San Francisco | Bay Area | California | Other States | National | International
San Francisco
American Institute of Architects (AIA) of San Francisco
The official trade association of architects in San Francisco, the AIA provides a number of resources to local architects and planners.
City CarShare
All of the convenience of a car without the hassle or expense of owning one—City CarShare provides vehicles to people in the Bay Area on an hourly basis.
The Green Affordable Housing Coalition
A coalition of San Francisco Bay Area public-sector and private-sector professionals committed to incorporating green building practices into the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of affordable housing through education and outreach. The website provides Green Building resources, including fact sheets, case studies, web links, and an events calendar.
Neighborhood Parks Council
A coalition of community-based parks groups working to improve the quality of parks in San Francisco through outreach, volunteer efforts, and special events.
Presidio Trust
Chartered by Congress to run this former military base, now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
Rescue Muni
San Francisco’s transit-riders advocacy group.
San Francisco Architectural Heritage
Works to preserve architecturally and historically significant structures and promote public appreciation for historic preservation.
San Francisco Beautiful
Works to improve the vitality of San Francisco’s streets, parks, and neighborhoods through civic initiatives, grants, and award programs.
San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
The bike riders’ advocacy group: promoting the bicycle for everyday transportation.
San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
Offers resources to local businesses and encourages policies that would improve the city’s business climate.
San Francisco CITYSCAPE
This "online journal of Bay Area Urban Design" includes interviews and essays that are mostly centered on Bay Area transportation.
San Francisco CitySpace
A cultural organization that examines the city across a range of disciplines such as architecture, film, and mapping.
San Francisco Green Schoolyard Alliance
The SFGSA promotes community-driven processes that create and maintain healthy, environmentally sustainable learning environments in San Francisco's schools.
San Francisco Housing Action Coalition
Advocates for more housing opportunities in San Francisco at all income levels.
San Francisco Prize
Sponsors design competitions for important public projects in the city.
San Francisco Urban Institute
A nonprofit project of the San Francisco State University that brings together resources from the University and community to address some of the pressing issues that face the city.
Transportation for a Livable City
An advocacy group that promotes walking, bicycling, and transit as the cornerstones of urban transportation.
Urban Solutions
Economic development non-profit that helps small businesses get
started in San Francisco and works to re-vitalize some of the city's
most challenged commercial corridors.
Walk San Francisco
San Francisco’s pedestrian-advocacy group.
Bay Area
Association of Bay Area Government (ABAG)
The Bay Area’s council of governments. A great source for demographic information, reports, and analysis about the region.
Bay Area Council
The advocacy group for 275+ of the Bay Area’s largest businesses.
College of Environmental Design, UC Berkeley
Home to UC Berkeley’s programs of Architecture, City and Regional Planning, and Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning.
Great Communities Collaborative
The first-ever coordinated, regionwide attempt to do organizing to support transit oriented developments around specific stations in the Bay Area.
Greenbelt Alliance
Founded the year before SPUR as a sister organization, Greenbelt works to stop suburban sprawl and direct growth into compact walkable communities.
Joint Venture Silicon Valley
A South Bay advocacy group that brings together business, labor, government, and the community to build a sustainable and innovative economy.
Metropolitan Transportation Commission
The transportation planning, financing, and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.
Saving the Bay
A movie about the history of the movement to save San Francisco Bay--
great footage, great story.
Silicon Valley Leadership Group
Business advocacy group for the South Bay working on economic development, affordable housing, transportation, and sustainability issues.
Still Here, San Francisco Estuary Institute
A team of artists and scientists investigating the physical and ecological transformation of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Transportation and Land Use Coalition (TALC)
The Bay Area’s main alternative transportation advocacy group, TALC is a partnership of over 90 groups who advocate “smart growth” through linking transportation with land use.
Urban Ecology
Promotes sustainability through urbanism, advocating density, diversity, and transportation choices. Especially active in the East Bay.
California
California Budget Project
A Sacramento group that publishes independent analysis of state budget and policy issues.
California Center for Land Recycling
Promotes the rehabilitation and reuse of contaminated or underused sites within existing urban areas so that they may be used for infill development.
California Center for Regional Leadership
A network of regional organizations working toward environmental justice, smart growth, and a healthy economy.
California Climate Change Center
The mission of this UC Berkeley Center is to advance the state-of-the-science regarding the potential regional impacts of climate change on California and its economy, ecology and society.
California Connected
A weekly newsmagazine program that brings in experts to discuss issues facing California today.
California High Speed Rail Authority
The body charged with planning a network of high-speed-train service in California.
California Historical Society
Preserves, presents, and educates on materials relevant to California’s history.
California Research Bureau
Provides nonpartisan research services to the Governor and his staff, to both houses of the legislature, and to other state elected officials.
Capitol Weekly
The newspaper of California government and politics.
Governor's Office of Planning and Research: A Citizen's Guide to Planning
Introduces some of the basic concepts of city planning in California, such as General Plans and zoning.
Great Valley Center
Promotes the economic, social, and environmental interests of the Central Valley.
Housing California
A statewide legislative advocate that sponsors policy changes aimed at improving the availability of housing to low-income residents and the homeless.
Legislative Analyst's Office
Provides the Legislature with nonpartisan analysis of state budgets and legislation.
Local Government Commission
A nonpartisan organization that provides support and technical assistance to local elected officials in creating more livable communities.
Odyssey
This group encourages holistic transportation policy in California, with emphasis on promoting alternatives to highways and personal automobiles.
Office of the Legislative Counsel
Daily updates on Assembly and Senate Bills.
Planning and Conservation League
Lobbies for strengthened environmental legislation in California.
Public Policy Institute of California
A non-partisan public policy research organization.
Other States
1,000 Friends of Oregon
Works to conserve Oregon’s hinterland, in part by promoting compact and livable cities. The model for “1,000 Friends” groups in other states.
Allied Arts Society
A SPUR-like organization in Seattle, Washington, that focuses on arts advocacy.
Beyond D.C.
A site that focuses on planning, architecture, and transit around the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
Center for Neighborhood Technology (Chicago)
Promoting sustainable urbanism in the Chicago area, the site has information on car-sharing, appliance emissions, “location efficient” mortgages, green building renovation, and more.
Citizens' Housing and Planning Association (Massachusetts)
Extensive information on housing policy and affordable housing in Massachusetts.
Citizens for Modern Transit (St. Louis)
Working to expand MetroLink, the integrated transit system in St. Louis.
Citizens League
The Citizens League builds civic capacity in Minnesota by identifying, framing and proposing solutions to public policy problems; developing new generations of civic leaders who govern for the common good; and organizing the individual and institutional relationships necessary to achieve these goals.
Citizens' Planning and Housing Association (Baltimore)
A SPUR-like organization in Baltimore, Maryland.
City Club of Portland
A public policy and civic activism organization in Portland.
Coalition for a Livable Future
A network of 60 community-based organizations working together to create a more equitable and sustainable Portland metropolitan region.
EcoCity Cleveland
A non-profit that promotes smart growth and environmentally-friendly redevelopment in the Cleveland, Ohio region.
Lower Manhattan Development Corporation
Created in the aftermath of September 11, 2001 to revitalize and rebuild Lower Manhattan.
Metropolitan Planning Council
Civic/business organization that promotes good planning for the Chicago region, founded in 1934.
Michigan Land Use Institute
Founded in 1995 to help Michigan avoid the patterns of suburban sprawl and over-development.
Municipal Art Society of New York (MAS)
Promotes historical preservation and excellence in urban design in New York City.
New England Futures
A marketplace of ideas for the future of New England engaging an open and growing collaboration of citizens, businesses, academia, government, media, foundations and non profits.
New York City Streets Renaissance
Building the movement to re-imagine New York City's streets as lively public places.
Portland Office of Sustainable Development
Researches and promotes sustainable practices in Portland, Oregon.
Portland Office of Transportation
Manages Portland, Oregon's transportation infrastructure.
Regional Plan Association (New York Tri-State Area)
Researches solutions to problems facing the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut region such as transportation, housing, and open space.
Siteline Institute
A Seattle-based nonprofit that monitors and promotes environmental sustainability in the Pacific Northwest.
The Skyscraper Museum
A not-to-be-missed site that looks at high-rise construction in New York. Requires Macromedia Flash player.
National
America 2050
Network of organizations (including SPUR) that are working to plan for mega-regions across the United States.
American Institute of Architects (AIA)
Provides resources to Architects nationwide.
American Planning Association
A primary source of information on planning in America, the APA publishes the Journal of the American Planning Association.
Apollo Alliance
Provides a message of optimism and hope, framed around rejuvenating our nation's economy by creating the next generation of American industrial jobs and treating clean energy as an economic and security mandate to rebuild America.
Architecture 2030's "2030 °Challenge"
As buildings are the major source of demand for energy and materials that produce by-product greenhouse gases, Architecture 2030 challenges the global architecture and building community to keep global warming to approximately a degree centigrade (°C) above today's level.
Brownfield Source
A comprehensive site with resources and news on brownfield (land which contains hazardous substances) development and recycling.
Brookings Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy
A public-policy think tank researching solutions faced by urban and metropolitan areas. Sponsored by
The Brookings Institution.
Building Better Communities Network
An information clearinghouse with essays on affordable housing, civic engagement and improving quality of life in America.
Climate Solutions
This group is working on climate-change issues on a local level, in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia.
Complete the Streets
States, cities and towns are asking their planners, engineers and designers to build road networks that welcome all citizens, young or old, motorist or bicyclist, walker or wheelchair user, bus rider or shopkeeper.
Congress for the New Urbanism
CNU is one of the original “smart growth” organizations that promotes walkable neighborhoods and open space preservation.
The Cultural Landscape Foundation
TCLF works to educate the public on the importance of America’s cultural landscapes.
Cybubia
Urban planning social/community site and portal that includes a
message board, image gallery, planning-related blog feeds, and wiki.
Economagic
A good source for economic data series such as Gross National Product, exchange rates and income over time.
Institute for Local Self Reliance
Promotes environmentally sound economic development strategies, such as thinking and acting locally.
League of Women Voters
A grassroots citizens’ organization that encourages active participation in government elections.
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Works to preserve America’s historic buildings and neighborhoods.
The Next American City
A quarterly magazine that explores the transformation of American cities and suburbs.
Planetizen.com
A great resource for news, jobs, and events relating to planning and development.
Planner's Network
This group advocates the use of planning as a tool to help achieve social justice.
Planning Commissioner's Journal
A publication for citizen planners such as planning commissioners and members of zoning boards.
Policy Link
This national research and advocacy group works to bring local constituencies into closer contact with policymaking institutions.
Project for Public Spaces
Assists communities in creating and sustaining civic spaces such as plazas and public markets.
Public Campaign
A website devoted to national campaign finance reform.
Reconnecting America
Devoted to “transit-oriented development,” or building communities around—and linking them together with—efficient mass-transit systems.
Redefining Progress
One of the older organizations that has been promoting sustainability in public policy, RP is a good source for data that quantify resource overuse in America.
Resource Renewal Institute
Works to preserve protected lands and make clear the connection between environmental and human health.
Smart City Radio
A weekly, hour-long radio talk show that deals entirely with urban life. The show is both webcast and broadcast via National Public Radio.
Smart Growth Network
A government / NGO partnership seeking to promote best practices in smart growth.
Surface Transportation Policy Project
Washington lobbyist that advocates transportation alternatives to the automobile.
U.S. Census Bureau
A great resource for demographic information on the American population.
U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Program
A federal program advancing energy efficiency technology in building.
US Department of Energy for Sustainability
Provides general information on resource efficiency, green building, and renewable energies.
International
A Pattern Language
The companion site to Christopher Alexander’s seminal book on architectural theory.
A Vision of Europe
Dedicated to classically inspired planning and architecture in Europe.
Carfree Cities
A companion site to the book of the same name; proposes alternatives to urban automobiles.
City Planners Network
Facilitates exchange between urban planners to develop and implement creative solutions to real-world planning problems.
International Association of Public Transport
This worldwide association of urban and regional public transit operators hosts a wealth of research and analysis on all aspects of public transit.
The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives
A partnership of some 450 municipalities worldwide promoting sustainable development.
The London Plan: Mayor's Spatial Development Strategy
This is the Mayor of London’s plan to transform London into a sustainable city.
Prince's Foundation
An educational charity established by The Prince of Wales to teach and demonstrate in practice good principles of urban design and architecture.
Royal Town Planning Institute
Advances the science and art of town planning for the benefit of the public.
The Skyscraper Page
A paean to the skyscraper, this site includes histories, essays, and many images.
Victoria Transport Policy Institute
Researches solutions to transportation problems in Victoria, British Columbia.
Worldchanging.com
A blog with links and analysis of current events in sustainability.
