How do Bike-Sharing Schemes Shape Cities?
The Economist – October 22, 2013
In Washington, DC, more than eight out of ten said they were more likely to visit a business, shop or restaurant with easy access to bike-sharing dock.

The Nation’s Housing: A Break for Housing Tax Breaks?
TriCities (dot) com (VA) – October 22, 2013
The mortgage interest deduction, local property tax write-offs, second home deductions and capital gains exclusions are safe for the time being — despite a far-reaching tax reform package taking final shape in the House.

Local

Streetcar Prompts Plans for Crossroads Apartments
The Kansas City Star – October 22, 2013
“From redeveloping historic buildings to refilling these old parking lots. That’s exactly what the streetcar is designed to do, encourage development in these infill sites.”

Denver’s Downtown Success Should Help the Springs
The Colorado Springs Gazette – October 22, 2013
State transportation officials are on the verge of reconnecting the downtowns of Denver and Colorado Springs with a fleet of modern buses that would run up and down an ever-widening I-25 corridor.

Building a Better City: For the Next Mayor, a To-Do List
The New York Times – October 17, 2013
A more equitable and livable city is ultimately smartly and sustainably designed. New York’s competitive future depends on getting this right.

Chamber of Commerce: Raise Gas Tax to Fix Roads
CNN – October 21, 2013
It’s one of the few economic policy ideas that big business groups and big labor unions agree on.

Turning ‘Scary Places’ into the Great Places Where People Want to Live
Governing – October 21, 2013
Sprawl has obliterated much of our neighborhoods’ and communities’ social infrastructure. The challenge is finding a new economic model that could turn that around.

What Do We Really Know About Commuting?
National Journal – October 21, 2013
We are only scratching the surface in understanding one of the most fundamental activities of working Americans.

Housing Policy Matters
The Hill – October 17, 2013
In April, a national survey conducted by Hart Research Associates and commissioned by the MacArthur Foundation, found that two-thirds of adults (65 percent) believe the focus of national housing policy should be split fairly equally between rental and ownership, as opposed to promoting one over the other.

Urbanized Suburbs are the Future, Experts Say
The Denver Post – October 18, 2013
“You need to toss out the differences between cities and suburbs,” said Chris Leinberger, a land-use strategist and president of Locus, a development firm.

Local

‘Brownfields’ Legislation is Key to Transit-Oriented Development
The Boston Globe – October 20, 2013
Brownfields funding comes in relatively small chunks, but that belies its importance as a crucial early step: By assessing the environmental needs at a site, the money eases the uncertainty about possible cleanup costs that may deter developers from making much bigger investments.

University of Maryland Development: If You Build It, Will Faculty and Staff Come?
The Washington Post – October 18, 2013
Glendening, a smart growth expert, former Maryland professor and Maryland governor, said the idea is “just horrible.”

New Developments on Long Island Target Smart Growth
Newsday (NY) – October 16, 2013
Everything will be within a half-mile of the train station and transit center, including ground-floor retail, with the zoning changed to allow “light industrial” uses, such as a bakery or furniture maker that has a retail component, says Sean McLean, vice president of planning and development for Renaissance Downtowns.

Former Transportation Secretary Calls on Congress to Raise Gas Tax
WAMU (DC) – October 16, 2013
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s priorities have been building and repairing roads and bridges, LaHood said, but the federal government must now come up with money to help states, cities, and towns build high-speed rail lines, streetcar systems, and even bike sharing programs.

Elderly Will Need Help as they Age at Home
The New York Times – October 17, 2013
Many homes and communities lack the structures and services that make aging in place safe and affordable.

Give the National Housing Trust Fund Its Due
The New York Times – October 17, 2013
I’ve introduced the Common Sense Housing Investment Act (H.R. 1213), which would finance the trust fund along with expanding the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, Section 8 vouchers and the Public Housing Capital Fund.

Amtrak: Not a Money Pit, After All
The New York Times – October 16, 2013
The average age of passengers is getting younger, he said. And as people move back into cities, they’re learning that it’s convenient to take trains from one urban center to another.

Amtrak Reaches Service Agreements with 18 States
The Hill – October 16, 2013
Amtrak has reached agreements with 18 states to preserve service on intermediate routes that have fueled growth in its ridership in recent years.

Shared-use Mobility Summit Explores Future of Urban Mobility
The CityFix – October 16, 2013
The conference explored the future of urban mobility by discussing current trends, policies, and opportunities in carsharing, bikesharing, and ridesharing.

Local

Research Misread in Debate Over Car-Free Housing
The Boston Globe – October 16, 2013
Giving occupants the ability to opt out of paying for parking if they don’t own a car would preserve transportation choices for those who want or need a car while lowering housing costs.

How Can America Pay For Its Roads?
The Economist – October 14, 2013
Since 2008 the federal Highway Trust Fund, which takes in gas-tax revenues, has had to borrow $41 billion from the Treasury to stay afloat. Officials warn it could go bust in 2015. State governments are facing similar shortfalls. How can they continue to pay for roads?

Broken Record: Amtrak Sets Ridership Mark for Tenth Time in 11 Years
Newark Star-Ledger (NJ) – October 15, 2013
“We’ve been growing no matter what’s happened with the economy because we’re meeting the needs, I think, of those that want to travel.”

If You Offer Free Rent, They Will Come
National Journal – October 11, 2013
City hall, local entrepreneurs, and a small business incubator called Popuphood see retail as the final stage of Oakland’s urban revival. And they’re helping merchants with creative solutions that could apply to Main Streets and downtowns nationwide.

Local

Smart Growth, Meet Dumb Move
The Miami Herald – October 13, 2013
Miami-Dade commissioners’ unwise approval of expanding urban boundary will cost taxpayers more.

Whatcom County Should Plan for Urban Growth to Prevent Sprawl
The Bellingham Herald (WA) – October 12, 2013
A recent study from Smart Growth America shows that developing at higher densities within cities costs about 38 percent less for upfront infrastructure and saves communities about 10 percent on on-going services.

Ditch the Car? Dying Suburbs Revived by Walking
CNBC (dot) com – October 10, 2013
For most towns, building a walkable core requires at least two elements, starting with some sort of mix of businesses and housing located not too far apart: “You need that clustering to get the synergies that lead to economic growth,” said Geoff Anderson, president of Smart Growth America, a coalition that, among other things, works with communities to fight sprawl.

Advocate Sees Opportunities for Rail in NW Ohio
The Toledo Free Press (OH) – October 10, 2013
“Passenger rail is economic development. Don’t let the negative voices control your vision,” said Smith, who also serves as senior policy adviser for Smart Growth America.

As Cities Improve Rapid Transit, Buses Get a New Look
McClatchy DC – October 11, 2013
“Perception is reality,” said Chris Leinberger, a real estate developer, author and urban planning scholar. “We’ve got to change that perception.”

Paying the Price for 20 Years of Duct-taping Our Infrastructure
The Hill – October 8, 2013
With much of the focus on the government shutdown and its potential impact on the economy, a critical cost of congressional polarization and paralysis has been overshadowed: Our nation is literally falling apart.