SGA Monthly Coalition Call, July 30, 2009

By Elisa Ortiz · July 30, 2009

3:30PM EST

Attendance
Jeri Mintzer ([email protected]), Lindsey Gael ([email protected]), Elisa Ortiz ([email protected])
Kate Rube ([email protected]), Will Schroeer ([email protected]) – Smart Growth America, DC
Kristin Purdy ([email protected]) – Transportation for America
Kathleen Spencer ([email protected]) – Center for Planning Excellence, LA
Rachel Winer ([email protected]) – Idaho Smart Growth
Jim Gray ([email protected]) – NCB Capital Impact
Jane Kirchner ([email protected]) – America Farmland Trust, DC
Gloria Katz ([email protected]) – Smart Growth Partnership, Southeast Florida
Lee Epstein ([email protected]) – Chesapeake Bay Foundation
April Putney ([email protected]) and Sara Nikolic ([email protected]) – Futurewise, WA
John Maximuk ([email protected]) – Livable Communities Coalition, GA
Scott Wolf ([email protected]) – Grow Smart Rhode Island
Carey Knecht ([email protected]) – Greenbelt Alliance, CA
Gene Krebs ([email protected]) – Greater Ohio

Announcement: Future SGA Coalition calls will be going out at 4:00PM EST rather than 3:30PM EST, the last Thursday of every month

Welcome Jim Gray from NCB Capital Impact to coalition

NCB Capital Impact works on grant with Don Chen (shared equity home ownership). Strategies around transit hubs and preserve the affordability in these areas.
Will host webinar with SGA in the fall to further discuss work

Federal Policy Updates (Kate Rube)

At the last SGA coalition meeting in February, the coalition identified federal policy priorities for the year. Three main priorities (besides transportation) of SGA’s work:
- Climate change issues and connecting this to smart growth:
  - House passed climate bill with transportation and smart growth provisions, but limited funding for certain smart growth strategies
    - Ongoing work on this will focus on building support for the House bill and getting support also in the Senate
    - Working on state and regional ways to implement strategies
  - CLEAN-TEA legislation is also a focus
    - Adding new co-sponsors in the Senate. (Climate change revenues tied to transportation)
    - Trying to get it to move through committees this Sept.
  - ASK: Please call your Senators and ask them to co-sponsor this bill
- Increase funding for EPA Smart Growth office
  - The office has been funded at the same level since it started several years ago ($3 million). The goals was to increase the budget to $6 million
    - House and Senate passed appropriations to increase budget to $5.1 million (good success)
    - SGA plans to make a larger funding ask next year
  - Sustainable Communities and new EPA/HUD/DOT partnership that’s focusing on sustainable communities are great opportunities
- Vacant properties legislation
  - Jennifer Leonard from NVPC/SGA helped draft the Community Regeneration, Sustainability and Innovation Act
    - New HUD pilot grant project for regions struggling with vacant properties problems to have innovative solutions (land bank, community greening, innovative redevelopment)
    - Work to get more support in the House
  - ASK: please make calls to your House representative and ask them to cosponsor this bill

Scott – What is the timeframe for these bills?

The Climate bill has already moved
EPA budget is already resolved for this year
The vacant property bill is an area that can still be affected. Need to figure out if there are any bills this year where we might be able to insert this policy, if not then move it next year

Update on SGA State Policy and Campaign Work (Will Schroeer)

On June 29th SGA released the 120-Day Report, about how stimulus funds have been spent at the 120 Day mark (released state and national versions)
- Great success, and also shows the demand for knowledge and transparency on what kinds of projects have been funded
- Going forward: the data of the actual spending patterns, the very first look at data has shown that the fix it first projects are going out first and that the large road expansion projects have not gone out yet.
  - SGA will look to make this information more official and then send out messaging around this
SGA is having monthly state level climate action plan calls
- Purely information sharing
- Focused on how to advance state VMT reduction strategies
  - All state action plans call for state VMT reduction policies
  - This is one of the shared areas
Moving Cooler webinar next Thursday, August 6th @4pm EST:
- Moving Cooler is a report from ULI, NRDC, etc (SGA did not help write) about how different transportation strategies can have effect on global warming solutions

T4 Update on two actions coming out in August (Kristin Purdy)

Transit Cuts Report: Stranded at the Station
- Looking at service cuts and fare increases in 25 different cities and regions
- August 18th big release
- In partnership with TEN (Transportation Equity Network)
- Asking partners to do local releases, especially in the 25 cities that are highlighted in the report
  - Lots of media tools already available: talking points, op-ed template, ideas for events
Take your Legislator to Work Challenge
- So far doing this action in a few states
- Challenge your member of Congress to get to work with alternative forms of transportation
  - Can be a day or for a whole week

Scott – What cities and regions are included in the Transit Cuts report?
Kristin – Some of the cities include: Atlanta, Colorado, Contra Costa County, Madison, Orange County, Reno, Sacramento, Tacoma, Washington DC etc. E-mail Kristin for a complete list

Organizations interested in “Take Your Legislator to Work Day”:

John Maximuk, Livable Communities Coalition
April Putney: Transportation Choices Coalition may be interested in Tacoma event
Gene Krebs: interested

E-mail Kristin if interested in taking action on these: [email protected]

Updates From SGA Coalition Members

Scott, RI:
- Doing inventory of buildings and projects (such as historical preservation) that are smart growth friendly
  - Working to get these sites to be incorporated into their inventory
Lee, MD:
- Highway fight emerging in suburban MD outside of DC
  - 12 miles connector road that would go through pristine habitat
  - Working with local groups to put together a document that tells the story
Sara, WA:
- Policy for TOD, laying groundwork for 2010 session
- Working on an inventory on stations in Puget Sound area that could use more TOD, making policy recommendations around new and expanding light rail stations in the Seattle area
- Doing an art gallery installation that will attract designer, architecture, and designer types
- Doing a TOD pub crawl along the new light rail line
Gloria, FL:
- Show public and elected officials economic development through green buildings, and cities changing regulations to be more sustainable
  - The goal is to have people walk out with idea about how to implement this in cities and companies
Jane, American Farmland Trust:
- Working on Climate Change bill from the farmland/ag. perspective
- In WI, got approval for strengthening farmland that was signed by the governor
- Scott – In RI doing an analysis of municipal zoning ordinances about prime farmland real estate. Hoping to have workshops for municipal officials about how to zone in order to protect farmland. Based on need to help make farming as profitable as possible. Looking at how to make farms viable financially and not just land use/landscaping.
Gene, OH
- Lavea is at land banking conference
- Local Government Insurance Fund legislation rather than revenue sharing
- Democrats have pushed forth a compact with cities
Carey, CA
- General obligation bond funds for land use incentives pool will be dispersed
  - Advising criteria for state level
  - [email protected]
- Would like to talk with Scott, in CA working on farmland project with similar idea

Closing Remarks

If coalition members have specific issues they want discussed on the call, email Elisa Ortiz ([email protected]) ahead of time.
The next call: Thursday, August 27th 2009 at 4:00PM EST