IPA has launched a new initiative titled "Making Smart Growth Happen: The public administration challenge". It is our experience that there is relatively little applied research around the public administration challenges associated with the implemention of smart growth by state and local governments. We have begun compiling a body of knowledge concerning these issues, and hope to make an important contribution in an otherwise crowded field.

Our work to date, which has involved the participation of staff, several Trustees, and IPA Associates, includes the following:

• A discussion was convened with 25 experts from around the country during the American Planning Association's national conference in April 2000. To view a report of that discussion, click here.*

• Martin Bierbaum, who directs the New Jersey State Plan Implementation Assistance Team, has prepared a comparative study of smart growth efforts in New Jersey and Maryland for IPA. To view report, click here.* An interview with Martin from the IPA Report Newsletter can be viewed by clicking here.*

• In addition, a team of graduate students from the Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at NYU has completed a research project for IPA on the topic of smart growth. Their report includes information on definitions of smart growth; in-depth case studies of three states (Florida, Oregon and Utah); a chapter titled "Smart Growth: a public management challenge"; and a 'scan' of smart growth initiatives in all fifty states. Also, a Wagner graduate student has prepared an independent study research paper about the "marketing and selling" of smart growth.

We have now begun to expand our work:

• We will study the experience of additional states where there is a growth management plan or policy framework; states without a plan; metropolitan regions; and local governments;

• We will develop a conceptual framework and prepare case studies and guidelines about many aspects of the public administration agenda related to smart growth;

• We will attempt to work with organizations of elected officials such as NGA, NACo, USCOM, NCSL and others to communicate and disseminate what we are learning;

• We hope to build sufficient experience to begin advising governments on how to make smart growth happen.

The results of our work will be posted here. We welcome your comments, and would appreciate hearing from those with knowledge and experience related to these matters by email to: david.mammen@nyu.edu

*All documents in Acrobat Reader Format