News

Renew your membership today

If you haven’t already, be sure to renew your membership in Smart Growth America’s coalition today. If you need another copy of your invoice, let me know.

Federal policy updates

• SGA President and CEO Geoff Anderson testified before the Senate Environment and Pubic Works Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics and Environmental Health on the Brownfields program. Watch the hearing >>
• The Senate has confirmed Gina McCarthy to lead the EPA after a number of delays and setbacks throughout the nomination process.
• Members of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs confirmed the nomination of Rep. Mel Watt (D-N.C.) to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which would ultimately grant him oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
• The House Appropriations Interior-Environment Subcommittee approved a draft bill that would provide $24.3 billion in funding for the EPA, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Indian Health Services and other programs, $5.5 billion less than fiscal 2013 enacted levels and $4 billion less than post-sequestration spending.
• Yesterday, the Senate voted to invoke cloture on the Appropriations THUD bill, which will now move the bill and its amendments to the legislation to debate. We anticipate that the Senate will pass the T-HUD bill later this week or the beginning of next week. The legislation, which the Appropriations Committee endorsed 22-8 on June 27, would provide $54 billion in fiscal 2014 for transportation, housing and community development programs.

Join us for a live event on federal involvement in real estate

On July 25, Smart Growth America will release a new report, Federal Involvement in Real Estate: A Call to Action. The new report includes policy recommendations for federal real estate programs, and is a follow-up to Federal Involvement in Real Estate: A Call for Examination, which we released in January.

Join us for the public release event on Thursday, July 25th at 11 AM EDT. Register for the release >>

We encourage you to share the invitation to this event with your email subscribers, on your blog or on social media, as well as with your personal colleagues. Contact me for template materials or suggestions.

Save the Date! Celebrate the adoption of the 500th Complete Streets Policy on August 14th

Join the National Complete Streets Coalition as it celebrates 500+ Complete Streets policies across the United States—and honors Memphis, TN, which passed the 500th Complete Streets policy earlier this year! The widespread success of policy adoption at the local, regional and state levels reflects your support of the movement and the Coalition over the past several years—so thank you!

The 500th policy celebration will be on August 14, 2013, at the American Public Transportation Association Headquarters in Washington, DC. For our out-of-town allies, plan to watch the live webcast (information forthcoming), beginning at 3 PM EDT. This celebration will feature a panel of national and local experts discussing Complete Streets and focus on experiences in Washington, DC and Memphis, TN.

Tell us your favorite street!

In the first half of this year, Smart Growth America showcased some of our staff’s favorite streets in a new series on our Facebook page. Now we want to hear from you! What’s your favorite street in America and why? Reply to this email with a short summary and we’ll post it on our Facebook page with a mention of your organization.

Early registration ends soon for the Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference in Philadelphia – Sept. 9 – 11, 2013

The Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference (RVP) is the premier conference for professionals working to revitalize vacant, abandoned, and problem properties. Themed “Investing in the Future: Unlocking Hidden Values” for 2013, you don’t want to miss this opportunity to learn cutting-edge strategies in community revitalization and network with leaders from around the country. RVP features two-and-a-half days of breakout sessions, training seminars, state caucuses, networking events, and mobile workshops that take you directly into Philadelphia’s neighborhoods. You’ll leave with the tools, connections, and inspiration you need to unlock the hidden value in your community’s vacant properties. Early registration ends on Wednesday, July 31st. Learn more and register >>

Register now for the Safe Routes to School National Conference in Sacramento – Aug. 13-15, 2013

Registration is now open for the Safe Routes to School National Conference, to be held in Sacramento, CA from August 13-15, 2013. Learn how Safe Routes to School programs across the nation are changing the habits of an entire generation of schoolchildren while improving the health and environment of numerous communities. Learn more and register >>

Save the date! The 13th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference in Denver – Feb. 13-15, 2014

This year, the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference comes to the gateway to the Rocky Mountains – Denver, Colorado. The program will span three full days with optional pre-conference events scheduled for Wednesday, February 12th and post-conference events scheduled for Sunday, February 16th. The main program will kick off on Thursday morning, February 13th, and continue through Saturday afternoon. The schedule includes a dynamic mix of plenaries, breakouts, implementation workshops, specialized trainings, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, and coordinated networking activities. It will also feature exciting tours of local model projects in and around the greater Denver region. Learn more >>

Apply for the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities Centennial Challenge

To enable 100 cities to better address major 21st century challenges, the Rockefeller Foundation is inviting cities from around the world to apply for the 100 Resilient Cities Centennial Challenge. Learn more about the new initiative on the Rockefeller Foundation’s website.