Who is CNU?

The Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) is the leading organization promoting walkable, mixed-use neighborhood development, sustainable communities and healthier living conditions.

For nearly twenty years, CNU members have used the principles in CNU's Charter to promote the hallmarks of New Urbanism, including:

• Livable streets arranged in compact, walkable blocks.
• A range of housing choices to serve people of diverse ages and income levels.
• Schools, stores and other nearby destinations reachable by walking, bicycling or transit service.
• An affirming, human-scaled public realm where appropriately designed buildings define and enliven streets and other public spaces.

Established by co-founders Andres Duany, Peter Calthorpe, Elizabeth Moule, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, Stefanos Polyzoides and Dan Solomon and supported today by distinguished board members and other thought-leaders from the worlds of urban design, development and government policy, CNU works to deliver these hallmarks to communities across North America and overseas on multiple scales. Settings where new urbanists are active include both emerging growth areas and brownfields, suburbs and small towns where New Urbanism can either reinforce the character of existing walkable areas or help to "retrofit" automobile-oriented malls and office parks to become walkable communities. The principles of New Urbanism are also central to making whole regions more livable, coherent and sustainable.

With a history of forming productive alliances, CNU has been at the forefront of efforts to reform how we design and build communities and their infrastructure.

Our partners have included:

• US Department of Housing and Urban Development on Hope VI
• US Environmental Protection Agency on Smart Growth
• Institute of Transportation Engineers and the Federal Highway Administration on the new manual for Context-Sensitive Urban Thoroughfares
• A lead partner with Natural Resources Defense Council and the US Green Building Council in creating the nation's first rating system for green neighborhoods, the newly released LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND)

Our founding Charter is a source for the Sustainable Communities partnership of the HUD, EPA and the US Department of Transportation.

CNU's 2010 Congress is being developed with assistance from the Centers for Disease Control on the theme of “New Urbanism: Rx for Healthy Places,” reflecting growing scientific evidence that walkable neighborhoods enjoy significant health advantages over automobile dominated sprawl.

The emerging definition of healthy communities reflects concern for local food production, water infrastructure, the level of traffic injuries and deaths on our streets, the efficiency of our street networks, and their accessibility by an aging population.

CNU takes a proactive, multi-disciplinary approach to restoring our communities. Members are the life of the organization – they are the planners, developers, architects, engineers, public officials, investors, and community activists who create and influence our built environment, transforming growth patterns from the inside out, and making it easier for people to live healthy lives. Whether it's bringing restorative plans to hurricane-battered communities in the Gulf Coast, turning dying malls into vibrant mixed-use neighborhoods, or reconnecting isolated public housing projects to the surrounding fabric, new urbanists are providing leadership in community building.

Our relationship with our members allows us to do more than just talk about the problems of the built environment. Together, we are creating tools that make it easier to put New Urbanism into practice around the world.

CNU is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.