The White House announced a new program today that will help communities across the country make their smart growth plans a reality. Strong Cities, Strong Communities is a new interagency pilot initiative that aims to strengthen neighborhoods, towns, cities and regions around the country by strengthening the capacity of local governments to develop and execute their economic vision and strategies. Speaking in a video about the new program, Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and the Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council Melody Barnes explained that Strong Cities, Strong Communities will support local governments by providing necessary technical assistance and access to federal agency expertise, and creating new public and private sector partnerships.
Many of the programs part of Strong Cities, Strong Communities employ smart growth strategies to help these places grow stronger economically. In Chester, PA, the initiative will help revitalize the downtown. In Detroit, MI, the initiative will use development plans to leverage U.S. DOT’s investments in high speed rail and the Woodward Avenue light rail project to spur economic revitalization in the downtown corridor. And in Fresno, CA, the team will work to capitalize on the coming high-speed rail station to improve the downtown area.
Smart growth strategies like these help towns and cities grow economically stronger for generations to come. The programs above are just some of the new programs part of the Strong Cities, Strong Communities initiative, and we’re looking forward to seeing these programs take root to build stronger and more resilient communities in the months to come.
Announcing Strong Cities, Strong Communities [White House blog, 7/11/2011]