New York City Releases New Guidelines Detailing Strategies to Create Healthier Streets, Neighborhoods, and Buildings

New York City Releases New Guidelines Detailing Strategies to Create Healthier Streets, Neighborhoods, and Buildings

"Active Design Guidelines 2.0" Examines Crucial Link Between NYC's Built Environment and Public Health

December 9, 2025 - Today, New York City is releasing a new publication, "Active Design Guidelines 2.0: Designing for Health and Equity " (ADG 2.0), a practical blueprint to equitably improve the health of New Yorkers through the design of the City's built environment-its streets, neighborhoods, and buildings. These guidelines are a collaboration between the Health Department and partners from the departments of Transportation, Parks, City Planning, Design and Construction, and Housing Preservation and Development, with support from the Center for Active Design.

"The new Active Design Guidelines reflect New York City's commitment to embedding health and equity into the infrastructure of our city to ensure all New Yorkers can thrive-regardless of who they are, how much money they make, or where they live," said Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse. "Whether designing a new housing development or office space, or reimagining a public plaza, this is a blueprint of actionable strategies to place health, equity, and community at the center of every decision."

As part of the Chronic Disease Strategy for New York City (PDF), these guidelines prioritize neighborhoods experiencing health inequities and facing environmental justice challenges. Using the latest public health research, ADG 2.0 calls for closer collaboration with communities to develop neighborhood-based solutions designed to promote physical and mental health, social connectedness, safety, and civic life.

The original Active Design Guidelines, published in 2010, positioned New York City as a leader in the global healthy design movement by examining the crucial link between the built environment and public health. ADG 2.0 builds upon this legacy, providing architects, design professionals, and planners with updated guideline for creating healthier streets, neighborhoods, and buildings.

"At City Planning, we see our streets and buildings as opportunities to improve the health and well-being of New Yorkers," said Dan Garodnick, Director of the Department of City Planning. "Active Design Guidelines 2.0 builds on New York City's work to connect planning and public health, offering a practical roadmap to make our neighborhoods more equitable, resilient and healthy."

"The new Active Design Guide underscores what our parks demonstrate every day: green spaces are fundamental to healthy neighborhoods," said NYC Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa. "Parks provide New Yorkers with places to be active, connect with neighbors, and experience nature-all essential ingredients for community health and wellbeing. These guidelines will play an important role in how NYC Parks designs neighborhood parks that give all New Yorkers access to the healthy spaces they need to thrive."

"The original Active Design Guidelines helped define a generation of healthy, inclusive design practice. With this new edition, New York City is once again setting a standard for how design can advance public health, climate resilience, and social equity through every project and every street," said Jesse Lazar, Assoc. AIA, Executive Director of AIA New York. "By providing architects, planners, and developers with evidence-based tools to design healthier communities, ADG 2.0 transforms our professional responsibility. This is about ensuring that good design is a right accessible to all New Yorkers, particularly in neighborhoods that have historically faced disinvestment-we're proud to support this vision of wellbeing for our city."

"For 15 years, the active design movement has been gaining momentum worldwide, and ADG 2.0 represents the next critical step forward," said Joanna Frank, President and CEO of the Center for Active Design. "This expanded playbook moves beyond physical activity to address comprehensive quality of life, including mental wellbeing, social connection, and civic life. The Center for Active Design is proud to collaborate with New York City on these guidelines, which provide designers, planners, and developers with an evidence-based approach to create spaces where all people can thrive."

"The NYC Department of Design and Construction and our partner agencies have been leading the way in designing and building healthy, active spaces supported by the Active Design Guidelines," said Department of Design and Construction Acting Commissioner Eduardo del Valle. "The public buildings and spaces we design have a profound impact on human health and wellbeing, and the new Guidelines reflect 15 years of experience and expanding knowledge since the original groundbreaking publication."

"Healthy streets and strong neighborhoods start with the places we call home. At HPD, we see every day how thoughtful design can open doors-to affordability, to connection, and to opportunity," said Ahmed Tigani, Acting Commissioner of Housing Preservation and Development. "ADG 2.0 builds on and complements our own HPD Design Guidelines, aligning our shared goals to strengthen communities, promote health, and advance racial equity through the design of the spaces New Yorkers rely on. I'm proud to stand with our partner agencies in making that collective vision real."

"All New Yorkers deserve to live, work, and play on streets that support safe and healthy lives- and since the start of the Adams administration, the NYC Department of Transportation has pedestrianized more than 1.5 million square feet of public space and expanded the activation of this and other public spaces to every corner of the city," said Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "As we continue this important work, the updated Active Design Guidelines will serve as key guideposts in our sustained efforts to enhance safety, walkability, and access to public transit in every neighborhood-and we thank our sister agencies for their commitment to building a healthier and more equitable city."

The publication includes inspiring local case studies of collaborative community initiatives, and photos and examples from New York City like the East Side Coastal Resiliency project that demonstrate ADG 2.0 principles at work.

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