Anti-Sprawl Policies: Hazardous To Our Wealth

The California San Joaquin Valley's air pollution is not of its own making --- it is being exported from elsewhere.

1 minute read

January 17, 2003, 10:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"The San Joaquin Valley's bad air is also being exported from the Bay area as a consequence of public policies that are both willful and avoidable. For years, cities and counties in the San Francisco Bay area have been imposing "smart growth" policies such as urban growth boundaries and hefty development impact fees in an attempt to control "urban sprawl." These policies significantly raise the price of housing by rationing land, politicizing land use decisions and restricting competition in home building."

Thanks to Chris Steins

Thursday, January 16, 2003 in The Public Purpose

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Houston, Texas skyline.

Housing Vouchers as a Key Piece of Houston’s Housing Strategy

The Houston Housing Authority supports 19,000 households through the housing voucher program.

22 minutes ago - Urban Edge

Aerial view of Broadway Street of Philipsburg, Montana, Philipsburg is a town in and the county seat of Granite County, Montana, United States.

Rural Population Grew Again in 2024

Americans continued to move to smaller towns and cities, resulting in a fourth straight year of growth in rural areas.

1 hour ago - The Daily Yonder

Low view of bike lane on New York City street with bike share station next to curb.

Safe Streets Grants: What to Know

This year’s round of Safe Streets for All grant criteria come with some changes.

2 hours ago - Transportation for America