Alan E. Cavagnaro

04/20/2026

Last week, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the 2026 ECOSOC Youth Forum in New York City. This year's forum saw the focus on UN Sustainable Development Goals 6, 7, 9, 11, and 17. Being a .usa Global Goals Ambassador for SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), it gave me the chance not only to attend but also to share my thoughts on the direction forward for SDG 11 through an intervention in the Trusteeship Council Chamber alongside UNA-USA Youth Co-Chair, .and.page.

This was for the Youth Perspectives on Regional Development Session for Europe, North America, and Other States on April 15th, moderated by and A***n Sanghrajka, Global Coordinator for the Major Group on Children and Youth (MGCY). I shared from my own lived experiences here in Connecticut, and more importantly, how we should act as a collective youth moving forward to achieve more sustainable communities.

Outside of this discussion, I also had the opportunity to serve as a breakout room lead for a side event alongside . Youth Partnerships for a Sustainable Future was organized by UNA-USA, UNA Estonia, and The Zero Hunger Project as part of the forum.

Additionally, I gave a second intervention at another side event, titled "Elevating Youth Voices: Driving Action and Partnerships for a Sustainable Future" on April 16th. This event was also hosted by UNA-USA and Girl Scouts of the USA. While my topic remained similar, I expressed concern through my intervention about youth involvement in public service, notably tapping into my time in public service in South Windsor.

In 2026, just over 50% of American renters and homeowners are considered cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their monthly income on housing costs. At the local level, it is also clear that young people are still largely absent from decision-making spaces. Without their voices at the table, we risk excluding the very generation that will inherit the land-use planning decisions most deeply shaping their future. That is why I felt it was necessary to share the challenges we face here at home.

04/03/2026

Join myself and .8 this Tuesday for a productive conversation on AI Governance, U.S.-Ukraine relations, and Mental Health, with Clara Kaluderovic!

RSVP Here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/hCXMJP4pSNeM2AUxgGJMvw

03/19/2026

Join us this Monday from 11:15am-12:15pm EST for a Pre-ECOSOC Youth Forum Consultation on SDGs 7, 9, and 11, focused on clean energy, resilient infrastructure, and sustainable cities.

Insights from this consultation will be shared directly with the United Nations during our session and will help inform the UNECE RFSD 2026 Youth Report.

Be part of the conversation. Register using the link below or through the link in the story.
https://luma.com/fr0rz3zd

12/11/2025

Grateful to join leaders from across the country at the .usa Leadership Summit last month in St. Louis, MO. I had the chance to speak alongside Denise Quarles, Carlos Suarez, and Madison Peak on what leadership looks like today and how young people are shaping global action in their communities.

I also appreciated hearing impactful remarks from Congressman and ending the summit in conversation with the UNA-USA environmental affinity group. It's moments like these that make me feel energized by how many different voices can come together with the same drive for impact. A huge shoutout to the chapter for organizing the summit.

Outside of my time at the summit, I visited the former Pruitt-Igoe site. It was a powerful reminder of how planning, policy, and history shape the futures we build and how we can make our communities more sustainable. Always inspired by the UNA-USA community and the energy brought to creating a better world.

📸 Photo Credits: Haroon Malik

12/04/2025

A few weeks ago, I had the chance to visit the former Pruitt–Igoe site in St. Louis while visiting for a conference. Standing there connected everything we’ve learned about community development, the importance of affordability, social stability, and equity in creating places where people can thrive. SDG 11 calls us to build cities that learn from these histories and commit to a more just, resilient future.

11/29/2025

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont just signed the housing bill (H.B. 8002) into law, finally moving the state forward after the veto of H.B. 5002 and months of uncertainty. The bill brings back the strongest ideas from this year's session and gives towns practical tools to address our national housing shortage, including transit-oriented communities, parking reform, and opportunities for commercial conversions. It is not perfect, but is meaningful progress toward the homes our communities and economy urgently need.

Critics still argue that statewide action undermines local control, but in reality, these reforms help towns modernize outdated zoning and meet today’s needs while expanding on what is allowed in zoning. With businesses warning about the economic cost of our housing shortage, the need for action has only grown. H.B. 8002 is a long overdue step toward a more affordable and sustainable Connecticut.

📸 Senator Bob Duff, Senate Majority Leader State Senator MD Rahman

11/27/2025

Running the this Thanksgiving morning reminded me why SDG 11 matters: walkable streets, vibrant small businesses, and communities built around people — not cars. More of this, props to the Town of . Great to be out here today for my first turkey run! 🦃🏃‍♂️

10/15/2025

Thanks to the folks at Next City for letting me share some thoughts on the power imbalances within land use boards and why they matter more than most people realize. 🚉🏘

For more of my writing on housing and urban policy, subscribe to my Substack: https://alancavagnaro.substack.com/

Op-ed: From outsider to elected official, I’ve seen how power works, who gets excluded – and how to shake up the status quo.

10/09/2025

Hey, folks!

I am excited to share that I have been named the 2025-2026 .usa Global Goals Ambassador for SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities.

In this role, I will have the rare opportunity to advocate for and raise awareness about SDG 11 while meeting with folks from across the country to support this work. Building sustainable communities has been the focus of my work for years, and I am honored to continue this advocacy on a broader, national stage.

This is not something I could have reached alone. I owe so much to the folks at , , , , as well as .nagireddy, who has been a great mentor and friend to me over the years in this space.

I have always believed that local and global policy have a deeper tie-in than most believe. My time at COP29 in Azerbaijan reinforced this for me, showing how the conversations we have in our own communities about transit, roads, homes, and how we prioritize people for future development are directly linked to the challenges and solutions discussed on the global stage.

I also recently had the opportunity to visit New York City for two weeks ago, engaging in conversations around SDG 11 and the broader importance of all seventeen Sustainable Development Goals.

I wrote an article about the experience and my thoughts on our SDGs - you check it out here or on my story: https://open.substack.com/pub/alancavagnaro/p/we-are-running-out-of-time-to-meet?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=4cuefb

09/26/2025

My first Climate Week / UN Global Goals Week / UNGA 🌍

Grateful I made the trek down to NYC on Wednesday and Thursday to hear from experts, connect with new faces, and see firsthand how the SDGs are shaping global conversations.

Met many amazing people through my two days, some of whom I have known for a while through the .usa space, and others from entirely different walks of life, all were inspirational.

I wish I had taken more photos and stayed longer (there is always a next time)! What I took home was even better - important lessons and a strong reminder of why these spaces matter. Excited to keep building on this work to advance the SDGs!

09/17/2025

What an incredible week in New Haven! 2025 brought together 1,000+ pro-homes advocates, planners, policymakers, and community leaders from across the country to share ideas and build momentum for a better tomorrow.

It was a pleasure to co-organize this conference with my friends from , Pete Harrison, and , as well as the folks at and the on communications for the YIMBYtown socials. And of course, a huge thank you to the amazing volunteers from across CT whose energy and support made this possible.

In reality, it is amazing to see the vision we had when we applied come to fruition in physical form. We wanted to showcase the great work New Haven has done and what the community has to offer. After all, it is America's greatest small city.

As we look ahead, I’m proud of how YIMBYtown 2025 reflected the spirit of SDG 11: sustainable and equitable communities. It’s clear that the momentum for reform is growing nationwide, and gatherings like this remind us we’re part of something bigger.

The work doesn’t stop here. 🏘🚉🚲