Author: Smart Growth America

National Associations Congratulate HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Awardees

By ·

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 14, 2010

National Associations Congratulate HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Awardees
Organizations Urge Continued Federal Investments to Ensure Nationwide Community Economic Competitiveness

WASHINGTON, DC – The National League of Cities (NLC), National Association of Regional Councils (NARC), Smart Growth America (SGA), the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) and ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability USA (ICLEI) congratulate the cities, towns, communities and regions which today were awarded Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These communities will now undertake critical regional planning and implementation activities that support building sustainable, livable communities through regional cooperation, broad stakeholder and community involvement and coordinated processes. The organizations also offer gratitude to HUD and the other federal agencies involved for undertaking an inaugural and historic process that will yield results for years to come.

Uncategorized

Smart Growth America Applauds National Transportation Equity Coalition

By ·

As co-chair of the Transportation for America campaign, Smart Growth America is proud to help launch the nation’s leading civil rights, community development, racial justice, economic justice, faith-based, health, housing, labor, environmental justice, tribal, and transportation organizations to create the Equity Caucus at Transportation for America. Transportation is a crucial part of the path to … Continued

Uncategorized

Now Hiring: Director, Governors' Institute on Community Design

By ·

Smart Growth America is looking for a highly qualified individual to fill the position of Director of the Governors’ Institute on Community Design. This position offers a tremendous opportunity to work at the cutting edge of state and local smart growth policy with top level officials and experts, developing innovative policy options and disseminating best … Continued

Uncategorized

Guest Post: Who loves abandoned Wal-Marts and K-Marts?

By ·

rock bottom rollback, originally uploaded by sssteve.o. Doug Simpson shares one education company’s exciting efforts — presented last Friday at the Louisiana Smart Growth Summit — to breathe new life into abandoned big box retailers. AUGUST 20, 2010 – An Alabama-based adult education company seeks out vacant “big box” retail sites and shopping malls to … Continued

Uncategorized

Guest Post: DOT likely to continue funding for rail expansion, Osborne says

By ·

Capitol Grocery, originally uploaded by de*. Doug Simpson provides us the following update from the 2010 Louisiana Smart Growth Summit, underway now in Baton Rouge: AUGUST 19, 2010 – The federal government is expected to continue providing funding for cities to expand passenger rail service because public transport can drive down travel costs for residents, … Continued

Uncategorized

Guest post: Dick Moe's legacy for history, community, and sustainability

By ·

This post by SGA board member Kaid Benfield, originally appeared on his blog at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). We thank him for allowing us to reprint his post in full here, encourage you to read his blog daily, and join him in recognizing and thanking Richard Moe for his years of service preserving, building and advocating for American communities at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. As Kaid said to me, Smart Growth America might not exist without him. – Stephen Davis, SGA Communications Associate.

Uncategorized

Climate bill totally up in the air: Washington Update

By ·

Climate Bill Timing is Uncertain
OFFICIAL RELEASE DATE POSTPONED

Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) have been working on bi-partisan climate legislation behind the scenes for months. The scheduled April 26 release of the bill language came and went last week, and has now been postponed until further notice. The climate bill negotiations fell apart last month when Senator Graham indicated that he was going to pull out due to shifting legislative priorities within the Administration and congressional leadership. Graham wrote in a letter on April 24th that he was compelled to withdraw from the climate effort following reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid might bring an immigration package to the Senate floor ahead of the climate bill….

Uncategorized

Smart Growth America hires Roger Millar, planner and implementer of great places

By ·

Smart Growth America today announced that Roger M. Millar, Jr., AICP, PE, FASCE, is joining SGA as Director of Land Use and Transportation Policy. Roger Millar is a planner and an engineer with an international reputation for innovative approaches to planning and design. His career has been dedicated to improving communities as diverse as New York City and McCall, Idaho. Projects in which Roger played a leadership role are seen as national models for livability. Likewise, Roger has been instrumental in the successful evolution of sustainable practices within rural and gateway communities throughout the American West.

Uncategorized

The Recovery Act at One Year: State Jobs Data Show Growing Advantage from Stimulus Investments in Public Transportation

By ·

Through the end of 2009, investments by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) in public transportation have created almost twice as many jobs per dollar as investments in highways – and the advantage is growing. The most recent data from states shows that every billion dollars spent on public transportation produced 19,299 job-months, compared to 10,493 job-months for every billion spent on highway infrastructure. Public transportation projects create more jobs than road projects because they spend less money on land and more on labor, and because projects are often more complex, whether laying track or manufacturing vehicles.

Uncategorized

Stimulus TIGER Projects: What Happens When We Use Transportation Dollars to Strengthen Communities, States, and the Country

By ·

In today’s announcement of $1.5 billion in TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) awards, the US Department of Transportation (US DOT) showed the kinds of transportation projects that move people and freight in a way that makes places stronger, cleaner, and safer. DOT received 1,380 applications for the $1.5 billion pot, for a grand total of $56.5 billion in funds requested. The 51 projects announced under TIGER, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), include…

Uncategorized
  • …
  • …