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
Most of the SGA staff was in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania last week for Reclaiming Vacant Properties, the first ever national conference on the issue of vacant properties. We’ll have some pictures and stories to follow in the next few days, but we wanted to alert you to a related chat taking place on the Washington Post’s … Continued
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
Atlanta has been a region typically known for its affordable housing stock and rapidly-growing suburbs and exurbs. But a new study being released in Atlanta this week chronicles affordability in the region and finds that not only is there a dearth of affordable housing, there is a disconnect between affordable housing and its major job … Continued
Many of us watching the last few decades of development in America have been repeating the mantra that the weight of crushing commutes, skyrocketing fuel and energy prices, overly large and costly houses and understated demographic changes were converging on us with serious ramifications and that changing the rules to create more affordable, smaller footprint … Continued
Ed. note: Read the “background” below for a detailed explanation of what this means. Contact Your Senator or Congressman TODAY as they work on the Transportation Appropriations bill. Ask them to STOP the proposed rule for New Starts and Small Starts and give US DOT clear directive that FTA must: Comparably weigh all 6 project … Continued
From the NBA’s Tim Donaghy referee scandal, to Michael Vick’s contemptible dogfighting, and the surly Barry Bonds pursuing Hank Aaron’s all-natural home run record, the summer of 2007 has been a rough ride for sports fans. It’s hard to notice when negativity rules the front page every day, but for every Michael Vick, there are … Continued
This report by APTA, “answers how much net C02 public transportation is saving in the U.S., how much additional C02 savings are possible if loads are increased, what is the significance of non-public transportation commuter use and what can households do to save more, and finally are there favorable land use impacts that public transportation contributes to the environment and social benefits?”
ed. note: this essay by David Goldberg originally appeared in September 2005. On the second anniversary of Katrina, we remember the storm, its aftermath, the people affected—and ponder the future. There’s something about an event such as Katrina’s devastation of the Gulf coast region that tempts hyperbole. Just as we fell into the habit of … Continued
An announcement from the Smart Growth Leadership Institute (SGLI): SGLI, working with The Trust for Public Land (in partnership with the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators and the River Network) launched a new program to help state governments develop innovative ways to protect drinking water sources by improving the coordination between state land use … Continued