Committees in both House and Senate pass appropriations bills for transportation, housing and urban development

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The House Appropriations Committee, in meeting today. Image via C-SPAN.

The appropriations committees in both chambers of Congress passed bills this morning that will decide funding for transportation, housing and urban development programs in fiscal year 2014.

In the Senate, the committee’s proposal includes funding for many of the country’s most important community development programs. The Department of Transportation (DOT)’s TIGER grant program would receive $550 million to suppors a wide variety of transportation projects including bridges, public transit and railroads. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Integrated Planning and Investment grants, part of the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities, would be allocated $75 million for the coming year.

“HUD’s programs solve local problem with local people,” said Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD). The Senate committee passed the bill quickly, just after 10 AM, with few remarks.

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Anthony Foxx confirmed as 17th U.S. Secretary of Transportation

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Anthony Foxx at his confirmation hearing on Wednesday. Image via C-SPAN.

Earlier today the Senate voted unanimously to confirm former Charlotte, NC mayor Anthony Foxx as the next U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

Foxx will bring a legacy of support for forward-thinking transportation strategies to the position. “Under Mayor Foxx Charlotte has become a leader in embracing transportation innovations and high-quality, public transportation as key building blocks of a prosperous economy,” Transportation for America Director James Corless said in a statement. “We are glad to see him bring that knowledge to his federal role.”

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Congressional hearing on Safe Streets Act highlights policy flexibility and safety

“My home district of Sacramento continues to bear witness to too many pedestrian accidents,” said Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) last week. “The needless and avoidable accidents are vivid reminders of why we need Complete Streets policies.”

Congresswoman Matsui made these comments at a briefing on Capitol Hill on Thursday hosted by the National Complete Streets Coalition. Matsui was there to introduce the Safe Streets Act of 2013, co-sponsored by Congressman David Joyce (R-OH). As Congresswoman Matsui explained to the crowd, “It is far past time for the federal government to step and show it too is committed to improving the safety of our communities.”

Complete Streets

Washingtonians gather to talk food and great neighborhoods at Food in the City

Food in the City

On Thursday, June 20, Smart Growth America hosted Food in the City, a panel discussion and reception about the intersection of smart growth development and DC’s burgeoning food community. DC food luminaries spoke about how the city’s stature in the culinary world has grown, and how DC’s neighborhoods have contributed to this growth.

The panel was co-moderated by Beth Kanter, author, and Emily Pearl Goodstein, photographer, of Washington DC Chef’s Table. Joining the panel discussion were Gina Chersevani, Owner and Mixologist of Buffalo & Bergen; Stacey Price, Executive Director of Think Local First DC; Che Ruddell-Tabisola, Owner-Operator of BBQ BUS DC; and Richard Brandenburg, Director of Culinary Strategy at EDENS development.

If you weren’t able to make it to the event in person, check out the recap below.

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"Walkable Living Stories" profiles those living "Car-Lite" in the greater Washington area

NehaWalkableLifestyle

Smart Growth America Coalition Member Coalition for Smarter Growth, which works to make the case for smart growth in and around the nation’s capital, recently launched a new feature series “Walkable Living Stories”. The series will profile Washington, DC residents who use a car never or infrequently – a portion of the population that continues to grow.

The trend of opting for a transit-oriented, walkable lifestyle is particularly encouraging when one considers that some District of Columbia policies still favor a car-centric lifestyle. These policies include mandatory parking requirements for new buildings in areas with public transportation options.

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A new bill in Congress would make streets safer and more accessible nationwide

Phoo courtesy Michigan Municipal League (MML) via FlickrPhoto courtesy Michigan Municipal League (MML) via Flickr.

Complete Streets are designed with all users in mind. Complete Streets strategies help everyone, no matter of age, ability or how they chose to travel, get where they need to go quickly, easily and safely. Nationwide, nearly 500 states and localities have adopted a Complete Streets Policy directing their transportation planners and engineers to routinely design and operate the entire right of way to enable safe access for all users, regardless of age, ability, or mode of transportation.

Complete Streets

Don't let Congress kill the Partnership for Sustainable Communities

You might already know about the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities. It’s one of the most innovative neighborhood programs ever created by the federal government.

A new bill in Congress, however, would cut all funding for the Partnership’s flagship programs and end the initiative’s work.

Yesterday, a House Appropriations Subcommittee voted to eliminate all funding for key programs at the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), both part of the Partnership.

The proposed cuts would be disastrous for the communities across the country. Many are using the Partnership’s help to slowly rebuild their economies, create jobs and improve their development. The House’s proposed cuts would kick the chair out from under these communities.

Among the programs that would be affected is HUD’s Office of Economic Resilience and DOT’s popular TIGER program. President Obama recommended strong funding for these programs, but the House bill would eliminate them completely.

Don’t let Congress set back communities: Tell your members to fund the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

The Senate will soon consider this same bill and they need to hear that these programs are important. Congress is facing many tough fiscal decisions this year. It’s up to us to make sure these programs continue.

Community development projects are a worthwhile investment of taxpayer dollars, and yield economic returns for businesses, communities and taxpayers alike. Tell Congress to fund these programs today.

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Partnership in the News: EPA report shows link between land use, public health, natural environment

The way communities plan neighborhoods has profound effects on the natural environment and public health. A new study released by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Sustainable Communities’ Smart Growth Program finds a link between environmental quality and land use and transportation strategies.

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Credit: EPA Office of Sustainable Communities

The second edition of Our Built and Natural Environments: A Technical Review of the Interactions Among Land Use, Transportation, and Environmental Quality, an update to a 2001 report of the same title, details how development can impact human and environmental health. “As the U.S. population has grown, we have developed land that serves important ecological functions at a significant cost to the environment,” the report states, going on to say, “Changing where and how we build our communities can help mitigate these impacts, improving how development affects the environment and human health.”

The report identifies hows our development patterns have negatively affected the natural environment, the report finds, “Transportation is responsible for 27 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions; residential and commercial buildings contribute 18 percent and 17 percent, respectively.”

As solutions to these mounting problems, the report demonstrates the benefits of specific development strategies. The report recommends preserving ecologically valuable sites and placing a stronger emphasis on infill develop and transit oriented development. Each of these strategies reduce the number of vehicle miles traveled and, in turn, greenhouse gas emissions. The report also emphasizes the need for community design that addresses development’s potential downsides, offering investing in mixed-use development and improving street connectivity as solutions.

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