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BUILDING LIVABLE CITIES

strategies for a livable city

What is a livable city?  
Modern lifestyles depend on the resources and opportunities in cities  -- most of us live, work, and play in an urban environment. We may not think explicitly about "livability" -- but we know that our quality of life is compromised by traffic congestion, air and water pollution, climate change, street crime, derelict properties, failing schools, unresponsive local government, civic apathy, and long commutes.  As both creatures and creators of our cities, we responsible for the way they shape our lives. Livable cities don't just happen -- they are the intentional result of people who care about the quality of their lives enough to work together building better cities for a better world.

A livable city is a dynamic, flourishing eco-community of nature, places, people, institutions, cultures, and commerce that enables the present generation to realize their human capabilities without compromising the capabilities and opportunities of future generations.  Like families, cities can become unlivable in many ways, but livable cities share key strategies that focus on place, people, community, citizenship, and prosperity.

livable neighorhoods for A LIVABLE CITY

Place: Foster integrity of place
·         Stewardship of place and natural habitat
·         Attractive, safe, walkable, welcoming streetscapes, public spaces, multi-use destination venues
·         Buildings that enhance the natural environment, historic roots, and social infrastructure
·         Smart infrastructure design and execution

People: Foster human flourishing
·         Ample, accessible public amenities and wellness support
·         Nourishing, affordable, abundant, and accessible food
·         Safe, attractive, affordable homes for diverse homeowners, renters, and lifestyles
·         High quality, enriching, and affordable childcare and early childhood education for a lifelong love of learning and resilience
·         Healthy growth opportunities for people of diverse ages, traditions, and lifestyles

Community: Foster human connections and social resilience
·         Social infrastructure for interaction, communication, and neighborliness
·         Collaborative practices for building shared identity, values,  goals, and solving problems
·         Branding/bonding events that celebrate community identity, values, traditions, milestones, and connections to place

 Citizenship: Foster civic engagement
·         Education for personal agency, active citizenship, and civic leadership
·         Social infrastructures/practices for civic responsibility and action
·         Responsive and proactive public officials, policy and government

Prosperity: Foster inclusive wealth creation
·         Education for economic competence
·         Entrepreneurial, conscientious, and adaptive workforce/business community
·         Robust public, private, and social sector commercial and social investment partnerships
·         Innovative capitalization of undervalued assets and community benefits
·         Innovative business models

LIVABLE cities for a LIVABLE FUTURE!