What 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.

Founded in 1993, 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 safely reachable by walking, riding bicycles, 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, academia, citizen activism, and government policy, CNU works to deliver these hallmarks to communities across North America and overseas on multiple scales.  Whether in brownfields, emerging growth areas, established cities, or small town suburbs, New Urbanism enhances and improves the character of existing areas in making them walkable, sustainable, and vibrant.  The New Urbanism revitalizes and energizes communities to reach their true potential.  New Urbanism’s principles are central to making entire regions more livable, coherent, and sustainable.

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

Our partners have included:

• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Hope VI;
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Smart Growth;
• Institute of Transportation Engineers and the Federal Highway Administration on the Manual for Context-Sensitive Urban Thoroughfares;
• The U.S. Green Building Council and Natural Resources Defense Council in creating the nation’s first rating system for green neighborhoods, LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND);
• CNU’s founding Charter is a source for the Sustainable Communities partnership of the HUD, EPA and the U.S. Department of Transportation.  At CNU’s 18th annual Congress, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan announced that his agency would evaluate all grant applications using LEED-ND and the concept of location efficiency.

CNU takes a proactive, multi-disciplinary approach to restoring our cities, neighborhoods, and blocks.  Members are the life of the organization.  We 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 healthier lives.  Whether bringing restorative plans to hurricane-battered communities in the Gulf Coast, turning dying malls into active mixed-use neighborhoods, or reconnecting isolated public housing projects to the surrounding urban fabric, new urbanists are among the nation’s leading community builders.

Our members do more than just talk about improving the built environment.  Together, through our Initiatives and our annual Congress gathering, we are creating tools that make it easier to implement New Urbanism around the world.

About CNU Chapters

Regional groups bring CNU’s message home at the regional, state, and multi-state levels.  They will provide new ways to take part in the movement. And they will enhance public and professional education and networking.  CNU Florida can:

• Help you meet colleagues;
• Share information about policies, resources, and best practices in the region;
• Teach the public in your region about New Urbanism, broadening the movement’s support base;
• provide in-depth education — close to home; and
• Help you and other people in your region influence the movement’s priorities.

All CNU members residing in Florida are members of CNU Florida.  An independent board of directors, governs CNU Florida.

Founding Members

Robert Ansley
ArX Solutions Inc., Architect
Baskerville-Donovan Inc.
Joseph D Beck
Gene Claude Boles
Brytan Development LLC
C3TS
Cagan Management Group Inc.
Canin Associates
Franklin Caplan
Richard Caster
Juan Caycedo
Chael Cooper & Associates
Civitas LLC Partner
Cooper Johnson Smith Architects Inc.
DAG Architects
Larry Davis
Dover Kohl & Partners
Elizabeth Dowdle
Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company
David Evans
FAU - Catanese Center for Urban & Environmental Solutions
Florida Institute of Technology
Genesis Group
Geoffrey P. Mouen Architect
Anthea M Gianniotes
Michael Gibbons
Glatting Jackson
Doris S Goldstein
Greater Miami LISC
Gunster Yoakley & Stewart P.A.
Hall Planning & Engineering
Henry A Hanisee
HDR Inc.
HomeTown Neighborhoods Inc
Matthew Horton
Chet Hunt
Kimley-Horn & Associates
Jeff Kune
Dana Little
Chip & Carolyn Mikell
Miller Sellen Conner & Walsh
James A. Moore
New Urban Communities
Lamar Noriega
David Page
Wiley Parker
Samuel Poole III
Navin Ramani
REG Architects
William Renner
Craig Robins
Rollins College (Dept. of Environmental Growth and Management Studies)
Rosemary Beach Land Co.
Ruden McClosky Smith Schuster Russes
Sebastian Salvat
David Scher
School of Architecture University of Miami
Fred Schwartz
Seaside
Frank Folsum Smith
Brian Spencer
William Spikowski
Carol Stricklin
The Evans Group
The Haile Group
The Ransome Group
The St. Joe Company
Traditional Neighborhoods/ Sydgan Corp.
Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council
Richard Unger
Ustler Development Inc
Erick & Estela Valle
Veranda Partners LLC
visplan.com
Michael Wallwork
Jack Winston
<h3>Thanks also for the generous support from:</h3>
Clifford Duch
Lynn Fitzpatrick
Martin Hodgkins
Gloria Katz
Ping Liu
Peter Magyar
Mark Pateman
Holly Hare Stenger
Richard Storm

For more information about CNU Regional Groups, download the ChaptersHandbookDraft (pdf, 128 kb).

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

CNU Board members have developed a strategic plan for the organization, laying out how to enable and promote reform of the regulatory structures governing development and practices of the building industry and related professionals.