What If

A Call To Convergence

California, get smart!

Every year educational facilities are built all across the state. Too many of these facilities are dinosaurs the day they open. At the same time, a wide range of libraries, parks, and other state, regional and local facilities are being planned and constructed to duplicate many of the same functions and services. Meanwhile, a demand for 250,000 new homes every year is consuming thousands of acres of farmland in suburban sprawl, exacerbating critical problems with transportation and pollution. A crisis already exists. The rapid escalation of this crisis is producing irreversible consequences for the quality of life of Californians now and in the future.

There is an urgent need to create appropriate mechanisms for planning, policies and practice to guide California's near-term and long-term growth. Knowing that the amount of time needed for creating these tools will itself be time consuming, the urgency is even more acute to take immediate action on the crucial first steps.

The resources needed to meet the challenge are already available. Powerful movements aimed at education reform and smart growth already offer promising concepts, coalitions, policy recommendations and communications vehicles to intensify the evolution of creative solutions. With a convergence of these two movements, Californians might actually achieve the interdependent goals of New Schools, Better Neighborhoods, More Livable Communities.

California, just imagine what if?