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What is smart growth?

Smart growth is an approach to community design that connects housing, transportation, and land use to create healthy, prosperous, and resilient neighborhoods.

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Smart Growth America cultivates vibrant, sustainable communities with diverse living and transportation options, enhancing quality of life for all.

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Smart Growth America cultivates vibrant, sustainable communities with diverse living and transportation options, enhancing quality of life for all.

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Smart Growth America cultivates vibrant, sustainable communities with diverse living and transportation options, enhancing quality of life for all.

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Coalition Call Notes – 6/28/2012

Attendance Grant Ervin – 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania Jack Machek – 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania Marisa – Center for Neighborhood Technology (National) Adam Garcia – Greenbelt Alliance (CA) Katy Hartnett – Smart Growth America Elisa Ortiz – Smart Growth America Zach Smith – Smart Growth America Update on Federal Policy – Katy Hartnett Partnership For Sustainable Communities The House is considering the FY 13 THUD Bill this week.

By Zach Smith, June 29, 2012

The bill includes funding for the operations and keeping the doors open for the Partnership, but it doesn’t include funding for another round of grants. The committee report includes restrictive language regarding what the HUD can do and this presents some concern to us.

The House subcommittee on the Environment and Interior marked up their bill funding the EPA and Dept. Interior last week. No funds included in the bill can be used for the Smart Growth Program at EPA, effectively defunding the program.

The Senate side has not released an FY13 Interior and Environment budget proposal

Sen. Murray and Sen. Collins have included funding for the Sustainable Communities Initiatives at HUD and $500 million funding for TIGER grants that the House bill did not include funding for in their bill

Transportation Bill

The most recent extension expires on Saturday. The House and Senate have reported out a conference report this week.
SGA has endorsed the Senate bill “MAP-21” with its “fix it first” policy, performance measures and bi-partisanship support.
The compromise bill from both the House and Senate this week has performance measures and accountability included, but these are not as strong as MAP 21.
States can opt out of funding programs for bike/pedestrian facilities.
NEPA is another concern of ours, which includes a provision that does not allow public input on projects.
The bill is being pushed a “jobs” bill.
SGA and T4 America are working on a comprehensive analysis of the bill to be release soon.
We anticipate the bill passing before Saturday.