The smart growth development concept encourages a mix of uses and housing types. Achieving smart growth depends on participatory planning, coalition building, and changing the way growth is governed. Business and development interests, government agencies, environmental organizations, community groups, philanthropies, and most important citizens are working together to define problems, envision a future, and devise solutions that will respond to local needs. Local, state, and federal governments are responding to citizens growing dissatisfaction with sprawl by enacting policies and laws that encourage smart growth, from directing the investment of tax dollars to areas of existing development to changing zoning and tax laws. Ultimately, smart growth is about building on existing assets, becoming less reliant on the automobile, and using land more wisely.
Smart growth requires creative thinking, cooperation, and hard work.
It offers a model for livable communities in the 21st century. A traveling version of the exhibition will be supported in part by The George Gund Foundation .