As part of our Climate & Land Use Technical Assistance Program, we worked with Florida-based community organization, Incubate Neighborhood Center (INC), to raise awareness about the ways that climate change is impacting their community’s infrastructure, insurance rates, and economic opportunity. In this video, business owners, government officials, and regional resilience partners talk about how flooding … Continued
Over two months in 2023, Smart Growth America and Westside Legends convened the Westside Working Group as part of our technical assistance program to advance equitable zoning reform and affordable housing development in Massachusetts. The Westside Working Group consisted of community members, civic leaders, and business leaders to develop recommendations to support affordable housing preservation … Continued
The National Brownfields Coalition, with support from over 30 national organizations, released a letter in support of the reintroduction of the Brownfields Redevelopment Tax Incentive Reauthorization Act. This bill, introduced by Rep. Mikie Sherrill (NJ) and Rep. Michael Turner (OH), will allow taxpayers to fully deduct the cleanup costs of contaminated property in the year … Continued
In the face of the well-documented housing crisis, and amidst a changing landscape for office and commercial buildings due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the White House released a guidebook of programs that would assist commercial to residential conversions. As local government leaders, developers, policymakers, and other stakeholders debate strategies to revitalize their downtowns, this guidebook … Continued
In a moderated panel discussion, hosted in New Delhi, India, several land use experts brainstormed how governments can advance people-centered communities that include green infrastructure as a central focal point of the community. Additionally, they examined the similarities between developing communities in the Global South and smaller communities in the U.S. Good communities don’t just … Continued
Thanks to generous funding from The Barr Foundation, over the last several months, SGA has provided technical assistance to two Massachusetts-based community organizations: Westside Legends of Pittsfield, MA, and CultureHouse of Somerville, MA. These technical assistance partnerships with these two community organizations are oriented around the goal of advancing equitable zoning reform and affordable housing … Continued
Rural communities in America vary across many dimensions including population and demographic trends, economic and health indicators, and others. Some communities have continued to thrive with improving quality of life and stable or growing economies, while others have experienced a long and slow decline. What is clear is that there are many strategies, including improving … Continued
CREATING CONNECTIONS IN MONTPELIER, VT Location: Montpelier, VT Population: 7,434 (2020) Typologies: Traditional main street Key takeaway: In small cities and rural areas, the effects of emergency situations like a global pandemic can hit especially hard. Finding ways to connect the community during crisis can be essential for resiliency in rural areas Vermont’s capital city, … Continued
QUALITY OF LIFE IS KEY IN RUSTON, LA Location: Ruston, LA Population: 21,987 (2020) Typologies: Retirement, second-home; Traditional main street; College Key takeaway: Ruston is implementing changes to their built environment to encourage walking and to connect their communities. These changes have enabled them, in spite of their distance from a large metropolitan area, to … Continued
OXFORD’S COMPLETE STREETS ADD ECONOMIC BENEFITS Location: Oxford, MS Population: 27,662 (2020) Typologies: Traditional main street community; College community. Key takeaway: Improving safety and comfort for people walking, biking, and rolling can improve not only the safety and enjoyment of people in a rural community but also the economy of the community. Oxford, MS, is … Continued