The Baring Cross neighborhood of North Little Rock, Arkansas grew in tandem with an enormous rail yard to its east, with many of the yard’s employees finding homes in the adjacent neighborhood. Today, some residents and local leaders in North Little Rock believe this unique neighborhood could benefit from a focused effort to revitalize the neighborhood while protecting … Continued
The National Complete Streets Coalition, working with the Active Transportation Alliance, spent a day this week with workshop participants near Chicago dispelling myths and preconceived notions about Complete Streets by demonstrating how every street can be a Complete Street.
Passing a Complete Streets policy can be an incredible first step towards creating safer, more equitable streets. But how can a community translate that policy into actionable results? Learn from our panelists at Street Lights: Illuminating Implementation and Equity in Complete Streets as they discuss the nuts and bolts of turning Complete Streets policies into practice, all the while ensuring social equity within transportation networks.
Nearly 5,000 individuals and 150 organizations — including dozens of local chambers of commerce and elected officials — joined with Smart Growth America to oppose USDOT’s flawed proposal for measuring traffic congestion and urge them to rethink their approach.
After their local economy took a hard hit from the drop in oil prices, the City of Anchorage, AK reached out to Smart Growth America for help. In May 2016, SGA traveled to Anchorage to deliver a Planning for Economic and Fiscal Health Workshop. Over the course of the two-day visit, SGA met with the … Continued
Last month, LOCUS Director Christopher Coes joined The Hill for a policy discussion on Real Estate & the U.S. Economy at the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, PA. Coes joined a panel of real estate thought leaders from across the nation to discuss public policy changes that can incentivize development that generates opportunities and wealth in low-income neighborhoods. Here are … Continued
Downtown Huntington, WV. Photo via UrbanUp.
Back in 2014, Huntington, WV won a free technical assistance workshop from Smart Growth America to help the city achieve its goals for housing, businesses, and its downtown. What has the city been up to in the two years since? The answer is: a lot.
“Smart Growth America’s technical assistance has provided the City of Huntington with valuable tools that have helped propel efforts within our targeted neighborhoods,” said Mayor Steve Williams when we asked what the city has been doing. “We’re excited about the progress that we have been able to achieve and the plans that we continue to develop to create a financial and sustainable city based on smart growth principles.”
Announcing the full agenda for Street Lights — Interested in attending our Street Lights: Illuminating Implementation and Equity in Complete Streets conference? The National Complete Streets Coalition has just released the event’s full agenda. Taking place on November 15, 2016 in Sacramento, CA, Street Lights will be a chance for transportation planners and engineers, community, equity, and health advocates, local officials, and Complete Streets practitioners to share ideas, brainstorm solutions, and celebrate the success of the Complete Streets movement nationwide. If you haven’t already, register to join us in November. Conference registration is $150 for Coalition partners, and $195 for non-partners. Once you register, book your hotel room at a discounted rate in our block at the Citizen Hotel. A limited quantity of rooms are available.
Last chance to tell USDOT: Support safer streets — The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is currently considering proposed requirements for how states and metro areas will have to measure traffic congestion—the first time the agency has ever proposed such a requirement. Public comments on the rule close this week; take action today and tell USDOT to change their proposed rule.
Downtown Longwood, FL is already home to a SunRail station and new development. How can the city make the most of future growth? Photo via.
Downtown Longwood, FL is already home to a SunRail station, and new residential and retail development projects are in the works. Now the city is thinking strategically about how to make the most of all this growth, and they asked Smart Growth America for help.
Libby Tyler speaks about place-based economic development in Urbana, IL as part of Policy Forum 2016.
Pelahatchie, MS, Urbana, IL, and Stamford, CT, are three very different communities with different economies and demographics. However, all of them are using a place-based approach to their economic development, and they have lessons to share with other communities interested in doing the same.
Local leaders from across the country came together in July for the Local Leaders Council Policy Forum 2016, a day-long summit in Washington, DC on revitalizing communities, placemaking, and preventing displacement. Place-based Economic Development was one of three tracks discussed at the conference. Revitalization without Displacement and Jumpstarting Revitalization were the other two.