A short video detailing life expectancy differences between people based on the built environment, policies, and access to health resources in their neighborhood, often due to racial and economic discrimination. The video shows how zip code can be more influential to health than genetic code.

In September 2015, USDN developed a holistic curriculum of webinars, videos, and worksheets to help local government staff to apply an equity lens to a sustainability project, including choosing a good project, communicating about the project and racial equity, building a team, applying proven equity tools, and designing the project to embed an equity lens in local government practice.

This guide from the Urban Sustainability Directors Network is an important read that highlights the interdependence between socioeconomic and racial equity and sustainability. It highlights 10 “Good Practices” for community leaders to help integrate equity into sustainability efforts, and highlights cases from around the country using the “Good Practices.”

District Energy is the local production and distribution of thermal energy used for residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. This guide is an important read for municipal officials, planners, and neighborhood champions interested in building a district energy system in their community.

The Community Engagement Guide for Sustainable Communities includes the essential framework for effective community engagement. The guide covers the benefits of community engagement from hyper-local to regional planning projects, explains practical strategies, highlights case studies, and answers frequently asked questions about the topic.

Developed by Portland State University, this handbook details climate action strategies to help neighborhoods reduce carbon footprint and fossil fuel dependency. While primarily focused on planning for Southeast Portland, this tool is certainly applicable to any neighborhood planner or advocate that is looking to bring the community together to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change.

The Organizer’s Workbook is an easy-to-follow guidebook that provides the fundamental guidelines and tools for neighborhood planning and community engagement strategies through the framework of Asset Based Community Development. The framework is a great tool for community members who are beginning their first neighborhood project, seasoned planners working on a multi-district development, or anyone in-between.