A quiet revolution is underway in the Bay Area. From suburban enclaves to inner cities, a new pattern of development is sprouting. Faceless strip malls are giving way to attractive, mixed-use plazas that invite walking and social interaction. Where uninterrupted tracts of single family homes have long ruled, pockets of high-density housing are taking shape, often near transit stations. Jurisdictions that once embraced development at any cost are drawing the line on growth, setting aside precious open space for future generations. And here and there, city streets teetering on the edge of urban decay are getting a facelift and an infusion of investment.

Indeed the commitment to smart growth principles have resulted in smart growth throughout the Bay Area. Smart growth has sprang up in the form of mixed-use projects, multi-family housing, small lot developments, innovative retail & commercial projects and transit-oriented development. Smart growth advocates have recognized many such projects as being "best practices."

The following are links to a sampling of projects that have brought their respective communities closer to a smarter future. Let us know about your community's smart growth efforts. Email us so we can include them.

Collections of Best Practices
TALC's "Best and Worse Developments of the Bay Area"
Urban Ecology's Design Community
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Smart Growth Policy Database

Local Best Practices
City of El Cerrito's San Pablo Avenue Redevelopment
City of Mountain View's Transit-Oriented Development
Fruitvale Transit Village
City of Palo Alto's El Camino Real/CalTrans Project
Santana Row in San Jose
City of San Leandro's East 14th Street Development Strategy
City of Vallejo's Mare Island Development