Author: Smart Growth America

What did we learn from a half-year of work on Opportunity Zones with six communities?

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Throughout much of 2019, Smart Growth America’s LOCUS team worked hand-in-hand with six Massachusetts communities to harness Opportunity Zone investments to benefit rather than displace their residents, and result in walkable, mixed-use communities with a variety of employment and housing options for everyone. We spent a day earlier this month going overall we learned in a public event in Boston earlier this month.

LOCUS

Family-friendly cities can take a cue from the past

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While the words “housing” and “city” together may conjure images of skyscrapers and high-rise condo buildings, many cities today are dominated by single-family detached homes. But family-friendly cities need more housing and more housing variety. Cities should re-legalize modest homes and missing middle housing that allows choice and made them attractive places to live in the first place. In fact, creating a family-friendly city is more about going back to the past than about creating something new.

Economic development

Why I support the Complete Streets Act

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On October 25, 2019, U.S. Representative Steve Cohen convened a roundtable about Complete Streets in his district, which includes most of Memphis, TN. Local advocates and people from the city, county, and state government attended to discuss the Complete Streets Act of 2019—legislation sponsored by Rep. Cohen—and other ways the federal government could assist communities creating streets that are safer for people biking, walking, or rolling. Below are comments from Sylvia Crum, the Commute Options Program Manager at Innovate Memphis, who spoke during the roundtable.

Advocacy Complete Streets

Three Missouri communities selected for Complete Streets Consortium Series

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The National Complete Streets Coalition is working with Missouri-based partners to launch our third Complete Streets Consortium Series. After a competitive application process, the City of Kirkwood, City of Joplin, and Eastern Jackson County have been selected to participate in this program to support safer, healthier streets.

Complete Streets

$35.8 billion environmental appropriations bill approved by the Senate Committee on Appropriations, rejects President’s cuts

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  The Senate Committee on Appropriations approved the Interior Appropriations Act at $35.8 billion for FY 2020. The Senate’s legislation proposes funding for the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Forest Service, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and a number of other agencies. The bill is set to be voted on by the full Senate … Continued

LOCUS

Registration now open for the 2019 LOCUS Massachusetts Opportunity Zone Convening

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  LOCUS is pleased to announce the 2019 Massachusetts Opportunity Zones Academy Convening! On November 15, public and private sector leaders will be meeting to share their expertise and national best practices to advocate for walkable and equitable communities. The convening will also bring together the communities that received technical assistance during LOCUS’ Massachusetts Opportunity … Continued

LOCUS

Webinar recap: Lessons learned in small-scale manufacturing

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Last week, we hosted “Lessons learned in small-scale manufacturing,” a webinar that revisited communities we’ve helped with small-scale manufacturing and place-based economic development over the past three years. Speakers shared lessons and ongoing successes in Knoxville, TN; Columbia, MO; and Lafayette, LA. A recording of the webinar is now available and you can read a short recap below.

Economic development Technical assistance

The Rockefeller Foundation and Smart Growth America Launch National Opportunity Zones Academy

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Press Release
The Rockefeller Foundation and Smart Growth America today announced the launch of the National Opportunity Zones Academy, which will help cities drive sustainable growth in Opportunity Zones by attracting socially responsible investment. Five cities so far have been selected to participate: Chicago, Greater Miami and the Beaches, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Norfolk, VA.

Economic development LOCUS
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