Reconnecting America recently released its newest report: Are We There Yet? Creating Complete Communities for 21st Century America, a wide-ranging report that uses “complete communities” as a benchmark for progress.

 

The organization defines complete communities as places where people can live, work, move, and thrive in a healthier, more equitable, and more economically competitive way. The purpose of the report is to present advancements being made toward this goal throughout the U.S.—regardless of zip code, wealth, urban or rural location, or size.

The study examined all 366 Metropolitan Statistical Areas and found that 317 have at least one Opportunity Area. These areas received grades in categories such as Living, Working, Moving, and Thriving.

 

The term “opportunity area” refers to a residential area with smaller blocks and moderate density housing and/or jobs. Because of the infrastructure, these areas provide a range of transportation options, including public transit, walking, and biking. The Moving component of the study looked at the availability of these modes of transportation and their impact on the community.

 

APTA, the Ford Foundation, and the Surdna Foundation all contributed to this report. The complete text can be found here.