Sprawl
Streetsblog Basics
Without a Plan, Sprawl Will Continue to Hollow Out Cleveland Region
If you want to get a sense of how devastating sprawl has been to the urban areas of northeast Ohio, head over to Woodlawn Avenue in East Cleveland. Between the rows of boarded up buildings, a house collapses onto itself. Graffiti pays homage to dead loved ones — “R.I.P. Fife.” Nearby, stuffed animals have been stapled to a telephone pole in a memorial, presumably, to a dead child.
September 13, 2010
Will GOP Senators Acknowledge the Fiscal Sense of Livable Communities?
Last week, the Livable Communities Act cleared the Senate Banking Committee, a milestone for legislation that would fund local efforts to plan for growth while curbing sprawl. But the 12-10 party line vote raised the prospect that the bill might also encounter unified Republican opposition in the full Senate, where the threat of a filibuster has become the norm.
August 10, 2010
Livable Communities Act Clears Senate Committee
The Senate Banking Committee voted 12-10 yesterday in favor of the Livable Communities Act, legislation that would bolster the Obama administration's initiatives to link together transportation, housing, economic development, and environmental policy.
August 4, 2010
Smart Growth Law Is Coming to New York. Now What Happens?
New York's smart growth legislation is about to become law, so it's worth looking at precisely how much it will do. Smart growth laws from around the country offer some perspective: New York's law could be transformative, but the devil's in the details. To really curb suburban sprawl, smart growth is going to need a cooperative governor, active watchdogs, and a thorough plan for implementation.
June 22, 2010
Q&A With Sam Hoyt: Why New York State Needs a Smart Growth Law
With Albany's legislative session drawing to a close, the state legislature is considering several initiatives to promote sustainable transportation and livable communities in New York state. One of those initiatives is the State Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Policy Act -- or the smart growth bill, for short. If enacted, the smart growth bill would shift state spending -- on roads and sewers, for example -- toward areas that have already been developed. Rather than subsidize more sprawl, New York would invest in its existing communities.
June 9, 2010
Why NYC Residents Should Care About the Upstate Sprawl Bomb
Peter Fleischer is the executive director of Empire State Future, a coalition of 39 business, civic, and environmental organizations advocating for smart growth across New York state.
June 4, 2010
Signs of Street Life in Sprawlanta?
I lived in Athens, Georgia, for seven years, and though Atlanta is only about an hour away (by car, of course), with a little effort I could probably count the number of times I made the trip. This video, the first in the American Makeover web series, goes a long way toward explaining why "Sprawlanta" -- all 8,378 square miles of it -- is no place for anyone interested in a walkable environment.
May 10, 2010
New Report Links Foreclosure Risk to Auto Dependence
Homeowners in car-dependent areas are at greater risk of foreclosure, according to a report released yesterday by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) that calls for mortgage underwriting standards to begin taking so-called "location-efficiency" into account.
January 28, 2010
A Message from Copenhagen: Climate Plan Must Include Walkable Urbanism
At a panel discussion yesterday at the Copenhagen climate summit, American policymakers and transit experts delivered a clear message: Walkable urban development must be part of any effective plan to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Thanks to the magic of live webcasts, I can relay a few highlights for Streetsblog readers.
December 9, 2009
Congress Set to Double the Size of Sprawl-Centric Home Buyer’s Tax Credit
The $8,000 tax credit for new home buyers -- which was wracked by fraudulent claims after its creation as part of the nation's economic recovery effort -- is on the verge of a significant expansion by Congress.
November 4, 2009