Silicon Valley And State Of California Double Down On UrbanFootprint To Support Sustainable City Planning

Berkeley, CA /PRNewswire/ -- UrbanFootprint today announced its partnership with the State of California to bring its cloud-based urban planning software to over 500 cities, counties, and regional agencies. This new software will also be available for all stakeholders involved with community design across the country. UrbanFootprint raised more than $5 million in seed funding from Silicon Valley venture firm Social Capital and angel investors and is led by world renowned urban planners and designers Peter Calthorpe and Joe DiStefano.

Public perception of our most basic challenges and opportunities is converging on cities– climate change and resilience, transportation gridlock, housing affordability, stresses on public budgets, and public health issues fill the headlines. UrbanFootprint fills the need for an accessible tool to successfully engage these challenges.

From Los Angeles, Chicago and New Orleans, to Honolulu, Salt Lake and Portland, UrbanFootprint has proven its ability to implement innovative urban visions and shape powerful political coalitions. It enables more public awareness through accessible dynamic data, opens doors to countless possibilities with easy scenario building, and enhances public reflection with its analysis of outcomes across multiple issues. This is SimCity for real.

"As California cities confront housing shortages, transportation challenges, and climate change, UrbanFootprint provides a platform for better, more transparent planning in shaping a more sustainable future for California cities," said California Governor Jerry Brown in discussing the partnership. "That's why the Strategic Growth Council funded the initial development of UrbanFootprint, and why providing it to California cities is so important."

UrbanFootprint's 'California Civic' program will give public agencies unprecedented access to a comprehensive data library, tools for building and testing future scenarios, and real-time analysis. Cities can evaluate present conditions and compare future alternatives for their impact on transportation systems, pollution and carbon emissions, energy and water resources, public health, and fiscal impacts.

"We know that the health of cities is critical to the planet's future, and we see a huge gap to fill in the tools and technology that drive sustainable and equitable outcomes," noted Social Capital partner Jay Zaveri. "UrbanFootprint sits at the nexus of software technology, machine learning and the most critical real-world challenges of our times. We look forward to partnering with Peter and Joe to influence the future of our cities. UrbanFootprint aligns perfectly with our mission to solve the world's hardest problems."

"Cities can be a source of tremendous economic innovation, social integration, and a solution to climate change," said UrbanFootprint co-founder Peter Calthorpe. "Or they can underscore economic isolation, heighten environmental impacts, and reinforce social strife. UrbanFootprint marks an incredible milestone in our mission to give communities the tools they need to set the right course."

To learn more about UrbanFootprint's California Civic program, please visit UrbanFootprint.com.

About UrbanFootprint: UrbanFootprint is an urban planning software company founded on 30 years of leadership in urban planning and analysis. Based in Berkeley, California, UrbanFootprint is a mission-driven enterprise dedicated to the advancement of sustainable urban planning and design.