Zoning represents the foundation of development in many communities that host nuclear power plants. When planning for economic resilience and diversification, it can be very useful to evaluate your local zoning codes to determine where it is legally viable to construct new housing, businesses, and industry. This process is especially important for nuclear host communities … Continued
An important strategy for economic diversification and development is to attract new business or industry to an area, and this is especially true when redeveloping existing underutilized land. Examples of underutilized land are sites with a condemned, vacant building, a brownfield, or a vacant greenfield. Many times, these underutilized sites present opportunities for profitable economic … Continued
Foot Traffic Ahead 2023 ranks the top 35 metro areas by their walkable urbanism using an index that considers premiums in commercial rents, multifamily rental rates, and for-sale home prices. Co-authored by Michael Rodriguez, AICP, and Christopher B. Leinberger, and using data from Yardi Matrix and Rocktop Partners, the report finds that the demand for … Continued
At the 2022 Nuclear Communities Economic Resilience Conference, host communities from nine nuclear plants in the Midwest-the region that hosts more than half of the nation’s nuclear fleet-gathered to share experiences, best practices, and plan for the future. The Nuclear Communities Team– a technical assistance group led by Smart Growth America in collaboration with … Continued
Elkins, West Virginia has been working to revitalize their downtown, a challenge in any circumstance, but especially in a rural Appalachian town. The workshop with Smart Growth America shared expertise and provided site-specific advice to aid local officials and community members in placemaking. The SGA team visited Elkins for two days where they participated … Continued
Smart Growth America has partnered with Partnership for Southern Equity (PSE) on a collaborative project—part of the Kresge Foundation’s Climate Change, Health, and Equity (CCHE) initiative—to advance energy equity and economic inclusion in six southwest Atlanta zip codes by providing both quantitative and policy analysis focused on the emerging clean jobs sector and other climate … Continued
Leaders of every community—big metropolis and small town alike—strive to foster economic growth and prosperity. Regardless of party or ideology, every elected official prefers the choice of lowering taxes or increasing services compared to the reverse. A growing economy and tax base make that easier to achieve, and so most local policies are intended to … Continued
Fiscal impact analysis is a tool that is already in the playbook for many planners, politicians, and developers. It arises out of the straightforward need to understand how much new development will cost. A typical fiscal analysis uses the average cost method, which assumes that each new resident or employee associated with new development generates … Continued
Introduction Leaders of every community, big city, or small municipality, whether they’re in a major metropolitan area or a rural area, strive to foster economic growth and prosperity. They want good jobs, successful local businesses, and ideally, for municipal resources to grow faster than the costs of existing programs. Regardless of party or ideology, every … Continued
Last week, a bipartisan group of senators introduced a bicameral bill aiming to reform opportunity zones, the Opportunity Zones Transparency, Extension, and Improvement Act. Smart Growth America (SGA) views the opportunity zone reform bill as a necessary step to advance more equitable outcomes through opportunity zones, which have not benefited the historically underserved communities, nor the small, minority-owned and legacy businesses, as intended. Additionally, SGA notes that opportunity zones are not sufficient in advancing our goal of delivering more attainable housing near transit, a key tool for smart growth.