In communities across the United States, the need for equitable development is painfully clear.  Families of all income levels struggle to secure affordable housing, maintain decent employment, and maintain the environmental safety of their neighborhoods. Displacement continues to be a concern in communities with high levels of public or private investment. Urban and suburban commuters feel the impact of transportation systems that do not adequately address mass transit needs.

Now on one website, you will find a comprehensive set of policy options to advance economic and social equity. The tools in the Equitable Development ToolKit have been crafted to help community builders achieve diverse, mixed-income neighborhoods that provide access to opportunities for employment, educations, and safe, affordable housing. The tools help reduce social and economic disparities among individuals, social groups, neighborhoods, and local jurisdictions across metropolitan regions. The ToolKit can help advocates:

• Ensure that investment benefits current residents, businesses, and cultural institutions;
• Link residents to regional economic opportunities;
• Secure the equitable distribution of affordable housing throughout metropolitan regions;
• Foster participation of low-income communities and communities of color in local and regional planning decisions; and
• Address gentrification to avoid residential displacement.

Used together, these tools can over time reverse patterns of development that have concentrated poverty, segregated communities, and limited opportunities for lower-income residents of the region. The ToolKit targets policies that promote vital mixed-income communities, benefit all of their residents, and strengthen metropolitan regions. It recognizes that to have impact at the regional level requires actions both locally and within state government, and has tools targeted to both arenas. Visit the principles in action to see what underlying values drive the ToolKit, or browse online tools to see what specific policy tools might prove most helpful to your efforts.