50 Certified STAR Communities: A new milestone in the urban sustainability movement

STAR (Sustainability Tools for Assessing & Rating) Communities, a nonprofit organization that works to evaluate, improve, and certify sustainable communities, is celebrating the first 50 Certified STAR Communities. The release of the STAR Community Rating System (STAR) in 2012 marked an important milestone in the urban sustainability movement. Hundreds of stakeholders worked together by consensus to deliver a common framework for sustainability with nationally accepted standards for measuring the depth and breadth of the social, economic, and environmental issues that our nation’s cities and counties are facing.

Today, more than 50 cities and counties have been certified under the STAR Community Rating System, with hundreds of others actively using the framework to guide local planning, decision-making, investment, and public engagement.

The rating system’s metrics and methods have inspired local leaders to be more inclusive, make equitable investments, advance work on climate, integrate health into sustainability considerations, collaborate within and across departments, and build broader community support, both with residents and the business community.

STAR Communities put together this report to acknowledge the achievements of the 50 STAR Certified communities and to share the impact of STAR certification both nationally and globally. This report discusses lessons learned, and ways that STAR is helping towns, cities, and counties to become more sustainable, equitable, and resilient.

ICMA supports STAR Communities by serving on the Steering Committee and congratulates the following town, city, and county managers whose communities are STAR rated!

5-STAR:

Cambridge, MA – Richard Rossi, City Manager

4-STAR:

Austin, TX – Marc Anthony Ott, City Manager

Broward County, FL – Bertha Henry, County Administrator

Davenport, IA – Corrin Spiegel, City Administrator

Dubuque, IA – Michael Van Milligen, City Manager

Evanston, IL – Wally Bobkiewicz, City Manager

Henderson, NV – Robert Murnane, City Manager

Las Vegas, NV – Elizabeth Fretwell, City Manager

Plano, TX – Bruce Glasscock, City Manager

Raleigh, NC – Ruffin Hall, City Manager

Tacoma, WA – T.C. Broadnax, City Manager

Washington, DC – Rashad Young, City Manager

3-STAR:

Charles City, IA – Steven Diers, City Administrator

Des Moines, IA - Scott Sanders, City Manager

El Cerrito, CA – Scott Hanin, City Manager

Fort Collins, CO – Darin Atteberry, City Manager

Las Cruces, NM – Robert Garza, City Manager

Lee County, FL – Roger Desjarlais, County Manager

Palm Bay, FL – Gregg Lynk, City Manager

Park Forest, IL – Thomas Mick, Village Manager

Phoenix, AZ – Ed Zuercher, City Manager

Riverside, CA – John Russo, City Manager

Rosemount, MN – Dwight Johnson, City Administrator

San Antonio, TX – Sheryl Sculley, City Manager