Community Development: Extent of Federal Influence on Urban Sprawl Is Unclear

Addresses concerns about the contribution of federal programs & policies to urban sprawl (US) while recognizing that land-use planning has traditionally been a function of state & local governments. It (1) reviews research on the origins & implications of US, (2) describes the evidence that exists on the influence of current federal programs & policies on US, & (3) identifies regulatory review & coordination mechanisms evaluating & mitigating the effects of federal actions on US. It is based on a review of research & discussions with experts in the public, private, & educational communities on growth-related issues.