Oregon distortions

When Measure 37 passed the ballot in Oregon a few years ago, it opened up a windfall for developers and uncertainty for neighbors as Oregon’s land use system was dismantled in favor of a free-for-all. Understandably, many who voted for the measure and thought they were simply making it possible to build a home for … Continued

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Survey shows Americans prefer to spend more on mass transit and highway maintenance, less on new roads

Three-fourths of Americans believe that being smarter about development and improving public transportation are better long-term solutions for reducing traffic congestion than building new roads, according to a survey sponsored by the National Association of Realtors® and Smart Growth America. The 2007 Growth and Transportation Survey details what Americans think about how development affects their … Continued

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New survey shows Americans prefer to spend more on mass transit and highway maintenance than new roads

Three-fourths of Americans believe that being smarter about development and improving public transportation are better long-term solutions for reducing traffic congestion than building new roads, according to a survey released today by the National Association of Realtors® and Smart Growth America. The 2007 Growth and Transportation Survey details what Americans think about how development affects … Continued

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Responses to Joel Kotkin's "Hot World? Blame Cities"

This is a collection of letters to the editor of the Washington Post and blog posts in response to “Hot World? Blame Cities” by Joel Kotkin and Ali Modarres. View our blog entry. ———— I’m glad Joel Kotkin and Ali Modarres bring up the subject of cities and global warming (Hot World? Blame Cities, October … Continued

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600+ people attend Reclaiming Vacant Properties in Pittsburgh

Last week, nearly 650 people gathered in Pittsburgh, PA for Reclaiming Vacant Properties, the first ever national conference on the topic. The conference was the culmination of years of dreaming and working by the National Vacant Properties Campaign. Over 500 people were registered before the event, but the large number of walk-up registrants Monday morning … Continued

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Less auto-dependent development is key to mitigating climate change

The growing demand for conveniently located housing in walkable, accessible, compact neighborhoods with a mix of uses has been well-documented, but according to research released today, meeting that demand could significantly reduce the growth in the number of miles Americans drive, shrinking the nation’s carbon footprint while giving people more housing choices. A new book, … Continued

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