Good Neighbor Program

GSA facilities are located in more than 2,000 communities nationwide, from the smallest rural towns to the largest metropolitan areas. These include a wide range of federal workplaces, from courthouses and large multi-tenant office buildings to remote border stations and local IRS offices.  

As a federal agency, GSA has the responsibility to meet these Federal agency space requirements in ways that also advance local community development goals. This responsibility derives from legal mandates, including federal laws and executive orders, as well as sound business practices.  In short, when we meet Federal space needs in ways that support community goals, we make more efficient use of scarce Federal dollars and bring multiple returns to the federal government and the public. 

The Good Neighbor Program is managed by GSA’s Center for Community Planning + Design. The Center’s mission is to provide GSA regional offices and their local stakeholders with the technical expertise they need to meet this responsibility around GSA projects and properties.  Opportunities exist across the life cycle of GSA projects, from initial site selection and design of new buildings, to public space improvements and shared use at existing buildings.

The Center supports GSA in upholding several long-standing laws and executive orders that call for collaborative planning between the federal government and local stakeholders.  Among the directives that guide Program activities: 

• Federal Urban Land Use Act of 1949 (40 USC Sec. 531-535) – The Act requires GSA to consult with planning agencies and local elected officials. To the greatest extent possible, GSA must coordinate federal projects with local planning agencies to be in accordance with zoning, land-use practices, and development objectives.
• Public Buildings Cooperative Use Act of 1976 (40 U.S.C. Sec. 3306) – The Act directs GSA to encourage the location of commercial, cultural, and educational activities within federal facilities. It encourages these activities, as appropriate, to support and supplement neighborhood resources.
  Public Buildings Amendments of 1988 (40 U.S.C. 3312) – Similar to the Urban Land Use Act of 1949, these amendments to the Public Buildings Act require GSA to consider requirements of local zoning and other local laws relating to landscaping, open space, building setback and height, historic preservation, and aesthetic qualities of a building, including compliance to the maximum extent practicable with building codes in the local jurisdiction. 
• Executive Orders 12072, 13006, and 14057 – These presidential orders and others direct consultation with local officials and strategic planning to help advance local economic development, historic preservation, sustainability, and equitable development.  

Beyond these directives, the Center asserts that effective collaboration with local stakeholders is vital to deliver the highest quality workplaces for our client agencies and best value to the public. 

For more information, please contact frank.giblin@gsa.gov.