The new Opportunity Zone tax incentive was conceived as a tool to promote economic development, job creation, poverty reduction, and support for new businesses in areas of concentrated poverty. A couple years in, is it having the desired effects for small business stability and growth, especially for minority-owned legacy businesses?
With the country still in urgent need of more economic relief from the pandemic, Congress continues to be deadlocked on producing a legislative package. In the latest proposal, Senate Republicans unveiled the Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection, and Schools (HEALS) Act last week—their latest legislative response to COVID-19 following the HEROES Act passed by the House more than two months ago.
Do you know a real estate developer, investor, company, or project creating great walkable places and demonstrating exemplary public leadership to advance smart growth development? If so, nominate them for the 2020 LOCUS National Leadership Awards!
The House Select Committee on Climate Change released a new legislative blueprint this week for tackling the climate crisis that incorporates many of SGA’s recommendations across our programs, demonstrating how smart growth is at the very core of any potential plan to reduce emissions.
This week the House will consider the Moving Forward Act, a $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill that reflects many of Smart Growth America’s core priorities, including a new kind of transportation bill, billions to invest in new or rehabilitated affordable housing, and support for more inclusive and equitable development around transit to help give more Americans access to opportunity.
One of the amendments to the House’s transportation bill (INVEST Act) we are supporting would expand one of the federal government’s biggest infrastructure financing tools to include more economic development near public transportation stations—increasing private investment in transit and helping multiply the impact of the INVEST Act’s sizable increases in transit funding.
The INVEST Act could be a turning point for the federal transportation program, almost hitting the mark on our principles for transportation investment. But a few amendments could make—or break—the bill. Stay up to date here.
On June 3, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure released the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America (INVEST in America) Act. This act authorizes nearly $500 billion over five years to address some of the country’s most urgent infrastructure needs, as well as the economic crisis presented … Continued
We, the LOCUS National Steering Committee and Staff, issue the following statement: LOCUS is intensely focused on creating walkable urban places for all. Unfortunately, this country’s long-standing disparities and systemic racism have been on full display with the COVID-19 health crisis, the death of George Floyd, and many others, and now the widespread anger and … Continued
As communities across the country battle COVID-19, LOCUS is committed to providing our members and supporters with timely updates and transparent resources that help keep your communities, families, and businesses safe and resilient.