Administrator, Author at Smart Growth America

What We Learned from the Stimulus

Stimulus spending data shows that funds spent on public transportation were a more effective job creator than stimulus funds spent on highways. This analysis shows that in the first ten months of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), investments in public transportation created twice as many jobs per dollar as investments in highways.

Through the end of 2009, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) investments in public transportation produced almost twice as many jobs per dollar as investments made in roads: Every billion dollars spent on public transportation produced 19,299 job-months. Every billion dollars spent on projects funded under highway infrastructure programs produced 10,493 job-months. As Congress and the Administration discuss a possible jobs bill, the implication is clear: shifting available funds toward public transportation will increase the resulting employment.

Federal Involvement in Real Estate: A Call for Examination

Smart Growth America and its coalition of real estate developers and investors LOCUS, which represents private-sector development interests from across the United States, present a series of reforms to federal real estate programs. Taken together, these reforms could save the federal government an estimated $33 billion per year while updating outdated programs to achieve better … Continued

LOCUS federal financing Housing Real estate

The Fiscal Implications: Madison, WI

The City of Madison hired Smart Growth America to analyze potential development options in the city’s Pioneer District, a 1,400 acre area that is largely vacant right now.

Advocacy Technical assistance Fiscal modeling Fiscal policy Madison WI Municipal costs Public budgets tax revenue Wisconsin

The Fiscal Implications: Roads in New Jersey

The Fiscal Implications of Development Patterns: Roads in New Jersey analyzes population and employment density to understand just how much money could be saved if the distribution of New Jersey’s population and jobs could be made even incrementally more dense and compact.

Advocacy Technical assistance Fiscal modeling Fiscal policy Municipal costs New Jersey Public budgets Roads tax revenue

The Fiscal Implications: Indianapolis, IN

In this version of our Fiscal Implications research, Smart Growth America examined four different scenarios for the City of Indianapolis—two urban and two sub-urban. We found that both of the sub-urban scenarios would generate negative fiscal impacts for the City and school district.

Advocacy Technical assistance Fiscal modeling Fiscal policy Indiana Indianapolis IN Municipal costs Public budgets tax revenue

The Fiscal Implications: Macon, GA

Macon-Bibb County, GA asked Smart Growth America to analyze the net fiscal impact of future growth focused on downtown infill versus continued greenfield development in suburban locations.

Advocacy Technical assistance Fiscal modeling Fiscal policy Georgia Macon GA Municipal costs Public budgets tax revenue

The Fiscal Implications: West Des Moines, IA

The City of West Des Moines, IA hired Smart Growth America to analyze potential development options in the city over the next 20 years. We examined four different strategies for West Des Moines’ growth.

Technical assistance Fiscal Implications Fiscal policy Iowa West Des Moines IA

Somerville Union Square Briefing Book

This briefing book has been put together to summarize the extensive research, planning, and visioning work that has taken place over several years during the process of planning for Union Square’s redevelopment.

LOCUS affordable housing Community engagement Equity Massachusetts Somerville MA

Core Values: Why American Companies are Moving Downtown

Hundreds of companies across the United States are moving to and investing in walkable downtown locations. As job migration shifts towards cities and as commercial real estate values climb in these places, a vanguard of American companies are building and expanding in walkable downtown neighborhoods. Why are companies choosing these places? What are the competitive … Continued

Advocacy Economic development Company preferences Core Values Corporate relocations downtown Millennials Talent Urban core

Policies that Work: A Governors’ Guide to Growth and Development

To effectively address the challenges posed by growth and development, states must put in place programs, policies and structures that allow them to see and respond to the “big picture” of statewide development patterns. State government needs to be structured in ways that foster collaborative policies and investments instead of inhibiting them. Many specific policies … Continued

Advocacy Governors Governors' Institute on Community Design State Policy statewide development

Author: Administrator