© Steve Vaughn/Panoramic Images (Florida Title Image Large)
1000 Friends of Florida
1000 Friends of Florida promotes healthy urban and natural places by wise management of growth and change. We educate, advocate, negotiate and, when necessary, litigate to protect our high quality of life. We help citizens develop the technical knowledge and access needed to ensure that public and private decisions lead to livable communities. Our planners, attorneys and community activists work to protect natural areas, fight urban sprawl, promote sensible development patterns, and provide affordable housing. Above all, we strive to give citizens the tools to keep Florida's communities livable. Founded in 1986, 1000 Friends is Florida’s only statewide nonprofit membership organization dedicated to promoting smarter growth.
Visit our website to learn how you can help shape a more sustainable future for Florida.
Programs and Projects
Affordable Housing
1000 Friends was instrumental in securing passage and continuation of the William E. Sadowski Affordable Housing Act of 1992, creating the nation’s largest dedicated funding source for affordable housing. 1000 Friends also provides education, training, and technical assistance to local governments and nonprofits, and works to shape public policy at the state and national levels.
Better Communities
© Dawn McMillan 1000 Friends of FL Genius Illustration
1000 Friends partners with government agencies and private organizations to promote better planning. Major projects include launching Florida’s Greenways Program (now under the Department of Environmental Protection), preparing the award-winning manuals Protecting Florida’s Springs and Disaster Planning for Florida’s Historic Resources and, most recently, completing a manual on wildlife habitat protection strategies.
Better Community Awards
Each year, 1000 Friends honors successful efforts to fight sprawl, save special places, and build better communities in our rapidly growing state. We recognize individuals, organizations, public-private partnerships, and agencies that, through visionary leadership and planning, have brought about positive and lasting change in their community, region or the state.
Climate Change
Recognizing that almost 40 percent of Florida’s greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation-related sources, 1000 Friends’ Florida Smart Growth Climate Change Initiative promotes energy efficient land use patterns, conservation of rural lands, water conservation, and green building technologies. 1000 Friends is conducting statewide workshops, participating in state panels, developing revisions to the growth management process, and conducting educational outreach.
Communications
© Dawn McMillan 1000 Friends of Florida Godwin
In addition to its newsletter, Foresight, 1000 Friends also maintains a web site, www.1000friendsofflorida.org, which attracts over 300,000 visits a year. Visitors can learn about Florida’s planning process, legislative happenings, and the programs of 1000 Friends, and sign up for e-mail alerts on growth management issues.
Legal Advocacy
1000 Friends provides citizens and groups with advice on implementing the local comprehensive plan process. 1000 Friends has also championed over four dozen major administrative and appellate cases, carefully selecting cases to establish legal precedents that are vital to maintaining the integrity of growth management across the state.
Palm Beach/Martin County Green Initiative
1000 Friends’ Palm Beach/Martin County office focuses on promoting sound community planning, an educated citizenry, and effective advocacy. We monitor and provide input into a myriad of planning and development proposals and educate members of the public on how they can make a difference.
Public Policy
© Dawn McMillan 1000 Friends of FL Rural Illustration
Each legislative session, 1000 Friends carefully monitors proposed legislation, supporting positive refinements to the growth management process, and working to halt harmful bills that promote irresponsible sprawl and limit the rights of citizens to participate in their planning process. We also work with state agencies to promote smarter growth policies, and have served on or staffed a variety of state panels and commissions.
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