Don Chen directs the foundation’s Metropolitan Opportunity work. His team supports urban development strategies to reduce poverty, expand economic opportunities, and advance sustainability in cities and regions in the U.S. and developing countries—with a focus on shaping the delivery systems for affordable housing, community improvement, infrastructure and city and regional planning.

Previously, he was the founder and CEO of Smart Growth America, where he led efforts to create the National Vacant Properties Campaign and Transportation for America, and managed a merger with the Growth Management Leadership Alliance. He has authored many pieces on land use, transportation, social equity, and environmental policy, including Growing Cooler: The Academic Evidence on Urban Development and Climate Change (2008, co-author) and The Science of Smart Growth, which appeared in the December 2000 issue of Scientific American.