Berkeley Planning Journal

This study examines LEED-ND’s criteria for Neighborhood Pattern and Design (NPD). LEED-ND was developed as a system for rating new neighborhoods on the sustainability of their planning. However, it has increasingly been adopted by cities as a de facto measure of “livable” neighborhood design and used to accelerate development processes. We hypothesize that these criteria do not area is Temescal, a gentrifying neighborhood in Oakland, CA. livability very highly. Furthermore, residents consistently rated and ranked NPD characteristics quite differently than did LEED-ND, system. We propose that a single set of weighted, prescriptive desired amenities of different communities.