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Top 10 of 2013: Helping vacant land become neighborhood hubs through the BUILD Act of 2013

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4570-miles

This month, we’re looking back at some of Smart Growth America’s brightest moments and greatest accomplishments from 2013. Today’s highlight? Our work to get thousands of square miles of brownfields sites cleaned up and redeveloped through a bill introduced in Congress this year.

The Brownfields Utilization, Investment, and Local Development (BUILD) Act of 2013 would help communities across the country clean up brownfields sites and get them back into productive use. Senators Lautenberg (D-NJ), Inhofe (R-OK), Crapo (R-ID) and Udall (D-NM) introduced the bill in March, and since then Senators Hirono, Merkley, Brown, Schatz, Whitehouse, Gillibrand and Levin have all signed on as additional cosponsors.

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Partnership in the news: Re-imagining the Washtenaw Avenue corridor

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Later this month planners in Washtenaw County, Michigan will unveil a plan for a re-imagined Washtenaw Avenue, a 4.5-mile corridor connecting Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, MI. The corridor will undergo a makeover to better support all modes of travel and mixed-use development, thanks in part to a $3 million grant from the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

Washtenaw Avenue is the busiest corridor in in the county, averaging between 28,000 to 40,000 vehicle trips per day. However, the auto-centric pattern of parking lots and strip malls lacks mixed-use development and is not safe for pedestrians and bicyclists using the roadway. Planners evaluated different strategies for improvements to the corridor and will reveal their detailed plan to the public on December 11, 2013.

County planners took a careful look at redeveloping the corridor through a mixed-use, transit-oriented development lens in order to capitalize on the avenue’s potential for economic development. Their strategy is to promote infill development at key locations, foster new mixed-use neighborhoods, revitalize existing neighborhoods, improve alternative transit choices, and promote an active urban setting. They will also make significant roadway improvements including dedicated bus lanes, buffered bike lanes, wider sidewalks and landscaped green spaces that will make for a more attractive and safer roadway for all users.

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New tool reveals combined costs of housing and transportation in regions across the country

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Housing and transportation costs nationwide

How much does housing and transportation cost your family each month? These two items are typically a family’s largest expenses. Together they take up almost half of the average household’s budget, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). How does your family’s housing and transportation costs compare to the rest of the region? And how would living in a different neighborhood or commuting in different ways affect your monthly budget? A new tool is designed to help you find out.

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Makers, crafters, businesses and neighborhood advocates come together for Production in the City

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Last night, neighborhood advocates came together with local manufacturers, businesses and independent crafters for Production in the City, a panel discussion and popup marketplace celebrating DC’s manufacturers and the neighborhoods they call home.

The event featured a panel discussion with Megan Parisi, Brewmaster at Bluejacket; Pranav Vora, Founder + CEO of Hugh & Crye Shirtmakers; Guy Brami, Partner at Gelberg Signs; and moderated by Ilana Preuss, Vice President and Chief of Staff of Smart Growth America. In addition, a popup marketplace with 20 local vendors showcased a variety of goods made right here in DC.

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Smart Growth America's state smart growth partners meet to discuss shared goals

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Coalition members visited Winthrop, MA, pictured above, to learn about smart growth strategies in the small coastal town. Photo via Facebook.</span

Smart Growth America works with over 50 organizations from across the country as part of our coalition of allied non-profits. Many of these organizations work exclusively on smart growth issues in their respective states, and last month these partners came together to discuss shared challenges and goals.

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Mayor Rick Danner on revitalizing Greer, South Carolina’s downtown

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The City of Greer had a vision for turning around their downtown. Mayor Rick Danner talks about they went about implementing that vision through a Master Plan created with the help of a public-private partnership and turned their downtown from a couple of restaurants into a vibrant center that includes a new city hall, a … Continued

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Top 10 of 2013: Building better budgets through new, original research

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38 percent

This month, we’re looking back at some of Smart Growth America’s brightest moments and greatest accomplishments from 2013. Today’s highlight? Our July report that showed just how much smart growth strategies can benefit municipalities’ bottom lines.

Building Better Budgets: A National Examination of the Fiscal Benefits of Smart Growth Development set out to find how much cities and towns have saved, on average, by using smart growth strategies. The report collected 17 studies from cities across the country that compared two or more development scenarios. The majority of these studies found that a smart growth approach would improve the city’s finances, whether by saving money on upfront infrastructure, reducing the cost of ongoing services or by generating greater tax revenues in years to come.

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Upcoming Webinars: December 2013

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Want to learn about new, innovative strategies for creating great places? Several upcoming webinars provide ideas and inspiration for local leaders.

A Conversation with Barbara McCann
December 4, 2013 — 1:15 PM EST
Join the Security and Sustainability Forum to discuss smart urban transportation practices with Barbara McCann, the founding Executive Director of the National Complete Streets Coalition. More than 500 jurisdictions, including more than half the states, have now adopted Complete Streets policies to make streets safe for all users. Register >>

Are ‘Green’ Cities Sustainable?
December 4, 2013
Countries in which many of the “green” cities are located include those with the world’s heaviest ecological footprints. This webinar will explore some reasons for this apparent disconnect between “green” cities and the “bigfoot countries” in which they are located. It will critique the utility of ecological footprint calculation to assess a nation’s “sustainability.” And it will conclude with some contrasting views on how nations and the global community can secure a future in which we earthlings are living within the earth’s capacity to support us. Learn more >>

Tips for Successful Brownfields Grant Proposals
December 4, 2013 — 2:00 PM EST
Join NALGEP, the Center for Creative Land Recycling, and the KSU Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities Program for a webinar to get the latest advice on preparing a successful application. This webinar will walk listeners through basic (but surprisingly often overlooked) advice for applicants, as well as new changes in grant guidelines, and funding trends. Speakers will provide special tips for small and rural communities and lend their insight into common mistakes and special advantages for these applicants. Register >>

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Support strong communities this #GivingTuesday

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Investing in better development benefits everyone in a community.

Better development means children can walk to school without fear of being hit by a car.

Better development means more people can reach their jobs quickly, easily and affordably.

Better development means small businesses can thrive downtown, in neighborhoods that form the backbone of America’s regional economies.

This holiday season, take a stand for better development: Donate to Smart Growth America today >>

Today is Giving Tuesday, the unofficial start of the holiday giving season. Unlike Black Friday or Cyber Monday, however, Giving Tuesday is a day to support the causes you believe in.

As a supporter of Smart Growth America, I know how our communities grow is important to you. I hope you’ll take that support to the next level this year and make a donation today.

This Giving Tuesday, support strong communities: Donate >>

You are a crucial part of making neighborhoods across the country stronger, safer and more affordable. Take a stand for these issues and make a donation today.

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