Creating a new space for ideas on the public realm and the role of placemaking in civic life

COVID-19 has forced community leaders, planners, and placemakers to reconsider the value of shared spaces to every aspect of public life. Our new Public Realm Learning Journeys are bringing together leaders from three cities to learn what it takes to create and maintain public spaces that are attractive, safe, accessible to everyone, and meaningfully contributing … Continued

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Smart Growth America and LOCUS veteran tapped to serve the Biden-Harris administration in the U.S. Department of Transportation

Smart Growth America is pleased to share the exciting but bittersweet news that Christopher Coes, Smart Growth America vice president of land use and development and Director of SGA’s LOCUS coalition of real estate developers and investors, has been selected by the Biden-Harris administration to serve in the U.S. Department of Transportation as Principal Deputy … Continued

LOCUS

The Scenic Route is getting a makeover

Back in early 2016, we launched the Scenic Route website, a new interactive guide to help transportation professionals collaborate with artists and to introduce creative placemaking to transportation planners, public works agencies, and local elected officials. This guide was an important touchstone, but the evolutions in this field and the notable projects that have happened since its launch have left it in need of an update, which we’re pleased to announce is on the way.

Creative Placemaking Transportation

Congress’ COVID relief is welcome, but “must simply be a downpayment, with more help on the way”

Late last night, after months of fruitless negotiations and inaction, Congress finally passed a $900-billion COVID relief package at the same time as a $1.4-trillion omnibus appropriations bill to fund the government through the end of the FY 21 fiscal year. Congress’ actions are a good start, but America needs more in order to survive and bounce back from this health and economic crisis. This bill must simply be a downpayment, with more help on the way.

Advocacy LOCUS Transportation

Our new Champions Corner can expand your knowledge about building safer, complete streets

If you want to advocate for and support safer, more complete streets in your community, our brand new Champions Corner is a one-stop shop of resources for local elected officials, decision makers, and stakeholders who want to improve access to activity-friendly routes to everyday destinations in their communities.

Complete Streets

Segregation persists, climate change is here, and demographics are rapidly shifting: It’s time for a Great Real Estate Reset

The real estate industry is failing to fully address persistent segregation by race and income, pent-up demand for more attainable housing, destabilized regional housing markets fueled by climate change, and other converging trends. It’s time for a real estate reset.

Climate Change LOCUS Resilience

Looking back on Minnesota and Washington State DOTs’ inaugural artists-in-residence

Last week, we brought together the artists and agency staff involved in the nation’s first ever artists-in-residence at state departments of transportation to reflect on the inaugural year of the program. Speakers shared their reflections on the residencies, how they coped with the current pandemic, lessons learned, and plans for the future of these novel programs.

Creative Placemaking Uncategorized

Helping communities face the difficult challenge of nuclear plant closure

Smart Growth America’s new Nuclear Closure Communities Technical Assistance program is supporting communities that are making the difficult transition when a nuclear plant closes. Our new Nuclear Closure Communities Technical Assistance program is designed to help the dozens of American communities facing the closure of a nuclear plant to better prepare and plan for a … Continued

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