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Even the best-planned cities have a few hidden alleys.

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Maneesh Krishnan photo

<p><strong>SGA’s Community Connectors is a year-long program that supports teams in three small and mid-sized communities as they work to repair divisive infrastructure, improve safety outcomes, and advance lasting community reconnections. The program centers collaboration by bringing together community-based organizations with local government partners in learning sessions and hands-on workshops for quick-build demonstration projects.</strong></p>
<p>At its core, Community Connectors is about people. This blog series highlights participants leading the work, offering a glimpse into their journeys and deep commitment to creating safer, connected communities. In this second round of participant profiles, we are featuring Connectors who work in city government.</p>
<p>Get to know Maneesh Krishnan, a co-lead for Little Rock, AR, in this year’s <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-center/three-communities-selected-to-learn-about-and-design-quick-build-demonstration-projects/">Community Connectors</a> program. Maneesh is the Director of Public Works for the City of Little Rock.</p>
<figure id="attachment_113702" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-113702" style="width: 1004px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-113702 size-full" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Maneesh-Krishnan.jpg" alt="Man sitting and smiling up at the camera while sitting at a desk in an office. " width="1004" height="760" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Maneesh-Krishnan.jpg 1004w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Maneesh-Krishnan-300x227.jpg 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Maneesh-Krishnan-768x581.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1004px) 100vw, 1004px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-113702" class="wp-caption-text">Photo courtesy of Maneesh Krishnan</figcaption></figure>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>The conversation below has been condensed and lightly edited.</em></p>
<h3>What got you interested in transportation, planning, and reconnecting your community?</h3>
<p>I went into engineering not really knowing exactly what my interest was going to be, but I was always interested in construction. When I first came to the U.S., I joined a master's program and got into transportation safety, reducing crashes, and improving safety for all road users. My first professional job was an internship with the City of Little Rock in 2006. Once I finished my master’s degree, I worked in the private sector for 16 years, and then came back to the city as an assistant director, and now I'm the Director of Public Works. From the beginning of my professional career, safety is what has driven everything.</p>
<h3>What are you excited to bring to the cohort? What past experience do you want to share that your team can learn from?</h3>
<p>While working in the private sector and now in public service, I've had the opportunity to work on projects like this. In my previous job at McClelland Engineering, we helped out with traffic counts for the <a href="https://www.littlerockchamber.com/o/lrrc/page/createlittlerock-puitr-2018">Markham Street PopUp</a>, a very successful pop-up that eventually became a construction project. My team at McClelland did the design. It's not yet done, so I'm on the city side of the table now with that project. I've seen that project go from a pop-up to a $2 million project that has become a reality. I'm excited to bring that experience, and I'm excited to learn from others. There's a lot you can learn from these kinds of projects.</p>
<h3>What's something that you've learned so far from this program that you'd want your colleagues to know?</h3>
<p>Knowing the history of the place where you live is very important. I say that because, honestly, I didn't know much about the history of Ninth Street until <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/community-connectors-participant-spotlight-ernest-banks/">Ernest</a> [Banks, director of studioMAIN and Community Connectors co-lead] talked to me about it. I was like, “Wow, that is just down the street from where I work, and I didn't really know much about it.” That's the number one thing I would say: know the history of your place.</p>
<p>The other thing I would say is that if there's an initiative that you want to take to improve an area in your city, no initiative is too small. Big things come from small ideas sometimes.</p>
<h3>What advice would you have for someone looking to start projects like these?</h3>
<p>Don't be afraid to share your ideas. Network, get to know people, and spread the word. Getting people to know what's going on is very important.</p>
<h3>What does success look like to you?</h3>
<p>In general, success for me is being able to drive around and see all these projects that I've been able to work on in my community. That my family's enjoying those areas, that there are parks and facilities I've worked on in the city. In this case, being a part of a team that's able to make that a reality and restore Ninth Street’s history and heritage would be awesome.</p>
<h3>What do you hope to leave behind for your community?</h3>
<p>Having sustainable infrastructure that improves the quality of life of our residents and also has a sense of history. A place that's rooted in its history and that is sustainable really is successful.</p>
<h3>What is one go-to resource every person doing this work should have in their toolbox for demonstration projects?</h3>
<p>Being able to communicate is going to be really important because you have so many people you need to work with to get something like this accomplished. Just like how Ernest has been going around, talking to each entity and person, trying to get everybody to the table. There are so many other things you need to get this kind of project done, but being able to get everybody together, communicate, and get expectations set is very important.</p>
<h3>Do you have any communication strategies, tips, or tricks?</h3>
<p>If you have the floor and you have an audience, you’ve got to really know who you're talking to and how quickly you need to make an impact. Make sure you make the best use of your time and drill the point across in an effective way. Communication is something everybody starts with at a different level. You have to learn what your strengths are and then work on your weaknesses.</p>


Community Connectors

Local Leader

quick build

Community Connectors spotlight: Maneesh Krishnan, Director of Public Works in Little Rock, AR

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Little Rock, AR Quick-Build

<p><b>USDOT has made the final round of grants from the </b><a href="https://www.transportation.gov/grants/ss4a/fy26-nofo"><b>Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program available</b></a><b>. This final guaranteed round of funding for SS4A looks a bit different from the original version of the program. Here’s what you need to know:</b></p>
<p>SS4A’s historic inclusion in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) allowed local communities to apply directly for federal funds to address the urgent safety and accessibility issues they see on a daily basis, instead of having to go through their state DOTs. SS4A funds provided communities of all sizes with opportunities to establish safety action plans and programs, gather necessary data, and explore new designs and materials through the use of <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/programs-and-coalitions/national-complete-streets-coalition/quick-build-demonstration-projects/">quick-build demonstration projects</a>. But to win a grant from this year’s pool of funds, your approach to describing your safety efforts may need to change.</p>
<p>This year, about $1 billion is available for SS4A awards: $305 million for Planning &amp; Demonstration and $688 million for Implementation. The program’s priorities have shifted to focus more on “Public Safety Infrastructure” (response and enforcement) than street design improvements that may inconvenience drivers (prevention), but you can still use these funds to make positive change in your community. Here are five things to know:</p>
<h3><b>1. The basic structure of the grant program is the same</b></h3>
<p>The two types of grants available are Planning &amp; Demonstration and Implementation (we will focus mostly on Planning &amp; Demonstration here). Eligible activities are still: develop a new Action Plan, conduct supplemental planning to update an Action Plan, and inform an Action Plan with demonstration activities, all of which can be bundled together <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-center/supercharge-your-communitys-safety-demonstration-projects-with-safe-streets-for-all/">to best fit</a> <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-center/six-things-to-know-about-applying-for-the-next-round-of-safe-streets-for-all-funding/">your community’s needs</a>. As you can tell, the SS4A activities are all centered on the <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/grants/ss4a/comprehensive-safety-action-plans">Safety Action Plan</a>, which is meant to help your community implement the <a href="http://transportation.gov/NRSS/SafeSystem">Safe System Approach</a>. Merits of this wheel aside (we prefer the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590198223001525">pyramid</a>!), Safe Systems continues to be at the core of SS4A.</p>
<h3><b>2. Priorities in the program have (unsurprisingly) changed</b></h3>
<p>With all the <a href="https://usa.streetsblog.org/2025/07/09/removing-rainbow-crosswalks-wont-make-americas-arterials-safer">anti-pedestrian</a>, <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/trump-administration-ready-to-kick-bicyclists-off-of-americas-front-yard/">anti-bike</a>, and <a href="https://t4america.org/2025/07/09/no-safety-and-no-speed-the-trump-administration-is-implementing-funds-for-safety-grants-to-towns-and-cities-at-about-ten-percent-of-the-speed-of-the-previous-administration/">anti-safety</a> moves from the current administration, it is no surprise that SS4A's priorities have changed this year. There’s a notable new priority of “Public Safety Infrastructure.” This nebulous category includes “hardware, software, systems, technologies, equipment, protocols, facilities, and coordination models” for medical services, fire, and law enforcement to “prevent, respond to, or reduce the severity of roadway crashes.” While adding these elements introduces a new layer of complexity, we strongly recommend obtaining letters of support from public safety partners—including EMS, fire services, law enforcement, trauma system partners, and first responder labor unions—to elevate this priority in your application. Prevention is key to safety, and we hope applicants can be creative in partnering with their emergency response teams to test road designs that support public safety by preventing dangerous crashes before they happen.</p>
<p>This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) also includes a list of “favorable considerations” and “less favorable considerations.” A few favorable considerations that stand out are:</p>
<ul>
<li><i>Letters of support, especially from relevant stakeholders and Public Safety Agencies and associated Labor Unions representing First Responders</i></li>
<li><i>Applicants in a rural area</i></li>
<li><i>Beautifying transportation infrastructure with context-appropriate design and/or child-friendly elements</i></li>
</ul>
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<p>Rural areas in particular should not overlook this opportunity for safety funding. Keep these considerations in mind when putting together your application: <b>work with many stakeholders and prioritize children's safety.</b> (For example: automated traffic enforcement is not favorable <i>unless</i> it’s within school zones, so focus on your school zones!).</p>
<p>The “less favorable considerations” in this year’s NOFO are similarly unsurprising. Any perception of taking away space from cars, impeding vehicular flow, or generally harshing on drivers’ vibe is not going to be well received. When you propose strategies that make roads safer by slowing down cars, be sure to emphasize the known safety benefits for <i>everyone</i> on the road. <i>Check back soon for more ideas to keep safety at the heart of your application.</i></p>
<h3><b>3. You should apply for a Planning &amp; Demonstration grant!</b></h3>
<p>USDOT anticipates awarding a little over $305 million in this category, which will be somewhere between 400 and 700 awards ranging from $100,000 to $5 million each. SS4A is unique in that federal funds go directly to cities and other local jurisdictions, bypassing state DOTs, which usually are in charge of funneling transportation money down from the feds. This is also the easiest federal grant application you will ever see: a two-page narrative if you’re requesting less than $1 million in Planning &amp; Demonstration funds, a three-page narrative if you’re requesting $1 million or more. Prior awardees in either category <i>are</i> eligible to apply for additional funds, even if an Action Plan is still in development. There is still a lot of funding available in this program, and the 20 percent local match can be made in cash or in-kind. Go for it!</p>
<h3><b>4. Quick-builds are still eligible demonstration projects</b></h3>
<p>Even with the less favorable considerations for projects that could be perceived as anti-car, quick-builds and temporary street installations were referenced in the NOFO and should still be included in your applications. We know that street design is the most effective strategy to improve safety for everyone, and quick-build projects are a way to get near-term improvements to your community through an SS4A Planning &amp; Demonstration grant. Your application doesn’t have to go into your demonstration project proposal in great detail—you can determine the specific sites and designs as part of the work if your project is awarded. Just be sure to frame your project in terms of the priorities described above and use the data you collect for your project to inform or update a Safety Action Plan.</p>
<h3><b>5. These are (still) not serious people</b></h3>
<p>USDOT is demonstrating once again that it is still clearly not serious about actual safety improvements that will result in fewer deaths and injuries. The way that safety improvements must take a back seat to preserving vehicle capacity at all costs is just yet another perfect example of how safety is a priority in words only, and regularly loses out when it has to compete with other “priorities.” The slow roll of grant agreements and the <a href="https://t4america.org/2026/03/26/the-trump-administration-tried-to-rip-out-a-bike-lane-in-dc-theyre-trying-to-do-the-same-nationwide/">threat</a> of existing grants being pulled show as much, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn't keep safety at the center of our applications. With “beautifying transportation infrastructure” and “child-friendly elements” listed as favorable SS4A considerations, you might expect they’d mean murals, street trees, narrow lanes, protected crosswalks, and separated bike lanes, but we see USDOT <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-center/the-economic-and-health-costs-of-cutting-funding-for-family-friendly-communities/">cutting funding for</a> and removing these truly wonderful parts of street design across the U.S.</p>
<p>We will see how the DOT’s incongruous priorities lead to actual safety improvements, but that won’t stop us from putting together great plans for <i>real</i> outcomes.</p>
<p>[alert type="info"] Smart Growth America has already helped communities secure over $8 million in SS4A funding and is now offering limited support to help more communities succeed in what may be the final round. <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/apply-now-get-sga-support-for-your-2026-ss4a-application/">Learn more about the opportunity here.</a>[/alert]</p>
<p><b>Applications are due Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 5 pm EDT.</b></p>


Application Support

Grant opportunities

Safe Streets for All

What you need to know about Safe Streets and Roads for All grants in 2026

Champions Institute Map_2026

<p><strong>Smart Growth America is excited to announce the 2026 Champions Institute cohort. 14 local elected officials from 11 states will participate in this year’s program, where they’ll gain the tools and skills they need to develop time-bound <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/active-communities-tool/php/planning-guide/index.html">Active People, Healthy Nation Action<sup>SM</sup> Plans</a> that promote safe environments for physical activity in their communities. This year’s cohort marks an important milestone: more than 100 Champions have now participated in the Institute since it began in 2020.</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Champions-Institute-Map_2026.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-113351" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Champions-Institute-Map_2026-1024x576.png" alt="Map showcasing the locations of the 2026 Champions Institute Participants" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Champions-Institute-Map_2026-1024x576.png 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Champions-Institute-Map_2026-300x169.png 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Champions-Institute-Map_2026-768x432.png 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Champions-Institute-Map_2026-1536x864.png 1536w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Champions-Institute-Map_2026.png 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></p>
<p>Local elected officials, from mayors to city councilors to tribal chairpeople, can play a big role in improving a community’s environment so that it works better for the people who live there. <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/services/grants/champions-institute/">Smart Growth America’s Champions Institute</a> helps train these leaders to become effective champions for Complete Streets, active transportation networks, downtown revitalization, and many other strategies for building healthy communities. Over the next four months, this cohort will engage in virtual sessions, peer learning, and one-on-one coaching to gain the knowledge and resources needed to support plans, policies, and funding in pursuit of these goals.</p>
<h3>The 2026 Champions Institute participants are:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Councilmember Ambar Marquis | Clarksville, TN</li>
<li>Mayor Coletta Perry | Crafton, PA</li>
<li>Councilmember David Schloegel | Jamestown, ND</li>
<li>Councilmember Deborah Winstead | Pelham, NY</li>
<li>Councilmember Jacque Sample | Columbia, MO</li>
<li>Councilmember Jennie Chamberlain | Hanover, NH</li>
<li>Legislator Josh Leviker | Lewis County, NY</li>
<li>Mayor Linda Short | Mayersville, MS</li>
<li>Councilmember Nichole Rogers | Albuquerque, NM</li>
<li>Legislator Reed Cleland | Cortland County, NY</li>
<li>Councilmember Steele Reynolds | Shawnee, KS</li>
<li>Councilmember Sukh Kaur | San Antonio, TX</li>
<li>Councilmember Tiffany Burgess | Beaverton, MI</li>
<li>Councilmember Valerie Carroll | Columbia, MO</li>
</ul>
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<p>Now in its fifth year, the Champions Institute has grown into a network of over 100 local elected officials committed to advancing safer transportation options and more resilient, livable communities.</p>
<p>We can’t wait to get to know this year’s participants and see what great things they’ll accomplish!</p>
<hr />
<p>This program is made possible by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (Cooperative Agreement CDC-RFA-PW-24-0080). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC. These efforts are part of the CDC’s <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/active-people-healthy-nation/php/about/index.html">Active People, Healthy Nation<sup>SM</sup></a> Initiative that is working to help 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027.</p>


Announcing the 2026 Champions Institute cohort

impact columbus 2

<p><strong>Through ZEST, Smart Growth America is equipping community leaders across the country with the tools to turn complex land-use policy into real health and equity outcomes. Here are key takeaways from our inaugural cohort and what they mean for advancing zoning reform locally.</strong></p>
<p>Zoning is often treated as a technical exercise—a set of regulations that govern height limits, use tables, and parking requirements. In reality, zoning functions as a public health framework. It shapes community exposure to clean air, access to affordable housing, the design of well-connected, walkable neighborhoods, proximity to safe and reliable public transit, and access to job opportunities.</p>
<p>Smart Growth America’s <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/services/grants/zoning-for-equitable-solutions-and-thriving-communities-zest/">Zoning for Equitable Solutions and Thriving Communities (ZEST)</a> program centers this connection. The inaugural cohort of this program brought together community-based organizations from across the country to strengthen their capacity to advance local health outcomes through land use and zoning reform.</p>
<h2>The 2025-26 Cohort</h2>
<p>Smart Growth America brought together 19 community-based organizations (CBOs) from across the country. From rural North and South Carolinas, to the industrial legacy cities of Buffalo and Baltimore, and from suburban-majority pockets outside the Virginia state capital of Richmond, to major metropolises of Chicago, Los Angeles, and Houston, each CBO represented places across the United States facing distinct land use challenges but united by a shared goal: advancing healthier, more equitable communities through policy change.</p>
<h2>What ZEST provided</h2>
<p><a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/impact-columbus-2-1.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-113312" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/impact-columbus-2-1-1024x410.png" alt="" width="1024" height="410" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/impact-columbus-2-1-1024x410.png 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/impact-columbus-2-1-300x120.png 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/impact-columbus-2-1-768x307.png 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/impact-columbus-2-1.png 1500w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></p>
<p>Over a period of six months, SGA developed and delivered tailored technical assistance to translate complex land-use systems into practical advocacy tools. While each organization had unique goals, the support generally fell into three core categories: policy analysis, data and visualization, and education and advocacy tools.</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Technical zoning and policy analysis</strong><br />
SGA developed ordinance reviews, policy briefs, and issue-specific memos exploring topics such as industrial land use and environmental health, equitable transit-oriented development, anti-displacement strategies, food access, and the reuse of FEMA buyout properties. In some communities, this included targeted zoning code reviews to identify regulatory barriers; in others, it involved peer-city case studies and model policy examples to inform reform efforts.</li>
<li><strong>Data, Mapping, and Quantitative Research</strong><br />
Several organizations received spatial analyses, socioeconomic data summaries, and visual mapping tools to strengthen their advocacy efforts. This work included minimum parking requirement cost modeling, StoryMap-style regional analyses, FEMA parcel assessments, and statistical studies linking zoning patterns to housing availability.</li>
<li><strong>Education, Communication, and Advocacy Tools</strong><br />
Beyond analysis, SGA prioritized building long-term local capacity. Deliverables included train-the-trainer toolkits, community-facing summaries, plain-language zoning explainers, qualitative interview findings, storytelling resources, and advocacy roadmaps. These materials strengthen organizational efforts to translate technical findings into accessible, actionable messaging tailored to their communities.</li>
</ol>
<h2>Sharing lessons and learning across communities</h2>
<p><a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/20251120-DSC_2517.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-113308" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/20251120-DSC_2517-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="682" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/20251120-DSC_2517-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/20251120-DSC_2517-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/20251120-DSC_2517-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/20251120-DSC_2517-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/20251120-DSC_2517.jpg 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></p>
<h3>Virtual Peer Learning:</h3>
<p>In October 2025, SGA convened all 19 ZEST organizations for a virtual peer learning session focused on local advocacy planning. The session created space for participants to connect, share lived experiences from zoning reform efforts, and workshop the best path forward to move ideas into action. Despite representing diverse geographies and challenges, participants identified a shared truth: effective advocacy depends on thoughtful, audience-specific communication.<br />
Breakout discussions emphasized that language choices shape outcomes. Overuse of jargon can create confusion rather than credibility, and successful messaging requires clear problem statements that resonate across audiences. Participants highlighted the importance of connecting policy to lived experience, focusing on outcomes rather than technical mechanics, and ending every message with a specific, actionable ask.</p>
<h3>In-Person Convening:</h3>
<p>Over two days in November 2025, 16 ZEST community-based organizations gathered in Baltimore to exchange ideas, share challenges, and deepen their understanding of how zoning decisions shape health, opportunity, and quality of life.</p>
<p>The convening highlighted the many entry points for connecting land use and health equity—from public health frameworks and lived-experience storytelling to arts-driven engagement and collaborative workshops.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/zoning-for-health-equity-turning-insights-into-action/">Read the full convening recap here. </a></strong></p>
<h2>Key Takeaways</h2>
<ol>
<li><strong>Zoning functions as a public health tool.</strong><br />
Land-use policy shapes housing stability, exposure to pollution, climate resilience, transportation costs, and access to opportunity. When communities reframe zoning reform as a public health strategy, they elevate it from a technical exercise to a priority for community well-being.</li>
<li><strong>Advancing health equity—and zoning reform—requires a range of strategies.</strong><br />
Land-use decisions impact health outcomes through industrial siting, parking mandates, school boundaries, housing policy, and much more. No single strategy will work everywhere, but communities can selectively combine and tailor multiple approaches that fit their unique histories, conditions, and political realities. </li>
<li><strong>Technical literacy and clear communication drive advocacy power.</strong><br />
When community-based organizations understand zoning language and processes, they move from uncertainty to action. Ordinance reviews, spatial analysis, and strong data visualization translate complex regulations into practical reform strategies. But knowledge alone is not enough; advocates must also communicate clearly and effectively. By tailoring messages to specific audiences and using storytelling, visuals, and accessible language, organizations can make zoning reform understandable and actionable.</li>
<li><strong>Community knowledge and local leadership drive lasting change.</strong><br />
Zoning codes shape daily life; the people most affected by land-use decisions must define the problems and guide the solutions. As federal support fluctuates, community-based organizations and local governments lead the charge. Lasting reform begins locally, where leaders understand lived realities and act with urgency.</li>
<li><strong>Coalitions strengthen systems change.</strong><br />
Exclusionary zoning and health inequities stem from interconnected systems. Cross-sector partnerships—spanning public health, housing, environmental justice, faith communities, and regional advocacy—generate the momentum needed to shift those systems.</li>
</ol>


Health Equity

Housing and Development

ZEST

zoning

Connecting health and land use: Reflections from the inaugural ZEST cohort

Land Use and Development

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<p><strong>Smart Growth America has been selected to lead a cohort of four cities in a Delaware State Housing Authority program to modernize municipal zoning and land-use policies aimed at increasing the supply of affordable housing.</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://www.destatehousing.com/planning-assistance/">The Zoning and Land Use Reform Pilot Program</a>, created through the passage of Delaware Senate Joint Resolution 8 (SJR8), will enable nine jurisdictions to receive free technical assistance from three planning consultants, with the goals of encouraging a greater variety of housing types, promoting compact, mixed-use development, and addressing housing affordability challenges. Smart Growth America was selected as one of three planning consultants to support participating jurisdictions through this competitive pilot program.</p>
<p>Through this program, Smart Growth America will support Bridgeville, Georgetown, Milford, and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, in advancing pre-selected targeted zoning solutions, including expanding missing middle and ADUs, enabling compact, higher-density housing, reducing regulatory barriers such as excessive parking requirements, and creating tools to support affordable and workforce housing.</p>
<p>“At Smart Growth America, we know that outdated zoning rules too often stand between communities and the prosperity they’re working to build for everyone who lives there,” said Toccarra Nicole Thomas, Assistant Vice President of Housing and Development at Smart Growth America. “We’re excited to partner with communities across Delaware to help expand housing options and strengthen local economies by modernizing zoning to meet today’s needs. We applaud the Delaware State Housing Authority and state leaders for advancing this effort, and we can’t wait to get started.”</p>
<p>This work builds on Smart Growth America’s Center for Zoning Solutions' efforts to remove regulatory barriers to more housing in the right places at the right price and to support communities in aligning zoning with today’s housing needs.</p>
<p>To learn more, visit: <a href="https://www.destatehousing.com/planning-assistance/">https://www.destatehousing.com/planning-assistance/ </a></p>


Delaware

Housing

Technical Assistance

Smart Growth America selected to advance zoning reform in four Delaware communities

SGA@25_Beth Remarks

<p><strong>Last week, we gathered nearly 300 friends, partners, and leaders for SGA@25, an event marking 25 years of Smart Growth America’s impact. Celebrating 25 years of Smart Growth America is a chance to reflect on how far the movement has come and why this work remains essential as communities face interconnected challenges across housing, transportation, land use, and equity.</strong></p>
<p>SGA@25 brought together generations of staff, longtime collaborators, and newer partners to reflect on our wins from over the years and how the smart growth movement has grown and evolved. It was a chance to reconnect, take stock, and reaffirm the importance of aligning transportation, housing, and development decisions to create healthy, prosperous, and resilient communities. For 25 years, Smart Growth America has helped communities navigate outdated rules and systems, translating on-the-ground experience into practical policy reform.</p>
<figure id="attachment_109431" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-109431" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/DSC09230.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-109431 size-large" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/DSC09230-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/DSC09230-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/DSC09230-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/DSC09230-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/DSC09230-1536x1025.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-109431" class="wp-caption-text">Current and former Smart Growth America staff gathered to mark 25 years of the organization’s work.</figcaption></figure>
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<p>The event would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors, including the Surdna Foundation, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, who went above and beyond to make this evening a success. Thanks to our sponsors and attendees, we raised nearly $130,000 to support our work during a challenging moment for nonprofits and to ensure we can continue providing hands-on support to communities nationwide. That support helps ensure communities see real results from the policies and investments shaping their futures.</p>
<p>The conversations we shared didn’t just celebrate the past. They reinforced why Smart Growth America’s work remains essential and helped sharpen our focus on what comes next. We were grateful for thoughtful remarks from our Board Chair Madeline Fraser Cook, LOCUS Chair Alecia Hill, and longtime partner Polly Trottenberg, who each spoke to the importance of Smart Growth America’s leadership, clear-eyed priorities, and collaborative action. Their remarks underscored why Smart Growth America’s role as a connector, translator, and partner remains essential at a time when many communities are navigating uncertainty and change.</p>
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<p>As we look ahead to the next 25 years of the smart growth movement, we know that this work remains a collective effort. While our progress is real, the work ahead remains unfinished, and it will require the same persistence that has defined the movement from the start. With friends, supporters, and partners new and old in the fold, we remain committed to continuing to advance policies and practices that help communities thrive.</p>
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<div style="display: flex; gap: 16px; flex-wrap: wrap;">[alert type="info"] Learn more about SGA’s recent progress in our 2025 Annual Report. Despite a challenging year, we supported communities across 46 states and DC, advanced practical policy solutions, and turned on-the-ground work into measurable impact.<a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/resources/2025-annual-report/">Read the 2025 Annual Report</a>[/alert]</p>
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SGA@25

Staff

SGA@25: Celebrating 25 years of Smart Growth America

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<p><strong><a href="https://www.bluntrochester.senate.gov/news/press-releases/news-senators-blunt-rochester-and-curtis-introduce-bill-to-spur-housing-construction-near-transportation-hubs/">On January 14th, the Build Housing, Unlock Benefits and Services (Build HUBS) Act was introduced</a> by bipartisan champions Sen. Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Sen. Curtis (R-UT), Rep. Friedman (D-CA), and Rep. Lawler (R-NY). This legislation will make critical reforms to the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) and Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) programs to support the creation of more transit-oriented development (TOD) projects.</strong></p>
<p>Communities across the country are facing a housing affordability and access crisis. While addressing the shortage of affordable homes will take a constellation of policy interventions, unlocking financing for the development of housing near jobs, services, and transit projects through refinements to two existing programs—the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) and the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) programs—is a meaningful step. The LOCUS-championed Build HUBS Act was introduced on January 14 and is intended to make just such changes.</p>
<h3>Background</h3>
<p>RRIF and TIFIA are two federal financing programs that offer very low-interest direct loans for transit-oriented development (TOD) projects within a ½ mile of a qualifying station/facility. While they have great potential, burdensome requirements not aligned with typical development processes have prevented many developers from accessing the loans. The loan time lags the standard market timeline for real estate, and the lengthy and uncertain process has often proved unworkable for projects. Smaller projects can barely cover the high base-level fees, killing them almost immediately. Other issues, such as extensive NEPA requirements, also slow down projects and deter developers. These hurdles have weakened the programs so much that only <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/tifias-first-transit-oriented-development-loan-approval/">one TOD project</a> has been successfully financed to date. In addition to these stumbling blocks, Smart Growth America’s <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/programs-and-coalitions/locus/">LOCUS</a> coalition of real estate developers and investors identified <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/reforming-transit-oriented-development-financing-at-the-federal-level-to-unlock-housing-and-economic-growth/">other areas within the programs</a> that would allow it to better support transit-oriented development projects.</p>
<p>LOCUS took a leadership role in championing language in the FAST Act that added transit-oriented development project eligibility in the RRIF and TIFIA programs and has worked in the intervening years to make those programs work for developers and communities. As purpose-driven developers and investors championing smart growth policy, LOCUS understands the benefits of TOD, an <a href="https://www.transit.dot.gov/TOD">urban planning strategy</a> that focuses on building commercial and residential spaces near transit stations to maximize the benefits of current transit investments. TOD has many economic advantages that stem from <a href="https://www.frbsf.org/wp-content/uploads/G_LeRoy.pdf">better connecting people</a> to job opportunities and providing housing in desirable <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/demand-for-walkable-places-remains-high/">walkable communities.</a> From a transit agency’s perspective, TOD can <a href="https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/transit-oriented-development-cities-boost-ridership-affordable-housing/621378/">increase ridership</a>, a boon for transit systems seeking more riders and financial stability. By improving access to transit, promoting productive land use, and boosting economic activity, TOD can strengthen communities and create new economic opportunities.</p>
<h3>The reforms in Build HUBS</h3>
<p>LOCUS collaborated extensively with members of Congress to develop the newly introduced Build HUBS Act. The Build HUBS Act aims to address existing problems with both programs by easing burdensome and mismatched requirements around creditworthiness, instead adopting a proven underwriting model to reduce process delays, and providing specific regulatory relief. It also looks to promote the development of workforce housing by providing additional incentives for attainable housing projects.</p>
<p>Specifically, the Build HUBS Act would improve the two programs by:</p>
<ul>
<li>Allowing measures of project creditworthiness other than an investment grade rating under the TIFIA program;</li>
<li>Creating a delegated origination and underwriting model for both RRIF and TIFIA in which delegated originator-servicers perform origination, underwriting, and servicing under DOT supervision;</li>
<li>Creating a new attainable housing project designation that would allow projects where a majority of residential units are affordable to people at 80 percent of AMI, and all units are under 120 percent AMI to access financing at 1/2 the Treasury rate,</li>
<li>Extending the authorization for both programs to fund TOD projects;</li>
<li>Providing relief on certain requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act, including for office to residential conversion and infill development; and</li>
<li>Making a collection of important administrative adjustments, including changes aimed at streamlining the loan consideration process, providing clarity on fees and MPO coordination requirements, and clarifying the definition of TOD to better capture the wide range of types of transportation assets that can anchor TOD across communities of all sizes.</li>
</ul>
<p>By making these changes, the Build HUBS Act would improve government efficiency, strengthen public-private partnerships, and unlock new homes and economic growth. As the bill moves forward, LOCUS and Smart Growth America will continue to champion the bill and ensure priority reforms are included in the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization bill.</p>
<h3>Support Build HUBS</h3>
<p>If passed, the Build HUBS Act could support TOD projects in communities of all sizes and create new housing in well-connected locations. Now is the time to call on your representatives to support transit-oriented development and the benefits it can bring to your community. Your members of Congress need to hear from you. Email your representatives here and have your voice heard today!</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">[button type="primary" size="lg" link="https://smartgrowthamerica.salsalabs.org/2026_build_hubs_act/index.html"] TAKE ACTION [/button]</span></p>


Critical reforms to encourage transit-oriented development are en route

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<p><strong>Smart Growth America's <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/resources/arts-and-culture-blueprint/">new report</a>, Lessons from the Culture and Community Network: Integrating Arts and Culture into Regional Planning, is a comprehensive blueprint drawn from the experiences of nine metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) that spent six months exploring how creative strategies can make planning more accessible, equitable, and holistic.</strong></p>
<p>Traditional approaches to public involvement consistently fail to engage the communities most impacted by infrastructure and planning decisions. These methods typically favor wealthier property owners with knowledge, access, and capacity to influence decision-making while excluding others, harming both the communities excluded from these processes and the quality of planning outcomes. New and different approaches are needed.</p>
<p>From April through October 2025, Smart Growth America convened the <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/programs-and-coalitions/arts-and-culture/culture-community-network/">Culture and Community Network (CCN)</a>, bringing together staff from MPOs across the country. Through peer learning, structured reflection, and hands-on experimentation, participating agencies tested new approaches and creative methods rather than further navigation of opaque government processes.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/resources/arts-and-culture-blueprint/">Our new report</a> documents both successes and challenges experienced through CCN. It addresses the pitfalls: agencies that focus on visual or temporary art production without examining systemic outcomes or reimagining internal procurement processes; organizations that articulate transformative values and goals while maintaining status quo cultures; and the risk of unilaterally imposing creative approaches rather than co-creating them with artists, cultural workers, and communities. This honest assessment makes the successes more meaningful and provides practical guidance for others beginning this work.</p>
<p>Three distinct pathways emerge. Some agencies start from scratch with small experiments. Others build on years of sporadic initiatives toward sustained integration. Established programs learn to expand from single grant initiatives to agency-wide transformation. The Atlanta Regional Commission's decade-long journey provides an in-depth case study, demonstrating how one MPO moved arts and culture work into core departments, began compensating community-based organizations for their expertise, and shifted from treating artists as vendors to engaging them as essential partners in the planning process.</p>
<p>The report's most significant insight: organizational size matters far less than organizational culture. A small MPO willing to challenge its own processes and embrace non-linear progress can achieve deeper transformation than a large agency with extensive resources but resistance to systems change. Meaningful integration requires moving beyond tactical demonstrations and visual interventions toward genuine co-design, transformed internal processes, and equitable systems change. The Culture and Community Network has demonstrated that MPOs don't have to navigate this work alone. Peer learning, tailored support, and structured reflection accelerate progress and sustain momentum when challenges arise.</p>
<p>This blueprint is designed for changemakers: MPO staff working in engagement, equity, or planning; executive directors and board members considering new approaches; arts and culture professionals interested in civic work; and funders looking to support innovation in regional transportation, land use, and infrastructure planning. The future of regional planning depends not only on data and engineering, but also on creativity, culture, and human connection. This report offers practical guidance for MPOs ready to lead that transformation.</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">[button type="info" block="true" size="lg" link="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Blueprint-2.0-FINAL-Jan-2026.pdf"]Check out the full report! [/button]</span></p>
<p>Smart Growth America is exploring funding and support for future iterations of the Culture and Community Network. Organizations interested in joining a future cohort, or funders interested in supporting this work, can contact SGA’s Director of Arts and Culture Marian Liou at <a href="mailto:mliou@smartgrowthamerica.org">mliou@smartgrowthamerica.org</a>.</p>


Culture and Community Network

Lessons from Smart Growth America’s Culture and Community Network: A Blueprint for Integrating Arts and Culture into Regional Planning

Arts and Culture

Creative Placemaking

Transportation

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<p><strong>As 2025 comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect on some of our favorite blog posts from the year. From highlighting how federal actions impact pedestrian safety, to explaining how new federal policies can help advance more affordable housing, and diving in deep to show why smart growth is the right choice to improve your community, these five articles highlight some of our favorite and most illustrative posts from the year.</strong> </p>
<h3>January: Understanding the fiscal impact of zoning</h3>
<p>Just one year in, the Center for Zoning Solutions has become a trusted resource, helping our partners understand how unlocking zoning can lead to more prosperous, healthy, and vibrant communities. At the start of the year, our Director of Research, Michael Rodriguez, helped translate the often complex relationship between zoning and fiscal health into clear takeaways for policymakers and advocates. <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/understanding-the-fiscal-impact-of-zoning-and-how-smart-growth-solutions-can-foster-fiscal-responsibility/">His post</a> set the tone for how we showed up in zoning conversations throughout the year, and demonstrates how smart growth strategies can lead to stronger local economies.</p>
<h3>February: Federal actions that threaten roadway safety efforts</h3>
<p>Federal policies can go a long way in supporting local road safety efforts. Unfortunately, earlier this year, the Trump administration made a concerted effort to remove information about Complete Streets and Road to Zero, and even went so far as to rescind funding for projects that support these goals. So <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/federal-actions-threaten-roadway-safety-efforts-whats-at-stake/">we spoke out</a> to remind lawmakers of the importance of implementing smart growth policies and to keep advocates informed about what’s at stake and how to take action. Regardless of what decisions are being made at the federal level, we will continue to exercise our unique position as national thought leaders and advocates on the importance of addressing the pedestrian safety crisis.</p>
<h3>April: The economic and health costs of cutting funding for family-friendly communities</h3>
<p>Complete Streets is an approach to planning, designing, building, operating, and maintaining streets that enables safe access for transit riders of all ages and abilities. We care deeply about this work, not only because of the safety benefits that active transportation policies and projects provide, but also because it can improve people’s health and overall quality of life..</p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/the-economic-and-health-costs-of-cutting-funding-for-family-friendly-communities/">this post</a> by Heidi Simon, our Director of Thriving Communities, we highlighted the benefits of CDC’s Active People, Healthy Nation, a national initiative that supports states and local communities to create healthier, more prosperous places. This year, SGA took a closer look at what would be lost if programs like this were defunded by highlighting the measurable benefits of Complete Streets and other active transportation programs.</p>
<h3>July: The road to housing</h3>
<p>A huge moment for SGA and the housing community this year came with the introduction of the ROAD to Housing Act of 2025 (and the subsequent Housing for the 21st Century Act), sweeping bipartisan housing bills that include smart growth provisions like best practices for zoning and land use, streamlining of local housing production through the adoption of pre-approved housing designs, and incentives for pro-housing policies along transit routes.</p>
<p>Our team has been quick to <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/the-100-year-wait-the-federal-government-returns-to-land-use-policy-in-full-force-with-the-introduction-of-sweeping-bipartisan-housing-package/">frame policy changes like this</a> in the larger context of community impact—demonstrating how federal attention, paired with local action, can create meaningful progress in the housing and land use space.</p>
<h3>September: More homes in the right places, at the right price</h3>
<p>This year, we launched our <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/the-smart-growth-approach-more-homes-in-the-right-places-at-the-right-price/">updated housing platform.</a> Informed by decades of work in this space and the current housing access and affordability crises, the smart growth approach calls for building the right kinds of homes in the places that need them most at an affordable price. Our focus on <strong>type, place, and price</strong> means using tools like zoning and financing to build homes for people of different incomes, household sizes, and stages in life in the places they want to live.</p>
<p>While this platform serves as a handy framework and messaging tool, our experts have dug in deeper to explore key opportunities like using underutilized land, financing innovations, and the important role of zoning reform to build more connected, affordable housing </p>
<p>Through our articles, SGA’s team provides the details and data to inform policy decisions and empower advocates nationwide. Thank you for being part of this work and for reading along throughout 2025. The progress we make on housing, transportation, climate, and community health only happens because people like you are pushing for better outcomes in real places. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished so far, and energized to keep going in 2026 and beyond. We look forward to continuing to share the research, lessons, and practical tools that help turn good ideas into lasting change.</p>
<p><strong>More highlights from 2025:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/smart-growth-the-abundance-we-need/">Smart growth: The abundance we need</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-center/reinvigorating-opportunity-zones-to-deliver-housing-and-smart-growth/">Reinvigorating Opportunity Zones to deliver housing and smart growth</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/bridging-the-gap-how-the-u-s-is-starting-to-address-wildlife-vehicle-collisions/">Bridging the gap: How the U.S. is starting to address wildlife-vehicle collisions</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-center/bad-leadership-from-ddot-will-result-in-more-dangerous-streets/">Bad leadership from DDOT will result in more dangerous streets</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/where-america-is-sprawling-and-what-it-means/">Where America is sprawling and what it means</a></li>
</ul>


Advocacy

General

Resilience

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<p><b>On Thursday, December 12, the House Financial Services Committee–the committee of jurisdiction in the House for housing matters–introduced the </b><b><i>Housing for the 21st Century Act</i></b><b>. While narrower than the Senate’s </b><b>ROAD to Housing Act</b><b>, the bipartisan introduction of the legislation demonstrates further momentum around the passage of a housing package this Congress.</b></p>
<p>In July, Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), the chair and ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, introduced and oversaw the unanimous committee approval of the <a href="https://www.banking.senate.gov/newsroom/minority/scott-warren-announce-markup-of-landmark-bipartisan-housing-legislation-from-banking-committee-members">ROAD to Housing Act of 2025.</a> That legislation included a sweeping range of housing-related policy proposals largely aimed at removing barriers to housing development and marked the federal government’s return to a proactive role in influencing land use decision-making at the local level—a century after the 1920s-era Standard State Zoning Enabling Act. </p>
<p>In early October, the Senate passed the ROAD to Housing Act as an addition to the National Defense Authorization Act. While the Senate sponsors, and <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/12/03/congress/white-house-backing-push-attach-senate-housing-package-defense-bill-00674916">ultimately the White House</a>, pushed hard for the bill to remain in the defense package, it was eventually jettisoned from the final bill primarily due to vocal opposition from the chair of the House Financial Services Committee, Representative French Hill (R-AR). While his Democratic ranking member counterpart in the House, Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA), expressed general support for the bill, Rep. Hill expressed a desire for the House Financial Services Committee to play a role in the final shape of the housing package. </p>
<p>Following ROAD to Housing falling out of the defense bill, the House Financial Services Committee announced its own bipartisan housing package, the <a href="https://financialservices.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=410949">Housing for the 21st Century Act</a>. That package includes many of the components of the ROAD to Housing Act, but also has some key differences. </p>
<p>Below, we dissect the bills to highlight which provisions are most connected to smart growth goals. We then discuss the path forward for housing legislation broadly, including the need to push for smart growth provisions in the final compromise bill and ultimate bill passage, as well as the need to ensure the bill is provided with adequate funding and thoughtfully implemented.  </p>
<h2>Housing for the 21st Century Act: The smart growth perspective</h2>
<p>People across the country are facing an acute housing affordability crisis, and a federal focus on supply-side constraints to housing production has garnered bipartisan support. Removing barriers is essential, but above and beyond those barriers, the <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/the-smart-growth-approach-more-homes-in-the-right-places-at-the-right-price/">type, place, and price</a> of housing that policy helps developers build determines who benefits. Can a grandparent find and afford the right home to downsize into near their family? Can a young family with one or no car afford their first starter home close to work, or with a variety of options to travel to work outside a car?</p>
<p>While removing regulatory burdens supports housing production, ensuring that federal, state, and local housing policy actually facilitates accessible, affordable communities that help create vibrant, inclusive places where people can access the housing, jobs, and services they need to thrive requires an intentional focus on aligning land use, housing, and transportation. To deliver more housing options and real affordability for more people and communities, Congress must ensure a comprehensive housing package includes smart growth-aligned provisions. </p>
<p>The House’s Housing for the 21st Century Act includes a number of smart growth-aligned provisions focused on supporting infill development and <a href="https://missingmiddlehousing.com">missing middle housing</a>, removing red tape and regulatory barriers to housing production, supporting transit-oriented development (TOD), and investing in resilience and risk preparedness that should be top priorities for inclusion in the final package. These provisions, which will still need to be funded (in some cases) or thoughtfully implemented with strong input from experts and practitioners, include: </p>
<p><strong>The Housing for the 21st Century Act and the ROAD to Housing Act both included versions of the following provisions that would support smart growth: </strong></p>
<ul>
<li>The <b>Housing Supply Frameworks Act,</b> which helps address the supply shortage by helping to remove barriers to housing development through zoning and land use reforms, including by incorporating transit proximity and TOD into zoning best practices considerations.</li>
<li>The <b>Accelerating Home Building Act, </b>which would help communities cut through red tape and open new pathways for development by supporting community-driven efforts to create pre-reviewed building designs </li>
<li>The <b>Unlocking Housing Supply Through Streamlined and Modernized Reviews Act</b>, which would help alleviate the housing supply shortage by significantly easing environmental review requirements for infill and other housing. Extending similar adjustments to USDA’s programs would also be positive.  </li>
<li>Provisions that reauthorize and modernize <b>the HOME Investments Partnerships Program</b></li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Like ROAD, in addition to these provisions, Housing for the 21st Century includes a number of provisions intended to support manufactured housing, increased oversight of federally-funded housing work at HUD and related entities, and improve the transparency and efficiency of federal housing programs. </p>
<p>Other smart growth-aligned provisions that Housing for the 21st Century Act incorporates that were not included in ROAD include: </p>
<ul>
<li>The <b>Identifying Regulatory Barriers to Housing Supply Act,</b> which would require CDBG recipients to report to HUD on their progress towards adopting a series of pro-housing land use and zoning policies</li>
<li>A new competitive grant program to assist in the planning, design, and implementation of local and regional housing or community development plans, housing strategies, or zoning code reforms </li>
<li>Provisions to require HUD to establish federal guidelines for point-access block buildings (single stair dwellings) and allow HUD to award competitive grants to state or local governmental entities and other stakeholders to assess the feasibility of point-access block residential buildings</li>
<li>A slew of other changes to the CDBG program, including new requirements for grant recipients to use CDBG funds for affordable housing construction, and requiring CDBG grantees to maintain a public, searchable database of undeveloped land they own </li>
<li>Provisions that ease costly domestic sourcing requirements </li>
<li>Specific components of the <b>HOME Reform Act,</b> which modifies the HOME Investments Partnerships Program </li>
</ul>
<h2>What’s missing from the Housing for the 21st Century Act?</h2>
<p>While Housing for the 21st Century includes provisions Smart Growth America supports that were not included in the <a href="https://www.banking.senate.gov/newsroom/minority/breaking-senate-passes-landmark-bipartisan-road-to-housing-act"><b>ROAD to Housing Act of 2025</b></a>, it is also missing some key provisions from ROAD that would advance smart growth. Critically, Housing for the 21st Century does not include:</p>
<ul>
<li>The <b>Build More Housing Near Transit Act,</b> which provides incentives for pro-housing policies along transit corridors </li>
<li>The<b> Community Investment and Prosperity Act, </b>which would expand the extent to which banks could invest in affordable housing by increasing the Public Welfare Investment cap they are subject to from 15 to 20 percent </li>
<li>Additional provisions that<b> authorize Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program and encourage the preservation of existing homes</b></li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>While it also does not include the innovation fund from the ROAD bill, the new competitive grant program to assist in the planning, design, and implementation of local and regional housing or community development plans included in Housing for the 21st Century is similarly focused, but the proposed funding level is unclear.</p>
<h2>Path Forward</h2>
<p>The House will markup its housing package on Tuesday, December 16, and negotiations between the House and Senate will determine the final contents of the bill. Despite the two competing proposals and the fact ROAD fell out of the defense bill, there is significant momentum for action on housing, and a sense that it is both possible and politically expedient given <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/24/republicans-housing-affordability-message-rent-mortgage-00665189">voters' concern about affordability</a>.  </p>
<p>Ensuring smart growth provisions are included in the final package will position the legislation to deliver more homes right-sized for residents in existing neighborhoods, better connected to jobs, services, and transit. This remains Smart Growth America’s top priority. If the final bill contains the smart growth provisions, pushing for its passage will be the next critical phase for smart growth stakeholders to engage. Bill passage, however, will not be the final step for this legislation. Ensuring Congress provides adequate funding for the programs it authorizes in the final package and that the guidance and regulations around zoning and land use are developed and implemented thoughtfully will be key, and an ongoing priority. </p>
<p>For now, there is momentum for federal action on housing policy, and stakeholders should take action by reaching out to their members of Congress to advocate for the inclusion of smart growth provisions that will allow more people to afford to live in a wider variety of places in the final legislation. <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.salsalabs.org/2025housing">Use this link to reach out to your member of Congress and take action!</a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">[button type="primary" size="lg" link="https://smartgrowthamerica.salsalabs.org/2025housing"] Take Action [/button]</span></p>


congress

The tale of two housing bills: House Financial Services introduces new comprehensive housing package following the Senate’s passage of housing bill earlier this year

<p><strong>Since 2013, Transportation for America has partnered with the Southern Rail Commission and U.S. Senator Roger Wicker to restore passenger rail service to the Gulf Coast. <a href="https://t4america.org/2025/08/20/gulf-coast-rail-is-back-on-track-and-stronger-than-ever/">The successful launch this August</a> provided the perfect opportunity to reflect on what it took to bring it back: rallying support from leaders across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, pushing back against freight rail, and even creating new federal programs to fund the restoration and expansion of service. Our new video tells that story.</strong></p>
<p>This mini-documentary tells the full story of the many fights and profound perseverance required to bring passenger rail back to the Gulf Coast—and how our efforts will support the expansion of passenger rail across the country.</p>
<div class="alert alert-error">
<p>Want more info? Check out our in-depth timeline on Restoring Gulf Coast passenger rail: <a href="https://t4america.org/gulf-coast-rail/">https://t4america.org/gulf-coast-rail/</a></p>
</div>
<h3>Finding success</h3>
<p>Beyond the inaugural train ride, momentum for passenger rail along the Gulf Coast has continued to surge. The <a href="https://t4america.org/2025/08/20/gulf-coast-rail-is-back-on-track-and-stronger-than-ever/">restored Mardi Gras service,</a> linking Mobile to New Orleans, has already carried <a href="https://media.amtrak.com/2025/12/100-day-data-shows-strong-demand-and-customer-satisfaction-for-amtrak-mardi-gras-service-trains/">over 46,000 passengers since it launched in August</a>, almost doubling Amtrak’s original annual projections of 71,000 passengers for the year. In response to a surge in ridership, Amtrak even added a third car to the train to accommodate football fans utilizing the service for Saints home games.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“We are well on-track to double the original estimate. Demand is very high across our network.” <em>-Amtrak Board Chairman Anthony “Tony” Coscia, on the Mardi Gras Service’s ridership</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Beyond ridership, the Mardi Gras train has already <a href="https://www.nola.com/news/gulf_coast/amtrak-mardi-gras-route/article_ed333d9f-d774-4c10-9c93-713d5d2b9b88.html">spurred new development along the route</a>, with areas around the stops seeing revitalization through new restaurants and vacation rentals.</p>


Media

Gulf Coast Rail

Passenger rail

Southern Rail Commission

How Transportation  for America Helped Restore Gulf Coast Passenger Rail

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<p><strong>A new bill introduced in Congress this week, the REPAIR Infrastructure Act, would continue the work of the Reconnecting Communities Pilot program to improve people’s access to destinations that matter and help address the mistakes of divisive transportation infrastructure. Previous examples of projects have successfully generated billions in benefits, providing safety improvements, affordable housing, public amenities, and new economic development opportunities.</strong></p>
<h3>Issues for miles</h3>
<p>While freeways can be good at moving vehicles from point to point at high speed, their construction often <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/signature-reports/divided-by-design/">came at a significant cost</a> for the people in the neighborhoods they were built through. Hundreds of thousands of homes in vibrant communities supporting strong, local economies were <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2024-12/ACTE%20Final%20Recommendations%20Report%202024.pdf#page=31">knocked down in the effort to build the highway system</a>, displacing over a million residents. Though we may never know the full extent of foregone economic opportunities, analyses of <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/signature-reports/divided-by-design/washington-dcs-story/#:~:text=What%20was%20lost%20with%20the%20construction%20of%20I%2D395/695%20(within%20the%20city%20limits)%3A">Washington, DC</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/signature-reports/divided-by-design/atlantas-story/#:~:text=What%20was%20lost%20with%20the%20construction%20of%20Interstate%2020%20(within%20the%20city%20limits)%3A">Atlanta, Georgia</a>, reveal that billions of dollars worth of valuable land that once was used for homes for all types of people has since been lost to overbuilt infrastructure. <span style="font-weight: 400;">In rural towns,  main streets were transformed into</span> <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/the-challenges-of-completing-rural-roads/">dangerous, high speed roads</a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">to provide for the convenience of travelers at the expense of residents’ safety and the local economy</span>. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act initiated a pilot program to begin to reverse the damage, and over a thousand communities across the country attempted to participate, but over $13.8 billion in requests unfortunately went unanswered, largely due to the <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/reconnecting">Reconnecting Communities Pilot’s</a> low funding of $1 billion over five years.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.bluntrochester.senate.gov/news/press-releases/news-senators-blunt-rochester-merkley-warnock-introduce-bill-to-repair-infrastructure-bridge-communities/">REPAIR Infrastructure Act</a>, recently introduced in the Senate by Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester, co-sponsored by Senators Merkley and Warnock and in the House by Representative Pat Ryan, co-sponsored by Representative Shomari Figures, would continue those efforts started in the IIJA, opening up $15 billion in new opportunities to stitch America’s communities back together and prioritize people and their access to jobs and economic opportunity.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" id="datawrapper-chart-mqDmd" style="border: none;" title="Unmet funding requests for REPAIR Act eligible projects between FY2022 and FY2024" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/mqDmd/5/" width="650" height="585" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Choropleth map" data-external="1"></iframe></p>
<p>The REPAIR Infrastructure Act would pick up where the Reconnecting Communities Pilot left off. This is great news for the country’s many rural and urban communities split by overbuilt infrastructure, especially when one considers how massively oversubscribed the RCP program was compared to other programs. Looking back even to <a href="https://t4america.org/2023/06/13/mind-the-gap/">its first year,</a> the pilot program garnered a similar number of applicants as the Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant program, which had nearly 15 times the funding. In just three years of funding opportunities, the REPAIR Infrastructure Act’s predecessors (Including both the Reconnecting Communities Pilot and Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhood Program, which shared a joint Notice of Funding Opportunity in FY2023) received over 1,400 applications for funding from communities from all fifty states, with over 1,000 applications from towns, cities and counties, many in rural areas.</p>
<h3>What the bill does</h3>
<p>The REPAIR Infrastructure Act would reauthorize and evolve the Reconnecting Communities Pilot from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to continue its work, enabling communities across the country to access federal funds for projects to reconnect communities split by divisive transportation infrastructure. The bill would provide $3 billion annually over a five year period for localities, states, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, nonprofits, tribal governments, and other entities to apply for planning and capital project funding on a competitive basis.</p>
<p>Building off its predecessor, the program would encourage applicants to put forward projects with strong community partnerships and an emphasis on <a href="https://t4america.org/2019/11/20/connecting-people-to-jobs-and-services-week-what-do-destination-access-metrics-look-like-in-action/">improving people’s access</a> to housing, healthcare, places of worship, and economic opportunities. Awards made in fiscal years <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/grants/reconnecting/rcp-fy22-awards">2022</a>, <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/grants/reconnecting/rcn-fy23-awards">2023</a>, and <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2025-01/RCP%20FY24%20Award%20Factsheet.pdf">2024</a> show a geographically diverse, national demand for strong projects to bridge all kinds of dividing infrastructure in all kinds of communities. With over $500 million awarded to planning projects for reconnecting communities over the last four years, there’s still much work to be done to advance these projects. Improving on how it delivers for rural communities relative to its predecessor, the bill explicitly calls on USDOT to grade applications based on how well they would support development along rural main streets—which is key, as <a href="https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/fe16ad992fc949e5b3d9f8d56659f9db#:~:text=There%20is%20a,Expand">nearly 20 percent of awards went to rural communities</a> in the FY 2023 round of awards. Going further, the REPAIR Infrastructure Act introduces new eligibilities to existing federal aid highway programs, like the massive National Highway Performance Program, such that states could use any of their largest sources of federal funds to advance these projects.</p>
<p>All the while, the program stays focused, limiting funding to projects that would not add new liabilities and lane miles to the highway system, instead prioritizing safety, communities, and economic development.</p>
<h3>Going the distance</h3>
<p>While the REPAIR Infrastructure bill does a great job at providing discrete opportunities for communities and even states to reverse the course of bad decision-making, it falls short of making the sort of systemic change that would fully solve these problems at the scale we are actively creating them each year. Congress needs to ensure that the largest streams of federal funds—federal highway formula dollars—do not continue to be used counterproductively to demolish existing homes and businesses in service of highway expansion, as they still are across the country. Take California for example: <a href="https://greenlining.org/homes-before-highways/">Hundreds of homes were demolished</a> by the government to expand highways between 2018 and 2023, all for projects that have ultimately failed in their goals to reduce traffic congestion.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-108765" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/us-road-safety.png" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/us-road-safety.png 600w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/us-road-safety-300x200.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p>
<p>The United States has no shortage of urban roads and highways, yet we keep building. Over the decades spent expanding our highway system, the country has become so covered in roads that, according to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01944363.2024.2368260#abstract">a recent analysis</a>, they occupy an estimated 22,000 square miles of land in urban areas worth over $4.1 trillion. To put that in context, that would be about roughly the size of West Virginia, or a triangle with points in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, Texas. Considering that the United States has a growing <a href="https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/25cpr/pdf/CP25_Full_Report.pdf#page=336">$830 billion</a> deferred highway maintenance bill to deal with, but <a href="https://t4america.org/2025/05/22/the-highway-trust-fund-isnt-on-life-support-its-been-dead-since-2008/">shrinking highway revenues</a> to pay for it, scaling down the state-sized stamp of asphalt seems wiser and wiser each year.</p>
<p>By reducing the number of lane miles we have to maintain, we permanently cut down on future maintenance costs, and replacing that same land formerly occupied by roads opens up new opportunities for long-term economic development. That <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01944363.2024.2368260#abstract">same analysis</a> found that reducing just a fraction of the country’s urban lane miles and replacing them with much-needed housing, commercial development, or other uses could actually net over $27 billion annually. While that might initially sound hard to believe, it pencils out when you consider how economically successful projects that would today be eligible under the REPAIR Infrastructure program, like <a href="https://archive.strongtowns.org/journal/2023/10/2/how-one-american-city-reclaimed-a-highway-and-it-paid-off-big-time">Rochester’s Inner Loop North Project</a>, which netted more than $200 million in private investment off a $24 million public project, have been. In <a href="https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ipd/pdfs/value_capture/case_studies/milwaukee_wi_park_east_freeway_case_study.pdf">Milwaukee</a>, the benefits of a project to remove divisive infrastructure were even greater, with a $25 million project generating a billion dollars worth of completed or planned private real estate development. While the REPAIR Infrastructure Act does not focus exclusively on road projects, it would provide opportunities for projects like this and others that would unlock the benefits of access in communities of all sizes.</p>
<p>By giving communities long awaited opportunities to prioritize infrastructure investment that (re)connects people and provides access to destinations that matter, the REPAIR Infrastructure Act would continue to help undo the legacy of divisive transportation infrastructure. Bills like the REPAIR Infrastructure Act are crucial to set the tone in Congress for what’s really important to address in Surface Transportation reauthorization—prioritizing safety and connectivity by rethinking how and why we build transportation infrastructure.</p>


Reconnecting Communities

Congress can’t ignore the need to REPAIR our broken infrastructure

DSC05085

<p><strong>Applications for Smart Growth America’s Champions Institute <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/services/championsinstitute26/">are now open</a>! With funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity in support of the Active People, Healthy Nation℠ initiative, the Champions Institute equips local leaders with the tools they need to become effective Champions for plans, policies, and funding that promote safe community environments for physical activity. The deadline to apply is January 30th, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET.</strong></p>
<p>We’re looking for dedicated mayors, city councilors, tribal chairpeople and councilors, and other local elected officials to <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/services/championsinstitute26/">apply</a> for this technical assistance program from March to May 2026. Selected participants will get to learn from national experts, Champions alumni, and each other to address known challenges in their own communities. Over the course of six virtual learning sessions, participants will gain skills and tools to become effective Champions for Complete Streets, downtown revitalization, and other local initiatives that increase opportunities for walking, biking, and rolling to everyday destinations.</p>
<p>Since 2020, the Champions Institute has led to great success, with participants adopting policies, implementing street design changes, hosting community workshops, and more. A cornerstone of the program is that each participant creates an action plan, which aims to be a roadmap for how to implement the lessons and strategies they’ve learned in the program in order to bring change to their communities. The <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/celebrating-the-2025-complete-streets-champions-institute-cohort/">2025 Champions</a> used their action plans to bring Complete Streets elements to ongoing projects, establish working coalitions around engagement and communication, and update or draft new Complete Streets policies.</p>
<p>The impacts of the Champions Institute often reverberates beyond the length of the program. Councilmember <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/the-people-driving-the-complete-streets-movement-forward/">Jennifer Duff, ‘22</a>, has used her knowledge and skills of community environment to support a micromobility study, new protected bike lanes, and smart growth elements in the 2025 General Plan of Mesa, AZ. Councilmember<a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/three-years-of-champions-how-the-complete-streets-champions-institute-has-made-a-difference/"> Carol Myers, ‘21</a>, used the Champions Institute to create a Complete Streets policy for Athens, GA, which passed in 2022 and was ranked #15 in SGA’s <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/program-of-work/complete-streets/">2023 Best Complete Streets policies report</a>. And in 2024, alumni from across the years of the Champions Institute assembled in Washington, DC for a <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/video/a-community-of-collaboration-the-2024-champions-alumni-convening/">two-day convening</a>, with presentations, activities, visioning, and walking tours bringing people together across cohorts and envisioning a road map for what’s next.</p>
<p>Want to join us? Any mayor, city councilor, tribal chairperson or chief executive, tribal council member, or other local elected official may apply to become a participant within the Champions Institute. Those from jurisdictions in which others have already participated in the Champions Institute or other Smart Growth America technical assistance programs are more than welcome to apply, though individuals who have already completed a Champions Institute are not eligible to apply again. Applications are due January 30, 2026.</p>
<p>[button type="info" block="true" size="lg" link="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/services/championsinstitute26/"]Learn more and apply here! [/button]</p>
<p><em>This training is made possible by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (Cooperative Agreement CDC-RFA-PW-24-0080). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC. These efforts are part of the CDC’s <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/active-people-healthy-nation/php/about/index.html">Active People, Healthy NationSM</a> Initiative that is working to help 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027.</em></p>


2026 Champions Institute

Champions Institute

Applications are now open for the 2026 Champions Institute

Guide for Developing Housing on County-Owned Land_Cover

<p>The Guide for Developing Housing on County-Owned Land outlines how counties can strategically use their vacant or underutilized land to help address the nationwide affordable housing shortage. It walks county leaders through a structured process: identifying suitable parcels, evaluating zoning constraints, modeling financial feasibility through pro formas, and selecting the right ownership and development structure. The report emphasizes how these steps—when combined with an understanding of local infrastructure, neighborhood context, and potential housing typologies—can reduce land and development costs while boosting long-term affordability.</p>
<p>By following the practices shared through the <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/counties-for-housing-solutions-building-a-path-to-affordable-housing/">Counties for Housing Solutions program</a>, led by SGA and the National Association of Counties (NACo), counties can overcome common barriers, build public trust, attract developers, and ultimately expand housing supply.</p>
<p>While this guide was created with counties in mind, planners and local and state-level governments can take lessons from the report to help them build affordable housing on vacant and underutilized land. </p>


Toolkit

Counties

Housing Affordability

infill

Place

Guide for Developing Housing on County-Owned Land

capitol

<p><strong>Today is the first day of a government shutdown of uncertain length and consequence–read on for a reminder of what a government shutdown usually looks like, and what we’re watching for in the current environment of rescissions, partisan fracturing, and reductions in force.</strong> </p>
<p>At 12:01 this morning, the federal government shut down after Congress <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/30/shutdown-near-certain-after-senate-again-rejects-funding-bills-00589136">failed to pass a seven-week government funding extension</a> led by Congressional Republicans. The measure passed the Republican-controlled House but failed in the Senate, where it required 60 votes—and the support of Democrats—to pass. While two Democrats and one independent voted with Republicans in favor of the funding bill, Senate Democrats largely stuck together and voted down the bill, refusing to provide the votes to pass the measure after doing so last fiscal year, only to then see the Trump Administration pursue an aggressive campaign of legally dubious rescissions, staff cuts, and politically-motivated slow walking of program implementation. “Nobody has any incentive to reach a deal if it’s not going to be honored,” <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/30/the-other-reason-democrats-are-taking-trump-to-the-mat-in-a-shutdown-battle-00588747">Politico reported</a> Senator Merkley of Oregon saying, as he expressed his concerns around the Trump Administration’s implementation of a funding deal. While Democrats have tied their negotiating position on the funding package to healthcare provisions, the tension around the separation of powers and fundamental ability of Congress to determine spending for the country is an underlying issue roiling the debate and driving some of the dynamics of the shutdown.</p>
<p>In the midst of this turbulence, it’s helpful to revisit how the federal funding process traditionally works and what a government shutdown has looked like in the past. With that background in mind, we then ask what’s next, given the unusual present situation–a difficult question, but one with a set number of possible paths. </p>
<h3>How is the federal government funding process supposed to work?</h3>
<p>Under the Constitution, the responsibility to appropriate funds for government operations falls to the Legislative Branch. Congress executes this responsibility through the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and the yearly appropriations process. Each year, the President proposes a budget, and then the House and Senate Appropriations committees create draft legislation based on the President’s request, as well as requests from their constituents and other members of Congress. The House and Senate each <a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/subcommittees">draft 12 appropriations bills</a> via 12 subcommittees that focus on specific related topics within the federal government, such as Homeland Security, Agriculture, and Energy and Water Development. After these drafts are completed and their differences are reconciled, Congress begins trying to pass a consolidated version of each of the 12 bills. The bills can either be passed individually or bundled together in comprehensive packages known as omnibuses. If Congress passes a handful of appropriations bills but fails to pass others, it can trigger a partial government shutdown.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-107664" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/federal-budgeting-process-1024x568.png" alt="" width="1024" height="568" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/federal-budgeting-process-1024x568.png 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/federal-budgeting-process-300x166.png 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/federal-budgeting-process-768x426.png 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/federal-budgeting-process.png 1084w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>
<p>If Congress cannot agree on the funding levels for a new suite of funding bills, an alternative path is a <a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R46595#_Toc194068895">continuing resolution</a> (indicated in the chart above with the orange arrow). A continuing resolution is an agreement to reference last year’s funding amounts across programs–essentially an agreement that a new deal can’t be struck, but that funding must be provided so last year’s levels will do for now. Continuing resolutions (CRs) are typically viewed as a cut to funding because they don’t allow for standard inflationary adjustments to programs, usually prohibit agencies from initiating new programs or activities, and can vary in length. Short-term CRs can be used to buy more time to negotiate a full-year funding deal, while year-long CRs are a last-ditch effort alternative to a full-year funding deal. Lastly, <a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R46595#_Toc194068895">anomalies</a>–meaning exceptions to the duration, amount, or purposes that funds can be used for that don’t align with what’s laid out in the rest of the CR—and legislative language can be included in CRs.</p>
<h3>What is a government shutdown?</h3>
<p>A government shutdown occurs if Congress does not pass a government funding bill of some kind–either a full suite of appropriations bills or a continuing resolution–by September 30th in a given year. Broadly speaking, a government shutdown requires federal agencies to pause their activity, furlough workers, and spin down their activity to what is minimally required for safety or essential work functions of the government. In practice, what this means varies from agency to agency and from presidential administration to presidential administration because a great deal of discretion around the design and implementation of a shutdown plan falls to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). For example, the Trump Administration, under the leadership of OMB Director Russ Vought, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/24/white-house-firings-shutdown-00579909">has threatened to go beyond the standard practice of furloughing federal workers during a shutdown</a> and instead seek further reductions in force. For now, the HUD Contingency Plan for the lapse in appropriations is available <a href="https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/PA/documents/HUD-Lapse-Plan.pdf">here</a>, the EPA Contingency Plan is available <a href="https://www.epa.gov/lapse/agency-contingency-plans-event-lapse-appropriations">here</a>, and the DOT Contingency Plan is available <a href="https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:cd88e2a9-8aab-48de-91fc-226fb213e35a?viewer%21megaVerb=group-discover">here</a>. The contingency plans provide preliminary guidance on staffing and operations plans during the shutdown at the respective agencies.</p>
<h3>What happens next?</h3>
<p>There are three likely paths forward in the coming weeks, with some hybrid of the three a fourth option: a sustained shutdown, a year-long continuing resolution, and the successful negotiation of a new FY26 budget. The shutdown seems likely to drag on for at least a few weeks, and a half-new-half-old funding situation could occur if Congress were to be able to successfully negotiate a new budget for a select group of agencies and accounts but fail to reach an agreement and have to go on a year-long continuing resolution for the remaining agencies (unlikely but not impossible). What actually happens will be dictated by the political will of each side in the negotiations–Democrats have made it clear they’d like to see some forward movement on healthcare negotiations as a requirement for their cooperation on funding, although the posture varies between members of Congress on what degree of movement might be enough to garner the votes needed to pass a government funding bill. There’s also some question of who voters blame for any pain they experience as a result of the shutdown and subsequent threatened cuts to federal government staffing. Democrats already lost three members of their caucus on last night’s government funding vote–Senators Fetterman, Cortez Masto, and King–and Republicans only need a handful more Democrats to join them to pass a bill. </p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-107663" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/budget-oucomes-1024x564.png" alt="" width="1024" height="564" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/budget-oucomes-1024x564.png 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/budget-oucomes-300x165.png 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/budget-oucomes-768x423.png 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/budget-oucomes.png 1083w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>
<p>The shutdown length remains uncertain–the immediate path forward is unclear, as is the extent to which the American public will blame either or all parties involved for the fallout from the shutdown. As the shutdown continues, Smart Growth America plans to monitor and provide updates on the impact of staff cuts and work freezes on transportation, housing, and land use work in communities across the country. Receive important updates by <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/subscribe/">subscribing to our newsletter.</a></p>


Budget

federal funding

shutdown

The government shuts down: What does it mean and what we’re watching 

National-City-CA-land-community-connectors-source-Mundo-Gardens

<p><strong>With support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Smart Growth America’s Community Connectors program will support three city teams in repairing divisive infrastructure, improving safety on local arterial roads, and sparking the long-term partnerships and support necessary for making permanent reconnections.</strong></p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-107640" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/cc-2025-graphic-1024x576.png" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/cc-2025-graphic-1024x576.png 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/cc-2025-graphic-300x169.png 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/cc-2025-graphic-768x432.png 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/cc-2025-graphic-1536x864.png 1536w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/cc-2025-graphic.png 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>
<p>We're excited to announce the three communities who were chosen to participate in Community Connectors, our year-long program that will support city leaders and community-based organizations with implementing quick-build demonstration projects. This year’s cohort is:</p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Akron, Ohio with the Summit Lake Community Development Corporation</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Baltimore County, Maryland with the Northeast Towson Improvement Association of Historic East Towson</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Little Rock, Arkansas with studioMAIN</span></li>
</ul>
<p>Each team is jointly led by city or county staff and community-based organizations, and will include many other local partners throughout the program, which starts in October. Over the course of a series of virtual sessions, an in-person workshop, and one-on-one assistance, along with the support of a grant, these teams will be equipped to design, install, and measure the impact of a quick-build project on an arterial road in their community, which will be in place next spring. By building community-led temporary installations, the teams will be able to build the skills and partnerships to further reconnect their neighborhoods.</p>
<p>Learn a bit about each community and what the teams plan to achieve with Community Connectors:</p>
<h3>1. Akron and the Summit Lake Community Development Corporation</h3>
<p>The Summit Lake neighborhood in Akron, Ohio is cut off from essential amenities, as well as the lake itself, by busy Lakeshore Boulevard which also lacks sidewalks and crosswalks. The neighborhood is the focus of a lot of ongoing planning work, including a pedestrian master plan, a land use plan, and redevelopment of public housing based on the HUD Choice Neighborhoods Transformation Plan. Through all of this work, residents have repeatedly brought up unsafe streets as a primary concern. Through Community Connectors, this team aims to test strategies recommended in the pedestrian master plan for improving safety conditions for people walking in this neighborhood, and to build the institutional knowledge to be able to replicate this approach elsewhere, working with nearby residents throughout the process.</p>
<h3>2. Baltimore County and the Northeast Towson Improvement Association of Historic East Towson</h3>
<p>Historic East Towson in Baltimore County is one of the oldest Black communities in the region. This tight-knit community has worked to celebrate local residents, share the area’s history, and honor the truth of the community through festivals, walking tours, the dedication of the Truth and Community Remembrance Park, and the ongoing Road to Freedom Trail project to connect Historic East Towson and the Hampton National Historic Site. The area still faces challenges from divisive infrastructure, including a power substation that was built in the neighborhood and a highway bypass. At the center of the neighborhood, Towsontown Boulevard divides neighborhood residents from schools, parks, and essential services. This team is planning a demonstration project that will continue strengthening the partnerships between the community and the county, improve safety at key intersections, and connect to the neighborhood’s history.</p>
<h3>3. Little Rock and studioMAIN</h3>
<p>The Historic 9th Street Corridor Gateway was a thriving center of Black culture, music, and business in Little Rock until the construction of I-630 and associated “slum clearance” devastated the area, displacing hundreds of families and cutting the neighborhoods south of the interstate off from the city's downtown. Wide arterials with no safe crossings divide the area from the city, creating both a physical and symbolic separation. This team has worked with cultural institutions, youth organizations, local libraries and universities, and city leaders to understand the legacy of I-630 and envision what a safe and connected future for the neighborhood could look like. Through this program, the team plans to install a demonstration project that tells the history of this corridor, amplifies neighborhood residents’ stories, and builds support for permanent street improvements restoring the connectivity to communities south of I-630.</p>
<p>We will be sharing stories about these communities and interviews with the participants in the coming months. Stay tuned to learn more about this year’s Community Connectors cohort!</p>


quick-build projects

Three communities selected to learn about and design quick-build demonstration projects

DC_Middle_Housing (1)

<p><strong>A smart growth approach to housing aims to build more homes in the right places at the right price so that everyone can live in a community that supports them at every stage of life. Learn more about why we think <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/the-housing-we-stopped-building-and-why-we-need-it-now/">type</a>, <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-center/why-place-matters-when-building-housing/">place</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/the-price-isnt-right-why-getting-housing-costs-under-control-matters/">price</a> are essential to solving the housing crisis and creating the types of homes and communities that allow people to thrive. </p>
<p></strong></p>
<p>For too long, housing has sprawled out, become astronomically expensive, and offered little choice in the types of places we can call home. That’s no accident! Our rules, policies, and choices have created today’s housing crisis. <a href="https://www.uschamber.com/economy/the-state-of-housing-in-america">We’re short 4.7 million homes,</a> and across the country, housing is increasingly out of reach for too many people.</p>
<p>At Smart Growth America, we focus on the big picture because transportation, land use, and economic development don’t just happen on their own. A bad decision in one area can ripple into the others, creating problems that can last decades. When we get it right, smart growth brings it all together, allowing people to live in their communities at any stage of life, connect conveniently to jobs, schools, and daily needs, and build community alongside one another.</p>
<p>Smart growth is also key to unlocking more housing where people want to live. To that end, we’ve long worked in the housing space, helping towns and cities rethink zoning, reinvest in underused land, and support developers to create a range of housing options. That experience has shown us what works and what holds communities back. From supporting communities on the ground to advising policymakers and producing timely research, we are pushing for solutions that will actually deliver <strong>more housing, in the right places, at the right price.</strong></p>
<p>Smart Growth America works to tackle the root causes of our housing challenges by focusing on three things: the types of homes available, where they’re built, and how much they cost. This approach enables more options—like duplexes, townhomes, and apartments—in walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods close to jobs, schools, and transit.</p>
<h3>Our focus: Type, place, and price</h3>
<p>By focusing on type, place, and price, we can:</p>
<ul>
<li>Eliminate outdated rules that make it nearly impossible to build anything but single-family homes on large lots. (Type)</li>
<li>Build homes for people of different incomes, household sizes, and stages in life (Price)</li>
<li>Help local leaders understand that building on the edges drives up costs and doesn’t meet demand for where people actually want to live. (Place)</li>
</ul>
<h4>Type</h4>
<p>When many people think of home, an image of a white picket fence comes to mind, but many other types of housing would work better for more people throughout the different stages of their lives than just a single-family home. Zoning laws have made it hard to build anything else in most neighborhoods, limiting choices and who can live where. To solve the housing crisis, we need a broader mix of housing options that meet the needs of diverse households and strengthen local economies.</p>
<p>That means regulating for what we want: infill development, transit-oriented development, missing middle housing, revising single-family-only zoning, form-based codes, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and building capacity for small-scale developers.</p>
<h4>Place</h4>
<p>Many small and mid-sized cities think they are built out or “full,” but a closer look reveals empty lots near downtowns, restrictive zoning that blocks duplexes or townhomes, and parking lots that sit empty most of the time. We need to build in the right places to support vibrant, close-knit communities. New homes should be located close to jobs, schools, doctors’ offices, parks, and the amenities that meet our daily needs. Building close to services also unlocks the opportunity for more density, which is vital as the U.S. faces its worst housing crisis in decades. Homes should also be in locations out of harm’s way from extreme weather events.</p>
<p>That means prioritizing infill development, redeveloping publicly owned land, reusing brownfields, and focusing on locations that are safe from climate hazards.</p>
<h4>Price</h4>
<p>High housing costs are partly about the number of homes we’re building, but also about the costs to build them. Construction market volatility and regulatory barriers contribute to increased housing costs. To build more homes in the right places, we need a wider range of financing tools for developers and predictability and speed in the process. And alongside new housing, we need strong anti-displacement strategies to help people and businesses stay in their communities.</p>
<p>The right tools can make a big difference in what is built. That means expanding tax credits, loan programs, and incentives to invest in well-connected locations, and leveraging innovative approaches like community land trusts.</p>
<h3>How we lead this work</h3>
<p>To build more homes in the right places at the right price, Smart Growth America works with national, state, and local leaders, advocates, and developers in large metro areas and small towns to build capacity, align resources, and reshape the rules to meet today’s housing needs and plan for a better future.</p>
<p>Our tactics include:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Reforming outdated rules.</strong> Zoning reform is essential. Many zoning codes reflect outdated ideas that restrict housing types, limit supply, drive up costs, and reinforce patterns of racial and economic segregation. Modernizing these codes can unlock housing supply, provide more options, and make communities more inclusive and resilient.</li>
<li><strong>Rethinking land availability.</strong> Instead of building on farmland or green space, why not reuse underutilized land in existing communities? Parking lots, vacant parcels, formerly contaminated land, and other overlooked sites are already connected to where people want to be—and redeveloping them is a smarter fiscal choice for local governments.</li>
<li><strong>Identifying new and improving existing financing tools.</strong> Many types of housing don’t pencil out under current cost and funding structures, which can push new homes to the fringes. Through federal advocacy and real-world examples from developers, we’re advancing strategies that make more types of housing feasible in smart growth locations. This can include both proposing new financing approaches that could simplify complex capital stacks and better aligning existing federal programs with smart growth goals.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-spacer" style="height: 20px;" aria-hidden="true">Closing</h3>
<p>The housing crisis didn’t happen overnight, and it won’t be solved with a single policy. But its effects are felt in our daily lives, shaping where we grow, how we connect, and the communities we build together. Smart Growth America’s work is about expanding those choices for more people in more places.</p>
<p>Stay tuned as we dig deeper into our past work and our ideas on where to go next.</p>


The smart growth approach: more homes in the right places, at the right price

yimby

<p><strong>Robert Showah’s recent <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/09/01/construction-housing-affordability-yimby-zoning/">op-ed</a> in the Washington Post announcing the impending demise of YIMBYism due to a supposedly “self-curing” American housing shortage reads less like analysis and more like a Victorian doctor declaring the patient healed with just some fresh air while the fever still rages. His argument leans on a simplistic narrative that demographic shifts, the death of baby boomers, and more construction in outlying areas will solve everything. In doing so, he badly misdiagnoses the real ailment: regulations stifling the kind of development many Americans want to see, which has the potential to make a dent in the current housing crisis.</strong></p>
<p>First, the claim that declining marriage rates reduce demand is textbook backwards. As average household sizes shrink, the same population requires more homes, not fewer. One married couple in a three-bedroom house becomes two single adults in two one-bedrooms, or two studios. Fewer marriages mean more households, and more households mean more demand for precisely the smaller, nimbler homes that exclusionary zoning often forbids.</p>
<p>More on this demographic misread: Mr. Showah notes that declining birth rates may eventually lead to lower housing demand, but when, and where? Pinning demand-side hopes on there being fewer babies far down the road does nothing for a family facing pricing pressure today or even in the next twenty years. Further, dismissing seniors as inconveniently propping up demand today, only to release housing upon their death, fully minimizes the fact that seniors today want and benefit from walkable settings and smaller units as they downsize, <a href="https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/">according to AARP.</a> Lastly, he assumes younger heirs will want to live in, or buy, the homes that boomers release in auto-oriented suburbs, but their demand for walkability is palpable.</p>
<p>Mr. Showah appears to sneer at walkable urbanism as though it were some boutique preference and not, in fact, popular. Our <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-center/foot-traffic-ahead-2023/">Foot Traffic Ahead</a> report, which I co-authored with Christopher Leinberger, finds that Americans pay hefty premiums to live in walkable places: around 37 percent for a rental apartment. And yes, that includes places that he believes might be too hot for anyone to walk, like Los Angeles and Atlanta. The National Association of Realtors <a href="https://www.nar.realtor/commercial/create/survey-americans-prefer-walkable-communities">now shows that</a> a majority of Gen Z and Millennial adults entering and in their prime homebuying years prefer walkable, connected homes to larger, car-dependent homes. This marks a turning point.</p>
<p>These facts are not ideology; they are basic urban economics and market demand. To suggest otherwise is like insisting that nobody wants to see Taylor Swift live, while stadiums sell out in minutes, because more people have listened to her on streaming. He mistakes numbers for preference.</p>
<p>Third, Mr. Showah gets his bugaboo of regulation exactly backwards. There is no nefarious urbanism agency requiring you to develop your home into a duplex by fiat. Smart growth priorities simply want to make certain housing choices legal for the market to provide; auto-centric priorities, like Mr. Showah’s, seek to personally enlist the state’s police powers to protect his aesthetic and low-density preferences from a free market that might do otherwise in some locations. The true regulatory stranglehold he should concern himself with is in the byzantine zoning codes that restrict options, stymie developers, and impose upon everyone the sprawling, auto-oriented suburbs he romanticizes. Decades of exclusionary zoning, minimum lot sizes, and parking mandates were designed to wall out working-class families and people of color, as Richard Rothstein so eloquently showed in <a href="https://www.epi.org/publication/the-color-of-law-a-forgotten-history-of-how-our-government-segregated-america/">The Color of Law.</a> That legacy isn’t YIMBYism but the “onerous regulation” that keeps housing scarce where people most want to live.</p>
<p>And let’s talk costs. Cars are not cheap luxuries; they are forced necessities in places where transit, biking, and walking are artificially suppressed. The Center for Neighborhood Technology’s <a href="https://htaindex.cnt.org/">H+T Index</a> shows how the combined burden of housing and transportation makes supposedly “affordable” metros like Houston more expensive for modest-income families than parts of New York or D.C. A $2,000 mortgage loses its luster when you’re spending another <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/10/07/business/car-ownership-costs.html">$2,000 a month to keep two cars running.</a> The system in auto-oriented areas requires a person to finance and upkeep a five-figure machine as the entry price for participating in society. We would prefer that households have other transportation options to meet their daily economic and social needs.</p>
<p>To be sure, zoning reform alone will not solve the housing crisis. Funding for affordable housing, strong tenant protections, infrastructure investment, and smarter transportation planning all matter. Construction labor shortages, material costs, and federal financing rules also play real roles. But zoning is the keystone: without legal permission to build the types of homes and neighborhoods people increasingly want, the rest of those efforts can only go so far.</p>
<p>In short, the problem is not that YIMBY or smart growth reformers are asking for too much, and the solution isn’t to just wait it out for miraculous self-healing. The problem is that for too long, America has built too little of what people demonstrably want: housing in connected, inclusive, walkable communities. Writing off that demand as a passing fad dismisses the 21st century in favor of the mid-20th and often for bad rather than good. The housing crisis will not “disappear on its own.” It will be solved by undoing the very policies that Mr. Showah wants to preserve—the ones that prevent our neighborhoods from evolving, our communities from welcoming, and our markets from responding to reality.</p>
<p>YIMBY isn’t dying. It’s just getting started.</p>
<p><em>Dr. Michael Rodriguez is research director at Smart Growth America.</em></p>


affordable housing

YIMBY isn’t dead. It’s the future

Zoning

paul-hanaoka-housing-california-redondo beach-unsplash

<p><strong>The ‘abundance’ movement is gaining momentum: it’s a big idea that calls for building more housing, more energy, and more infrastructure by getting rid of outdated and unnecessary red tape. Abundance is a great idea, and Smart Growth America is ready to offer our decades of experience and expertise, not only in seeking those same outcomes, but in demonstrating what it looks like when those big ideas are put into action.</strong></p>
<p>Abundance is the idea this moment demands. For the first time in decades, bipartisan leaders are lining up behind the notion that we should allow growth and development that’s been stymied by over-regulation for generations. The momentum is real, and it’s long overdue. As experts in housing and the built environment, we share the abundance movement’s core belief: it’s time we tear down the outdated rules that make it nearly impossible to build in most neighborhoods— especially in the connected, opportunity-rich places where people actually want to live.</p>
<p>Addressing the <a href="https://mediaroom.realtor.com/2025-03-10-U-S-Housing-Market-Faces-4-Million-Home-Shortage-Realtor-com-R-Calls-on-Lawmakers-to-Let-America-Build?utm_source=chatgpt.com">urgent housing supply crisis</a> is extremely important, but we also know that focusing on supply alone isn’t enough. If we only chase ‘more,’ without asking where, what, and for who, we risk repeating the same mistakes without addressing the root cause of the current crisis. This approach could lead us to build large, expensive houses on the fringe where regulation is looser, but opportunity is farther away. At best, this will slightly lower the cost of housing for people of more modest means, but it will do little to build housing to the walkable, transit-served places near jobs, retail, and services that people want to live. And it will do nothing to address the regulatory barriers that have stymied efforts for decades to build the housing people need.</p>
<p>Abundance done well means putting in the hard work of removing barriers in the highest-impact places: thriving, well-connected communities where high prices keep everyone out but the select few. It means variety—duplexes, triplexes, mixed-use—so people at every stage of life can find a home that makes sense for them. By building the housing people want in the places they want them, we will also align housing with transportation, energy, and economic development, meaning people can spend less money and time on transportation and pollute less while doing so. This is the smart growth approach we’ve championed for more than 20 years.</p>
<p><a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Abundance-smart-growth_Opportunitiest-and-alignment.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-107286 size-full" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Abundance-smart-growth_Opportunitiest-and-alignment.png" alt="" width="940" height="788" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Abundance-smart-growth_Opportunitiest-and-alignment.png 940w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Abundance-smart-growth_Opportunitiest-and-alignment-300x251.png 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Abundance-smart-growth_Opportunitiest-and-alignment-768x644.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px" /></a></p>
<h1>Here are three ways abundance + smart growth can meet the moment</h1>
<h3>Abundance doesn’t dictate a direction—but up is better than out.</h3>
<p>The housing crisis is hitting hardest in established, high-demand places. And that’s exactly where we need to add the types of homes people can no longer find or afford. That will mean building inside existing communities, filling empty or underutilized parcels, and sometimes building taller. Those places tend to have more amenities (transit, walkability, retail) and more opportunities (from jobs to education); but they also are the places with the greatest regulatory barriers, which means building there will involve a fight.</p>
<p>Right now, less than three percent of the land area in our nation’s 35 largest cities is walkable, but those are the areas that generate the most GDP and have the highest prices for potential residents, indicating that the housing market is far from meeting demand for walkable, vibrant places. The market will direct developers to build in places where people want to live, only if decision-makers can focus on reducing the barriers that stop it from happening.</p>
<p>Building where land is cheapest on the fringe of metro areas might look affordable on paper, but when families are forced to own multiple cars just to get to work, school, and basic services, the actual costs skyrocket. The cost of gas, insurance, and maintenance can wipe out any savings from cheaper rent or mortgages. In contrast, building housing in well-connected communities lets families choose whether they even need a car, decreasing travel times, reducing costs, and bringing <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Health/moving-walkable-city-add-1000-steps-day-study/story?id=124549709">health benefits</a>.</p>
<p>It is also <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/resources/rationale-model-fiscal-ordinance/">more expensive</a> to the government and the taxpayer. Building low-density requires the same investment in roads, water, sewer, trash, fire, schools, and police as denser development does. <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/resources/the-fiscal-implications-of-development-patterns-overview/">It just costs more per person</a>. This leads to higher taxes or unmaintained infrastructure and services, usually the latter. <br />
Development on the fringes is also more likely to be in areas that are vulnerable to extreme weather or necessitate high-cost infrastructure investments, and <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/resources/rationale-model-fiscal-ordinance/">the added tax revenue often can’t cover the long-term costs of infrastructure maintenance and services</a>. True affordability means looking at housing, transportation, and energy costs together—and dense, multifamily housing in connected areas almost always comes out ahead.</p>
<h3>Abundance calls for changing the rules, but that matters most in the places where opportunity already exists.</h3>
<p><a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/programs-and-coalitions/center-for-zoning-solutions/">Reforming zoning, construction, and environmental review processes is a goal we share.</a> That means taking on the fight to ensure we can add housing where it is most needed, which is not in the places where it is already easy to develop. People hear “build more housing,” but in most existing communities, the current laws and regulations are too hard to overcome. Still, we need to build more housing, right? Well, that mindset leads to more housing being built on the fringes. We need to do the hard work now to dismantle zoning barriers in the communities where demand is the highest, and not simply leave it to each local jurisdiction to do the work itself. Moreover, when we do build in new places, we need to make sure they do not simply adopt the standard land use and zoning approaches that have gotten us here.</p>
<p>And beyond just cutting the red tape, policymakers should find ways to “regulate for what you want,” proactively creating policies that allow for and incentivize housing in well-connected existing communities. Beyond zoning reform, communities often also require support in identifying and incentivizing the development of underutilized sites and building up infrastructure to support small-scale developers ready to create more dense and innovative types of housing.<br />
(Check out Jerusalem Demsas’s 2025 Smart Growth America Equity Summit Keynote, where she talks about this very goal.)</p>
<h3>Abundance must actually build everything, not just single-family homes.</h3>
<p>If all we do is churn out more single-family homes on big lots, we’re not solving the housing crisis—we’re cementing it. The real housing shortage is in “missing middle” housing: duplexes, triplexes, small apartments, and other modest-scale homes that outdated zoning has effectively banned in many communities across the country.</p>
<p>When these smaller options aren’t available, the math is simple: people who would live in them either get priced out of the housing market or get pushed into larger, more expensive homes, driving up prices for everyone else. One- and two-person households, low- and moderate-income families, young professionals, and older homeowners who want to downsize all lose out, and the small supply of smaller homes that does exist just gets more expensive due to scarcity. Meanwhile, some households, especially older Americans, remain stuck in larger homes that they may struggle to maintain.</p>
<p>This mismatch is stark: <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/183648/average-size-of-households-in-the-us/">since 1960, the average household size in the U.S. has shrunk dramatically</a>, while the <a href="https://www.thezebra.com/resources/home/median-home-size-in-us/">houses we build have gotten bigger</a>.</p>
<h2>Last word</h2>
<p>Housing abundance without housing variety isn’t abundance at all. It’s just supply growth on paper that leaves the core mismatch in place and keeps affordability out of reach.</p>
<p>If abundance does the hard work of dismantling regulations in ways that allow more housing of all types in denser, well-connected, existing communities, we can meet housing demand where that demand is highest, lower household costs, and build vibrant communities that last. Outward growth will only lock in decades of traffic and higher costs. Abundant smart growth would deliver what Americans want.</p>


Abundance

smart growth

Smart growth: The abundance we need

MardiGrasDrone2 (1)

<p><strong>Earlier this month, the Gulf Coast celebrated a long-awaited milestone nearly 20 years in the making: the return of passenger rail service between New Orleans and Mobile, AL. With brass bands, second lines, and Mardi Gras regalia, communities across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama welcomed the launch of Amtrak’s new Mardi Gras route—marking the first time passenger trains have run this corridor since Hurricane Katrina.</strong></p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Y&#039;all Aboard! Celebrating the launch of the Mardi Gras Service" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ocmYcriB7jM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Smart Growth America’s transportation program, Transportation for America (T4America), has played a leading role in bringing passenger rail back to the Gulf Coast and creating programs to expand passenger rail across the country. What began as a regional vision grew into a national movement, with T4America lending policy expertise, navigating regulatory hurdles, convening stakeholders, and helping build a strong coalition of local leaders and residents committed to bringing trains back to the Gulf Coast.</p>
<p>Along the way, our team helped build new federal programs to fund the service, coordinated test rides to show feasibility, and built the public and political will to make passenger rail a reality. These efforts didn’t just lead to the restoration of Gulf Coast rail. They also helped pave the way for the creation of a federal rail program with the potential to expand passenger rail nationwide.</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">[button type="info" block="true" size="lg" link="https://t4america.org/gulf-coast-rail/"]<strong>See our timeline that breaks down how this decade-long effort came together!</strong> [/button]</span> </p>
<p>T4America Senior Policy Advisor John Robert Smith, along with other staff, was part of the inaugural train ride, joining local leaders, community members, and long-time advocates at every stop along the new route. From the second line sendoff in New Orleans to the joyful welcome in Mobile, members of the T4America team witnessed firsthand how much this service means to the people of the Gulf Coast—and just how powerful it is when federal policy and local voices come together to deliver real change.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-107211" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/IMG_7286-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="768" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/IMG_7286-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/IMG_7286-300x225.jpg 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/IMG_7286-768x576.jpg 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/IMG_7286-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/IMG_7286-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>
<p>The Mardi Gras line is proof of what’s possible when communities organize, elected officials lead, and federal policy supports progress. The same programs and policies that made Gulf Coast rail restoration possible can, and should, be leveraged to expand passenger rail across the country.</p>
<p>To truly build a national passenger rail network, federal policy needs to go beyond one-off projects. That means sustained investment in rail infrastructure, a clearly coordinated national vision, and the authority to deliver service faster and more equitably. Transportation for America’s <a href="https://t4america.org/reauthorization/#policies">new policy proposal</a> lays out a path to make that vision real in the next federal transportation reauthorization. The Mardi Gras line is just the beginning. The future of American passenger rail is ready to leave the station.</p>


Amtrak

Gulf Coast

Mardi Gras

Two decades in the making: Passenger rail returns to the Gulf Coast

Screenshot 2025-08-22 at 12.51.08 PM

<p><strong>On Thursday, July 24th, LOCUS and Smart Growth America hosted the third webinar in the “Building the Stack” series. This series of conversations with real estate developers and community partners focuses on demystifying how to finance and build high-interest projects. This recent webinar focused on innovative approaches to financing housing development and featured three speakers from across the country.</strong></p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Webinar: Innovative approaches to housing development" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4TT92PPEMww?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Alternative approaches in financing or project development can be slow to move from one community to another. The Building the Stack series is designed to help lift up good ideas and demystify the development of key project types of interest by allowing attendees to explore real case studies with a variety of stakeholders who are developing the projects, providing the financing, or steering development in their communities. This webinar featured leaders championing new models for funding and constructing smart growth-aligned housing types such as co-ops and affordable housing.</p>
<p>The first speaker was Sherry Taylor, the Executive Director of Durham Community Land Trustees, who spoke about the community land trust (CLT) model and two projects in the Durham area. Dave Foster of BDP Impact Real Estate then presented on Community Solutions’ social impact equity fund and its efforts to help nine communities house veterans exiting homelessness by acquiring existing multifamily buildings. Josh Morrison, COO and Co-founder at Frolic Community, then discussed Frolic Community’s work redeveloping rezoned single-family lots into multi-family housing co-operatives in partnership with the previous single-family homeowner.</p>
<h2>Key takeaways</h2>
<p>Throughout the webinar, a number of key takeaways emerged:</p>
<p>1. <strong>Non-conventional financing methods can and have been templated from one place to another.</strong> Sherry Taylor discussed the beginnings of the land trust movement and the proliferation of the model across the country since 1969. Dave Foster discussed how Community Solutions is currently in process on Fund II of their Large Cities fund aimed at ending veteran homelessness after Fund I, their initial round, successfully raised capital to support projects in several communities across the country.</p>
<p>2. <strong>Non-conventional financing methods offer innovative frameworks for development, but require flexibility and patience from developers and funders to bring projects into reality.</strong> Sherry Taylor explained that land trusts provide an overall model for development and perpetual affordability, with several different collaboration options that shape how development occurs. She also discussed the way that taking out the land from a capital stack complicates the financing for a project, requiring creativity from all partners involved to complete the stack. Josh Morrison discussed the complexities of working with a homeowner to convert a single family home and financing through a co-op structure.</p>
<p>3. <strong>Non-conventional financing methods can help bring homeownership within reach for a broader range of community members.</strong> Both the Frolic model and the community land trust model both deliver affordable homeownership options for community members. While they are not operating at the scale of traditional financing methods, they are helping to fill a critical gap for households traditionally unable to own homes.</p>
<p>4. <strong>Constraints of the development ecosystem as it stands are real–but that’s where innovative approaches can help fill the gap.</strong> Dave Foster highlighted the way social impact capital was able to deliver affordable units at a fraction of the cost on a much faster timeline than a traditional Low Income Housing Tax Credit project. Sherry Taylor highlighted how the Guthrie Village ADU project took advantage of the ability to add ADUs in her community to create a pocket neighborhood to create affordable, supportive housing for veterans.</p>
<p><em>Are you a purpose-driven developer or investor? Consider joining Smart Growth America’s <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/programs-and-coalitions/locus/">LOCUS coalition</a>. </em><em>LOCUS, latin for ‘place’, is a national coalition of real estate developers and investors who advocate for smart growth at the federal level, with occasional work at the state and local levels. LOCUS brings together real estate developers and investors from across the country to change policy and to build neighborhoods that are more economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable for America’s future. LOCUS is driven by the vision of a country in which every person lives in a vibrant and healthy community. Membership provides access to monthly briefings, policy development conversations, and curated newsletters to keep you and your organization informed. Learn more about joining <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/programs-and-coalitions/locus/join-locus/">LOCUS</a></em><em>!</em></p>


Webinars

Building the stack: Innovative approaches to financing housing development webinar recap

red bank 3

<p><strong>Complete Streets is not just a term to be slapped onto a policy or resolution. Complete Streets is an approach to road design that not only improves the safety for those walking, biking, or rolling, but also boosts local economies, and helps create resilient and vibrant communities. Strong policies are the first and critical step in the larger process of creating roads that are designed for all users, regardless of their mode, age, or ability.</strong></p>
<p>In 2023 and 2024, <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/signature-reports/best-complete-streets/">43 Complete Streets policies</a> were adopted across the nation as state and local governments try to enable safe road access for a larger variety of users. Many of these policies were from <a href="https://www.nj.gov/transportation/eng/completestreets/pdf/CS_Policy_703_Signed_and_dated.pdf">New Jersey,</a> likely influenced by a new <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/signature-reports/best-complete-streets-state-policies/#:~:text=Policy%20scores%20averaged%20around%2050%20points%20for%20New%20Jersey%20and%20around%2025%20for%20Washington.%20These%20patterns%20may%20be%20driven%20by%20statewide%20incentives%2C%20guidance%2C%20and%20model%20policy%20language%20aimed%20at%20encouraging%20policy%20adoption.">statewide policy</a> that gives special consideration to municipalities that have adopted Complete Streets policies when allocating state and federal transportation funds. Though this sparked many local governments in NJ to create and pass their own Complete Streets policies, the policies that came out of towns varied in quality; the average score of NJ municipalities was only 50. Two, however, stood out amongst the rest. Red Bank and Asbury Park in Monmouth County had some of the best policies from 2023-24, scoring 69 and 70, respectively. Both areas have relatively small populations (less than 15,500) but are known amongst Monmouth county residents to have vibrant downtown areas.</p>
<p>When grading Complete Streets Policies, our criteria specifically looks at the content of the policy and not the projects and changes that result. Although we don’t officially evaluate changes on the ground, we know that strong policies help get the ball rolling for such changes. To see how policies are helping enact change, let’s take a look at the policies and the work being done in two NJ locales: Red Bank and Asbury Park.</p>
<h3>Policies</h3>
<p>Red Bank and Asbury Park stand out especially because of their distinctness from the other NJ policies and NJDOT’s policy, which only scores a 45. Though the statewide policy does a good job of establishing commitment and vision and applying the policy to all projects and phases, it does a much poorer job of prioritizing underinvested and underserved communities, setting criteria for choosing projects, and creating a plan for implementation. In contrast, Red Bank and Asbury Park’s policies scored higher than the state’s policy in many of our <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/resources/elements-complete-streets-policy/">Complete Streets Policy Framework criteria,</a> going beyond the state’s policy.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-107114 size-medium" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-14-at-12.48.45-PM-300x169.png" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-14-at-12.48.45-PM-300x169.png 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-14-at-12.48.45-PM-1024x578.png 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-14-at-12.48.45-PM-768x434.png 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-14-at-12.48.45-PM.png 1250w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
<p>Red Bank and Asbury Park scored near equal or higher in almost every framework principle; they both do a good job of laying the groundwork for measuring progress of projects—something the statewide policy lacked in. They also both do a better job creating an implementation plan.</p>
<h3>Red Bank</h3>
<p>Red Bank is a small borough with just under 13,000 people and a land area of 1.7 square miles. Though a small area, the downtown district attracts many people from towns all around the county. Due to the commercial shops and restaurants downtown, there’s a high amount of foot traffic. There’s also lots of vehicular pass-through traffic that’s associated with the NJ State Route 35 and Garden State Parkway exit just outside of the borough.</p>
<p>Red Bank’s proximity to the highway and to the train station, as well as its historic character and charm, have made it an enticing borough to live in and commute from; the <a href="https://www.app.com/story/money/2025/01/29/monmouth-county-home-prices-rise-to-second-highest-in-new-jersey/77886186007/#:~:text=13.%20Red%20Bank%3A%20%24671%2C500%2C%20%2B23%25">housing demand in the borough has been increasing steadily.</a> With all the different kinds of traffic already going through the area, Red Bank has a large incentive to ensure walkability and pedestrian safety, not just downtown, but throughout the entire community. A Complete Streets policy has helped Red Bank develop safer multimodal transportation options as the borough continues to grow.</p>
<figure id="attachment_107119" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-107119" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-107119 size-large" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/red-bank-1-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="682" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/red-bank-1-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/red-bank-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/red-bank-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/red-bank-1-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/red-bank-1.jpg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-107119" class="wp-caption-text">Crosswalk with a drive smart sign at the corner of Canal and Broad Street in Red Bank.</figcaption></figure>
<div class="wp-block-spacer" style="height: 20px;" aria-hidden="true"> </div>
<p>Red Bank began making meaningful progress under its <a href="https://njbikeped.org/wp-content/uploads/Red-Bank-Resolution-and-Policy-2018.pdf">2018 Complete Streets resolution,</a> using it as a springboard for several community-driven projects. In 2023, the town tested temporary bike lanes through a safety demonstration project aimed at gathering feedback and evaluating permanent changes—explicitly citing the 2018 policy as a guiding framework. That same year, Red Bank announced plans for pedestrian safety upgrades like bump-outs along heavily-trafficked Shrewsbury Avenue. They also added a <a href="https://tworivertimes.com/red-bank-officials-address-growth-change-with-community/">new bike lane</a> on Harrison Street, a residential corridor.</p>
<p>While the 2018 resolution helped establish a vision and support tactical urbanism efforts, it lacked enforceability. The newly-adopted Complete and Green Streets ordinance changes that. It requires all new development projects to implement Complete Streets practices and establishes an advisory committee to investigate pedestrian and bike safety, while also promoting green infrastructure like shade trees and bioswales to make streets cooler and more resilient.</p>
<p>Under their new 2023 Complete Streets policy, Red Bank has started to see new plans and development for projects. Monmouth Street, a road that connects downtown to the train station, is undergoing updates to its pedestrian infrastructure, and the city is developing a transit-oriented, mixed-use space near the station. Additionally, Red Bank received a <a href="https://www.redbanknj.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=345">$10,000 grant for a quick build</a> to improve pedestrian safety at the intersection of Leighton Avenue and River Street, a quieter part of the town.</p>
<h3>Asbury Park</h3>
<p>Asbury Park is a bit denser than Red Bank, with just under 15,200 residents and a land area 1.4 square miles. Asbury Park is well known for its boardwalk, which houses the city’s Convention Hall and Carousel, along the shore. As a town that becomes packed in the summer time with lots of foot traffic, providing multiple modes of transportation for people to get from downtown to the shore is imperative.</p>
<p>Asbury Park has long used one-way streets and stop signs to manage downtown traffic, but the city is now shifting toward new safety improvements like adding traffic signals and reconfiguring intersections at Third and Fourth Avenues. These changes build on a foundation laid by the city’s <a href="https://njbikeped.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Asbury-Park-Policy.pdf">2015 Complete Streets policy.</a> In the years since, Asbury Park has updated its <a href="https://asburyparkartscouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/City-of-Asbury-Park-2017-Master-Plan-and-Master-Plan-Re-Examination-Report.pdf">Master Plan</a> (2017), created a Plan for Walking and Biking (2018), and launched several safety projects, including a traffic signal with pedestrian bump-outs at Prospect and Bangs Avenues, currently underway. While the 2015 policy supported these efforts, it lacked requirements for private development and long-term oversight. The new 2024 ordinance addresses those gaps—applying to both public and private projects, formalizing the role of advisory boards, and including a planned policy audit in 2026 to ensure continued accountability.</p>
<figure id="attachment_107116" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-107116" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-107116 size-large" src="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ashbury-1-1024x643.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="643" srcset="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ashbury-1-1024x643.jpg 1024w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ashbury-1-300x188.jpg 300w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ashbury-1-768x482.jpg 768w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ashbury-1-1536x965.jpg 1536w, https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ashbury-1.jpg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-107116" class="wp-caption-text">The Paramount Theatre and Asbury Park Convention Hall.</figcaption></figure>
<div class="wp-block-spacer" style="height: 20px;" aria-hidden="true"> </div>
<p>As a result, Asbury Park has <a href="https://www.cityofasburypark.com/369/Ongoing-Construction">a number of ongoing projects</a> that ensure their streets accommodate multiple modes of transportation. On Asbury Avenue, the city is narrowing the roadway as a traffic calming measure and adding additional protected bike lanes. In a similar project, the city is reconstructing Memorial Drive and will add a protected bike lane to that road as well. Through these projects, the city hopes to encourage residents to choose more active modes of transportation.</p>
<p>Both Asbury Park and Red Bank demonstrate that while a policy alone isn’t a silver bullet, it can be a powerful tool for shaping long-term, people-centered change. Their progress shows how clear, enforceable policies—paired with reflection and updates over time—can turn good intentions into tangible improvements for residents, businesses, and the broader community.</p>


Completing the streets in New Jersey: Two municipalities with the best Complete Streets policies

US Capitol Building

<p><strong>This July, Congress passed, and the President signed, a major reconciliation package that marks a breakthrough for affordable housing production in the U.S. By <a href="https://www.housingfinance.com/policy-legislation/house-passes-sweeping-bill-with-lihtc-provisions">expanding the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program,</a> housing experts, SGA included, expect it to unlock the development of hundreds of thousands of new affordable rental homes nationwide.</strong></p>
<p>The legislation boosts federal funding for LIHTC by 12 percent starting in 2026 for two types of tax credits: 1) so-called “9% projects” that applies a (you guessed it) a 9 percent credit to developers for typically new construction or major rehabilitation under a competitive incentive program, and 2) a set of “4% projects” that usually are used for smaller projects like preservation and some new construction. For the latter, the legislation reduces the amount of bond financing the developer needs from 50 percent to 25 percent, making it easier to finance a project and start construction.</p>
<p>LIHTC is an important national affordability project as it is currently an affordability component of about 210,900 active affordable units, or 4 percent of all U.S. affordable units, according to our analysis of the <a href="https://preservationdatabase.org/">National Housing Preservation Database.</a> Since its establishment in 1986, experts estimate the program has helped finance over <a href="https://taxfoundation.org/research/all/federal/low-income-housing-tax-credit-lihtc/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">3.1 million housing units.</a></p>
<p>We applaud the federal government’s leadership on this, but the program is only one part of a larger federal framework and a state and local government effort to provide affordability. It advances smart growth by encouraging more building, especially in multifamily properties, but local tools are needed to ensure that these developments are in in-demand <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-center/foot-traffic-ahead-2023/">walkable urban places</a> that provide greater access and <a href="https://www.opportunityatlas.org/">opportunity to residents.</a></p>
<h3>Why LIHTC sparks smart housing development</h3>
<p>At SGA, we advocate for policies that foster equitable and resilient communities—places where people can live near jobs, transit, and other essential destinations, like schools and grocery stores. LIHTC is a vital tool in advancing these goals, but it does not itself dictate where projects are built, which risks development being pushed to the edges of communities. Here, the program gives states flexibility in how credits are allocated, creating an opportunity to shape housing outcomes that reflect smart growth priorities.</p>
<p>For example, nothing about LIHTC guarantees walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods, housing diversity, and access to jobs and transit—no federal program really does—but it has the potential to support them strongly. This is up to state and local governments to prioritize those outcomes and to leverage LIHTC to incentivize compact development, promote infill reuse, and support transit-accessible housing.</p>
<p>The structure of LIHTC gives state and local governments enough flexibility to align their housing goals with sustainability and equity, especially since these credits are allocated through the states via Qualified Action Plans (QAPs), which states use to allocate the tax credits. (<a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/RS22389">The Congressional Research Service summarizes</a> the specific details of the LIHTC program.) It is plausible for state QAPs to incorporate scoring for energy efficiency, green infrastructure, and access to jobs and services.</p>
<p>States can prioritize projects that support smart growth land-use practices, like promoting infill development, reusing underutilized sites, or developing transit-oriented development (TOD) close to public transit. This type of development could help reduce the costs for households with respect to transportation, as well as reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and expand their access to high-opportunity areas.</p>
<p>Local governments also play a role in maximizing LIHTC’s smart growth. Jurisdictions that streamline permitting, <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/programs-and-coalitions/center-for-zoning-solutions/">update zoning codes,</a> and reduce regulatory barriers can make it easier and more cost-effective to <a href="https://ternercenter.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/LIHTC_Construction_Costs_March_2020.pdf">deliver LIHTC-financed projects</a>. Aligning these local tools with the federal credit helps unlock the kind of housing development that smart growth demands.</p>
<h3>LIHTC needs bolstering and leverage</h3>
<p>While the LIHTC program has helped to build millions of affordable homes, it cannot address the nation’s affordability crisis alone, especially in markets where it is most acute. Development financing using these tax credits is often complex, requiring multiple layers of capital, often from federal, state, and local sources, to make any one project viable. In high-cost markets, per-unit costs can exceed $1 million, driven not only by land prices and construction costs but also by prevailing wage requirements, layered subsidy structures, and limited site availability. These local market realities make LIHTC a powerful but incomplete tool, underscoring the need for state and local governments to step in with targeted subsidies, policy alignment, and zoning reforms to bridge the gap between what the federal credit can deliver and what communities truly need.</p>
<p>Additionally, the intricacies of LIHTC financing can create barriers for smaller-scale or mission-driven developers who lack the capital reserves or specialized expertise to navigate multiple application cycles. State and local action can remedy this through certain mechanisms like predevelopment funding, technical assistance, or even set-asides under state QAPs. Without such policy action, small-scale developers risk being shut out of the process, narrowing the diversity of actors building affordable housing.</p>
<p>State and local governments can also use their own funding streams, like housing trust funds, infrastructure grants, and property tax abatements, to deepen affordability for households earning below 30 percent of the area median income. This is particularly important because LIHTC projects alone struggle to r<a href="https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/98758/lithc_how_it_works_and_who_it_serves_final_0.pdf">each extremely low-income renters without additional deep rental subsidies</a> like Housing Choice Vouchers. By strategically combining LIHTC with these local resources, governments can ensure that projects serve a broader range of residents and meet more urgent community needs.</p>
<p>Finally, regulatory alignment at the local level is critical to maximizing the impact of LIHTC. Jurisdictions that streamline permitting, modernize zoning to allow more multifamily development, and reduce excessive parking or setback requirements can lower total development costs and speed up delivery. When paired with targeted state and local funding, these policy shifts can turn LIHTC from a strong federal incentive into the backbone of a comprehensive housing affordability strategy. Such a strategy would produce more units, reach deeper levels of affordability, and locate homes in the kinds of walkable, connected neighborhoods that advance smart growth goals.</p>
<h3>Looking ahead</h3>
<p>Taken together, these state and local actions are not just nice add-ons but the difference between LIHTC being a financing tool and LIHTC being a full-fledged housing solution. The federal credit can open the door, but without the subsidies, policies, and regulations that only state and local governments can provide, too many of those doors will remain closed. Nothing restricts Congress from adding such place-based smart growth requirements to the LIHTC program, but for now, that will remain under the purview of the states.</p>
<p>As members of the ACTION Campaign, SGA fought to support these recent federal reforms and will continue to push for improvements that link LIHTC to deeper affordability, greater location efficiency, and stronger climate outcomes. But the federal win is only the starting point. If we want LIHTC to live up to its potential, we must treat it as just one piece of a coordinated affordability strategy that stacks funding streams, clears regulatory hurdles, and directs development toward places where people can thrive. That is how we turn more tax credits into more homes, in more walkable, connected neighborhoods, for the people who need them most.</p>


Low-Income Housing Tax Credit funding is a smart growth win

Duplex_Missing Middle Housing

<p><strong>As U.S. cities face historic housing shortages and rising costs, one overlooked factor is making things worse: tariffs. Regardless if they stay, tariffs add additional uncertainty, which will impact housing supply for decades to come.</strong></p>
<h3>The hidden crisis</h3>
<p>Tariffs create uncertainty, delay construction, and raise costs in a fragile market. Often seen as abstract, tariffs have real consequences for planners, developers, and communities. With the <a href="https://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/files/currenthvspress.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com">homeowner vacancy rate at just 1.1 percent,</a> far below the healthy <a href="https://www.chase.com/personal/mortgage/education/finding-a-home/vacancy-rate">five percent</a> mark, rising costs driven by tariffs are limiting what gets built and who can access it. As affordable homes disappear, renters and buyers face fewer options, shrinking mobility, and stalling community growth. The national rental vacancy rate rose to <a href="https://ycharts.com/indicators/us_rental_vacancy_rate?utm_source=chatgpt.com">7 percent in Q2 2025, from 6.6 percent in Q2 2024</a>, tightening the market. If cities hope to expand affordable, inclusive housing, they must reckon with the hidden obstacle that tariffs place on progress.</p>
<p>Tariffs increase costs up to <a href="https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/canadian-news/us-increases-antidumping-duties-softwood-lumber-2056-percent?utm_source=chatgpt.com">20 percent</a> on softwood lumber from <a href="http://www.nahb.org/news-and-economics/press-releases/2025/02/25-perecent-tariff-hike-on-canadian-and-mexican-goods-harms-housing-affordability">Canada and Mexico,</a> while <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/immigration-ice-enforcement-construction-labor-20250188.php?utm_source=chatgpt.com">strict immigration policies</a> worsen labor shortages. Even <a href="https://www.nahb.org/advocacy/top-priorities/building-materials-trade-policy/how-tariffs-impact-home-building">standard projects</a> struggle as prices for lumber, steel, aluminum, and gypsum climb. Since December 2020, building material prices have jumped <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/tariffs-on-lumber-appliances-set-stage-for-higher-costs-on-new-homes-and-remodeling-projects?utm_source=chatgpt.com">34 percent,</a> far outpacing inflation and further straining development budgets. Builders say tariffs add <a href="https://www.nahb.org/advocacy/top-priorities/building-materials-trade-policy/how-tariffs-impact-home-building">$10,900 per month in costs</a>. Smart growth projects, <a href="http://www.boston25news.com/news/tariff-whiplash-hud-cuts-could-cripple-affordable-housing-development/3NPPQWMM3FJQHE4LQEBY5IQI7Q/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">especially infill development in existing communities with tight budgets,</a> are hit the hardest. <a href="https://www.transit.dot.gov/TOD">Transit-Oriented Developments</a> (TODs), which depend on imported steel, <a href="https://www.superioraggregates.net/the-role-of-concrete-paving-in-transit-oriented-developments-tod/#:~:text=Asphalt:%20The%20Better%20Option%20for,transportation%20vehicles%20frequently%20pass%20through">concrete</a>, and glass, are now even more vulnerable to <a href="http://www.wsj.com/economy/housing/trump-tariffs-home-construction-prices-housing-market-6549e974">tariff-driven price swings.</a> These developments, vital for walkable, connected neighborhoods, are most vulnerable to delays or never getting off the ground due to these increased costs.</p>
<h3>Predicted results as tariffs continue</h3>
<p><strong>1. Housing prices could rise:</strong> Tariffs inflate material costs, especially for “for-sale” homes where buyers face the full cost, pricing out families. <a href="https://mediaroom.realtor.com/2025-03-10-U-S-Housing-Market-Faces-4-Million-Home-Shortage-Realtor-com-R-Calls-on-Lawmakers-to-Let-America-Build?utm_source=chatgpt.com">With a nationwide shortage of 4 million homes,</a> fewer new builds will likely lead to increased competition and higher costs. Housing drives nearly 15 percent of GDP and generates about $1 million and 11 jobs per home, so slowdowns will also trickle down to <a href="https://www.nahb.org/-/media/NAHB/news-and-economics/docs/housing-economics/economic-impact/economic-impact-local-area-2015.pdf">local economies.</a></p>
<p><strong>2. Multi-family and affordable housing will slow:</strong> These projects rely on tight budgets, and their funding depends on government programs like the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC); <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/06/06/these-publicly-funded-homes-poor-cost-12-million-each-develop/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">even small cost increases threaten project viability.</a> Tariffs and high costs make projects “pencil out,” meaning they’re financially unviable.</p>
<p><strong>3. Single-family home prices will keep climbing:</strong> Fewer new homes mean rising prices for existing homes that will become more expensive, a trend evident in today’s <a href="https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2022/05/housing-vacancy-rates-near-historic-lows.html">low vacancy rates.</a> Homeowners locked into low mortgage rates will have little incentive to sell, further constraining supply. This means fewer listings, more bidding wars, and widening wealth gaps between current homeowners and those trying to enter the market.</p>
<p><strong>4. Developers will be forced to adapt or leave:</strong> Unlike large firms, small and infill-focused developers can’t easily absorb cost spikes. Without support, <a href="http://www.constructionowners.com/news/developers-struggling-with-high-rates-tariffs-and-rising-costs?utm_source=chatgpt.com">many will pause development or leave altogether,</a> cutting off a piece of community-driven growth.</p>
<h3>Future-proofing housing</h3>
<p>Communities don’t have to wait for federal policy to act. By using these smart growth strategies, local leaders can guard against rising costs:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Zoning and regulatory reform</strong>
<ul>
<li><em>Make building easier:</em> <a href="http://catalisgov.com/streamlining-building-code-enforcement-with-innovative-software-solutions/">Streamlined codes</a> and faster approvals from local governments can help make projects viable despite rising material costs.</li>
<li><em>Support Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and tiny homes:</em> These small, affordable options use fewer materials and cost less to build. By loosening zoning and parking rules, cities can more easily add these homes in existing neighborhoods</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Expand diverse housing types</strong>
<ul>
<li><em>Support manufactured and masonry housing: </em><a href="http://www.bankrate.com/real-estate/what-is-a-manufactured-home/">Manufactured homes,</a> built in factories, are cheaper and less wasteful than traditional homes. Cities can boost supply by easing zoning regulations, relaxing design requirements, and clarifying inspection procedures. <a href="http://www.wallderstucco.com/understanding-the-definition-and-characteristics-of-a-masonry-house/">Masonry homes,</a> made from brick, stone, or concrete, use fewer imported materials, providing a stable and cost-effective option for the long term.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Leverage broader planning and incentives</strong> 
<ul>
<li><em>Collaboration and incentives:</em> By coordinating regional plans and offering incentives like tax breaks, <a href="https://www.planetizen.com/definition/density-bonuses">density bonuses,</a> and fee reductions, cities can support walkable, transit-connected neighborhoods that use existing infrastructure efficiently, help developers absorb tariff-driven costs, and keep projects stable.</li>
<li><em>Engage in regional and collaborative planning:</em> Tariffs and supply issues are too big for one city; regional coordination is essential. By pooling and advocating together, cities can drive stronger, more lasting solutions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Building resilience amid tariffs</h3>
<p>Tariffs and rising costs can feel overwhelming, but communities aren’t powerless. Local governments can act now, speeding up approvals and supporting affordable housing like ADUs, manufactured homes, and masonry construction. Residents can share their stories with advocacy groups to push for smarter trade policies. This is a chance to rethink how we build. With the right local action, communities can ease tariff pressures and create stronger, more affordable housing markets.</p>


Transit-oriented development

Tariffs and housing: Challenges and local solutions 

Capitol for Chapter Cover

<p><b>In the recently passed giant tax and spending bill, key community development tax incentives were made permanent. But with everything else in the package, what does the bill really mean for smart growth?</b></p>
<p>Last month, Congress passed a sweeping tax and spending package that delivers several important wins for community development, most notably, the permanent extension of key federal tax incentives that form the backbone of local revitalization efforts. These long-standing tools will continue to support economic growth in communities across the country.</p>
<p>But the legislation also missed critical opportunities. Lawmakers failed to add a much-needed <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/reinvigorating-opportunity-zones-to-deliver-housing-and-smart-growth/">affordable housing incentive to the Opportunity Zones program</a> and left out promising new proposals like the <a href="https://www.neighborhoodhomesinvestmentact.org">Neighborhood Homes Investment Act.</a></p>
<p>Beyond community development, the bill’s partisan passage and massive deficit spending have further strained Congress’s ability to govern and could destabilize communities as thousands of people stand to lose access to federal benefits.</p>
<p>So what does this mean for smart growth? How will this legislation shape the future of our communities? To answer those questions, we’re breaking it down: the good, the bad, and the ugly from a smart growth perspective.</p>
<h3>The Good: Key wins on extensions of community development tax incentives</h3>
<p>As previously noted in our <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/the-play-for-permanence-the-fate-of-community-development-tax-provisions-in-the-senates-draft-tax-legislation/">coverage of the tax deliberations,</a> the federal tax code serves as a critical vehicle for steering development through tax incentives such as the <a href="https://taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/what-low-income-housing-tax-credit-and-how-does-it-work">Low-Income Housing Tax Credit</a> (LIHTC), the <a href="https://taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/what-new-markets-tax-credit-and-how-does-it-work">New Markets Tax Credit</a> (NMTC), and the <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/knowledge-hub/news/opportunity-zones-for-impact-tell-congress-to-pass-reforms-to-the-federal-opportunity-zone-tax-incentive/">Opportunity Zones program</a> (OZs), and the near-term fate of these incentives was closely tied to the passage or failure of the overall package. These incentives broadly attract capital to lower income communities, either by providing a tax credit to investors who provide funding for the construction of affordable housing (LIHTC), providing a tax credit to investors who make equity investments in community based development entities who in turn provide loans and investments to local businesses (NMTC), or by providing a tax relief to investors who make investments in certain properties or businesses within certain geographic areas (OZs).</p>
<p>The final version of the tax bill removed any sunset date for these three incentives, functionally making them permanent. Permanence is a major win for community development. Eliminating sunset dates provides greater stability and makes the continued existence of these programs the status quo. While a significant win, it is important to note that the next major tax bill could always add sunset dates for programs that were made permanent by this bill. However, that is only a real threat for programs that do not have strong bipartisan support and of the three programs, only Opportunity Zones fall into that category. The Opportunity Zones program saw sweeping changes, including the addition of reporting requirements, changes to the universe of eligible census tracts, a cyclical redesignation process to account for changes in wellbeing in census tracts, and enhanced support for OZ investment in rural areas.</p>
<p>The final legislation also protects tax exemptions for municipal bonds, which are a critical tool <a href="https://www.cdfa.net/cdfa/cdfaweb.nsf/48fc5ad035ef5f7b882578e7005f7d66/cc45420ef12f69798825793d005e79bc/$FILE/CDFA-Built-by-Bonds.pdf">communities use to finance essential infrastructure</a> like schools, libraries, hospitals, bridges, water management systems, and certain housing projects. Additionally, the bill<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-hutchins-center-explains-the-debt-limit/"> increased the debt limit</a>, allowing the federal government to continue paying its bills and avoiding the risk of a financial catastrophe.</p>
<h3>The Bad: Cutting existing smart growth-aligned programs and missing the opportunity to add new tools to support growth</h3>
<p>From the smart growth perspective, there are a number of key failures of the bill. First, the legislation <a href="https://t4america.org/2025/07/08/congresss-new-budget-reconciliation-bill-takes-back-billions-from-locally-led-projects-across-the-country/">gutted the Neighborhood Access and Equity grant program,</a> recapturing $2.4 billion that was already awarded to specific projects aimed at reconnecting communities and making significant and long-overdue safety improvements required after harmful transportation projects tore apart neighborhoods. The harm to community-focused grant programs was made worse by steep cuts to transportation grants aimed at reducing emissions.</p>
<p>Despite the positive changes to the Opportunity Zones program, the bill left out additional reforms that could have supported more location-efficient, mixed-income, and rehabilitation-focused projects. These SGA-backed provisions included targeted incentives for income-capped affordable housing, a broader fix to make the incentive more usable for rehabilitation projects, and a LOCUS-proposed measure to support OZ investments in downtowns—whether urban, suburban, or rural main streets. For a program that has faced consistent criticism, this was a missed chance to sharpen the tool and steer investment not just to areas that need it most, but toward truly high-impact projects.</p>
<p>The final bill also failed to include new, forward-looking tax provisions that could have leveraged the federal tax code to more intentionally drive investment in downtowns, main streets, and walkable, well-connected neighborhoods. Among the missed provisions were the brownfields tax deduction, which would allow full, upfront deductions for cleaning up contaminated sites, the <a href="https://www.neighborhoodhomesinvestmentact.org">Neighborhood Homes Investment Act’s proposed homebuilding incentive</a>, and the <a href="https://gomez.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3346">Revitalizing Downtowns and Main Streets Act of 2025,</a> which would have supported converting vacant or underused commercial buildings into much-needed housing.</p>
<h3>The Ugly: Contradictions in the bill will shake communities</h3>
<p>The final bill is a little bit of everything. By its very essence then, it is inconsistent in its approach to community wellbeing and smart growth. Cuts to food assistance and Medicaid sit uneasily alongside expansions in the Child Tax Credit and a new tax deduction for seniors. Families may see more money in their pockets while facing the threat of their local hospital or food bank closing. Meanwhile, reductions to green energy incentives (often criticized as <a href="https://apnews.com/article/clean-energy-residential-solar-big-beautiful-bill-07dd482926ee2d45a019ce2b6e636c7d">industry handouts</a>) could lead to <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/07/15/nx-s1-5461128/congress-energy-tax-credit-solar-wind">higher electricity bills over time,</a> adding financial strain to households already stretched thin. More affordable housing projects funded by the Low Income Housing Tax Credit may help house more low-income families but increasing utility costs, increasingly limited options for affordable and accessible healthcare, and a vanishing social safety net may push even more families into housing instability.</p>
<p>On top of this, the broader economic picture complicates matters further. A nonpartisan congressional office <a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/61570">estimates</a> that the legislation will add over $3 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade. While the bill includes some tax changes framed pro-business and pro-growth, independent <a href="https://budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu/issues/2025/7/8/president-trump-signed-reconciliation-bill-budget-economic-and-distributional-effects">analyses predic</a>t the law could actually shrink GDP by 0.3 percent over that same period. These competing forces raise serious questions about the future of municipal budgets and household finances alike.</p>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>As the federal government implements the tax law and continues to dance through cycles of generosity and retreat, communities will continue to face change and uncertainty. What kind of partner will the federal government be for smart growth? An inconsistent one, certainly, as cuts or shifts in key programs and initiatives always indicate, but not one without tools to share. Making the most of available incentives and funding will be essential, as will understanding and communicating both the direct and ripple effects this legislation has on communities nationwide. These impacts won’t always be obvious, but it is those quiet ways that policy shapes the world that springs up around us that smart growthers know best. </p>


Federal legislation

The good, the bad, and the ugly: The 2025 tax bill and smart growth

REQUEST-FOR-PROPOSAL

<h3><span style="color: #1f91cf;">About Smart Growth America (SGA)</span></h3>
<p>Smart Growth America (SGA) is a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, DC, that helps create healthy, prosperous, and resilient places to live for all people through research, advocacy, and direct community support. Our work spans housing and land use, transportation, and economic development to find solutions to communities’ most pressing needs. Through technical assistance, advocacy, and thought<br />
leadership, we support communities in achieving livable places, healthy people, and shared prosperity.</p>
<h3><span style="color: #1f91cf;">Goals and objectives</span></h3>
<p>SGA seeks an experienced fundraising consultant (either an individual or a small firm) to build and implement a strategy to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of high-capacity individual donors. The selected consultant will work closely with our leadership team to enhance SGA’s long-term fundraising capacity and impact.The primary goals for this engagement include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Fundraising Systems Development</li>
<li>Prospect Identification and Cultivation</li>
<li>Donor Engagement and Solicitation Support</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-spacer" style="height: 20px;" aria-hidden="true"><span style="color: #1f91cf;">Fixed-fee scope and deliverables</span></h3>
<p><strong>Scope includes:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li>Assessment of current fundraising efforts and infrastructure</li>
<li>Major donor development strategy and tactical implementation plan</li>
<li>List of at least 30 potential high-capacity prospects with alignment rationale</li>
<li>Coaching and solicitation prep sessions with key staff/board members (at least 3)</li>
<li>Draft of donor cultivation and stewardship materials</li>
<li>Progress report and final strategy refinement</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="wp-block-spacer" style="height: 20px;" aria-hidden="true"> </div>
<div class="wp-block-spacer" style="height: 20px;" aria-hidden="true">
<p><strong>Deliverables include:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Plan for Major Donor Development</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Donor Prospecting List with Background Profiles</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Solicitation Coaching Materials</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Donor Communication Templates</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Progress Summary Report (Final)</span></li>
</ul>
<h3><span style="color: #1f91cf;">Budget</span></h3>
<p>SGA has budgeted up to $25,000-$40,000 for this job. SGA will take value and cost into account in assessing proposals.</p>
<h3><span style="color: #1f91cf;">Additional services: Hourly rate proposal</span></h3>
<p>SGA may seek continued fundraising support beyond the initial scope. Additional services could include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Event strategy and implementation (e.g., donor salons, briefings)</li>
<li>Donor communications and campaign copywriting</li>
<li>Continued prospect identification</li>
<li>Research and relationship mapping for new sectors or regions</li>
</ul>
<h3><span style="color: #1f91cf;">Submission requirements</span></h3>
<p><strong>Proposals (maximum 10 pages) must include:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Background and relevant experience, particularly in developing individual major donors</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Description of approach and proposed work plan, including a fundraising goal</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Two (2) references for similar fundraising work</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fixed-price proposal for the deliverables described above</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hourly rates for any additional fundraising services</span></li>
</ul>
<h3><span style="color: #1f91cf;">Application process and timeline</span></h3>
<p>Please submit your proposal by August 29, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET via email to <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ashley Heckstall</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Senior Manager, Events and Development: <a href="mailto:aheckstall@smartgrowthamerica.org">aheckstall@smartgrowthamerica.org. </a></span>Subject line should read: <span style="font-weight: 400;">Major Donor Fundraising RFP</span></p>
<p><strong>Estimated project timeline:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">RFP Issued: August 1, 2025</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Proposal Deadline: August 29, 2025</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finalist Interviews: Week of September 8, 2025</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Consultant Selected: September 19, 2025</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Project Kickoff: September 25, 2025</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Midpoint Check-in: Week of February 23,  2026</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Project Completion: September 24, 2026</span></li>
</ul>
<h3><span style="color: #1f91cf;">Evaluation and selection</span></h3>
<p>SGA is committed to full and open competition and encourages submissions from small, disadvantaged, minority, and women-owned businesses. Proposals will be evaluated based on:</p>
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li>Strength of experience and qualifications of key personnel</li>
<li>Experience working with nonprofit organizations at SGA’s size</li>
<li>Cost competitiveness and value</li>
<li>Proposed approach</li>
<li>Understanding of and alignment with SGA’s mission</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="wp-block-spacer" style="height: 20px;" aria-hidden="true"> </div>
<p>SGA will also consider other benefits associated with the procurement in the selection process including, but not limited to, the opportunity to use small, disadvantaged, and minority and/or woman-owned firms or individual consultants.</p>
<p><em>SGA would consider extending this contract into additional years, based on the success of the effort. SGA may discontinue this RFP at any time at its discretion and without explanation.</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
</div>


Fundraising

Request for Proposal

Request for proposals: Fundraising consultant for major donor development

DCIM102MEDIADJI_0769.JPG

<p><strong>Smart Growth America brought the Complete Streets Leadership Academy to Kentucky in 2025. This program built partnerships between Bowling Green, Morehead, and Winchester and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) to design quick-build demonstration projects on state-owned roads. Our new report details how each city worked with KYTC districts, community members, and regional staff to develop processes for conducting quick builds in Kentucky.</strong></p>
<h3><span style="color: #1f91cf;">Background</span></h3>
<p><a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/programs-and-coalitions/national-complete-streets-coalition/quick-build-demonstration-projects/">Quick-build demonstration projects</a> are temporary installations that can be used to test safer road designs, grow partnerships, and build momentum for long-term change. With state-owned routes being the <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/dangerous-by-design/">most deadly</a> to people walking, coordinated efforts between local jurisdictions and states are key to improving safety. Building partnerships and processes through quick builds is an important strategy in this effort.</p>
<p>This Complete Streets Leadership Academy (CSLA) built on KYTC’s ongoing Complete Streets work, as the state’s current <a href="https://transportation.ky.gov/BikeWalk/Pages/Complete-Streets.aspx">Complete Streets Program</a> includes a state-wide policy and a guidance manual, both adopted in 2022. Soon after the policy was passed, KYTC conducted a series of trainings for district staff and local jurisdictions to learn about the program, which introduced some of the CSLA participants to Complete Streets. This CSLA was also a homecoming for SGA: the first 2018 cohort included <a href="https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/lexington-ky-demonstration-project-bryan-avenue-intersections/">Lexington, KY.</a></p>
<p>The Academy combined virtual workshops and an in-person convening for participants to learn about design strategies as well as how to build relationships and support each other’s projects. These trainings supported teams in developing a process to design, install, and evaluate quick builds, with the aim of KYTC and the local teams being able to continue these partnerships and replicate the process elsewhere in the future. Our new report describes the processes and observations throughout the KY CSLA, as well as ideas for how to apply lessons from the program to future quick builds on state routes, in Kentucky and beyond.</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">[button type="info" block="true" size="lg" link="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SGA-KY-CSLA_final.pdf"]Read the report! [/button]</span></p>
<h3><span style="color: #1f91cf;">Key takeaways</span></h3>
<p><b>1. Quick-build demonstration projects can be more successfully implemented when teams have a strong understanding of Complete Streets and related topics.</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> This was the first quick build that all participants had worked on, but prior familiarity with Complete Streets varied across the cities and the KYTC district partners. The different starting points for participants led to each team pursuing different goals in their projects.</span></p>
<p><b>2. Existing levels of coordination influence the scope of a quick-build project.</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Bowling Green’s strong existing partnerships allowed the team to develop two projects. In Morehead and Winchester, the team leads worked to bring people in and build support for more Complete Streets and quick-build projects in the future.</span></p>
<p><b>3. The size and capacity of a community greatly impact how a local team can participate in a quick-build project.</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> KYTC was eager to work with smaller jurisdictions in this program, to learn about what support and resources they would need to do this work. State DOTs have a large impact in small communities, and lessons learned from this program can be applied across Kentucky and beyond.</span></p>
<p><b>4. Temporary quick-build projects can lead to lasting change</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">. By selecting locations and designing projects likely to receive broad support for future projects or using the focus on the project sites to install small permanent improvements, like curb ramps and even sidewalks, these quick builds were designed with the long term in mind.</span></p>
<p><a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SGA-KY-CSLA-handout_final.pdf">Find a summary of the report here.</a></p>
<h3><strong><span style="color: #1f91cf;">Case studies</span></strong></h3>
<h4>Bowling Green</h4>
<p>The Bowling Green team’s goal for this program was to try their first quick-build project. Many members of the team were eager to try this approach to address known safety concerns and to build momentum for more quick builds in the future. The team’s strong internal coordination was key to the successful process of this group and the large project scope they were able to pursue: one project at the intersection of Smallhouse Road and KY-231/Scottsville Road and another on KY-231/Morgantown Road. The Smallhouse Rd project will update crossings to a higher safety standard and the Morgantown Rd project will turn the existing shoulder into a protected multi-use path to bridge a gap in the sidewalk, in anticipation of a future permanent project. <a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SGA-KY-CSLA_final.pdf#page=21">Read the case study here &gt;&gt;</a></p>
<h4>Morehead</h4>
<p>The Morehead team’s goals in this project were to improve safety for people crossing US 60 and build the relationships needed to do so. Navigating different levels of buy-in while building relationships around the shared goal of safety led to a project that tests a temporary change for a turn radius on US 60 and Bridge St and also additional safety improvements along Bridge St. The team is planning on making adjustments to the Bridge St component of the installation to respond to community input, but hopes to keep the project in as long as possible to maintain the safety benefits. The team made decisions throughout the project with an eye on their shared long-term goals, to continue to work together for more robust Complete Streets work in the city and the district. <a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SGA-KY-CSLA_final.pdf#page=25">Read the case study here &gt;&gt;</a></p>
<h4>Winchester</h4>
<p>The Winchester team’s goals were to improve safety through a demonstration project, learn and improve on the processes to do so, and build support for this work, especially from elected officials, city staff, and the public. The team selected KY-627/Boone Avenue and College Street as the project site, a wide street in a residential neighborhood with heavy truck traffic, though it’s a primary route to the nearby schools. The team gathered public input on the project at a meeting near the site, which emphasized a long-standing need for safety improvements on Boone Ave. The project aims to improve safety at the intersection by slowing speeds and marking space through crosswalks, bumpouts, and bike lanes, and the momentum around this site has already led to the city installing permanent curb ramps. <a href="https://wordpress.smartgrowthamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SGA-KY-CSLA_final.pdf#page=29">Read the case study here &gt;&gt;</a></p>
<p>These projects are scheduled for installation in late summer 2025, so stay tuned to learn more about the quick-build project outcomes!</p>
<p><em>This publication was made possible by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (Cooperative Agreement CDC-RFA-PW-24-0080). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC. These efforts are part of the CDC’s <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/active-people-healthy-nation/php/about/index.html">Active People, Healthy NationSM</a> Initiative that is working to help 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027.</em></p>


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