Brownfields, Vacant Properties and Sustainable Community Development

and mobile pollution sources (e.g., trucks, buses, trains, highways, freeways).

Revitalizing and redeveloping abandoned, often contaminated properties, demonstrates the convergence of complex environmental, social and economic issues.  For example, compared to their numbers in the general population, many of these properties are in “minority” and low-income neighborhoods.  Thus, equity, race and class discrimination, the diminished tax base in municipalities and suburban sprawl are inseparable from the blight and marginalized communities that accompany brownfields.

In the past two decades, a coherent vision of sustainability has emerged, which addresses the relationship of these issues to the health and vitality of a community.  Commonly referred to as sustainable communities, this vision recognizes the significance of meeting community needs and aspirations, and positions those who live within it as integral partners in decision-making.  The sustainable communities approach is the junction of equity, economics and the environment.  It's focused on building the capacity of communities to participate in decisions, creating partnerships with other stakeholders, mobilizing resources and producing sustainable results.