Community Livability and Diversity

Bio: Carlton Eley is an environmentalist, urban planner, and lecturer. Working to normalize environmental justice during the planning process, he has become an accomplished expert on the topic of equitable development in the public sector. He is credited for elevating equitable development to the level of formal recognition within U.S. EPA as an approach for encouraging sustainable communities. Carlton has coordinated national competitions that recognize communities for encouraging equitable development, and he has published multiple articles on the subject. His article, “Equitable Development: Untangling the Web of Urban Development through Collaborative Problem Solving,” is the lead article in the 2010 Fall/Winter Edition of Sustain – A Journal of Environmental and Sustainability Issues. In 2003, Carlton participated in the Ian Axford (New Zealand) Fellowship in Public Policy. He is the first American to conduct research on the topic of smart growth in New Zealand, and his work was referenced in a 2008 survey of policies and programs prepared for the APEC Secretariat. Following the fellowship, Carlton wrote a chapter on Wellington, New Zealand for the book, Local Sustainable Urban Development in a Globalized World. Carlton has served on community advisory service teams for Pamlico County, NC; Gary, IN; Birmingham, AL; and the Vecht River Valley in the Netherlands. Carlton’s work has been commended by the Ford Foundation, the National Charrette Institute, and the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. His technical assistance work and public engagement efforts have earned citations from the American Planning Association and the National Organization of Minority Architects. Carlton is frequently solicited to lead discussions on sustainability topics at national events sponsored by the: New Partners for Smart Growth; National Urban League; American Planning Association; Center for Disease Control; BlueGreen Alliance; Green Festival; and National Bar Association. Carlton has extensive experience collaborating with foreign and domestic services, high profile federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, and academic institutions. He's an accomplished researcher and policy analyst in the fields of smart growth, equitable development, green workforce development, and environmental sociology. Carlton is the editor of 'Urban Leader 2.0,' an e-newsletter which is published monthly. Carlton has a BA in Sociology/Social Work Curriculum from Elizabeth City State University and a MS in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Iowa. He is a native of the Eastern North Carolina town of Powellsville in Bertie County.

Education: Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning, University of Iowa. Bachelor of Arts in Sociology/Social Work Curriculum, Elizabeth City State University (ECSU).

Key Publications: Carlton Eley. 2010. “Book Review – A Natural History of Quiet Waters: Swamps and Wetlands of the Mid-Atlantic Coast.” In CRM: The Journal of Heritage Stewardship, pp. 91-92. Washington, DC: National Park Service. Carlton Eley. 2009. “Equitable Development – Untangling the Web of Urban Development through Collaborative Problem Solving.” In Sustain, pp. 3-12. Louisville, KY: University of Louisville. Carlton Eley and Brian Joyner. 2009. “Seeing Things for What Could Be: Preservation and Revitalization in Gary, Indiana.” In Heritage Matters Fall 2009, pp 9-10. Washington, DC: National Park Service. Carlton Eley. 2009. “Vision for Broadway – New Report Encourages Equitable Development for Gary, Indiana.” In NOMA Magazine Issue 05 Fall 2009, pp 36-37. Washington, DC: National Organization of Minority Architects. Carlton Eley. 2009. “Rebuilding America Through Equitable Development.” In PBCD News Fall ’09, pp. 2-3. Chicago, IL: Planning and the Black Community Division of the American Planning Association. Carlton Eley. 2007. “Bridging the Gap: Fostering Collaborative Planning Exercises that are Racially Inclusive and Diverse.” In NCI 2007 Best Practices Report, pp. 8-9. Portland, OR: National Charrette Institute.

Other Publications: Carlton Eley. 2003. "Smart Growth Down Under: Taking Steps Towards Sustainable Settlements in New Zealand.” Wellington, New Zealand: Fulbright New Zealand. Carlton Eley. 2008. “Absolutely Positively Wellington: A Model for Smart Growth.” Local Sustainable Urban Development in a Globalized World, pp. 33-44. Aldershot, England: Ashgate Publishing Limited.

Past Assignments: National Organization of Minority Architects International Conference (October 2012): “Environmental Justice & Architecture – Seeking Middle Ground in a Sustainable World”. Fulbright Academy 7th Annual Conference in the United Arab Emirates (September 2012): “Ensuring Sustainable Development is Equitable Development”. National League of Cities (November 2011): “Ensuring Sustainable Development is Equitable Development”. New Partners for Smart Growth Conference (February 2011): “Banking on Equitable Development”. New Zealand Ministry for the Environment (February 2007): "Equitable Development - Bridging the Gap". The Nuts n’ Bolts of Brownfields Redevelopment (August 2006): “Building Sustainable Communities Through Smart Growth”. Ohio Vacant Properties Forum (October 2005): "Vacant Properties and Environmental Protection: Making the Connections". National Main Streets Conference (May 2005): "Smart Communities Do Smart Growth". The National Conference for Community and Academic Partnerships (October 2004): “Smart Growth - More Choices for Our Communities”. The Sixth Symposium of the International Urban Planning and Environment Association (September 2004): "Absolutely Positively Wellington”. Wellington Branch of the New Zealand Planning Institute (September 2003): "Implementing Smart Growth in the U.S.”.