Smart Growth Dear LASN: Two articles on urban sprawl, published in the January 2003 Letters to the Editor section, correctly noted the ever-growing crisis in affordable housing in the U.S. They then proceeded, however, to blame that crisis on "smart growth" and open space laws. The polemics of the articles aside, a few points are offered in response. There have been a number of attempts in the name of "smart growth" to limit or stop growth in the absence of a balanced approach to regional development. Such single-issue initiatives are not, however, reflective of comprehensive smart growth policies. Growth, housing, racial and social equity, the gentrification that can result from needed neighborhood revitalization programs - these are never easy issues. Increasingly, federal, state and local officials, smart growth and housing advocates, community and professional organizations, developers and urban planners are recognizing the need to join forces to address them and coordinate strategies. As a 2001 study of the National Neighborhood Coalition (NCC) pointed out, "both housing and smart-growth advocates are becoming more aware of the need to link affordable housing to discussions about smart growth and regional growth management." While there is no one formula for all circumstances, there are numerous tools and resources available to those working this issue. Efforts to preserve open space do not automatically translate into reduced affordable housing. Those who argue otherwise like to suggest that Portland with its urban growth boundary is an example to the contrary. The NCC study cites "conventional housing market dynamics and above average growth in employment and population" as more plausible explanations for Portland's experience. Indeed, the study points out that, while Portland's housing prices did rise faster than the national average, they were less than comparable to regional cities such as Salt Lake City and Denver without any supply side restrictions. The booming housing market in recent years, zoning and property tax policies, piecemeal development, limited housing options favored by many builders, inadequate public funding -there are many factors that can prompt affordable housing imbalances. Smart growth is not the cause but it can be part of the solution. Smart growth is still "a work in progress" as communities across the U.S. confront the challenges of development. It can, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has pointed out, contribute in fact to "the quality, supply, and distribution of housing which is affordable to all." Websites of the EPA, NNC, and Smart Growth Network are several good sources of data and analysis on smart growth and affordable housing. Members of the Smart Growth Network's Affordable Housing subgroup (e.g., EPA, NCC, Urban Land Institute, American Planning Association, Fannie Mae) can also provide useful information. As for the landscape architecture profession, many of its members throughout the country have been and remain involved in smart growth and open space issues as part of responsible land use planning. If a few owls and minnows are saved in the process, all the better. G. Hazelrigg, Associate, ASLA McLean, Virginia Editor?EUR??,,????'?????<