Denise G. Fairchild
Emerald Cities Collaborative

Patrick J. Revord
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education

The views expressed in this introduction are those of the guest editors and do not represent the official positions or policies of the Office of Policy Development and Research, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or the U.S. government.

High-quality places to work, play, and raise children are well defined. They provide access to affordable housing, good employment, education, recreation, shopping, and other basic needs and community amenities. They are safe from crime, floods, pollution, and the insecurities of natural and man-made disasters. They are fortified by resilient infrastructure that reliably moves goods, people, water, and energy to homes and businesses. They radiate feelings of belonging and mutual interdependence.