Focus Areas
Economic Prosperity
Strong economies start with strong communities. At Smart Growth America, we work to ensure that the benefits of development are broadly shared—not just concentrated in a few places or among a few people. This means encouraging development in locations well-connected to jobs, schools, and services; reducing systemic barriers that limit growth; and investing in neighborhoods that have long been overlooked.
Why smart growth is the right strategy to advance economic prosperity
Sprawling, disconnected development patterns come with a steep price. They drive up costs for households, increase infrastructure burdens on local governments, and limit access to economic opportunity. Smart growth offers a more fiscally responsible and equitable approach—one that strengthens local economies while helping public dollars go further.
By prioritizing connected development, walkable neighborhoods, and mixed-use places with access to transit, smart growth helps municipalities invest smarter and boosts local business activity. These strategies also help communities build lasting economic resilience by investing in people, places, and the connections between them.
How we lead
Our team helps communities connect the dots between what we build, how we build it, and the costs of doing so. We make the case for smarter growth strategies through technical assistance, data-driven research, and policy advocacy that supports state and local governments, developers, and advocates in shifting toward more fiscally sound, people-centered approaches to growth.
