more than ever.
The bill is expected to be voted on in the House within the <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/05/13/congress/house-releases-housing-bill-text-vote-next-week-00920285">next week</a>. Because the House is attempting to suspend rules to fast-track a decision, it may require a ⅔ majority to pass, rather than a simple majority. If approved, the bill will return to the Senate for final revisions and approval before being sent to the President for signature.
While Smart Growth America and our advocacy partners have been engaging Congress on this legislation for months, constituent voices will be critical to helping this landmark bill move forward. Members of the House need to hear directly from the people and communities they represent about how the smart growth provisions in the bill can help meet their needs and why the bill deserves their support.
<h3>Tell your representatives to vote yes on the amended 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act and support the bill’s smart growth provisions:</h3>
[button type="primary" size="lg" link="https://smartgrowthamerica.salsalabs.org/21st_century_road_to_housing_2026"] Take action [/button]

21st Century ROAD to Housing Act

The House releases an amended federal housing package. What does it mean for smart growth?

NBC Community Land Trusts Webinar

On May 6, the National Brownfields Coalition's Community Development Committee brought together practitioners from across the country to share how Community Land Trusts (CLTs) can transform brownfields—contaminated, underutilized land—into lasting community assets. The webinar was moderated by Jalisa Gilmore, Senior Manager of Health and Land Use Programs at <a href="https://groundworkusa.org/">Groundwork USA. </a>
[button type="primary" size="lg" link="https://youtu.be/IEyyJTD0Dlg"]Watch the webinar recording[/button]
<h2>Why this moment matters</h2>
<a href="https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfield-overview-and-definition_.html#:~:text=The%20Environmental%20Protection%20Agency%20(EPA)%20defines%20a,definition%20of%20%22hazardous%20substance%22%20*%20Mine%2Dscarred%20land">Brownfields</a>—properties where contamination complicates redevelopment—are estimated at 450,000+ sites nationwide, concentrated in many of the same communities already facing housing unaffordability and disinvestment. Federal brownfields funding has long been a rare bipartisan bright spot, but that's at risk. With the expiration of the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684/text">Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)</a>, annual funding is projected to drop roughly 75%, from approximately $350 million to $98 million. With Congress currently weighing reauthorization of the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/about">EPA Brownfields Program</a>, stories of community-driven brownfields work have never been more important to tell.
<h2>CLTs and brownfields: A natural fit</h2>
<a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/NBC-Community-Land-Trusts-Webinar.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-114092" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/NBC-Community-Land-Trusts-Webinar-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/NBC-Community-Land-Trusts-Webinar-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/NBC-Community-Land-Trusts-Webinar-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/NBC-Community-Land-Trusts-Webinar-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/NBC-Community-Land-Trusts-Webinar-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/NBC-Community-Land-Trusts-Webinar.jpg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
A <a href="https://groundedsolutions.org/strengthening-neighborhoods/community-land-trusts/">Community Land Trust</a> is a nonprofit that permanently owns land so that housing and other uses on it remain affordable and community-controlled. James Yelen, Director of Technical Assistance at <a href="https://groundedsolutions.org/">Grounded Solutions Network</a>—a national organization supporting over 200 organizations shared-equity housing organizations across the country—opened the discussion by explaining why CLTs are structurally well-suited for brownfields work: their long time land stewardship horizons match remediation timelines, their community governance rebuilds trust in neighborhoods that have experienced systemic harm, and their resale formulas ensure that public investments in cleanup aren't lost to market appreciation. CLTs and land banks, he explained, are complementary tools — land banks excel at acquiring and clearing title to distressed properties, while CLTs provide the long-term community stewardship that follows.
<a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/NBC-CLTs-and-Brownfields-Webinar_GSN-slides.pdf">View James’ presentation slides here</a>
<h2>Voices from the Field</h2>
Three organizations shared community stories that bring this connection to life:
<h4>Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust—Los Angeles, CA</h4>
Founded in 2002, the <a href="https://www.lanlt.org/">Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust (LANLT) </a>manages 30 parks and gardens across 22 acres serving 500,000 residents in a county that ranks near the bottom nationally for park access. Bz Zhang, Project Manager, shared the organization's <a href="https://www.lanlt.org/projects/jefferson-park">Jefferson Park &amp; Affordable Housing Project</a>: a 1.86-acre former urban oil drilling site that neighbors and community partners successfully fought to shut down in 2018 after years of organizing. LANLT acquired the site in 2023 and is currently in active remediation planning, with a youth-led restoration garden already underway and site construction planned for 2027–2028.
<a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/NBC-CLTs-and-Brownfields-Webinar_LANLT-slides.pdf">View Bz’s presentation slides here</a>
<h4>Russell: A Place of Promise—Louisville, KY</h4>
Based in Louisville, <a href="https://www.russellpromise.org/">Kentucky, Russell: A Place of Promise (RPOP)</a> is a CLT and community developer focused on building Black wealth through investment without displacement. Colby Bentley, Assistant Director of Place, presented the <a href="https://www.russellpromise.org/30th-madison">30th &amp; Madison Street Redevelopment</a>: a planned $150 million, multi-phase transformation of a long-abandoned brownfield (a former tobacco and light manufacturing site) in the predominantly Black Russell neighborhood into a mixed-use community anchor with healthcare, retail, affordable housing, and entrepreneurship space. Phase 1, a $27 million initial activation, is on track for a 2026 groundbreaking, supported by a layered funding strategy that includes brownfield remediation funding alongside tax credits, public dollars, and philanthropic capital.
<a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/NBC-CLTs-and-Brownfields-Webinar_Russell-Place-of-Promise-slides.pdf">View Colby’s presentation slides here</a>
<h4>East New York Community Land Trust (ENYCLT)—New York, NY</h4>
Founded in 2020 in Brooklyn, the <a href="https://www.eastnewyorkclt.org/">East New York Community Land Trust (ENYCLT)</a> works to bring land and buildings under permanent, democratic, resident control in East New York and Ocean Hill-Brownsville — communities that saw land prices increase roughly tenfold following a 2016 rezoning. Hannah Anousheh, Director, and Shantanu Dew, Senior Project Manager, presented on two active projects: the historic acquisition of <a href="https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/community-land-trust-new-york-city-topa-copa-housing/">248 Arlington Avenue</a> (the first privately acquired multifamily building by a CLT in New York City), and <a href="https://www.eastnewyorkclt.org/donate">161 Jamaica Avenue</a>, a 9,500-square-foot former manufacturing building in the process of being transformed into the East Brooklyn Liberation Center — a community-owned hub for organizing, education, and deeply affordable commercial space. Both properties required environmental due diligence, including Phase I and Phase II assessments, which came back clean and allowed the work to move forward.
<a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/NBC-CLTs-and-Brownfields-Webinar_ENYCLT-slides.pdf">View Hannah’s and Shantanu’s presentation slides here</a>
<h2>The Bottom Line</h2>
As James Yelen noted in closing, don't underestimate the time it takes upfront to build trust and engage communities—everything feels urgent, but that foundation is what makes the work stick. CLTs and brownfield remediation are deeply connected strategies for community-driven revitalization, and the projects shared in this webinar are proof of what's possible when communities control land and shape their own futures. With federal funding for this work hanging in the balance, we must continue to uplift these stories and bring them to the attention of local, state, and federal policymakers.
<hr />
<a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/programs-and-coalitions/national-brownfields-coalition/get-involved/">Click this link to learn more or get involved with the National Brownfields Coalition</a>, or contact <a href="mailto:brownfields@smartgrowthamerica.org">brownfields@smartgrowthamerica.org</a>

How Community Land Trusts are reclaiming brownfields — and why it matters now

Oneonta, AL

This year’s Complete Streets Leadership Academy will work with the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) and the communities of Moody, Oneonta, and Springville. In support of the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/active-people-healthy-nation/php/about/index.html"> Active People, Healthy Nation</a><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/active-people-healthy-nation/php/about/index.html">SM</a> initiative, the program will bring together ALDOT, local staff from each community, and regional partners to address transportation safety concerns and needs to make their communities more activity-friendly.
Smart Growth America’s highly successful <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Complete Streets Leadership Academy (CSLA) </a>has led to street design changes, stronger relationships, and systemic changes in states including Alaska, California, Connecticut, <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/resources/kentucky-complete-streets-leadership-academy/">Kentucky</a>, <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/maryland-csla/">Maryland</a>, and Tennessee. Now in its fourth year, the work in Alabama will demonstrate how quick builds can be used by small towns and rural communities in collaboration with regional and state partners.
Pedestrian fatalities remain stubbornly high across the U.S., with only marginal improvements since the COVID-19 pandemic. In SGA’s <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/signature-reports/dangerous-by-design/">2024 Dangerous by Design</a>, Alabama was the 15th most dangerous state for pedestrians. The communities selected to participate in this year’s CSLA have something in common with many places across the U.S. experiencing road safety concerns—a state-owned highway bisecting a community, making it harder to create active, healthy, and economically thriving places. The purpose of communities implementing <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/programs-and-coalitions/national-complete-streets-coalition/quick-build-demonstration-projects/">quick-build demonstrations</a> through the CSLA is to identify timely, feasible ways to achieve a shared vision of success for these roads and the surrounding areas.
<blockquote>
“We know that the Complete Streets Leadership Academy model works. We have seen it bring together communities, build partnerships, and kickstart systemic changes to bring about more of the changes needed to make sure more people end up safely home at the end of the day,” said Heidi Simon, Director of Thriving Communities at Smart Growth America. “This year’s cohort will demonstrate that all this and more is possible for smaller communities as well.”
</blockquote>
Participants in the program will take part in virtual sessions with national experts, learn from peers across the state, and engage in activities designed to advance the implementation of community-specific quick-build demonstrations. The communities will partner with ALDOT, Smart Growth America, and technical experts to design, implement, and measure the effectiveness of their quick-build projects, helping identify strategies for long-term change that sustainably improve transportation safety across the state, build state and local capacity, and foster collaboration at both the state and local levels.
<figure id="attachment_114068" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-114068" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Oneonta-AL.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-114068" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Oneonta-AL-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Oneonta-AL-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Oneonta-AL-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Oneonta-AL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Oneonta-AL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Oneonta-AL.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-114068" class="wp-caption-text">Oneonta, AL</figcaption></figure>
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The Complete Streets Leadership Academy is made possible by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (Cooperative Agreement CDC-RFA-PW-24-0080). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC. The program is part of the CDC’s<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/active-people-healthy-nation/php/about/index.html"> Active People, Healthy Nation</a><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/active-people-healthy-nation/php/about/index.html">SM</a> Initiative that is working to help 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027.

alabama

Complete Streets Leadership Academy

Rural

State DOTs

2026 Complete Streets Leadership Academy launches in Alabama, bringing quick-build demonstrations to small communities across the state

300 - Cross Bronx Construction

Divided by Design

Divisive infrastructure

7 questions with Adam Paul Susaneck on the BQE and documenting the legacy of divisive infrastructure