Latest Smart growth Stories

Author of Visualizing Density identifies essential ingredients of sustainable urbanism CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In the richly illustrated new book Made for Walking: Density and Neighborhood Form, landscape architect, urban designer, and photographer Julie Campoli identifies the essential characteristics of successful urban neighborhoods that provide a better quality of life and a reduced carbon footprint. Based on the latest research on urban form...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Four states' efforts to curb "job sprawl" by altering economic development subsidies have had little effect on transit ridership, land use patterns or site location decisions, according to a report released today by Good Jobs First. Attempts by officials in California, Illinois, Maryland, and New Jersey to break down "policy silos" and make job subsidies location-efficient have failed. Some of the policies were weak to begin...

Outcome from Roundtable of Experts Identifies Solutions, Need for More Research ASHBURN, Va., Feb. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and the Urban Institute announce the availability of a new report, "Financing the Future: The Critical Role of Parks in Urban and Metropolitan Infrastructure." The report, written by noted author and urban planner William Fulton, analyzes discussion from a recent roundtable of national...

Success Thwarted by State-Local Disconnect Maryland planners, developers and land-use advocates consider the state's smart growth tools too weak, frustrating their desire for development within existing urban areas, finds a new University of Maryland study based on interviews with a representative group of stakeholders. "Just about everyone feels squeezed between a rock and a hard place - wanting development where state laws intend to promote growth, but often seeing it thwarted by both...

Lincoln Institute forum to examine Sustainable Communities program CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Leaders from around the New England region will examine what current funding battles in Washington means for the future of President Obama's Sustainable Communities program, at the annual New England Smart Growth Leadership Forum Friday, December 2, 2011 at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. The theme of the forum, "Putting Sustainability into Practice,"...

New analysis shows regional land use choices can make a big impact on public health LOS ANGELES, Nov. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Lung Association in California urges the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and the 191 cities that make up the organization to adopt the strongest possible smart growth strategies for the benefit of public health. SCAG is currently working on its 2012 Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy...

New Orleans case study evaluates delegated management of transit services and barriers to coordination SAN JOSE, Calif., May 9, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) has just released its Research Report 10-09, Examination of Regional Transit Service Under Contracting: A Case Study in the Greater New Orleans Region. A research team lead by Hiroyuki Iseki, PhD, and Charles Rivasplata, PhD, produced a study that should provide valuable information on...

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Lung Association in California released new data today showing significant public health benefits from pursuing a smart growth future for California. The American Lung Association data shows health benefits, including reduced asthma attacks and premature deaths linked to the Vision California "mixed growth" and "growing smart" scenarios in 2035 that include more compact, sustainable development patterns. The California Air Resources...

HARRISBURG, Pa., June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania has made progress in applying smart growth policies toward the distribution of economic development assistance, according to a new report from the Keystone Research Center (KRC). The report is available online at http://keystoneresearch.org/21st-century-economic-development. Between May 2003 and November 2008, the Commonwealth directed more economic development aid per capita from three major programs to businesses in older towns and...

Report from Land Use Experts Emphasizes Wise Implementation as Key to Success LOS ANGELES, June 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A California law that requires metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to create and implement land use plans that use compact, coordinated, and efficient development patterns to reduce auto dependency could, if implemented wisely, help the state's urban regions become more economically and environmentally sustainable, according to an analysis of the law released...