The Opportunity Zones program is a brand new federal program aimed at encouraging long-term, private capital investment in America’s low-income urban and rural communities with new tax incentives. Smart Growth America is working to ensure that it helps to restore and revitalize America’s lowest-income communities in a just and equitable way.
Small-scale manufacturing can be a powerful tool to revitalize downtowns of all sizes. Starting next week, Smart Growth America will again be offering another round of free technical assistance for communities interested in using this strategy to create economic opportunity and build great places. Applications open on June 5.
Yesterday a group of more than 30 elected local leaders from across the country carried a clear and unified message up to Capitol Hill on behalf of the First & Main coalition of nearly 100 local elected officials from small and mid-sized towns and cities. Their message? “We need reliable federal partners to support our homegrown efforts to rebuild our downtowns, restore our economies, and improve opportunity for everyone.”
The Board of Smart Growth America (SGA) is pleased to announce the selection of Calvin Gladney to succeed Geoff Anderson as the third President and CEO in the organization’s history.
Just a month after the Trump administration proposed a budget that would eliminate the competitive TIGER grant program entirely next year, the US Department of Transportation announced the winners of this year’s awards. This year’s winners show a clear shift in priorities—this round is decidedly rural or small town in nature and nearly devoid of transit projects. However, the winners also show that this administration recognizes how smaller-scale complete streets projects bring tremendous value to local communities.
To make creative placemaking just a bit easier to understand — and put our money where our mouth is when it comes to the power of arts and culture — we tapped a talented visual artist to illustrate its potential.
In 2016, our Transportation for America program launched the Smart Cities Collaborative, a learning and support network to help leaders from 16 cities proactively use technology to make their cities safer, more accessible, equitable and prosperous for all.
Throughout the rest of September, we’ll be celebrating the positive impact that arts and culture can have on our communities through a handful of inspiring local stories. The month will culminate with the release of a new examination of creative placemaking by our Transportation for America program in partnership with ArtPlace America.
Vibrant, walkable neighborhoods can help attract new residents and jobs, support existing businesses, and benefit everyone’s quality of life. Smart Growth America’s 2016 report Amazing Place examined six cities — including Denver —that are using this approach. This week, leadership teams from five other cities are gathered in Denver to see how these strategies have been implemented and … Continued