Author: Jessica Holmberg

HUD releases Notice of Funding Availability for Regional Planning Grants and Community Challenge Grants.

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U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced today in a press release that HUD will be investing $95 million to support stronger, economically competitive communities through their Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities. From the release:

This year’s Regional Planning Grant program will encourage grantees to support regional planning efforts that integrate housing, land-use, economic and workforce development, transportation, and infrastructure developments in a manner that empowers regions to consider how all of these factors work together to bring economic competitiveness and revitalization to a community. The program will place a priority on partnerships, including the collaboration of arts and culture, philanthropy, and innovative ideas to the regional planning process. Recognizing that areas are in different stages of sustainability planning.

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Webinar materials now available: Applying for HUD Regional Planning Grants

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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced an additional $67 million investment in stronger, more sustainable communities that connect housing to jobs while fostering local innovation and building a clean energy economy.

A webinar jointly hosted by Smart Growth America and the American Planning Association last week provided tips from past Partnership for Sustainable Communities grant recipients, advice from a firm that has written several successful applications, and information about criteria that the Partnership uses to grade applications. Presenting at the webinar were Tim Torma, Deputy Director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Sustainable Communities. The Office of Sustainable Communities coordinates with other agencies as well as state and local governments to promote smart growth. Also presenting was David Rouse, AICP, a principal with the planning and design firm Wallace Roberts & Todd based in Philadelphia. He has been involved with a number of 2010 Sustainable Communities grant applications, including WRT’s current work as a subgrantee for the New River Valley Regional Consortium in Virginia.

Jeff Hirt, Sustainable Planning Project Manager at the Mid-America Regional Council in Kansas City, MO, also presented. With more than 60 regional partners, the Mid-America Regional Council received a $4.25 million planning grant from HUD for the implementation of the Regional Plan for Sustainable Development, a Category 2 grant. And finally Mark Kirstner, Senior Transportation Planner with the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation, and the project manager for the Piedmont Triad Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Project also presented on the webinar. The Piedmont project is a $1.6 million Regional Planning Grant Program.

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Webinar: Federal Transit Administration 2011 Funding Opportunities

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The FTA Office of Program Management is holding a webinar tomorrow, Friday, July 8, 2011 on how to find and apply for 2011 funding opportunities, including the Bus Livability program. Other programs that will be discussed include Alternative Analysis, State of Good Repair, Clean Fuels, and Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER).

The webinar will be held in two sessions:

East Coast participants (FTA Regions 1-5) can register here for a 10:30 – 12:00pm ET webinar.
West Coast participants (FTA Regions 6-10) can register here for a 1:00 – 2:30pm ET webinar.

Registration details will be sent to registrants. Find more information here.

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Upcoming webinar: Applying for HUD Regional Planning Grants

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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced an additional $67 million investment in stronger, more sustainable communities that connect housing to jobs while fostering local innovation and building a clean energy economy.

If you plan to apply for this year’s round of HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning grants, join us for a webinar on Thursday, July 14, 2011 at 2:00 PM EDT. You will hear tips from past Partnership for Sustainable Communities grant recipients, receive advice from a firm that has written several successful applications, and learn the criteria that the Partnership uses to grade applications.

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DOT announces funding to be available for TIGER program

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On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that $527 million will be available for the third round of the highly successful TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) competitive grant program. TIGER grants fund innovative transportation projects that create jobs and have a significant impact on the nation, a region or a metropolitan area.

For this round of grants, projects will be selected based on their ability to contribute to the long-term economic competitiveness of the nation, improve the condition of existing transportation facilities and systems, improve energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improve the safety of U.S. transportation facilities and improve the quality of living and working environments of communities through increased transportation choices and connections. DOT will also focus on projects that are expected to quickly create and preserve jobs and spur rapid increases in economic activity.

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"Advocacy Training 101" webinar materials now available online

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Thank you to everyone who attended Smart Growth America’s Sustainable Communities Network webinar last week, “Advocacy Training 101.” Telling members of Congress about the benefits of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities is a crucial part of supporting these valuable federal programs.

Christopher Coes, Manager of LOCUS, discussed tools and tips about how to effectively advocate for the Partnership. This webinar explains the skills and tools you need to engage Congressional representatives one-on-one or with a group, including the most effective methods of communication, messaging and how to respond to decision makers’ concerns.

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Now accepting proposals: FTA's Transit Climate Change Adaptation Assessment pilots

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The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is now soliciting proposals for transit climate change adaptation assessment pilots. The pilots will fund transit agencies or partnerships with transit agencies to assess the vulnerability of transit agency assets and services to climate change hazards such as heat waves and flooding. The pilots will also assess initial adaptation strategies and link these strategies to transit agency organizational structures and activities, and one of the pilots will focus on demonstrating the integration of adaptation assessment within an asset management system.

FTA contemplates making approximately four cooperative agreement awards, ranging from $50,000 to $175,000 each. Total funding available is $525,000. Eligible recipients are either 1) a public transportation provider or, 2) a university, non-profit, private, or public entity working in partnership with a public transportation provider.

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Join us Thursday: Tips for effective advocacy

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Beginning at the end of June, Members of Congress will be back at the offices in their home states meeting with constituents. This is a great opportunity to tell your representatives about your support for the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

Join us on Thursday, June 23, 2011 from 2-3 PM EDT to learn tips for successful advocacy. Click here to sign up for this training.

Among the techniques discussed in this webinar will be how to schedule and hold a successful meeting with your Members of Congress, how to engage others and bring a group to the meeting, and how to effectively talk about the Partnership for Sustainable Communities and its benefits.

Sign up today for Smart Growth America’s advocacy training: click here to register.

Can’t schedule a meeting for this recess? That’s ok. You can still learn useful information from this training opportunity and schedule a meeting in your district office at any time! Contact jholmberg [at] smartgrowthamerica [dot] org or 202-207-3355 x121 with any questions.

You can learn about trainings like this before they happen: Click here to join the Sustainable Communities Network.

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Celebrating Two Years of Partnership: webinar materials now online

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On June 16, 2009, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined together to help communities nationwide improve access to affordable housing, increase transportation options, and lower transportation costs while protecting the environment to better support local economies.

Beth Osborne, Deputy Assistant Secretary, DOT; Shelley Poticha, Director, Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities, HUD; John Frece, Director, Office of Sustainable Communities, EPA; and Derek Douglas, Special Assistant to the President for Urban Affairs joined Smart Growth America’s Sustainable Communities Network on Thursday, June 17 for a webinar to discuss the Partnership’s success over the past two years and what’s next for this dynamic interagency alliance.

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Over 50 national organizations voice support for 2012 funding of Partnership for Sustainable Communities

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With Congress currently debating the federal budget for fiscal year 2012, over fifty national organizations have once again come together in support of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities. By issuing this joint letter to leadership in both the House and Senate, Smart Growth America and our partner organizations have sent the message to Congress that we support the Partnership’s programs that help rebuild local economies, make the most of federal investments and build strong, healthy, and vibrant communities.

The Honorable Daniel K. Inouye
Chairman
Senate Committee on Appropriations
United States Capitol, Room S-128
Washington, DC 20510		 The Honorable Thad Cochran
Ranking Member
Senate Appropriations Committee
United States Capitol, Room S-206
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Patty Murray
Subcommittee Chair
Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, Urban Development, and Related Agencies
133 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510		 The Honorable Susan Collins
Subcommittee Ranking Member
Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, Urban Development, and Related Agencies
123 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chairman Inouye, Ranking Member Cochran, Subcommittee Chair Murray, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Collins:

As Congress considers the fiscal year 2012 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations, we, the undersigned group of concerned organizations, urge you to support the programs that help communities across America rebuild their local economies and improve their fiscal stability.

We urge you to support the Partnership for Sustainable Communities and related grant programs in the fiscal year 2012 T-HUD Appropriations Bill. The Partnership for Sustainable Communities helps community leaders get the most out of each federal or state dollar invested in their neighborhoods. These programs make federal investments go even further by helping local leaders leverage private sector investment, save money in municipal budgets, and help families with housing and transportation costs – all while creating jobs.

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