Introduction Leaders of every community, big city, or small municipality, whether they’re in a major metropolitan area or a rural area, strive to foster economic growth and prosperity. They want good jobs, successful local businesses, and ideally, for municipal resources to grow faster than the costs of existing programs. Regardless of party or ideology, every … Continued
Smart Growth America is now accepting applications for the Champions Institute, an opportunity for local leaders to gain expertise and skills needed to grow activity-friendly routes to everyday destinations in their communities. We recently held an informational webinar about the Champions Institute outlining the program and how to apply. Frequently asked questions What do I … Continued
Written by Abigail Grimminger.Sometimes we have to see it to believe it. How would street design really look if we prioritized the safety of all road users? Smart Growth America and the National Complete Streets Coalition’s latest video illustrates that when streets are designed to move as many cars as possible as quickly as possible, … Continued
On April 1, the Nuclear Communities team virtually hosted the first Nuclear Communities Forum which sought to amplify knowledge-sharing between nuclear host communities on a national level and set a guiding footprint for those experiencing the impacts of decommissioning across the country. Read on for insights from communities who were able to plan early—and those who weren’t.
With the use of a pop-up event that pulled in local stakeholders and a well thought-out engagement strategy, a small city with a history of successful quick-build Complete Streets projects gained a better understanding of community goals and created a strong case for funding a project to improve safety and health outcomes.
Graduates of Smart Growth America’s inaugural Active People, Healthy Nation Champions Institute are using what they learned to advocate for Complete Streets and safer activity-friendly routes to everyday destinations across the country. After completing the institute in 2020, Councilmember Sallie Alcorn from Houston, TX, Mayor Robyn Tannehill from Oxford, MS, and Mayor Jerry Martin from Alma, … Continued
In a small but suburbanizing city on the extreme northern edge of metro Seattle, a temporary pedestrian crossing and median refuge helped improve safety, reduce speeds, educate residents and drivers about the importance of slower speeds and better walking access, and spark important conversations about the future of the community in Arlington, WA.
Airway Heights, WA deployed their safety demonstration project on a key north-south connector in the city that abuts the town’s only school and a public park, generating excitement in the community and creating new safe spaces for people to gather during the pandemic.
Join the National Brownfields Coalition to learn about tools and strategies for community wealth-building and preventing displacement at the Equitable Brownfields Redevelopment webinar, part of continued programming of Smart Growth America’s Equity Summit.
Last fall, the Form-Based Code Institute successfully hosted its most popular class—FBC 101: The ABCs of Form-Based Codes—in a virtual, synchronous setting for the first time. FBCI staff worked for several months with seasoned instructors and other form-based code experts to develop the content and activities. Because of increased interest and use of form-based codes across the country, FBCI is pleased to announce the class will be offered again this spring, launching at the end of March! This is an opportunity for those who are interested in form-based codes to learn from experts and collaborate with other practitioners and interested participants.