4.1 State of the Discussion in the USA

The discussion has a more emotional character and is held broader in the U.S. than in Germany. Participants are for the most part private groups, initiatives, foundations, etc.. Urban sprawl is often the sole initiating topic of discussions and is seldom crowded together with other developments under the same headline. Especially local initiatives follow the goal of stopping sprawl in their area, but there are also regional and national groups engaged against sprawl.

Sprawl is however not only considered to be negative. A number of initiatives see in urban sprawl the potential to realize the American dream of a single family home with a large plot of land. These groups consider the density of cities to be problematic enough for them to prefer urban sprawl.

The following list contains first a number of anti-sprawl initiatives (a-c) and then presents a selection of pro-sprawl campaigns (d-e).

a) The Smart Growth Network
b) Congress for the New Urbanism
c) Sierra Club

d) Friends of Oregon
e) Heritage Foundation

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