Partnership for Sustainable Communities

Over 50 national organizations voice support for 2012 funding of Partnership for Sustainable Communities

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With Congress currently debating the federal budget for fiscal year 2012, over fifty national organizations have once again come together in support of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities. By issuing this joint letter to leadership in both the House and Senate, Smart Growth America and our partner organizations have sent the message to Congress that we support the Partnership’s programs that help rebuild local economies, make the most of federal investments and build strong, healthy, and vibrant communities.

The Honorable Daniel K. Inouye
Chairman
Senate Committee on Appropriations
United States Capitol, Room S-128
Washington, DC 20510		 The Honorable Thad Cochran
Ranking Member
Senate Appropriations Committee
United States Capitol, Room S-206
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Patty Murray
Subcommittee Chair
Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, Urban Development, and Related Agencies
133 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510		 The Honorable Susan Collins
Subcommittee Ranking Member
Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, Urban Development, and Related Agencies
123 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chairman Inouye, Ranking Member Cochran, Subcommittee Chair Murray, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Collins:

As Congress considers the fiscal year 2012 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations, we, the undersigned group of concerned organizations, urge you to support the programs that help communities across America rebuild their local economies and improve their fiscal stability.

We urge you to support the Partnership for Sustainable Communities and related grant programs in the fiscal year 2012 T-HUD Appropriations Bill. The Partnership for Sustainable Communities helps community leaders get the most out of each federal or state dollar invested in their neighborhoods. These programs make federal investments go even further by helping local leaders leverage private sector investment, save money in municipal budgets, and help families with housing and transportation costs – all while creating jobs.

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Call for letters of interest: Green Capitals Program seeking pilot cities

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The Office of Sustainable Communities in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Policy is seeking letters of interest from state capital cities that want to develop in ways that reflect the principles of smart growth, green building, and the Partnership for Sustainable Communities. Greening America’s Capitals provides state capitals with an opportunity to implement this partnership effort on the ground. EPA will provide design assistance to successful applicants; letters of interest are due on June 20, 2011.

For more information, download the full submission guidelines (PDF) or contact Chris Forinash, Policy Analyst at the Northeast-Midwest Institute at cforinash [at] nemw [dot] org.

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Upcoming webinar: Advancing Equity in Sustainable Community Planning and Implementation

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Join us Tuesday, May 24th at 3:30 PM ET for the next Sustainable Communities Network webinar: “Advancing Equity in Sustainable Community Planning and Implementation.” This event is hosted by Smart Growth America, PolicyLink, Reconnecting America, and the National Housing Conference.

Speaking on the webinar will be Bob Allen, Director of Transportation and Housing Programs at Urban Habitat; Jessie Grogan, Policy Analyst at the Metropolitan Area Planning Council of Boston, MA; and Jonathan London, Director of the Center for Regional Change and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human and Community Development at the University of California, Davis. This webinar will be moderated by Kalima Rose, Director of the PolicyLink Center for Infrastructure Equity and leader of PolicyLink’s Sustainable Communities work.

What: “Advancing Equity in Sustainable Community Planning and Implementation.”
When: Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 3:30 PM ET.
Where: Webinar information will be sent to registrants.
RSVP: Click here to register. Please RSVP by 5 PM ET on May 23rd.

* Please note: Audio for this webinar will be broadcast through your computer. This is a change from previous webinars in the series. *

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Secretaries LaHood, Donovan on public transportation and connecting to jobs

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Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan spoke at the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program and on today’s Huffington Post about a new report on how public transportation helps American workers connect to jobs.

“Missed Opportunity: Transit and Jobs in Metropolitan America,” is “a first-of-its-kind analysis that shows how transit systems link workers to jobs in metropolitan America.” The report emphasizes the importance of not just the location and frequency of transit service, but ultimately how well transit aligns with where people work and live. LaHood and Donovan explain that public transportation plays a crucial role in the American economy, and better coordination between federal agencies can yield even greater benefits from this important resource.

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"Regional Planning with Peter Calthorpe" webinar materials now available online

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Is your agency or organization looking to start or advance a regional plan? In this latest webinar from the Sustainable Communities Network, award-winning planner Peter Calthorpe shares advice on how to begin, implement and successfully navigate the regional planning process, and ideas about how to leverage regions’ unique qualities to meet fiscal goals, land use challenges and transportation needs.

Listen in: Click here to view the archived webinar

Peter Calthorpe has over 30 years of experience in the field and is known for such successful projects as Envision Utah. His most recent book, Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change, documents new work and analysis relating patterns of development to energy and carbon consumption, along with other environmental, social and economic impacts.

Want to know about webinars like this one before they happen? Join the Sustainable Communities Network, an online community of state and local government officials, business leaders and non-profit professionals interested in the Partnership for Sustainable Communities. The Network provides opportunities to ask questions, learn best practices and share ideas with others from around the country. The Network also shares updates about federal initiatives, upcoming events, webinars and conferences to support vibrant, sustainable communities. Click here to subscribe.

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Smart Growth America Applauds Congress for Preserving Partnership for Sustainable Communities

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 15, 2011

Washington, DC – Thanks to the hard work of both Democrats and Republicans in Congress, White House leaders and Smart Growth America’s national coalition, the final Fiscal Year 2011 continuing resolution includes comprehensive funding for the Partnership for Sustainable Communities. Smart Growth America is proud to be a leader in the effort to support these innovative federal programs that create economic growth in communities across the country.

Geoff Anderson, President and CEO of Smart Growth America, said:

“The Partnership for Sustainable Communities is an excellent investment of taxpayer dollars, and exactly the kind of economic development policy the federal government should pursue. These programs have helped communities across the country lay the foundation for stronger economies through smarter growth strategies. I want to thank all individuals, organizations, businesses and Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle who supported the Partnership in this year’s budget. I encourage the Members of Congress who supported this year’s funds to maintain their commitment to these crucial federal programs in the next fiscal year.”

Smart Growth America worked with national and state partners to lead an advocacy campaign for the Partnership for Sustainable Communities funding in the fiercely debated continuing resolutions. More than sixty national organizations signed a public letter to Congressional leaders in support of the Partnership’s programs, and more than 150 state and local organizations sent letters to their Senators voicing their support as well. Smart Growth America worked with hundreds of advocates to express their support for the Partnership programs, and activated a network of more than 40,000 partners, activists and business leaders to call and write their Representatives and Senators.

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Call Congress TODAY to protect the Partnership for Sustainable Communities

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As debate over 2011’s federal budget continues to rage in Congress, funding for two major programs in the Partnership for Sustainable Communities are at risk of being completely eliminated. If you support the smart growth work being done by the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, please take a minute TODAY to call your Members of Congress to express your opposition to these cuts.

Here’s how to be an on-the-phone advocate to your Members of Congress:

  1. Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for the office of your Senator or Representative. The switchboard will connect you directly. Not sure who you members of Congress are? Click here to find out.
  2. Once transferred, introduce yourself with your name, organization or business and location. Explain that you support the Partnership for Sustainable Communities in both the Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 Continuing Resolution and FY 2012 Appropriations, and that you oppose:
    • Retraction of the Department of Transportation’s unspent TIGER grant funds;
    • Policy riders that would prevent the Department of Housing and Urban Development from continuing its work with the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

    (Want to know more about these issues? You can find more information and talking points here.)

  3. Thank the staff member and end the call. Repeat steps one through three with your other Members of Congress.
  4. Share this alert with your friends and colleagues. Encourage them to tell their Congressional representatives about their support for the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

This week is the time to act. Please call your Members of Congress today to express your support for these important federal programs.

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Sustainable Communities Network webinar now available online

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Smart Growth America’s Sustainable Communities Network hosted a webinar yesterday on how state, local and national organizations can support the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities through advocacy.

Included in this webinar is an update on the current state of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities in federal budget negotiations from Devon Barnhart, Transportation Policy Advisor for Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ). Also included is an overview of what individuals and organizations can do to express their support for the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, including a guide for scheduling meeting with Members of Congress, how to call or email your Representatives and what documents to take to a meeting. The webinar also included a question-and-answer session with an opportunity for participants to share information as well.

Listen in: Click here to view the archived webinar
Presentation begins at the 10 minute mark

As Congress continues to negotiate both 2011 and 2012’s federal budgets, telling your Congressional representatives that you support the Partnership for Sustainable Communities is important now more than ever. Click here to send a letter to your Senators in support of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

Smart Growth America’s Sustainable Communities Network is an online community of state and local government officials, business leaders and nonprofit professionals interested in the Partnership for Sustainable Communities. The Network provides opportunities to ask questions, learn best practices and share ideas with others from around the country. The Network also shares updates about federal initiaitves, upcoming events, webinars and conferences to support vibrant, sustainable communities. Interested in joining? Click here to subscribe.

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Cuts to local smart growth investments are penny-wise but pound-foolish

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In a piece out today on WashingtonPost.com, Ezra Klein highlights the fact that smart federal investments are a big part of solving country’s budget deficit. In particular, he highlights that there are some spending cuts that might save the country some money now, but ultimately cost us more in the long run. One example is cuts to inspection procedures, which can subsequently lead to costly recalls or contamination. Another is cuts to enforcement, including the type of enforcement meant to reduce waste within the budget. And thirdly, there’s deferred maintenance. As Klein explains:

In 2009, the Society of Civil Engineers gave America’s existing infrastructure a grade of D. They estimated that simply maintaining America’s existing stock would require up to $2.2 trillion in investment. But Republicans have been cool to Obama’s calls to increase infrastructure investment. Just “another tax-and-spend proposal,” Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) said when the initiative was announced. But a dollar in maintenance delayed — or cut — isn’t a dollar saved. It’s a dollar that needs to be spent later. And waiting can be costly. It’s cheaper to strengthen a bridge that’s standing than repair one that’s fallen down.

Smart Growth America’s February report Recent Lessons from the Stimulus advocates strongly for road repair and maintenance not only because it cuts future costs but because it also creates more jobs per dollar which helps the economy even more.

Cuts to several other federal programs proposed in this year’s budget are similarly short-sighted attempts to solve long-term problems. Notably, the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, a successful collaboration between the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Transportation and Department of Housing and Urban Development, is being hit with several proposed cuts in this year’s budget despite the benefits this program brings to local communities. The Partnership helps community leaders get the most out of each federal or state dollar invested in their neighborhoods. By leveraging private sector investment, saving money in municipal budgets, helping families save on things like transportation and creating jobs, programs like the Partnership for Sustainable Communities make sure federal funds go far to rebuild our economy.

Investing wisely can help balance the federal budget AND create jobs in a time of economic hardship. Tell your Senators to preserve federal funding for local smart growth investments: click here to send a letter voicing your support.

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An open letter in support of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities

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Daniel Inouye, Chairman
U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations
United States Capitol, Room S-128
Washington, DC 20510		 Thad Cochran, Vice Chairman
U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations
United States Capitol, Room S-206
Washington, DC 20510
Patty Murray, Chair
Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, Urban Development and Related Agencies
Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 133
Washington, DC 20510		 Susan Collins, Ranking Member
Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation Housing, Urban Development and Related Agencies
Hart Senate Office Building, Room 123
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Appropriations Leaders:

Congress’ decisions about the federal budget can have immense implications for communities across America and their ability to rebuild local economies and improve fiscal stability. As you consider this year’s difficult budget decisions, we, the undersigned group of concerned organizations, urge you to support the federal programs that keep communities strong, healthy and economically vibrant.

Specifically, we urge you to support the Partnership for Sustainable Communities and related grant programs in the FY11 continuing resolution and the FY12 appropriations process.

The Partnership for Sustainable Communities helps community leaders get the most out of each federal or state dollar invested in their neighborhoods. These programs make federal investments go even further by helping local leaders leverage private sector investment, save money in municipal budgets and by helping families save on things like transportation – all while creating jobs. Our organizations strongly support these programs, including:

  • Continued funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Sustainable Communities Initiative, which provides Regional Planning Grants and Community Challenge Grants that help communities to leverage private sector investment, improve strategic growth, streamline regulatory barriers and make strategic investments with limited taxpayer dollars.
  • Continued funding for the Department of Transportation’s TIGER program in FY11, which strengthens the economy, creates jobs, reduces gridlock, and provides safe, low-cost transportation choices to our citizens.
  • The full commitment of obligated funds to grants received by more than 87 regions around the country under the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Sustainable Communities Initiative and the Department of Transportation’s TIGER program in FY09 and FY10.

We acknowledge that this year’s budget decisions are difficult ones and that Congress needs to cut wasteful spending, but the Partnership for Sustainable Communities helps the federal government work smarter. The Partnership is a vital opportunity to effectively coordinate and leverage federal programs for the greatest long-term benefit to our communities. Cutting these programs would be a short-sighted solution to the budget shortfall, and one which would stunt the economic growth of regions currently benefitting from the program.

We urge you to support the Partnership for Sustainable Communities in the FY11 continuing resolution and the FY12 appropriations process.

Sincerely,

American Institute of Architects
American Planning Association
American Public Transportation Association
American Society of Landscape Architects
Apollo Alliance
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
Audubon International
Center for Community Progress
Center for Neighborhood Technology
Center for Rural Strategies
CEOs for Cities
Coalition of Urban Serving Universities
Congress for the New Urbanism
Denver Housing Authority
Enterprise Community Partners
Environmental and Energy Study Institute
Friends of the Earth
Good News Mountaineer Garage
Institute for Transportation and Development Policy
International Downtown Association
League of Rural Voters
Local Government Commission
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
LOCUS: Responsible Real Estate Developers and Investors
Low Income Investment Fund
Mercy Housing
Metropolitan Planning Council
National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
National Association of Local Government Environment Professionals
National Complete Streets Coalition 		National Fair Housing Alliance
National Housing Conference
National Housing Trust
National Resources Defense Council
National Trust for Historic Preservation
National Wildlife Federation
OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon
Oregon Public Health Institute
Partnership for Working Families
PolicyLink
Prevention Institute
Project for Public Spaces
Public Health Law & Policy
Quitman County Development Organization
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
Reconnecting America
RiverStone Health
Safe States Alliance
Sierra Club
Smart Growth America
Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future
Strategic Alliance for Healthy Food and Activity Environments
The Partnership for Working Families
TOD Associates
TransForm
Transportation for America
U.S. Green Building Council
U.S. PIRG
Upstream Public Health

cc:
United States Senate Committee on Appropriations
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell

Click here to download a copy of this letter (PDF)

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