Building housing near transit takes change at every level
Advancing equitable transit-oriented development requires all hands at the community level, but leadership at the state and federal level can also help propel change.
Land Use and Development
The Center of Excellence: Advancing smart growth through transportation & land use
Land use and transportation are inherently intertwined. For example, even a strong network of bike lanes or sidewalks will not be used if people have to travel long distances to get from one destination to another. Although land use and transportation should be considered an inseparable pair, we often find that many people have difficulty connecting them.
Five key smart growth points from a new report on transit station area development
In urban planning and development, transit station areas are the unsung heroes shaping our cities. By examining the period from the Great Recession of 2007-2009 through the global COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-2023, a recent report offers invaluable insights on how transit-oriented development can transform our urban landscapes.
A Blueprint for a Better Region
Recently, the Coalition for Smarter Growth, an SGA partner, released their Blueprint for a Better Region for the Washington, DC metropolitan area—a stellar example of the important work being done on the ground, one that can be replicated in communities across the country.
Introducing the new LOCUS Programmatic Priorities
LOCUS, SGA’s coalition of triple-bottom-line real estate developers and investors, is proud to announce three new priorities. Created in partnership with the LOCUS steering committee, these new priorities will guide the future of LOCUS’s advocacy efforts. LOCUS is a long-time leader in advocacy efforts to advance transit-oriented development and leveraging infrastructure investment to support housing … Continued
How to beat the heat: A built environment approach
Co-authored by Joseph Mendonca Millions of people across the U.S. now experience extreme heat every year—facing threats to their health, well-being, and financial security. As climate change is only making extreme heat even worse, inaction cannot be an option and communities must work together to mitigate its effects. Through strategic land use and by using … Continued
TIFIA’s first transit-oriented development loan approval
Transit-oriented development (TOD) is an important priority of LOCUS to advance sustainable, equitable, walkable development in America’s metropolitan areas. To meet that goal, LOCUS has long advocated for TIFIA, an important tool to advance TOD, helping to secure a win through the passage of the FAST Act in 2015. Recently, the first loan was approved … Continued
New anti-displacement fact sheets for communities undergoing brownfields redevelopment
In partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization, Smart Growth America (SGA) created a set of fact sheets that highlight strategies communities can use to help mitigate displacement in the contexts of brownfields redevelopment. SGA conducted interviews with community groups and municipal leaders from across the country to learn more about strategies to minimize residential and business displacement as well as implementation practices.
Strategies to Minimize Displacement: Weatherization
Introduction Brownfields—or properties with environmental contamination or potentially contaminated land—are disproportionately located in or near communities of color and low-income communities. Residents near these properties may face heightened health hazards and economic disinvestment until the site undergoes assessment and cleanup, which can be costly and lengthy. Safely reusing a brownfield site is an opportunity to … Continued
Strategies to Minimize Displacement: Down Payment and Closing Cost Assistance Programs
Introduction Brownfields—or properties with environmental contamination or potentially contaminated land—are disproportionately located in or near communities of color and low-income communities. Residents near these properties may face heightened health hazards and economic disinvestment until the site undergoes assessment and cleanup, which can be costly and lengthy. Safely reusing a brownfield site is an opportunity to … Continued