A Sampler of Resources on Suburban Sprawl
February 11, 1999 | Read Time: 2 minutes
The American Farmland Trust (http://www.farmland.org) identifies the 20 agricultural areas in the United States most threatened by suburban sprawl, and also lists information about its Competition for Land project and links to many of its publications.
ALSO SEE:
U.S. Cities Most Affected by Sprawl
The Brookings Institution
posts on its Web site studies conducted under its Metropolitan Initiative: Promoting Healthy Regions, Smarter Growth, and Reinvestment program (http://www.brook.edu/es/urban/metro.htm). Included is a report (“Livability at the Ballot Box”) on the sprawl-related ballot questions from November’s elections (http://www.brook.edu/es/urban/myers.pdf).
The Center for Neighborhood Technology describes its Location Efficient Mortgage concept — a tool being tested in Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco that provides incentives for homeowners in areas served by public transit — on its Web site (http://www.cnt.org/lem).
The Sierra Club has produced a report, “The Dark Side of the American Dream: The Costs and Consequences of Suburban Sprawl,” which is available at http://www.sierraclub.org/transportation/sprawl/sprawl_report. The report lists the U.S. cities with the worst sprawl problems. The Web site also includes information on the club’s Challenge to Sprawl Campaign.
The Smart Growth Network, a partner of the Sustainable Communities Network, lists reports, case studies, and a calendar of meetings and conferences dealing with smart growth — development that serves communities’ environmental and social needs — on its Web site (http://www.smartgrowth.org).
The Sprawl Watch Clearinghouse follows sprawl-related developments around the country and posts the information on its Web site (http://www.sprawlwatch.org). It has also published a briefing guide for grant makers, “How Smart Growth Can Stop Sprawl.” The guide is available for $10 from Sprawl Watch Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 33144, Washington 20033-0144; (202) 387-8030.
The Surface Transportation Policy Project has created a User’s Guide to the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, the massive federal transportation bill approved last year. The guide is available on its Web site (http://www.tea21.org/guide/guideonline.htm).
