While the country’s economy has steadily been on the rise since the recession, wide disparities remain between those who are included in the economic recovery and those who are being left out. The incoming presidential administration has a key opportunity to bridge this divide and make the economy work for all Americans—particularly for lower- and middle-income workers and families.
Today, we released a short guide of federal policy recommendations to help the next administration accomplish just that. Expanding the Economic Recovery to All Americans Through Smarter Growth: Recommendations for the Incoming Administration provides concrete smart growth recommendations that federal officials can implement to move more Americans into the middle class and create growth that’s prosperous, sustainable and equitable.
The following policy proposals, which include recommendations from Transportation for America, LOCUS: Responsible Real Estate Developers and Investors, and the National Complete Streets Coalition, are organized into five strategies:
- Create more housing choices
- Connect Americans to opportunity by providing more transportation choices
- Empower local communities
- Invest in existing communities
- Make smarter, more cost-effective investments
Smart growth is not a cure-all and the administration should lean hard on other economic, social and cultural solutions. But given the effects of housing and transportation costs on people’s pocketbooks, smart growth strategies — expanding economic prosperity, improving lives by improving the communities that we call home, and creating opportunities for people to have a high quality of life and build wealth — have to be part of the solution.