Regenerative Neighborhoods Initiative

Regenerative Neighborhoods Initiative

The Need

California is facing a growing set of interconnected challenges: regenerative development and environmental degradation, unaffordability and neighborhood vitality, racial discrimination, and failing infrastructure. Each of these is shaped by how we approach the built environment, particularly in the construction and renovation of housing.

Too often, housing development efforts silo these issues. Affordability gets prioritized at the expense of ecological health. Environmental goals overshadow community needs. We know this doesn’t work.It’s time to reimagine housing development as a tool for holistic, systemic impact.

Doing so means bringing together a wide range of stakeholders: local residents and place-based leaders, government agencies, developers, builders, advocates, and entrepreneurs. But to collaborate effectively, we need a shared language and a common understanding of what’s possible.

The Opportunity

Neighborhoods are where our lives unfold. They’re where we connect with each other, with nature, and with opportunity. Every neighborhood is different — so development must reflect its unique social and environmental character.

Through the Regenerative Neighborhoods Initiative (RNI), Build It Green supports community-led efforts to redefine development at the neighborhood scale.

We partner with residents, local leaders, developers, and municipalities to:

Co-create new frameworks for seeing housing as a pathway to multi-issue, systemic change
Take tangible steps that result in homes — and communities — that nurture human and ecological well-being
Connect neighborhoods across California to learn from one another and influence statewide development culture

This initiative centers places that have experienced social and ecological trauma. Together, we turn recovery into regeneration.

The Engagement

In 2025, we are committing to deep partnership with South Berkeley — a historically Black neighborhood working to rebuild and restore its community fabric. Our work here will model what’s possible when communities are supported in shaping their future.

We’re also building relationships with:

*Greenville – recovering from wildfire devastation
Alameda Point – a reimagined former naval base
Mayfair, San Jose – a vibrant community with a deep organizing history

When resources are available, we’ll pursue deeper engagement with each of these neighborhoods.

To support peer learning and broader awareness, we will host a series of virtual sharing events in the second half of 2025. These sessions will allow communities to exchange ideas, build solidarity, and spread regenerative thinking across California.

*This blog shares how Greenville native Tyler Pew is helping his hometown recover from the 2021 Dixie Fire. With support from Build It Green, he’s using regenerative design and community-driven planning to help shape a more resilient future.

Program Sponsors