New zoning reform technical assistance program in Massachusetts

Smart Growth America is launching a new technical assistance (TA) program to support equitable development and housing attainability in Massachusetts thanks to generous funding from The Barr Foundation.  The program is designed to provide community-based organizations with the skills and tools needed to advance sustainable equitable development and affordable housing, and support generational wealth creation … Continued

Land Use and Development Technical assistance Zoning

Last session of Commonwealth Communities ends with informative conversation on zoning reform

In the final session of Commonwealth Communities: Smart Growth Strategies for Our Emergent Future, expert speakers ranging from local municipal leaders to professional researchers discussed how to incorporate equity into zoning law. The history of zoning in the U.S. is fraught with racism and disparate impacts on communities of color and low-income communities. We have … Continued

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Fourth session of Commonwealth Communities leads to dynamic conversation on how to cultivate equity in municipal budgeting practices

Engaging in equitable budgeting practices is important on all levels of government, but especially at the local level, it is essential to ensure that community members are informed and empowered to participate in budgetary practices. In the next-to-last session of Commonwealth Communities: Smart Growth Strategies for Our Emergent Future, expert speakers described different tactics for promoting equity in municipal budgets. They touched on important concepts such as participatory budgeting, strategic funding opportunities, and social risk in the municipal market.

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Third session of Commonwealth Communities engages expert speakers and audience on planning for the future of transit and TOD in Commonwealth Communities

Throughout this session, speakers agreed that there needs to be a renewed focus on sustainability and resiliency in urban transportation systems in order to respond to the changing needs of riders and development as we approach a post-COVID world. In order to integrate all of these issues, there needs to be cooperation on all levels: federal, state, and local.

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Opportunity Zones aid in historic revitalization and mixed-use development in Greenfield and Montague


The City of Greenfield and the Town of Montague in Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley sought technical assistance through the first-ever Massachusetts Opportunity Zones Academy to help determine future equitable development project feasibility in their three Opportunity Zones.

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Salem considers Opportunity Zones for new mixed-use and TOD development


The proposed South Salem Commuter Rail Station has brought a lot of attention to an underutilized area of land in Salem, which also happens to be a designated Opportunity Zone. During the inaugural Massachusetts Opportunity Zones Academy, SGA provided the City with three different development scenarios to consider for the land use and zoning near the proposed station site.

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Register now for “Improving mobility access through Complete Streets and mobility management”

The National Complete Streets Coalition is excited to continue our monthly webinar series designed to help professionals from a variety of disciplines put Complete Streets principles into action. Implementation & Equity 201: The Path Forward to Complete Streets is exploring a new issue each month related to creating safer, healthier, more equitable streets.

Our next webinar, Improving mobility access through Complete Streets and mobility management takes place on Wednesday,  February 21st from 12:30-1:30 PM EST.

Complete Streets