There’s a good deal of activity going on in Congress that could benefit parks and public spaces in cities, with two recent efforts showing up that have promise and would help cities in different but both very good ways: Smart Growth Around America describes the Green Infrastructure for Clean Water Act, which would incentivize and [...]
Filed under: funding, green infrastructure, planning, transportation | Tagged: federal policy | Leave a Comment »
A new initiative by First Lady Michelle Obama called Let’s Move will try to tackle the childhood obesity problem in the United States. Citing an obesity rate that has tripled in the last thirty years and $150-billion in related treatment costs, the First Lady is making this one of her primary tasks while in the [...]
Filed under: health | Tagged: federal policy, michelle obama | Leave a Comment »
A newly-formed group out of Atlanta is proposing that the federal government assist local communities by taking troubled commercial real estate properties off the hands of banks and convert them into public parks. An article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution describes how Michael Messner, a Georgia Tech alum commissioned the school’s Research Institute to investigate [...]
Filed under: economics, renewal, stimulus funds | Tagged: federal policy | 6 Comments »
The Community Development Block Grant has been one of the most effective vehicles for creating jobs under the Recovery Act (or stimulus), according to an analysis by the Brookings Institution and posted at The Avenue. The review indicates that “some 820 CDBG grants traceable in the [Recovery.gov] database are delivering a job for every $7,000 [...]
Filed under: funding, stimulus funds | Tagged: federal policy | 1 Comment »
Speaking of national capital green spaces in need of repair (as we do in our post on Brasilia below), last week the National Coalition to Save Our Mall released its “3rd Century Mall” plan to revitalize and orient the nation’s front yard. Greater Greater Washington gives an overview of the recommendations, including better transportation options, [...]
Filed under: uncategorized | Tagged: federal policy | Leave a Comment »
Transportation for America this last week released a report on a dire situation for pedestrians in the nation’s cities. In the last 15 years, more than 76,000 Americans have been killed while crossing or walking along a street in their community. More than 43,000 Americans – including 3,906 children under 16 – have been killed [...]
Filed under: planning, transportation | Tagged: federal policy, research, walkability | 2 Comments »
Earlier this month, Rep. Earl Blumenauer announced the creation of a congressional Livable Communities Task Force, with a mission to make the Federal Government a better partner with communities in their efforts to improve quality of life. The now group indicates that it will will promote Federal policies that: Allow for local community involvement in [...]
Filed under: funding | Tagged: federal policy | 1 Comment »
Some U.S. cities have National Park Service properties from parks to historic sites and monuments to wildlife refuges. As the latest Ken Burns documentary on the national parks mentioned, it was NPS director who expanded the agency’s thinking and make it more relevant to an urban society during his tenure in the 1960s. But which [...]
Filed under: planning | Tagged: federal policy, national parks | 7 Comments »
New legislation has been proposed by Rep. Sires of New Jersey that would include funding for parks to foster livable communities. The National Recreation and Park Association has sent out information and a call for action to pass this legislation. Here it is: The Urban Revitalization and Livable Communities Act, HR 3734, introduced by Rep. [...]
Filed under: funding | Tagged: federal policy | 2 Comments »
The New York Times ran an editorial yesterday on the debut of Ken Burns’ new documentary on the National Parks called America’s Best Idea. The editorial calls for this “best idea” to be “protected and celebrated” as well as to look at opportunities for new parks. Now may be a good time, especially with the [...]
Filed under: funding, planning | Tagged: federal policy, national parks | Leave a Comment »
