On this page, the Sustainable Communities Initiative (SCI) resources are sorted by product types.
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Two Rivers-Ottauquechee, VT
This Regional Plan gives guidance to developers, municipalities and other political subdivisions in the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Region, and the State of Vermont on appropriate development, improvement and conservation of the region's physical and human resources. The plan includes guidance on energy, healthy communities, housing, population change, transportation, natural resources, and implementation. This plan was adopted in July 2017.
Date Published: July 2017
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Together North Jersey, NJ
This plan provides three years of extensive planning activities by the coalition of nearly 100 diverse partners. It also provides information including a Discovery Phase, a Visioning Phase, and an Action Planning Phase, all of which were informed by extensive public outreach activities held in diverse settings across the region.
Date Published: November 2015
Doña Ana Affordable Housing Plan
This Affordable Housing Plan lays out the housing needs, barriers, and goals to housing development in Doña Ana County, NM. The plan applies to the unincorporated areas of the County, including colonias, but not including Las Cruces and Mesilla. The plan was adopted in October 2015.
Date Published: October 2015
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Dona Ana County, NM (Plan 2040: Viva Dona Ana)
This comprehensive plan for Doña Ana County and its municipalities (Plan 2040) is the result of a collaborative effort to advance and integrate regional planning by bringing together planning for housing, transportation, workforce, economic development, and the environment. Plan 2040 has been specifically developed to address the values and interests of people living and working in Doña Ana County and aims to advance locally shaped livability principles and priorities.
Date Published: August 2015
Regional Housing Strategy for the Denver Regional COG, CO
In 2013, DRCOG initiated a Regional Housing Strategy (RHS) study to identify the nature and extent of the region’s housing needs, to inform the Metro Vision update. The RHS takes a “balanced housing” approach with the goal of providing a diverse set of housing choices for the many types of households who call the region home today and in the future. Strategy development focused on how to improve provision of a diverse set of housing opportunities for residents of all ages, incomes and abilities throughout the region.
Date Published: July 2015
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Northwest Region, VT
This regional plan for sustainable development provides a framework for the economic, social and environmental factors that influence and sustain growth and development in rural northwest Vermont.
Date Published: July 2015
Granite State Future: Statewide Snapshot
This report provides a compilation of the nine regional plans, numerous statewide technical studies, and the robust outreach efforts conducted at the state and regional level to presents the citizens of New Hampshire with the relative priorities of different subjects across the state.
Date Published: June 2015
Renew East Arkansas (East Arkansas Planning and Development District) lays out the region's priorities for growth and development summarized from a three-year comprehensive visioning and planning process. The report presents existing conditions related to population, poverty and educational attainment and an overview of strategies for building civic leadership, infrastructure, affordable housing, tourism and cultural development in this largely rural region.
Date Published: June 2015
Delta Roots - The Mid-South Regional Food Systems Plan for East Arkansas
This food system plan assesses the potential for expanding value-added agriculture and the local food economy in the greater E. Arkansas/Memphis region. This report was a joint product of two HUD regional grantees: Shelby County, TN and E. Arkansas Economic and Development District.
Date Published: May 2015
FOCUS: Framework for Our Future for Cape Fear, NC
This plan provides 10 key strategies for Lower Cape Fear region, NC to consider when making policy decisions to guide public and private investment in the region.
Date Published: May 2015
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Teton View, WY and ID
This regional strategy and plan is for a four county, seven city region that straddles two states adjacent to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. The plan draws on the findings from 20 research projects and assessments and includes 60 region-wide initiatives and community projects for this western region.
Date Published: April 2015
This report gives a high-level summary of the South Central Kansas Prosperity Plan, a Regional Plan for Sustainable Development created by the Regional Economic Area Partnership (REAP).
Date Published: March 2015
Implementation Plan Overview for Destination Erie, PA
This document helps citizens understand why Erie County, PA needs a regional plan. The document breaks apart five building blocks (Connected, Green, Livable, Educated, Thriving) over three time periods (Short-term, Medium-term, and Long-term).
Date Published: March 2015
Regional Economic and Workforce Strategy for Destination Erie, PA
This document provides a strategy for regional economic and workforce development in the Erie, PA region. It also provides data on economic conditions and trends for the region.
Date Published: March 2015
This plan focuses on the economy, the environment, community vitality, social equity, infrastructure, education, public health, and more. The plan aims to make the most of our existing resources and talent, draw new development to the state, and prepare us for future growth.
Date Published: March 2015
Regional Vision Plan for Destination Erie, PA
This document provides a regional plan for Erie County, PA. It also provides economic development strategies for the surrounding region in OH and PA.
Date Published: March 2015
Glades Region Master Plan for Palm Beach County, FL
This master plan will serve as a guiding blueprint to enhance economic competitiveness focusing on major employment centers in the Glades Region which includes Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay, Canal Point, and surrounding areas which make up the Glades Unincorporated Urban Service Area.
Date Published: February 2015
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for South Central Kansas Prosperity Plan
This report is the complete South Central Kansas Prosperity Plan, a Regional Plan for Sustainable Development created by the Regional Economic Area Partnership (REAP). The report presents a vision and a plan for the future of Butler, Harvey, Reno, Sedgwick, and Sumner Counties in Kansas.
Date Published: February 2015
Complete Planning Resources for Henderson, NV (Southern Nevada Strong)
This webpage provides a catalog of all of the studies, presentations, meeting notes and summaries, and final documents from the collaborative process that Southern Nevada Strong led to develop their Regional Plan for Sustainable Development.
Date Published: January 2015
This executive summary report communicates an overview of the region's vision for the future in terms of transportation, housing, education and workforce development, human services, and health care access for Southern Nevada.
Date Published: January 2015
Implementation Matrix for Regional Plan for Henderson, NV (Southern Nevada Strong)
This report provides a menu of concrete implementation strategies tied to the goals and objectives of Southern Nevada Strong's Regional Plan for Sustainable Development. Each strategy includes the local lead and supporting organization partners, an analysis of fiscal impact, and the potential time horizon for implemention.
Date Published: January 2015
Planning Report Library for "The Grand Vision" in Northwest Michigan
This website is a landing page for Northwest Michigan regional Grand Vision reports that were developed through scenario planning workshops and community engagement. The Grand Vision includes guiding principles, project timelines, partners and calls to action for regional growth, transportation and land use, economic growth, housing, agriculture, and the natural environment.
Date Published: January 2015
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Henderson, NV (Southern Nevada Strong)
This Regional Plan for Sustainable Development communicates a collective vision for the future in terms of transportation, housing, education and workforce development, human services, and health care access for Southern Nevada. It also provides an overview of key issues facing the region, a preferred, more compact land use scenario and policy strategies to implement this vision.
Date Published: January 2015
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Northwest Michigan - Framework for our Future
This website is a landing page for the chapters of Framework For Our Future: A Regional Prosperity Plan for Northwest Michigan. The chapters include regional frameworks for growth and investment, housing, transportation, energy arts and culture, recreation, natural resources, talent, food and farming, and healthy communities.
Date Published: January 2015
This Regional Plan has dozens of recommendations spread throughout the 17 issue areas of the plan. In short, the recommendations call for the long-term continuation of Vision West ND (or a similar organization) to manage and expedite additional resources to create a sustainable future for the region.
Date Published: December 2014
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Imagine Central Arkansas
This regional plan provides information on regional planning for the five counties of central Arkansas, which includes the metropolitan area of Little Rock, AR.
Date Published: December 2014
This website provides a link to the Omaha-Council Bluffs Heartland 2050 Vision long-term regional plan for improving the quality of life for all Heartland residents. The plan provides information on six goals that include economic development, high quality education, healthy living and safe neighborhoods, housing and development, efficient infrastructure, and protection of natural resources.
Date Published: December 2014
Capitol Region Plan for Conservation and Development
This plan is a general guide for the future conservation and development of the greater Hartford, CT area. Its individual chapters provide an overview of the many factors that influence the regional development pattern, and the choices available as they move into the future.
Date Published: October 2014
This plan provides a vision and prioritized action steps for the Sustainable Knowledge Corridor, a bi-state region that includes the greater Hartford, CT area and the Pioneer Valley in Western Massachusetts.
Date Published: October 2014
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Lehigh Valley, PA
This regional plan, prepared by 14 regional partners, builds on the earlier Leigh Valley 2030. It promotes 31 goals around four themes: Economy, Environment, Transportation and Livable Communities.
Date Published: October 2014
CT Capitol Region Plan of Conservation and Development
This regional plan provides a long-term strategy for regional development in the Hartford-area Capitol Region, CT.
Date Published: September 2014
Regional Climate and Energy Plan for Lehigh Valley, PA
This energy and climate element of the Lehigh Valley Comprehensive Plan lays out a strategy for considering a changing climate in its planning, including increased risk of flooding, and its commitment to producing an adaptation plan. It also examines its fuel sources and recommends strategies to increase energy efficiency, including the use of green infrastructure, and diversification of fuel types – including the use of solar energy.
Date Published: August 2014
Planning Report Online Library for Centralina, NC and SC
This webpage provides a catalog of all of the studies, presentations, meeting notes and summaries, and final documents from the collaborative process that Connect Our Future led to develop their Regional Plan for Sustainable Development.
Date Published: June 2014
Piedmont Triad Comprehensive Regional Plan
This regional plan summary provides a summary of the Piedmont (NC) regional plan, in five focus areas including jobs, housing, transportation, health, and places and spaces, plus details on the equity lens and implementation.
Date Published: May 2014
Partnership for a Livable Roanoke Valley Plan - Summary
This regional plan summary provides an overview of the Roanoke Valley, VA regional plan for promoting economic opportunity and quality of life.
Date Published: April 2014
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Evansville, IN - Millennial Plan for 2040
This website provides information related to the Sustainable Evansville Area Coalition regional plan for the tri-county area of Henderson, Vanderburgh and Warrick Counties in Indiana.
Date Published: April 2014
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Rockford, IL (Vital Signs)
This Regional Sustainability Plan presents measurable data across a broad spectrum of sustainability topic areas to guide regional decision-making. The regional plan integrates the Long Range Transportation Plan, Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, HUD Consolidated Plan, EPA Water Quality Plans and more.
Date Published: March 2014
Thrive MSP 2040 Regional Plan for Sustainable Development
This Thrive MSP 2040 regional plan addresses issues that transcend any one neighborhood, city, or county, as Minneapolis-St. Paul builds and maintains a thriving metropolitan region. The Minneapolis-St. Paul region's investments provide an important economic foundation so all residents of the region can prosper.
Date Published: March 2014
Houston-Galveston: Our Great Region 2040 Plan
This planning document provides a high-level long-term strategy (2040) for development in the Houston-Galveston region, with a goal to make the region one of the world's greatest places to live, work, and succeed.
Date Published: February 2014
The CLEAR Plan 2030 Implementation Plan
This implementation plan provides the tools and steps necessary to realize the Community Livability for the East Alabama Region (CLEAR) 2030 sustainability and development goals.
Date Published: February 2014
Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency Vibrant NEO 2040 Final Plan & Vision
This regional vision and plan provide a plan to promote investment in Northeast Ohio's established communities by strengthening those communities, increasing transportation choices, preserving and protecting natural resources, and promoting governmental collaboration and efficiency.
Date Published: February 2014
Chicago Regional Climate Change Adaptation Toolkit
This toolkit provides climate adaptation resources for jurisdictions within the Chicago metropolitan area.
Date Published: January 2014
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission's
This regional plan provides a course for a more vibrant, competitive, sustainable and equitable Pioneer Valley region near Hartford, CT.
Date Published: January 2014
One STL Regional Plan: Many Communities. One Future.
This planning document provides a strategy for creating a prosperous, healthy, and vibrant St. Louis region.
Date Published: December 2013
Augusta, GA Sustainable Development Implementation Program
This regional plan provides a long-term strategy for development in Augusta, Georgia by combining five different planning efforts and unifying them and providing implementation recommendations.
Date Published: November 2013
The Tomorrow Plan: Partnering For a Greener, Greater Des Moines
This regional plan for sustainable development provides an outlook to 2050 for Greater Des Moines, focusing on the economy, the environment, community vitality, and regional cooperation. Adhering to 10 principles of a Greener Greater Des Moines, the plan lays out a strategy for achieving 4 overarching goals: creating a resilient local economy; improving the region's environmental health and access to the outdoors; furthering the health and well-being of all the region's residents; and increasing regional cooperation and efficiency at all levels.
Date Published: November 2013
Planning for Livable Military Communities Regional Vision Report, Fort Worth, TX
This regional planning document summarizes key findings from the background studies on market, housing, transportation, and ordinance compatibility issues and highlights opportunities for collaboration among the 5 jurisdictions of the 'Planning for Livable Military Communities' study area surrounding Fort Worth, TX. The report also includes City Comprehensive Plan Visions which feature more specific goals, policies and actions in the core areas of land use, economic development, transportation and housing. These sections are intended as policy guides to assist the Cities of Lake Worth, River Oaks, Sansom Park, Westworth Village, and White Settlement in updating their full comprehensive plans and to complement the overarching strategies identified in the Regional Vision Report.
Date Published: October 2013
Grow Western North Carolina (GroWNC) Regional Plan
This regional plan provides an analysis of the opportunities and challenges associated with growth in the Western North Carolina region.
Date Published: September 2013
This regional plan provides a unified long-term strategy for development in Chittenden County, VT by combining the region's Regional Plan, the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), and the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.
Date Published: June 2013
Franklin Regional Council of Governments Regional Plan for Sustainable Development
This regional plan for sustainable development provides a long-term guide for development for Franklin County municipal governments, regional organizations, businesses, non-profits, and individuals.
Date Published: June 2013
Livability in the New River Valley, VA
This regional plan provides important information about the New River Valley (VA) region, priority goals that have been identified by citizens, and a menu of action items for communities to select and use to accomplish their goals.
Date Published: January 2013
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Dona Ana County, NM (Camino Real)
The goal of Regional Plan for Sustainable Development is to create scalable, replicable models of sustainable planning and the to develop tools to implement those models across the intertwined valley settlements of Doña Ana County. Starting with public workshops in 2008, the residents of Doña Ana County have been engaged in a visioning process to help us better define future directions for this region. This effort resulted in One Valley, One Vision 2040 which has set the stage for successive planning endeavors by establishing a common vision and coordinated growth strategies. The Camino Real Regional Plan for Sustainable Development will build upon these prior efforts and begin to give form to the regional vision.
Date Published: October 2012
Randolph County Housing and Transit Study
This housing study provides an analysis of the housing market and rental conditions, relative to transportation and job access in the Randolph County, WV region.
Date Published: July 2012
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Central Minnesota - Our Plan
This website provides links to the Creating a Resilient Region: The Central Minnesota Sustainable Development Plan and related resources. The site describes the need for the plan, the process of creation, and lessons learned.
Date Published: January 2012
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Vision West ND
This RPSD is the culminating report from a multi-year, multi-stakeholder regional planning process bringing together the issues and priorities of citizens, local officials and community representatives from a 19 county area in Western North Dakota facing the stresses of accelerated oil extraction.
Date Published: January 2012
Regional Profile of Population and Demographics for Central Minnesota
This document is a regional profile of Central Minnesota that includes statistics on demographics, population change, social characteristics, poverty, housing types and costs, construction, economic characteristics, industries, jobs, unemployment, and agriculture.
Date Published: March 2011
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) and Housing and Transportation Plan for Glens Falls, NY
The Adirondack Gateway Regional Fair Housing and Equity Assessment and Housing and Transportation Analysis (2015) serves as the HUD‐required regional Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) and as one of several technical reports supporting the overall sustainable development plan for the Adirondack Gateway Council Region. It contributes important knowledge and recommendations for action to the Regional Sustainable Development planning process.
Date Published: June 2015
Innovative MPO Transportation Planning Guidebook
This great resource was developed by the folks at Transportation for America. It is designed to help MPOs - their staff, policy-setting bodies, technical and advisory committees and other interested stakeholders - find innovative ways to achieve goals on behalf of their communities.
Date Published: December 2014
Interview with Maggie Woodruff - Transportation Planner, New Orleans Regional Planning Commission
This video interview features Maggie Woodruff, of New Orleans, describing the Claiborne Corridor project in Louisiana.
Date Published: July 2014
This webinar, held on April 30, 2014, focuses on jobs, which are an important part of sustainable community building efforts everywhere and a challenging area of focus for policy makers and practitioners.
Date Published: April 2014
Framework for Transportation in Northwest Michigan
This Northwest Michigan regional transportation framework identifies opportunities for community players to meet local, county, and regional transportation needs in a coordinated fashion in order to maximize transportation investments. The document provides information on transportation planning; roads and highways; transit; non-motorized transportation; rail, air, water, and freight transportation; multi-modal transportation networks; and strategies to address local transportation related needs.
Date Published: January 2014
Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Strategy for Michigan Street, Grand Rapids, MI
This plan provides a strategy for transportation demand management (TDM) for the Michigan Street Corridor. It also provides a review of national leading practices and assessment of existing local resources and opportunities, a discussion of alternative approaches and strategies, and development of an action strategy for implementation.
Date Published: November 2013
Envision Tomorrow Plus (ET+) Training Video Series
This set of training videos trains users on the popular Envision Tomorrow Plus (ET+) tools. Envision Tomorrow is an innovative set of urban and regional planning tools that can be used to model development feasibility on a site-by-site basis as well as create and evaluate multiple land use scenarios, test and refine transportation plans, produce small-area concept plans, and model complex regional issues.
Date Published: September 2013
This regional plan provides a unified long-term strategy for development in Chittenden County, VT by combining the region's Regional Plan, the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), and the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.
Date Published: June 2013
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Action Plan for Twin Cities, MN Northstar Commuter Rail
This document is the action plan and strategic recommendations for moving forward transit oriented development in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul region.
Date Published: June 2013
2012 Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities Summer Smarts Series
This series features eight sessions for SCI grantees.
Date Published: October 2012
Livability in Transportation Webinar: Visioning, Planning and Process, and Policy
These online trainings and guidebook illustrate how livability principles have been incorporated into transportation planning, programming, and project design, using examples from State, regional, and local sponsors.
Date Published: June 2012
This report provides case studies and checklists of possible actions that metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), rural transportation planning organizations (RPOs), state departments of transportation, local government entities, and other planning partners may take to enhance their partnership efforts.
Date Published: February 2012
Transportation Policy Analysis for Central Minnesota
This website provides information on regional sustainable transportation development and the goals, recommendations, and action steps from the Transportation chapter of the Central Minnesota Sustainable Development Plan. It provides Transportation Inventory and Needs, Transportation Maps and Commute Sheds, County Transportation Projects, City Policy Transportation Analysis, County Policy Transportation Analysis, and a Transportation Funding Analysis.
Date Published: January 2012
Comprehensive Plan Update for Easton, PA - Vision Easton
This update to the City of Easton's Comprehensive Plan 2015 was approved in February 2017. It outlines 52 initiatives to help the city transform, unify, and thrive. The plan includes strategies for site-specific urban development, neighborhood investment, and ways to preserve urban and natural landscapes. The plan consists of three separate planning documents which detail the city's history, demographics, existing conditions, examination of the regional context, and priority projects – on a user friendly website.
Date Published: February 2017
Conservation and Development Plan for Mansfield, CT
This plan provides a unified framework of values, goals, strategies and actions that will guide both the town officials as they make decisions about the town's physical, social and economic development over the next 20 years.
Date Published: October 2015
Comprehensive Plan for Village of Forest Park, IL
This plan provides information that will guide the Village of Forest Park in the review of development and redevelopment proposals, the prioritization of capital improvement projects, and in influencing future land use policy decisions. The plan also provides information on baseline statistics for population, school attendance, housing, income, and business market data.
Date Published: December 2014
Master Plan for Imagine Flint, MI
This plan provides a policy guide for the City of Flint's community improvement and development over the next two decades and beyond. It also outlines strategies that will help effectively guide City leaders and community stakeholders in making substantive and thoughtful decisions for the community regarding land use and development, housing and neighborhoods, transportation and mobility, environmental features, open space and parks, infrastructure and communities facilities, and economic development.
Date Published: November 2014
Providence, RI Zoning Ordinance
This copy of the zoning ordinance provides the complete planning code for Providence, RI.
Date Published: October 2014
Comprehensive Plan (Forward Together) for Blueprint Binghamton
This Comprehensive Plan Update for the City of Binghamton, NY was developed with significant public input and adopted in August 2014. The plan presents existing conditions as well as a vision and recommendations for increasing economic opportunities, entrepreneurship, housing choices, downtown development, pedestrian connections, environmental benefits and long-term resiliency and sustainability in the City. Binghamton used a variety of creative means to engage its residents in this process, including area youth.
Date Published: August 2014
Financing Equitable Transit-Oriented Communities in the Sacramento Region
This report provides recommendations for a framework, operational structure, and financial tools to support an equitable TOD loan fund in Sacramento, CA.
Date Published: July 2014
This comprehensive master plan provides the strategy for a unique path towards a more sustainable Greenfield, MA community, rooted in a commitment to preserving the small-town heritage of Greenfield, while embracing changes that will allow renewal of the town.
Date Published: January 2014
Augusta, GA Sustainable Development Implementation Program
This regional plan provides a long-term strategy for development in Augusta, Georgia by combining five different planning efforts and unifying them and providing implementation recommendations.
Date Published: November 2013
Charlotte, VA Code and Ordinance Toolkit
This toolkit about performance measurement provides a tool to evaluate existing conditions, monitor trends, and track progress towards achieving regional sustainability goals.
Date Published: November 2013
Comprehensive Plan for Village of Bellwood, IL
This comprehensive plan for the City of Bellwood, IL provides information for the city to stabilize housing, grow its population, and increase retail and entertainment amenities to enhance the quality of life for its current and future citizens. The plan will serve as a guide in considering policy changes as it relates to land use planning, budget preparation, diversifying housing stock, commercial opportunities, and adding recreational venues, in the creation of a mixed land use development plan around access to transportation.
Date Published: November 2013
Master Plan for Grand Traverse County, MI
This planning document provides a vision for citizen-lead development of land, transportation, and the economy. The Traverse County master plan was a collaborative effort in local planning and land use decision making.
Date Published: November 2013
City of Flint, MI Master Plan for Sustainable Development
This regional plan provides a blueprint for a more prosperous, sustainable, and resilient future for Flint, MI. It is the first comprehensive plan revision in the region in over fifty years.
Date Published: October 2013
Master Plan for Traverse City, MI
This master planning document provides information for five corridors within the Traverse City, MI to use in enhancing and redeveloping property, infrastructure, and transit. The plan also provides information on restoring commercial activity, healthy communities, and residential neighborhoods.
Date Published: October 2013
This redevelopment plan focuses on providing a strategy for redevelopment and preservation of the City of Ypsilanti. The plan also concentrates on the assets of the people, businesses, buildings, and infrastructure.
Date Published: October 2013
Planning for Livable Military Communities Regional Vision Report, Fort Worth, TX
This regional planning document summarizes key findings from the background studies on market, housing, transportation, and ordinance compatibility issues and highlights opportunities for collaboration among the 5 jurisdictions of the 'Planning for Livable Military Communities' study area surrounding Fort Worth, TX. The report also includes City Comprehensive Plan Visions whichfeature more specific goals, policies and actions in the core areas of land use, economic development, transportation and housing. These sections are intended as policy guides to assist the Cities of Lake Worth, River Oaks, Sansom Park, Westworth Village, and White Settlement in updating their full comprehensive plans and to complement the overarching strategies identified in the Regional Vision Report.
Date Published: October 2013
Comprehensive Plan for City of Berwyn, IL
This comprehensive plan for the City of Berwyn, IL provides information on the current and future planned upgrades to the retail and transit infrastructure in the city. The key elements addressed in the Berwyn Comprehensive Plan are based upon those outlined in the Illinois State statute and include land use, economic development, housing, natural resources, transportation, community facilities, image and identity, and implementation strategies.
Date Published: August 2012
2012 Comprehensive Plan - City of Ranson, WV
This comprehensive community plan provides the long-term strategy for development of Ranson, WV.
Date Published: April 2012
Chapter 19a SmartCode - Ranson, WV
This community zoning code document provides a model of smart code that fosters community development and revitalization in Ranson, WV.
Date Published: April 2012
Deerfield Complete Streets and Downtown Livability Plan
This complete streets plan provides a plan for developing a livable community in Deerfield, MA by increasing economic activity and making the city attractive to visitors of all ages and appeal as a center for development.
Date Published: January 2012
Master Plan Technical Document for Memphis, TN
This Master Plan Technical Report is comprised of the final versions of six individual working papers that were prepared during the development of the Memphis International Airport Master Plan Update between the beginning of 2008 and the end of 2009. These documents present detailed technical information compiled as part of each major element of the master planning process. The purpose of this Master Plan Update is to provide guidance for the continued improvement of the Airport for the 20-year planning horizon and beyond. This report provides background data on the Airport and a comprehensive inventory of current and planned near-term Airport facilities and conditions. This information will provide the basis for assessing existing conditions and future facility requirements.
Date Published: January 2010
Parramore Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan
The Parramore Neighborhood plan lays out a vision for protecting the integrity and heritage of one of Orlando's oldest African American neighborhoods as the neighborhood is connected to the new SunRail commuter rail, Downtown Orlando and area neighborhoods. With extensive engagement of residents, business owners, and community leaders, this plan recommends actions for encouraging economic growth, redevelopment, and improvements in education, safety, housing and quality of life in this historic community.
Date Published: May 2016
Downtown Allentown, PA Development and Urban Design Plan
This document outlines a plan for downtown development in Allentown, PA. It also provides recommendations in the areas of land use, urban design, and transportation and infrastructure.
Date Published: December 2015
SCI Snapshots: Neighborhood or Downtown Plan
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in neighborhood and downtown from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
Neighborhood Plan for Central Warren, OH
This plan provides a strategy to promote sustainability at the neighborhood level. It also provides a comprehensive parcel inventory and a housing rehabilitation strategy.
Date Published: July 2015
Parkview Gardens Final Sustainable Development Plan: Connecting People, Places, & Parks
This regional plan provides a plan to ensure that housing, parks, public space, infrastructure improvements, amenities, and economic development complement and capitalize on existing and ongoing public transportation initiatives in University City, MO. The Plan integrates transportation, housing, public space, and cultural arts in a comprehensive, community-driven vision for the future of the Parkview Gardens.
Date Published: June 2014
This grantee planning document examines seven topics: jobs and job training; entrepreneurship and small business development; housing; retail amenities; preservation and redevelopment; arts and culture; and transportation connections. The Implementation Blueprint lays out a vision for each topic area and identifies key actions for implementation by both District agencies and community-based organizations to complete by early 2015.
Date Published: May 2014
Neighborhood Association Regional Implementation Plan for Southwestern Wisconsin
This report outlines strategies to help any municipality or organization start a neighborhood association program. Specifically, this document outlines the process of organizing the Haseltine Hills Alliance.
Date Published: March 2014
Strategic Plan for Haseltine Hills, WI
This report provides a number of strategies to help the Haseltine Hills Alliance neighborhood association maintain their organization as well as implement their specific goals and actions. The process includes a cycle of planning, engagement, implementation, celebration, and sustaining.
Date Published: March 2014
CHASE Neighborhoods Pattern Book with Design and Development Guidelines
This design guide provides examples of three representative building types in the historic CHASE neighborhoods: 1) Rowhouse, 2) Semi-detached, and 3) Detached. For each of these types the Pattern Book describes unit characteristics and provides sample floor plans and elevations that illustrate context-sensitive design principles for each type. It also discusses the potential benefits of modular construction for infill development on vacant lots. This document is intended primarily for developers planning to build infill housing on vacant lots, but it may also prove useful for homeowners interested in rehabilitating their homes.
Date Published: February 2014
Model Community (Colonia) Master Plan for Dona Ana County, NM
This Colonia Master Plan focuses on creating solutions that comprehensively look at employment, transportation, economic development, and housing in Doña Ana County, which is home to 37 colonia communities. Traditionally, plans try to solve these problems individually, but the needs of the colonias are great. By taking a comprehensive approach, the Colonia Master Plan aims to serve as a model for future colonia improvement efforts.
Date Published: January 2014
Orange Low-Impact Development Bylaws and Subdivision Regulations
These bylaws provide the zoning and property code for the Town of Orange, MA.
Date Published: January 2014
Historic Anacostia Design Guidelines, DC
These design guidelines can assist property owners in understanding the principles and practices of preservation and compatible alterations in the Anacostia Historic District. These guidelines supplement the policies established in Washington DC's preservation law, regulations, and current practices.
Date Published: December 2013
Downtown North / Downtown West: A Plan for the City of Hartford
This report provides a strategic approach to planning for two neighborhoods in Hartford, CT: Downtown North and Downtown West. It also presents a clearer framework for marketing the district for future development and informing requests for development proposals.
Date Published: December 2013
Strategic Plan for Land Resources of the Sinsinawa Mound Dominican Religious Order
This plan details the long term planning strategy for the Sinsinawa Dominican religious order and focuses on "explor[ing] future ways of caring for the land at Sinsinawa Mound."
Date Published: October 2013
New Haven, CT Hill to Downtown Community Plan
This area plan provides a strategy to create Santa Monica, CA's most sustainable neighborhood--one that both conserves the authentic, industrial character while also removing barriers to housing and preparing for the arrival of the Exposition Light Rail in 2016.
Date Published: June 2013
Midtown Hattiesburg Master Plan
This downtown master plan provides information about how to create a walkable, workable, livable mixed-use community that connects people to living, shopping, dining, entertainment, educational, medical, cultural and recreational venues in Hattiesburg, MS.
Date Published: July 2013
The Arts and Entertainment Gateway to the Adirondack: Downtown Vision and Development Strategy
This grantee planning document is a summary of the redevelopment plan for Glens Falls, NY, a small downtown with a thriving arts and culture community.
Date Published: July 2013
Downtown Turners Falls Livability Plan
This downtown plan provides analysis of opportunities to increase livability and mobility in downtown Turners Falls, MA.
Date Published: June 2013
PlanBTV: Downtown and Waterfront Plan
This regional plan provides a strategy for developing the downtown, waterfront, and economy of Burlington, VT, while publishing the planning material in a unique magazine format.
Date Published: June 2013
Complete Streets Master Plan for Downtown New Britain, CT
This master plan provides a guide for creating a more pedestrian-friendly, attractive and livable environment throughout a downtown area in preparation for the 2015 scheduled opening of a new bus rapid transit project.
Date Published: May 2013
Midtown Hattiesburg Form-Based Code
This form-based code provides the information for Hattiesburg, MS to amend their Land Development Code. It also provides the means to guide implementation of the citizen-endorsed vision for property within Midtown which fosters predictable results and a high-quality public realm by prescribing the physical form of buildings and other elements and addressing the relationship between building facades and the public realm, the form and mass of buildings in relation to one another and the scale and types of streets and blocks.
Date Published: April 2013
Deerfield Complete Streets and Downtown Livability Plan
This complete streets plan provides a plan for developing a livable community in Deerfield, MA by increasing economic activity and making the city attractive to visitors of all ages and appeal as a center for development.
Date Published: January 2012
Growth Centers Concept Plans for Rhode Island
This land use plan for 2025 endorses the formation of smaller regional centers and the emergence of new centers for growth. The adopted future land use map from 2006 calls for a statewide network of centers of various sizes – state, regional, city, town, and village interconnected by infrastructure corridors, supported by employment centers, public services, framed by greenspace and includes all municipalities at one level or another. Greenspace, special places, centers of all sizes, and transportation corridors are all essential elements in solid land use planning and implementing the future land use vision.
Date Published: December 2011
Corridor Plan for Light Rail Extension for Minneapolis, MN Blue Line
This website describes the 13 mile, 11 stop, light rail extension that will connect downtown Minneapolis to its northwest communities - including making connections between these northwest communities and other transit options.
Date Published: March 2017
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Corridor Project for Saint Paul, MN Gateway Corridor
The Gateway Corridor project includes transit studies and news updates for Bus Rapid Transit project connecting the east metro area to the Twin Cities.
Date Published: January 2017
Corridor Plan for Michigan Street, Grand Rapids, MI
This plan provides an outline of policies and strategies that will help the Michigan Street Corridor area achieve a sustainable future through initiating desired land use changes, sequencing improvements to the transportation system, and framing important community conversations.
Date Published: August 2015
El Camino Real Corridor Plan for Dona Ana County, NM
This corridor enhancement plan focuses on a series of improvements along the 92-mile corridor in Doña Ana County, New Mexico. The corridor is part of the official El Camino Real Scenic ByWay that stretches from the border of Mexico to north of Santa Fe. Using criteria from the National Scenic ByWay and Housing and Urban Development's Livability Principles, the Corridor Enhancement Plan proposes four catalytic projects with the ultimate goal of providing more economic opportunities for the region and area residents.
Date Published: July 2015
Corridor Plan for Denver's East Corridor, CO
This Blueprint serves as the final report of the planning efforts conducted along the East Rail Line. It is designed to support ongoing collaborative cross-jurisdictional and interagency planning and development. The corridor is defined as the area within one mile of these lines.
Date Published: June 2015
Corridor Plan for Denver's Gold Corridor, CO
This Blueprint serves as the final report of the planning efforts conducted along the Gold Rail Line. It is designed to support ongoing collaborative cross-jurisdictional and inter-agency planning and development. The corridor is defined as the area within one mile of these lines.
Date Published: June 2015
Corridor Plan for Denver's Northwest Corridor, CO
This Blueprint serves as the final report of the planning efforts conducted along the Northwest Rail Line and US 36 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route conducted through SCI. It is designed to support ongoing collaborative cross-jurisdictional and inter-agency planning and development. The corridor is defined as the area within one mile of these lines.
Date Published: June 2015
Public Art and Design Plan for Washtenaw Corridor, MI
This plan provides a public art design strategy for the ReImagine Washtenaw Avenue project.
Date Published: June 2015
Affordable Housing Preservation and Creation Study for the Gold Corridor, Denver, CO
The Gold Corridor Housing Strategy is designed both as a resource and implementation plan to guide growth and development in a manner that advances local and regional goals to create vibrant and complete communities at transit stations.
Date Published: January 2015
Economic Case Studies for the East Corridor Rail Line, Denver, CO
The purpose of this research was to assist corridor property owners, developers, and economic development officials with identifying lessons learned with application to economic development growth opportunities and specifically transit oriented development, and addressing specific market, infrastructure, and policy issues or impediments.
Date Published: January 2015
Economic Case Studies for the Gold Corridor Rail Line, Denver, CO
The purpose of this research was to assist corridor property owners, developers, and economic development officials with identifying lessons learned with application to economic development growth opportunities and specifically transit oriented development, and addressing specific market, infrastructure, and policy issues or impediments.
Date Published: January 2015
Corridor Design Portfolio for the Tri-County Region, MI
This guide presents strategies for designing and developing sustainable corridors. It highlights common techniques that communities use today to meet sustainability needs, including energy, local food, built environments, mobility, natural resources, capacity and economic development.
Date Published: November 2014
Project and Transportation Maps for the Aloha-Reedville Transit Corridor, Washington County, OR
This webpage provides the documents and maps for the Aloha-Reedville corridor plan in Washington County, OR. Links are provided to the Project Area Map, the Planned and Completed Transportation Projects list, the Park and Recreation Trails Map, and multiple engineering and existing conditions reports.
Date Published: November 2014
Growth and Investment Area Study and Commercial Corridor Inventory for Antrim County, MI
This is a study of selected Growth and Investment Areas and related commercial corridor issues in Northwest MI, Antrim Co.
Date Published: October 2014
Growth and Investment Area Study and Commercial Corridor Inventory for Benzie County, MI
This is a study of selected Growth and Investment Areas and related commercial corridor issues in Northwest MI, Benzie Co.
Date Published: October 2014
Growth and Investment Area Study and Commercial Corridor Inventory for Kalkaska County, MI
This is a study of selected Growth and Investment Areas and related commercial corridor issues in Northwest MI, Kalkaska Co.
Date Published: October 2014
Growth and Investment Area Study and Commercial Corridor Inventory for Wexford County, MI
This is a study of selected Growth and Investment Areas and related commercial corridor issues in Northwest MI, Wexford Co.
Date Published: October 2014
This plan provides a vision and prioritized action steps for the Sustainable Knowledge Corridor, a bi-state region that includes the greater Hartford, CT area and the Pioneer Valley in Western Massachusetts.
Date Published: October 2014
Smart Growth Plan for Wachusett Corridor, MA
This Smart Growth Corridor Plan provides a strategy for land-use around the new Wachusett Station in central Massachusetts. The new commuter rail station, funded through a U.S. DOT TIGER grant, provides Fitchburg, Leominster and Westminster new connections and linkages to the City of Boston and its western suburbs; the plan identifies opportunities for enhancing the regional economy, job market, housing and recreational opportunities in a 2.5 mile radius around the new station.
Date Published: October 2014
Re-Industrialization Strategy for Allentown, PA - Phase II Little Lehigh
This document provides a re-industrialization and economic development strategy for the Little Lehigh Corridor in Allentown, PA. It also provides an analysis of existing conditions and site strategies for development.
Date Published: May 2014
Corridor Plan for Washtenaw Corridor, MI
This plan provides an overview of regional planning efforts, with clear goals to transform the Washtenaw Avenue corridor into a multi-modal, vibrant, mixed-use corridor that efficiently moves people within the urbanized areas. It also provides implementation strategies and a progress report highlighting goal advancement.
Date Published: April 2014
Livable Claiborne Communities Final Plan
This regional plan provides the final plan for charting the future of the Claiborne Communities in New Orleans, LA.
Date Published: March 2014
Community Plan for the Aloha-Reedville Transit Corridor, Washington County, OR
This webpage is the landing page for the Aloha-Reedville Study and Livable Community Plan Effort in Washington County, OR. The page provides links to the final Aloha-Reedville report as well as the project's Economic Redevelopment Plan, Housing Equity and Opportunity Strategy, Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan, and Streetscape Improvement Plan.
Date Published: January 2014
Our Next Future: An Action Plan for Building a Smart, Sustainable and Resilient Pioneer Valley
This plan provides a vision for a more vibrant, competitive, sustainable and equitable Pioneer Valley region in Western MA. It is designed to achieve success through promoting collaboration of communities on a regional basis.
Date Published: January 2014
This case study focuses on the Wachusett Station Smart Growth Corridor Plan, which intended to design a walkable, bikeable, transit-oriented corridor in the 2.5-mile radius around the Wachusett station in Fitchburg, a city of 40,000 residents located in central Massachusetts.
Date Published: December 2013
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Corridor Study for Minneapolis, MN Cedar Ave.
This BRT Market and Development Study evaluates the impact of BRT and the potential of Transit Oriented Development in six station areas.
Date Published: November 2013
Livable Claiborne Communities Final Booklet
This corridor plan provides a long-term strategy for the development and implementation of the Claiborne Communities in New Orleans, LA.
Date Published: November 2013
Bridge Boulevard Corridor Redevelopment Plan
This comprehensive corridor redevelopment includes zoning regulations, redevelopment issues, roadway concepts, and financing strategies to transform a busy river crossing into a pedestrian- and-transit friendly, mixed use corridor that honors the unique history and character of the Bernalillo County region.
Date Published: August 2013
Preliminary Southern Green Line Station Area Sector Plan and Sectional Map Amendment
This sector plan provides a vision for each of the four stations in Upper Marlboro, MD, including a detailed real estate market analysis and analysis of the available opportunities for infill and redevelopment within an easy walk of the four Metro stations.
Date Published: May 2013
Martin Luther King, Jr. Station Area Plan, Dallas, TX
The station area plan provides details about specific initiatives to create a better future for the MLK Station area in Dallas, with particular attention to reinvigorating housing, addressing land use density, and improving modal connectivity and pedestrian access.
Date Published: April 2013
Allegheny Riverfront Green Boulevard Final Plan Executive Summary
This strategic plan provides a plan for developing Pittsburgh's Allegheny Riverfront into a mixed use-trail and green infrastructure zone.
Date Published: March 2013
Corridor Plan for William Street, Ann Arbor, MI
This plan provides a strategy for the redevelopment of five city-owned parking areas in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It also provides overarching and site-level recommendations for plan implementation.
Date Published: March 2013
BRT Corridor Infill and Development Report for Madison, WI
This draft assessment provides information about the four corridors being studied for future Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) development in Madison. The study also provides information about the process used for infill and redevelopment for the identified sites. The study reviews the metrics and data used to come up with the project sites as well as a detailed building program.
Date Published: February 2013
Hull Street Corridor Revitalization Plan
This revitalization plan provides a comprehensive, implementation-oriented strategy for creating sound, economically sustainable quality of life enhancements along a 4.7 mile stretch of the Hull Street Road corridor in Richmond and Chesterfield County, VA.
Date Published: January 2013
Maguire Street Corridor Plan, Warrensburg, MO
This corridor plan provides a strategy to develop the Maguire Street Corridor in Warrensburg, MO so that it serves the community by generating a positive impression for visitors to the community.
Date Published: October 2012
Developing Corridor Plans for Implementation
This webinar, held September 19, 2012, explains the advantages of planning for land use changes and TOD at the corridor scale. Drawing from best practices and national research, the webinar guides participants through a set of strategies that can be used to implement land use and TOD plans at the corridor scale.
Date Published: September 2012
Existing Conditions Report for the Aloha-Reedville Transit Corridor, Washington County, OR
This Existing Conditions report provides summaries and extensive reports on a range of attributes within the Aloha-Reedville Study and Livability Community Plan area in Washington County, OR. The report was created based on input from the community and the local Citizens Advisory Committee.
Date Published: June 2012
Bridge Boulevard Zoning Report
This zoning report provides a summary of existing land uses and zoning along the Bridge Boulevard in Bernalillo County, NM.
Date Published: May 2012
James Campbell Boulevard: The Boulevard - 2050 and Tomorrow - Final Master Plan
This regional plan provides a long-term strategy (2050) for development of the James Campbell Corridor in Columbia, TN.
Date Published: November 2011
Corridor Plan for Illinois Route 336
This plan provides a strategy to improve system linkage, economic sustainability, and travel efficiency along Illinois Route 336 (IL 336) near Quincy, Macomb, Canton, and Peoria, IL.
Date Published: July 2011
Four Corners/Geneva Ave Station Area Plan for Boston, MA
The Four Corners/Geneva Avenue Station Area Plan establishes a framework for future improvements and investment to complement the transit infrastructure at the new MBTA station and to enhance three distinct Main Street districts at Four Corners, Bowdoin/Geneva, and Grove Hall and the surrounding neighborhoods.
Date Published: October 2015
Station Area Implementation Strategy for Sheridan Station, Denver, CO
This document is about action. It puts forth specific implementation projects and strategies for the Sheridan Station area that are the building blocks to creating a 20-Minute Neighborhood. What is a 20-Minute Neighborhood? It’s a neighborhood where residents have safe and convenient access by walking, bicycling, or transit to many of the places and services they use daily, including local markets and other neighborhood serving businesses, restaurants, schools, and parks within a half-mile or 20-minute walking distance, and in the case of the Sheridan Station 20-Minute neighborhood, using the Sheridan light rail station as a transit hub.
Date Published: June 2015
Blue Hill Avenue/Cummins Highway Station Area Plan for Boston, MA
The Blue Hill Avenue/Cummins Highway Station Area Plan establishes a framework for future improvements and investment to complement the transit infrastructure at a new MBTA station and to enhance both the commercial center of Mattapan Square and the surrounding neighborhoods.
Date Published: February 2015
Upham's Corner Station Area Plan for Boston, MA
The Upham's Corner Station Area Plan establishes a framework for future improvements and investment to enhance both the commercial center of Upham's Corner and the surrounding neighborhoods.
Date Published: April 2014
Bergamot Area Plan, Santa Monica, CA
This area plan provides a strategy to create Santa Monica, CA's most sustainable neighborhood--one that both conserves the authentic, industrial character while also removing barriers to housing and preparing for the arrival of the Exposition Light Rail in 2016.
Date Published: June 2013
Preliminary Southern Green Line Station Area Sector Plan and Sectional Map Amendment
This sector plan provides a vision for each of the four stations in Upper Marlboro, MD, including a detailed real estate market analysis and analysis of the available opportunities for infill and redevelopment within an easy walk of the four Metro stations.
Date Published: May 2013
Buckner Station Area Plan, Dallas, TX
This station area plan provides information about specific initiatives to create a better future for the Buckner area in Dallas, with particular attention to reinvigorating housing, addressing land use density, and improving modal connectivity and pedestrian access.
Date Published: April 2013
Hatcher Station Area Plan, Dallas, TX
This station area plan provides details about specific initiatives to create a better future for the Hatcher station area in Dallas, with particular attention to reinvigorating housing, addressing land use density, and improving modal connectivity and pedestrian access.
Date Published: April 2013
Lancaster Corridor Station Area Plan, Dallas, TX
This station area plan details specific initiatives to create a better future for the Lancaster Corridor in Dallas, with particular attention to reinvigorating housing, addressing land use density, and improving modal connectivity and pedestrian access.
Date Published: April 2013
Vickery Meadow Station Area Plan, Dallas, TX
This station area plan details specific initiatives to create a better future for the Vickery Meadow area, with particular attention to reinvigorating housing, addressing land use density, and improving modal connectivity and pedestrian access. The document is organized into the following main sections:1) Setting and Existing Conditions; 2) Planning Process; 3) Vision and Guiding Principles; 4) Development Plan; 5) Catalyst Project Implementation; 6) Adaptive Reuse Implementation; and 7) Area-Wide Implementation Strategies and Actions.
Date Published: April 2013
Martin Luther King, Jr. Station Area Plan, Dallas, TX
The station area plan provides details about specific initiatives to create a better future for the MLK Station area in Dallas, with particular attention to reinvigorating housing, addressing land use density, and improving modal connectivity and pedestrian access.
Date Published: April 2013
This transit-oriented development master plan provides the design for a proposed Meriden Intermodal Center which will accommodate the expanded functions of full rail service in Meriden, CT.
Date Published: April 2012
Creating Successful TOD Districts in Los Angeles: A Citywide Toolkit for Achieving Regional Goals
This toolkit assesses which stations are – or are not – supporting transit-oriented characteristics, and identifies strategies and investments that could help station areas achieve higher transit ridership, lower VMT, provide housing for a mix of incomes and guard against displacement, and to create healthy, prosperous neighborhoods where people of all incomes have a multitude of travel options.
Date Published: February 2012
Doña Ana Affordable Housing Plan
This Affordable Housing Plan lays out the housing needs, barriers, and goals to housing development in Doña Ana County, NM. The plan applies to the unincorporated areas of the County, including colonias, but not including Las Cruces and Mesilla. The plan was adopted in October 2015.
Date Published: October 2015
Regional Housing Strategy for the Denver Regional COG, CO
In 2013, DRCOG initiated a Regional Housing Strategy (RHS) study to identify the nature and extent of the region’s housing needs, to inform the Metro Vision update. The RHS takes a “balanced housing” approach with the goal of providing a diverse set of housing choices for the many types of households who call the region home today and in the future. Strategy development focused on how to improve provision of a diverse set of housing opportunities for residents of all ages, incomes and abilities throughout the region.
Date Published: July 2015
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) and Housing and Transportation Plan for Glens Falls, NY
The Adirondack Gateway Regional Fair Housing and Equity Assessment and Housing and Transportation Analysis (2015) serves as the HUD‐required regional Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) and as one of several technical reports supporting the overall sustainable development plan for the Adirondack Gateway Council Region. It contributes important knowledge and recommendations for action to the Regional Sustainable Development planning process.
Date Published: June 2015
Affordable Housing Preservation and Creation Study for the Gold Corridor, Denver, CO
The Gold Corridor Housing Strategy is designed both as a resource and implementation plan to guide growth and development in a manner that advances local and regional goals to create vibrant and complete communities at transit stations.
Date Published: January 2015
Housing Affordability and Economic Equity Analysis for Washtenaw County, MI
This report provides an analysis of housing affordability and equity in Washtenaw County, Michigan. It also provides an examination of the local housing market and strategies to address housing issues.
Date Published: January 2015
Affordable Housing Study: The Housing Suitability Model for East Central FL
This study uses an innovative GIS tool to evaluate the suitability of locations for the development and preservation of affordable housing in East Central Florida. The tool maps locational data in a spatial array to consider how various factors play out in relation to proximity to the new SunRail commuter rail line. The study also examines the relationship of opportunity variables from the regions' Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA).
Date Published: December 2014
Housing Needs Assessment for Western Greater Yellowstone, ID
This report presents current housing conditions, problems, and needs as well as recommended strategies in Fremont, Madison and Teton counties Idaho and Teton Co. Wyoming.
Date Published: November 2014
Regional Housing Study for Southwestern Wisconsin
This report provides statistical and narrative data identifying a housing profile in Southwestern Wisconsin. The study describes the current situation related to housing markets, home ownership, and affordability challenges.
Date Published: March 2014
Framework for Housing Choices in Northwest Michigan
This Northwest Michigan regional draft framework identifies ways that stakeholders can meet diverse community housing needs. The document provides information on housing diversity, housing affordability, energy and transportation cost, vacant and seasonal homes, homelessness, and strategies to address local housing related issues.
Date Published: January 2014
De-Concentration of Poverty and Fair Housing Plan for Rockford, IL
This report presents a strategy for deconcentrating public housing (PHA) developments and Section 8 Rental Vouchers in minority ethnic and racial and poverty concentrated census tracts and geographies.
Date Published: May 2013
Fair and Affordable Housing Initiatives for the Tri-County Region, MI
This plan provides an in-depth look at a decade of changes in the Capital region's housing profile. Published by the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission and Greater Lansing Housing Coalition, this plan offers insight into the views held by housing advocates, planners, people in need of affordable housing, and other stakeholders.
Date Published: February 2013
Rental Housing Energy Efficiency for Ann Arbor, MI
This report provides an overview of the City's efforts to increase energy efficiency in the community by targeting renters, who unlike homeowners have less of an incentive to invest in energy efficiency. It also provides a strategy and outreach plan that educates the community, uses voluntary, market-based, and policy approaches to spur efficiency investments in the rental housing market.
Date Published: February 2013
Housing Strategy for Grand Traverse County, MI
This housing strategy is a citizen-led vision for the future of land use, transportation, economic development, and environmental stewardship across six counties in northwest lower Michigan. The strategy provides information on solutions to housing issues like mixed regional housing choices centrally located in the downtown area.
Date Published: January 2013
Housing and Affordable Housing Policy Analysis for Central Minnesota
This website provides information on affordable housing and the goals, recommendations, and action steps from the Affordable Housing section of the Central Minnesota Sustainable Development Plan. It provides information about housing resources, links to the Fair Housing Equity Assessment (FHEA), housing maps, model comprehensive plan, and policy toolkit.
Date Published: January 2012
Housing Inventory for Grand Traverse County, MI
This planning document provides a comprehensive assessment of Grand Traverse County's housing stock, with an emphasis on affordable housing opportunities and issues, in order to inform decision making. The plan also provides information on the value, condition, and other characteristics of the county's housing stock.
Date Published: January 2012
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) Data Portal for Together North Jersey, NJ
This data portal provides a tool for planners, government agencies, NGOs, and the public that provides a common shared data and factual framework for the indicators used in the Regional Fair Housing and Equity Assessment Report (FHEA).
Date Published: August 2015
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) and Housing and Transportation Plan for Glens Falls, NY
The Adirondack Gateway Regional Fair Housing and Equity Assessment and Housing and Transportation Analysis (2015) serves as the HUD‐required regional Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) and as one of several technical reports supporting the overall sustainable development plan for the Adirondack Gateway Council Region. It contributes important knowledge and recommendations for action to the Regional Sustainable Development planning process.
Date Published: June 2015
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) for Twin Cities, MN (Choice, Place and Opportunity)
This document is the Regional Fair Housing and Equity Assessment for the twin cities area.
Date Published: March 2015
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for South Central Kansas Prosperity Plan
This report is the complete South Central Kansas Prosperity Plan, a Regional Plan for Sustainable Development created by the Regional Economic Area Partnership (REAP). The report presents a vision and a plan for the future of Butler, Harvey, Reno, Sedgwick, and Sumner Counties in Kansas.
Date Published: February 2015
Sustainable Communities Learning Network Video Interview Series
This video features a handful of the HUD SCI grantee projects who are also NADO members to find out more about the impact these grants have had on their regions
Date Published: February 2015
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) for South Central Kansas Prosperity Plan
This Fair Housing and Equity Assessment presents information about the housing conditions in South Central Kansas, including ways in which current development patterns shape social and economic opportunities for all residents, especially underserved groups.
Date Published: January 2015
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) for Vision West ND
This FHEA helps further Vision West ND’s mission to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. Rather than rely solely on enforcement, it is through processes like this FHEA that fair housing and equity can be considered and built into the development of economic opportunity. This includes the development and design of affordable housing in areas of opportunity and areas of need. This also includes the built environment enabling biking, walking, recreation and transportation options as well as environmental considerations towards health and safety. Given the opportunity to inclusively plan and design for all of these elements, communities can achieve smart and sustainable growth.
Date Published: December 2014
Fair Housing for Regional and Municipal Planning: A Guide Book for New Hampshire Planners
This guidebook is a resource for New Hampshire communities seeking information about the state's housing discrimination laws and some aspects of federal housing law current at the time of the report's publication (pre-publication of final AFFH rule).
Date Published: November 2014
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) Appendices, Data, and Mapping for Madison, WI
This document provides useful background information for the Wisconsin Capital Region Fair Housing and Equity Assessment. It also provides detail on measures of segregation and disparate access to opportunity.
Date Published: October 2014
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) for Madison, WI
This Fair Housing and Equity Assessment outlines the distribution of opportunities and barriers to opportunities in Wisconsin's Capital Region. It also provides a framework for promoting equitable access to opportunities.
Date Published: October 2014
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) for Sustainable Knowledge Corridor, CT
This report provides an analysis of fair housing and access to opportunity in the greater Hartford, CT/Western MA region. The fair housing and equity assessment analyzes how well regional plans link fair housing considerations with issues of transportation, employment, education, land use planning, and environmental justice and makes recommendations about locations for affordable housing in areas that offer access to opportunity regardless of race, family status, disability, source of income or other personal characteristics protected under federal and state civil rights statutes.
Date Published: October 2014
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) GIS Map for Madison, WI
This map explores the distribution of opportunities and barriers to opportunities in Wisconsin's Capital Region. It provides geospatial data related to providing equitable access to opportunity for all in the Madison area.
Date Published: October 2014
Using Tools and Data to Inform Equity-Oriented Decision-Making Webinar
This webinar, held on October 15, 2014, describes three strategies for thinking about and improving equity in our regions. University of Maryland staff demonstrates OppMap, a web-based tool for community-driven opportunity mapping in the Baltimore region. Kirwan Institute staff shows how historical analysis brings clarity to equity discussions in Cleveland. MAPC staff shares lessons learned about how tapping into empathy can help cultivate an open environment for discussing equity.
Date Published: October 2014
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) for Southwestern Wisconsin
This Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) provides new insight into the benefits and challenges experienced by marginalized groups throughout Southwestern Wisconsin. The findings focus on the rapidly growing Hispanic population, housing quality and access, elderly populations, and impoverished populations.
Date Published: August 2014
Southwestern Wisconsin Fair Housing and Equity Analysis (FHEA)
This Fair Housing and Equity Analysis (FHEA) is designed to provide new insight into the benefits and challenges surrounding equity in Southwestern Wisconsin.
Date Published: April 2014
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) for Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE
This website provides a map of affordable housing locations in the Omaha-Council Bluffs region and a discussion of the process of improving equity, opportunity, and engagement of citizens that have traditionally been marginalized.
Date Published: February 2014
Houston-Galveston Fair Housing and Equity Assessment
This Fair Housing and Equity Analysis (FHEA) provides an analysis of baseline conditions for fair housing, equity, and opportunity across the Houston-Galveston region.
Date Published: February 2014
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) for Northwest Michigan
This document is the Regional Fair Housing and Equity Assessment for six counties in northwest Michigan.
Date Published: January 2014
Putting Equity on the Map: Innovative Tools to Measure Access to Opportunity Webinar
This webinar, held on January 22, 2014, describes cutting edge equity mapping tools being used by regions around the country to measure social equity and access to opportunity. Across the country, access to opportunity varies greatly depending on the neighborhood or town one lives in. As our regions plan for the future, how do we ensure that decisions made today benefit everyone's quality of life?
Date Published: January 2014
The Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) Deliberation Guide
This guide helps frame the entire FHEA discussion in a region. The Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) is unique in that the process emphasizes not just data analysis, but also a process of reflection leading to action. Getting to the core of the analysis will require asking questions that 1) reflect upon where current challenges and opportunities exist throughout the region; and 2) position organizations and agencies towards concrete action. In this brief we discuss the different types of questions you will want to consider as you frame conversations with stakeholders in your region.
Date Published: June 2013
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) for Chicago, IL
This website provides a Fair Housing and Equity Assessment for Metropolitan Chicago, outlining barriers to access opportunity in the area. It also provides supporting data and maps.
Date Published: November 2013
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) for East Central FL
This Fair Housing and Equity Assessment undertakes a regional scale analysis across five counties in order to gain a full picture of regional equity and access across the East Central Florida Region.
Date Published: November 2013
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) for Dona Ana County, NM
This Fair Housing and Equity Assessment is a review of the fair housing profile in Doña Ana County, NM and comprehensive evaluation of the public and private housing environment and market.
Date Published: October 2013
This policy brief by PolicyLink describes how Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) can be used to implement the HUD Fair Housing and Equity Assessment.
Date Published: May 2013
De-Concentration of Poverty and Fair Housing Plan for Rockford, IL
This report presents a strategy for deconcentrating public housing (PHA) developments and Section 8 Rental Vouchers in minority ethnic and racial and poverty concentrated census tracts and geographies.
Date Published: May 2013
Equity Impact Review Tool from King County (WA)
This factsheet is written for grantees undertaking the Fair Housing and Equity Assessment. This Equity Impact Review Tool from King County, Washington, will help you develop ways to translate the findings of your data analysis into the decision-making and action steps of your planning and implementation process.
Date Published: April 2013
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment: Frequently Asked Questions
This document walks through frequently asked questions from regional planning grantees on setting up the FHEA, the data analysis, the deliberation, and the decision-making process. Please note that the information in this document is by and from the FHEA capacity building team and does not represent the official guidance by HUD.
Date Published: April 2013
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment: Roles and Responsibilities Guide
In this table, you will find examples of the different types of stakeholders that could be included in the FHEA and what assets they bring. You will also find information on the kinds of data they are likely to have access to, questions they can help with in the deliberation process, and policies or programs they could implement to increase access to opportunity and promote fair housing. This is not meant to be a checklist, but rather a tool for brainstorming potential stakeholders that will amplify the success of the FHEA. Keep in mind that not every region will necessarily include all of these players; however, many may play a vital role in ensuring better outcomes for historically marginalized communities, even those players that have not been traditionally active in the fair housing field.
Date Published: April 2013
Issue Brief: Sustainable Economic Development Strategies
In this issue brief, we explore the economic challenges facing many regions, as well as the types of strategies that can help to foster innovation, boost productivity for businesses, reduce transportation costs, and provide better linkages to workers, ultimately resulting in more sustainable economic development.
Date Published: January 2013
Back to Basics: Performance Measures and Flagship Sustainability Indicators Webinar
This webinar, held on November 1, 2012, focuses on one particular group of performance measures, called the Flagship Sustainability Indicators, which are outcome-based indicators used to measure SCI grantee progress toward creating sustainable regions and communities. HUD's Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities requires all FY 2011 SCI grantees to report on the Flagship Sustainability Indicators, and reporting is optional for FY 2010 grantees.
Date Published: November 2012
Issue Brief: Creating and Preserving Affordable Housing Near Transit
This issue brief provides an overview of best practices for creating and preserving affordable housing near transit. Regions across the United States are expanding public transportation systems to allow more residential choices, improve access to employment centers, reduce traffic congestion and lower levels of greenhouse gas emissions. These transit investments will increase property values in many areas, creating community development opportunities and challenges.
Date Published: November 2012
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) for Two Rivers-Ottauquechee, VT
This Fair Housing and Equity Assessment presents an effort to gain a full picture of regional equity and access to opportunity in the East-Central Vermont. Although the region is 98% white, this assessment revealed that the region has concentrations of low and moderate income persons as well as a disproportionately large percentage of disabled residents.
Date Published: October 2012
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment: Developing a Scope of Work to Maximize Equitable Outcomes
This guide outlines primary issues for consideration by HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning grantees as you develop your scope of work. These considerations will help activate a process that can inform future housing and infrastructure investment decisions. In the first part of the document, we outline three critical factors to create and implement a successful FHEA. We then explore in more detail key considerations for the data analysis, the deliberation of findings, and the decision-making necessary to complete the FHEA process3. We recommend that you use this guide as a framework and checklist to review with interested parties, and as a filter in drafting RFPs for consultants.
Date Published: August 2012
Maximizing Your Fair Housing and Equity Assessment for Regional Prosperity Webinar
This webinar, held on July 25, 2012, instructs SCI grantees how they can use their Fair Housing and Equity Assessment process to maximize opportunities to create regional prosperity.
Date Published: July 2012
Fair Housing Equity Assessment Emerging Practice
This document is intended to serve as a resource for Grantees, providing examples of ways that other Grantees have addressed various elements of the FHEA requirement. As this is an emerging practice, the FHEAs referenced in this document are still in draft form and have yet to be finalized by the Grantees or approved by OER.
Date Published: April 2012
Regional Analysis of Impediments (RAI) for Rhode Island
This Regional Analysis of Impediments (Regional AI) for Rhode Island examines the dynamics of the housing market from a fair housing and equal access perspective. It recommends administrative and programmatic actions to address barriers in private and government-assisted housing, not only for protected classes but others who have faced barriers in the marketplace. The Regional AI also addresses other issues that affect housing access like, zoning, lead paint, discrimination and the marketing of homes for sale or rent. It promotes initiatives that facilitate equal access to housing.
Date Published: August 2015
Regional Analysis of Impediments (RAI) for Western Greater Yellowstone, ID
This RAI reviews fair housing issues in this four county region: Fremont, Madison and Teton counties Idaho and Teton Co. Wyoming.
Date Published: December 2014
Equity Impact Review Tool from King County (WA)
This factsheet is written for grantees undertaking the Fair Housing and Equity Assessment. This Equity Impact Review Tool from King County, Washington, will help you develop ways to translate the findings of your data analysis into the decision-making and action steps of your planning and implementation process.
Date Published: April 2013
Issue Brief: Sustainable Economic Development Strategies
In this issue brief, we explore the economic challenges facing many regions, as well as the types of strategies that can help to foster innovation, boost productivity for businesses, reduce transportation costs, and provide better linkages to workers, ultimately resulting in more sustainable economic development.
Date Published: January 2013
Issue Brief: Creating and Preserving Affordable Housing Near Transit
This issue brief provides an overview of best practices for creating and preserving affordable housing near transit. Regions across the United States are expanding public transportation systems to allow more residential choices, improve access to employment centers, reduce traffic congestion and lower levels of greenhouse gas emissions. These transit investments will increase property values in many areas, creating community development opportunities and challenges.
Date Published: November 2012
Back to Basics: Performance Measures and Flagship Sustainability Indicators Webinar
This webinar, held on November 1, 2012, focuses on one particular group of performance measures, called the Flagship Sustainability Indicators, which are outcome-based indicators used to measure SCI grantee progress toward creating sustainable regions and communities. HUD's Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities requires all FY 2011 SCI grantees to report on the Flagship Sustainability Indicators, and reporting is optional for FY 2010 grantees.
Date Published: November 2012
SCI Equity and Scenario Planning Webinar
This webinar, held on May 16, 2012, features a panel discussion of the link between social equity and scenario planning, providing training on engaging under-represented communities in scenario planning and using scenario planning tools and techniques to address social equity issues.
Date Published: May 2012
These documents written by HUD and its partners detail the methods a region used to overcome challenges.
Green Infrastructure and the Sustainable Communities Initiative
This regional plan provides a unified long-term strategy for development in Chittenden County, VT by combining the region's Regional Plan, the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), and the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.
Date Published: February 2015
Sustainable Communities Learning Network Video Interview Series
This video features a handful of the HUD SCI grantee projects who are also NADO members to find out more about the impact these grants have had on their regions
Date Published: February 2015
L.A. Metro Takes Big Step Toward Equitable Growth
In this article, Craig Adelman from the Low Income Investment Fund explains how one study helped to grow the momentum toward these actions. L.A. Metro is proposing to work in partnership with local communities to protect and create affordable housing near transit in the name of ridership and the environment. How did L.A. make this happen?
Date Published: January 2015
Sustainable Communities Learning Network Video Series: GROWashington-Aroostook (Maine)
This video series includes interviews with representatives from a handful of the HUD SCI grantee projects who are also NADO members to find out more about the impact these grants have had on their regions
Date Published: January 2015
This case study describes how the Houston-Galveston Area Council used its EDA funds to better position the region for recovery and long-term growth through critical infrastructure investments and support for small businesses.
Date Published: December 2014
Webinar Materials: Working in Rural Communities
This series covers NDRC NOFA requirements as well as specific topics related to climate resilience strategies. On December 15, the "Working in Rural Communities" webinar focused on disaster recovery/resilience issues unique to working in rural communities, including funding resources, community engagement, and rural infrastructure.
Date Published: December 2014
Innovative MPO Transportation Planning Guidebook
This great resource was developed by the folks at Transportation for America. It is designed to help MPOs — their staff, policy-setting bodies, technical and advisory committees and other interested stakeholders — find innovative ways to achieve goals on behalf of their communities.
Date Published: December 2014
Connecting CSO Abatement and Sustainability Planning: Success Stories
This briefing paper explores cities that connected Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) abatement and city planning. Both initiatives involve a great amount of effort and creative energy, and both have the potential for community transformation; linking them presents an opportunity for even greater benefit.
Date Published: December 2014
SCLA: Transition to Implementation 2 - Presentation: The Tomorrow Plan
This presentation features the Tomorrow Plan. Cities like Philadelphia and Cincinnati have made headlines in recent years for their innovative approaches to complying with federal Clean Water Act consent decrees. By using green infrastructure to help abate combined sewer overflows (CSOs), cities are saving money, reducing water pollution, and achieving an array of important social benefits.
Date Published: November 2014
SCLA: Transition to Implementation 2 - Presentation: Grand Boulevard Initiative
This webinar features Corinne Goodrich, former Program Manager, Grand Boulevard Initiative, and focuses on their corridor-transforming work.
Date Published: November 2014
This webinar, held on November 13, 2014, is hosted by the NADO Research Foundation. It addresses the intersection between local food, public health, and regional resilience, by exploring Central Minnesota’s Choose Health program. The Choose Health program is one of several regional initiatives that is growing the region’s local food economy and increasing access to healthy food options for disadvantaged populations.
Date Published: November 2014
Using Green Infrastructure to Meet Clean Water Act Consent Decree Requirements Webinar
This webinar, held on November 12, 2014, discusses how communities are using green infrastructure approaches to address U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) consent decrees to clean up combined sewer overflows (CSOs) – and achieving cost savings and additional community benefits as a result. Josh Rivard from the Center for Infrastructure Research at University of Louisville shares case stories from Louisville, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Kansas City, and Saint Louis, and he outlines the basic steps involved in taking this new approach to compliance efforts.
Date Published: November 2014
Cultivating a Competitive Advantage in Rural Counties
This report highlights how rural counties are pursuing asset-based economic development initiatives that create jobs and build wealth while preserving rural landscapes, culture, and heritage.
Date Published: November 2014
Enhancing Sustainable Communities with Green Infrastructure
This guide, released by the EPA Office of Sustainable Communities, helps community leaders and stakeholders incorporate green infrastructure strategies into transformative plans for their communities. By highlighting strategies that help manage stormwater while also achieving other environmental, public health, social, and economic benefits, the guide provides a framework for communities to make the most of their limited investments.
Date Published: November 2014
Using Tools and Data to Inform Equity-Oriented Decision-Making Webinar
This webinar, held on October 15, 2014, describes three strategies for thinking about and improving equity in our regions. University of Maryland staff demonstrates OppMap, a web-based tool for community-driven opportunity mapping in the Baltimore region. Kirwan Institute staff shows how historical analysis brings clarity to equity discussions in Cleveland. MAPC staff shares lessons learned about how tapping into empathy can help cultivate an open environment for discussing equity.
Date Published: October 2014
SF Bay Area and DC Regional Case Studies on Transportation Reform
This report summarizes key lessons learned from these two regions where advocates, philanthropy, the public sector and private entrepreneurs have created powerful coalitions to make transportation investments work better for people, places and the environment.
Date Published: September 2014
The Regional Development Organization's Role in Disaster Recovery Webinar
This webinar, held on August 12, 2014, features speakers from three Regional Development Organizations (RDOs) that have been intensively involved in disaster recovery efforts. Presenters share their experiences, lessons learned, and recommendations for other RDOs seeking to engage in recovery work.
Date Published: August 2014
A Workforce that Works: County Innovations in Workforce Development
This issue brief that demonstrates the importance of a quality workforce as one of the most important factors for promoting county economic competitiveness.
Date Published: July 2014
Strengthening Rural-Urban Connections to Support Competitive Regions Webinar
This webinar, held on July 24, 2014, focuses on connecting rural and urban areas within a region. Though geography, politics, and demographics often result in rural and urban communities being thought of as distinct and unrelated places, current economic and social realities reveal that an effective framework for understanding urban and rural is through a prism of interdependence and linkages.
Date Published: July 2014
This product is the product of a technical assistance project with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the state of Vermont, and the Mad River Valley Planning District on how communities can recover from flood impacts and become more resilient to future disasters.
Date Published: July 2014
This video features Suk-Kyung, Assistant Professor of Michigan State University. She represented the Mid-Michigan Sustainability program of Greater Lansing, MI.
Date Published: July 2014
Interview with Paul Tuss - Executive Director, Bear Paw Development Corporation
This video features Paul Tuss of Havre, Montana, speaking on behalf of the North Central Montana project. It is a very diverse, rural area, that also includes three tribal reservations.
Date Published: July 2014
Interview with Maggie Woodruff - Transportation Planner, New Orleans Regional Planning Commission
This video interview features Maggie Woodruff, of New Orleans, describing the Claiborne Corridor project in Louisiana.
Date Published: July 2014
Interview with Kathy Dahlkemper - County Executive, Erie County
This video features Kathy Dahlkemper, County Executive, of Erie County, PA, speaking on behalf of Destination Erie and Erie Regional Vision. Kathy describes what makes her community sustainable and her vision for the community.
Date Published: July 2014
Interview with Julie Powers - Executive Director, Mid-Michigan Environmental Action Council
This video interview features Julie Powers of the Mid-Michigan Environmental Action Council, a partner of Greater Lansing's planning project.
Date Published: July 2014
This video interview features Brian McGrain of Ingham, MI, who did not receive a SCI grant, but continues to pursue regional planning and sustainability efforts.
Date Published: July 2014
Interview with Ben Pratt - Project Coordinator, Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership
This video webinar by PlaceMatters focuses on communicating complex planning ideas to public constituents and decision makers, and finding ways to explain it, talk about it, and grapple with it.
Date Published: July 2014
Food Value Chains: Creating Shared Value to Enhance Marketing Success
This document is designed to provide guidance on how food value chains are initiated and structured, how they function, and the benefits they provide to participants, with the intent of encouraging their adoption where the opportunities for successful collaboration exist among organizations with compatible principles and complementary areas of expertise.
Date Published: July 2014
Engagement Tech for All Webinar
This webinar, held on June 26, 2014, describes the latest innovations in the field of civic technology, and the potential for these technologies to advance transformational change in communities, particularly around the lives of low-income people.
Date Published: June 2014
Innovations in Workforce Development Podcast
This podcast, held on June 10, 2014, highlights how Clackamas County, Oregon's Workforce Investment Council is serving as a regional convener to meet the needs of businesses and workers alike.
Date Published: June 2014
Best Practices in Local Mitigation Planning
This website, entitled Beyond the Basics is designed to help guide you through the process of developing or updating a local hazard mitigation plan that will meet the requirements for approval by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Date Published: May 2014
Equity Growth Profile of the Omaha-Council Bluffs Regions
This Sustainable Communities grantee profile features Omaha-Council Bluffs, which has a relatively strong and resilient regional economy, with overall low unemployment and steady job growth. At the same time, wages have stagnated for most workers and many communities of color face barriers to accessing good jobs, living wages, and the education needed for the jobs of the future. Increasing connections to good jobs, raising the floor for low-wage work, and building communities of opportunity metro-wide are key strategies to shift the region towards equitable growth.
Date Published: May 2014
Effective Financing Solutions: Paying for Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Projects Webinar
This webinar, held on May 13, 2014, features staff from the University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center (UMD EFC) sharing the steps necessary to successfully finance stormwater and green infrastructure projects at the local level. Gleaning from EFC’s experience helping local governments in the Mid Atlantic find innovative ways to pay for stormwater and green infrastructure projects, presenters share case studies, tools, and important steps to achieving local implementation, since it is at the local level where the most innovative, effective, and transformative financing programs are being developed and implemented.
Date Published: May 2014
This case study describes how four organizations – Greater New Orleans, Inc., The Idea Village, the New Orleans BioInnovation Center, and the Downtown Development District of New Orleans – banded together after the New Orleans region was hit hard by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike and used EDA funding to diversify the economy by capitalizing on its unique competitive advantages, including its vibrant downtown and creative culture.
Date Published: May 2014
This webinar, held on April 30, 2014, focuses on jobs, which are an important part of sustainable community building efforts everywhere and a challenging area of focus for policy makers and practitioners.
Date Published: April 2014
Urban Agriculture on Brownfields
This guide from EPA works through the main issues like site investigation, and "how clean is clean enough for gardening activities. "Urban agriculture is increasingly understood as a way to revitalize communities. With so much underused brownfield space out there, it is natural some communities would be starting to wonder how to make the two things go together.
Date Published: April 2014
Green Infrastructure on Brownfields
This practice guide investigates innovative ways local governments and developers are working to install green infrastructure water management features on brownfield sites. With careful planning, many contaminated properties can be made safe for infiltration and water capture. In addition to the water management benefits, using GI opens the door to many additional sources of funding.
Date Published: April 2014
Best Practices Case Studies from the Tennessee Regions' Roundtable Network Webinar
This webinar, held on April 16, 2014, showcases case studies in community and economic development throughout Tennessee that are featured in the new Tennessee Regions’ Roundtable Network publication, “Navigating our Future: Best Practices Case Studies from the Tennessee Regions’ Roundtable Network.”
Date Published: April 2014
Equitable Growth Profile of the Piedmont Triad Region
This profile explores the Piedmont Triad region in North Carolina whose demographics are rapidly changing. Communities of color are driving growth, and have increased from 20 to 33 percent of the population since 1980.
Date Published: April 2014
Integrating Water Into Local and Regional Sustainability Planning
This document features case stories of nine Sustainable Communities grant communities that are successfully integrating water into their local and regional sustainability planning efforts. The projects demonstrate ways that water-related challenges and opportunities can be a key part of planning for a region's long-term economic competitiveness, quality of place, and livability.
Date Published: April 2014
Using Community and Economic Development Strategies to Build Disaster Resilient Economies Webinar
This webinar, held on April 8, 2014, features leaders from east central Iowa, Longmont, Colorado, and Springfield, Massachusetts discussing how they are rebuilding and protecting their economic assets, including downtowns and key industries. The presenters discuss targeting growth to safe locations; encouraging walkable, mixed-use design; providing recovery funding and preparedness training to businesses; upgrading infrastructure; encouraging economic diversification; and promoting regional partnerships and coordinated planning.
Date Published: April 2014
Economic Diversity in Appalachia Web Tool
This web tool includes data, indicators, and visuals designed to help practitioners and policy makers understand and explore several key concepts related to economic diversity. Through tables, charts, graphics, and maps, users are able to quickly and easily undertake selected analyses of the economies of all 3,100+ U.S. counties.
Date Published: March 2014
Foreign Direct Investment and Exporting Webinar
This webinar, held on March 14, 2014, walks attendees through a web-based resource that is designed to promote ways to more effectively attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and develop export potential. The project profiles provide several useful examples for local communities that may want to introduce initiatives to promote exporting and FDI or have already launched such initiatives and want to make them more effective.
Date Published: March 2014
Sustainable Working Waterfronts Webinar
This webinar, held on March 4, 2014, walks attendees through the Sustainable Working Waterfronts Toolkit website, which contains information, data, and tools that individuals, communities, and governments at all levels can use to develop, inform, and enhance their sustainable working waterfront initiatives.
Date Published: March 2014
Navigating Our Future: Best Practices Case Studies from the Tennessee Regions' Roundtable Network
This publication from the Tennessee Regions’ Roundtable, sponsored by the NADO Research Foundation, highlights innovative community and economic development projects being implemented throughout Tennessee. Stories presented from the state’s diverse regions and communities demonstrate collaborative leadership, strategic partnerships, and implementation-funding techniques that readers can put to use in their own communities.
Date Published: February 2014
Transitioning to Long-Term Community Engagement Webinar
This webinar, held on February 19, 2014, features speakers from two different communities that are on the forefront of implementing long-term strategies for community engagement – the Kansas City Region and Piedmont Triad. This webinar describes the approaches these regions are exploring and using to continue and institutionalize the public/community partnerships developed during the Sustainable Communities Initiative (SCI) planning phase.
Date Published: February 2014
Local Government Stormwater Financing Manual: A Process for Program Reform
This manual is intended to provide local leaders with the foundation for establishing and growing effective stormwater management programs that maximize the value and impact of every dollar invested in their communities.
Date Published: February 2014
This guide describes financing for a newly popular form of transit-oriented development: equitable TOD. As demand for livable communities grows, land values near transit increase, which can sometimes lead to gentrification.
Date Published: February 2014
Meet Me Downtown: Case Studies in Small Town Economic Development Webinar
This webinar, held on February 5, 2014, highlights three small towns (Greenville, KY; Claremont, NH; and Millen, GA) that are investing in their downtowns through streetscape improvements, historic preservation, brownfields remediation, and tourism initiatives. The webinar showcases how strong local and regional leadership, dedicated volunteers, and a mix of local, state, and federal funding can come together to transform downtowns and main streets, improving both quality-of-life and economic opportunities for residents.
Date Published: February 2014
Putting Equity on the Map: Innovative Tools to Measure Access to Opportunity Webinar
This webinar, held on January 22, 2014, describes cutting edge equity mapping tools being used by regions around the country to measure social equity and access to opportunity. Across the country, access to opportunity varies greatly depending on the neighborhood or town one lives in. As our regions plan for the future, how do we ensure that decisions made today benefit everyone's quality of life?
Date Published: January 2014
Spotlight on Large Urban Counties
This report, from NACo, profiles how large urban counties in the U.S. are driving economic recovery, fostering community resilience and pioneering new approaches to public service.
Date Published: January 2014
This case study focuses on the Wachusett Station Smart Growth Corridor Plan, which intended to design a walkable, bikeable, transit-oriented corridor in the 2.5-mile radius around the Wachusett station in Fitchburg, a city of 40,000 residents located in central Massachusetts.
Date Published: December 2013
This webinar, held on December 13, 2013, contains an overview of HUD’s sustainable housing initiatives, with a focus on new initiatives launched with the President’s Climate Action Plan last summer, including the expansion of the Better Buildings Challenge to include multifamily residential buildings.
Date Published: December 2013
A Practitioner's Guide for Advancing Health Equity
This guide is written for public health practitioners and other key related disciplines such as urban planners, local policy makers, etc. working to advance health equity through community health interventions. While health disparities can be addressed at multiple levels, this guide focuses on policy, systems, and environmental improvements designed to improve the places where people live, learn, work, and play.
Date Published: December 2013
Building Capacity: Issue Brief Compilation from Phase I Team Implementation
This issue brief represents a compilation of specific issue area briefs provided by the Implementation team. Each issue brief accompanied a monthly webinar and allowed grantees to gain additional resources on topics such as creating regional TOD plans and strategies, infill infrastructure financing, advancing sustainability in a slow economy, and redeveloping brownfield properties. This document was created for the purpose of providing grantees with a one-stop resource for all issue briefs from Phase I Capacity Building work of Team Implementation.
Date Published: December 2013
Asset Management for Stormwater Webinar
This webinar, held on November 26, 2013, features Heather Himmelberger from the Southwest Environmental Finance Center introducing participants to asset management, an approach to maintaining infrastructure in a strategic way so that it is sustained over the long term at the lowest overall life cycle cost while meeting the needs of the community.
Date Published: November 2013
Materials for Making Consent Decrees Work in Your Favor
These resources discuss how green infrastructure can be integrated into federal regulatory programs for municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s), combined sewer overflows (CSOs), and Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs).
Date Published: November 2013
This case study describes how the East Central Iowa Council of Governments used its EDA funding to hire two disaster recovery coordinators and create a revolving loan fund to help businesses purchase property and equipment and access working capital after the devastating floods of 2008.
Date Published: November 2013
Catching the Vision of Vision West ND Webinar
This webinar, held on October 24, 2013, describes the goals and status of Vision West ND, an initiative which covers a 19-county region in North Dakota. The webinar includes information on how Vision West ND is addressing the region's important issues, such as infrastructure, resource management, land use, water/wastewater, education, health care, and public safety.
Date Published: October 2013
Lessons from the Storm: Case Studies on Economic Recovery and Resilience: Southwest Arkansas
This series highlights how regional development organizations have used 2008 disaster recovery funds from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to address the impacts of natural disasters, become more resilient to future events, and increase long-term economic competitiveness and quality of life in their regions. The first case study describes the Southwest Arkansas Planning and Development District’s efforts to create a comprehensive database of business and infrastructure information that will help its partner communities prepare for and rebound from future natural disasters.
Date Published: October 2013
Digital Coast: Tools to Promote County Resilience
This guide introduces a resource for coastal counties from NACo. Digital Coast: Tools to Promote County Resilience provides an overview of Digital Coast, a suite of tools to analyze and communicate coastal natural resource management issues. This publication provides background on Digital Coast and describes specific tools available to counties and communities to address needs in three main topic areas.
Date Published: October 2013
Issue Brief: Defying the Odds: Sustainability in Small and Rural Places
This briefing paper offers short case studies and lessons derived from a minority of small communities who made strides protecting the environment despite the odds against them. A number of themes emerge including the role of sustainability in promoting local economic competitiveness and community revitalization, the benefits of regulation and municipal utilities in promoting change, entrepreneurial leadership from local officials, and the importance of regional networks for information exchange.
Date Published: September 2013
Issue Brief: Asset-Based Economic Development Strategies for Small & Rural Communities
This six-part series of briefing papers explores asset-based economic development, focusing on how small towns and rural communities can build on their natural and working landscapes, local institutions, existing infrastructure, historic and cultural resources, industry clusters, and human capital. A case study approach is used to explore specific assets in these papers to provide guidance to economic development professionals, local government managers and staff, and other stakeholders in small and rural communities looking to strengthen their local economies.
Date Published: September 2013
Economic Development Strategies for Small and Rural Communities: Ag-Based Renewable Energy Podcast
This podcast details how Kandiyohi County, Minnesota leveraged its agricultural industry and abundant natural resources to cultivate its agriculturally-based renewable energy industry.
Date Published: September 2013
Issue Brief: Auditing Your Development Code for Barriers to Sustainable Water Management
This issue brief is intended for town officials who want to learn how to identify development regulations in their community that might affect local water resources. It walks readers through the steps in conducting a development code audit, describes a case study from Cleveland Heights OH, and lists helpful resources for getting started with your own code audit.
Date Published: September 2013
Envision Tomorrow Plus Training Video Series
This set of training videos trains users on the popular Envision Tomorrow Plus (ET+) tools. Envision Tomorrow is an innovative set of urban and regional planning tools that can be used to model development feasibility on a site-by-site basis as well as create and evaluate multiple land use scenarios, test and refine transportation plans, produce small-area concept plans, and model complex regional issues.
Date Published: September 2013
Asset-Based Economic Development Strategies for Small Towns and Rural Communities Webinar
This webinar, held September 13, 2013, features leaders in two communities discussing how they developed their local and regional economies and attracted new residents and business by leveraging natural environmental, economic, cultural, and physical assets common in many small towns and rural places.
Date Published: September 2013
A Guide to Regional Visioning: Mapping the Course for Successful Community Engaged Scenario Planning
This guidebook covers the entire scenario planning process integrating tools, strategies, case studies, and interactive worksheets.
Date Published: September 2013
Introduction to COAST-a tool for community-led climate adaptation planning Webinar
This webinar, held on September 19, 2013, features Sam Merrill from the New England Environmental Finance Center. He introduces participants to COAST, a free, interactive tool that is being used in communities around the country to evaluate the costs and benefits of various adaptation options to sea level rise and storm surge.
Date Published: September 2013
This issue brief pulls from a forthcoming publication by MZ Strategies, LLC for Enterprise Community Partners and Mile High Connects, through funding from the Ford Foundation, to examine the potential for current federal transportation programs to provide equitable TOD financing. It also includes research from a Summary of National Best Practices on Competitive Grant Funds prepared for the Transportation For America/Rockefeller MAP-21 Implementation grantees by Reconnecting America.
Date Published: August 2013
Summer Smarts Series #6: Integrated Engagement of Persons with Disabilities Webinar
This webinar, held on August 14, 2013, includes representatives from HUD's Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities (OSHC) and the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) highlighting how Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees can more effectively engage persons with disabilities throughout the planning and implementation process.
Date Published: August 2013
This toolkit was developed to provide you with easy to use information about the basics of inclusionary housing as well as the myths and facts surrounding it; a sample PowerPoint presentation you can use to introduce the concept to others; a case study on how inclusionary housing is being used successfully in one community; and model ordinance language you can use to help enact this policy in your community.
Date Published: August 2013
This webinar, held July 31, 2013, explores the depths of the Community Health Needs Assessment. There are over 2,900 non-profit hospitals across the United States. As a condition of their tax-exempt status these hospitals are required to invest in surrounding communities, improving public health outcomes through a variety of means. These “community benefit” investments constitute important investments in countless communities.
Date Published: July 2013
On Common Ground - The Vitality of Small Communities
This article from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) “On Common Ground” magazine highlights vibrant small towns and communities. “Across the country, community leaders are joining together to bring new life back to small towns. They are doing it by focusing on smart growth that highlights the existing assets of a community — its history, culture and landscape — or by creating a new source of vitality, such as by encouraging artists to flourish or by undertaking creative placemaking,” notes NAR.
Date Published: June 2013
Assessing the Economic Impact of Stormwater Investments Webinar
This webinar, held on June 19, 2013, presents the results of a study by the Environmental Finance Center at University of Maryland. The study contains findings from an investigation of the economic impact of urban stormwater management investments.
Date Published: June 2013
Summer Smarts Series #2: So What is My Plan Supposed to Look Like, Anyway? Webinar
This webinar, held on June 5, 2013, features FY 2010 Sustainable Communities Initiative (SCI) grantees explaining the look, feel, and content of regional plans and final plans to FY 2011 grantees.
Date Published: June 2013
Promoting Green Infrastructure: Strategies, Case Studies, and Resources
This guide, prepared for the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission by the University of Louisville, gives an in-depth description of multiple strategies for implementing green infrastructure. Topics include funding and financing strategies (stormwater utility fees), regulatory strategies (zoning and design), and Incentive strategies (including tax abatements and credits).
Date Published: May 2013
Building Better Budgets: A National Examination of the Fiscal Benefits of Smart Growth Development
This report surveys 17 studies that compare different development scenarios, including a brand-new study of Nashville-Davidson County, TN, commissioned specifically for this report. The report looks at the costs associated with smart growth development and conventional suburban development, as well as both strategies’ revenue potential.
Date Published: May 2013
Case Study: Adding Value to the CEDS through HUD's Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grants
This short case study highlights R5DC's efforts in integrating its HUD planning grant and CEDS development work. It also provides helpful ideas for other regions seeking to pursue a similar approach.
Date Published: May 2013
Case Study: Youth Involvement in Community Development and Planning (Biddeford, ME)
This case study from the "In Their Voice" series highlights Biddeford, Maine, a mill town located 20 miles south of Portland. Through storytelling, community projects, and historic tours, students played an active role in the development of the city's downtown master plan and are continuing to work towards a stronger future for this proud New England community.
Date Published: April 2013
Analysis of Nashville Area Development Reveals Opportunity for Public Savings
This analysis features fiscal impact analyses of three development scenarios in Nashville-Davidson County, TN (PDF) examines the public costs and benefits of three development scenarios in Nashville-Davidson County: The Gulch, a smart growth oriented development project; Lennox Village, a New Urbanist-style development in a ‘greenfield’ location; and Bradford Hills, a conventional suburban residential subdivision outside of the city.
Date Published: April 2013
Vibrant Rural Communities Case Studies Series
This case study, from NADO's "Vibrant Rural Places" series, shows how small towns can leverage a wide range of tools and approaches to build on their assets, protect their resources, and make strategic investments that offer long-term benefits for residents and local businesses.
Date Published: April 2013
Equity Impact Review Tool from King County (WA)
This factsheet is written for grantees undertaking the Fair Housing and Equity Assessment. This Equity Impact Review Tool from King County, Washington, will help you develop ways to translate the findings of your data analysis into the decision-making and action steps of your planning and implementation process.
Date Published: April 2013
Aligning Strategies to Maximize Impact: Case Studies on Transportation and Economic Development
This report features 10 case studies from 11 states, where regional planning and economic development organizations are taking steps to coordinate planning processes and investment strategies, partner with new entities to improve outreach and implementation, document progress through metrics, and communicate results in an engaging way.
Date Published: April 2013
Case Study: Youth Involvement in Community Development Efforts (Brownsville, PA)
This case study, the first in the "Youth With a Voice" series, features a student-led initiative to develop a park and performance stage in downtown Brownsville, PA (pop. 2,300).
Date Published: March 2013
This brief case study describes the key learning points from the Community Engagement Team of the Twin Cities Sustainable Communities Initiative.
Date Published: March 2013
Sustainable Economic Development Strategies Webinar and Issue Brief
This webinar, held on December 19, 2012, assists SCI grantees interested or already engaged in economic development strategies. The webinar features three guest speakers who have extensive experience with implementation-oriented economic development strategies, including forming creative partnerships and crafting policies to advance job growth in their regions.
Date Published: December 2012
Developing Corridor Plans for Implementation Webinar
This webinar, held September 19, 2012, explains the advantages of planning for land use changes and TOD at the corridor scale. Drawing from best practices and national research, the webinar guides participants through a set of strategies that can be used to implement land use and TOD plans at the corridor scale.
Date Published: September 2012
Issue Brief: Advancing Sustainability in A Slow Economy
This issue brief targets these slower growth regions specifically and lays out a framework for advancing sustainability in a manner that can inform and help re-ignite regional economic growth. Drawing from best practices being developed both in the United States and abroad, the issue brief will provide participants with proven tools that can be put to use in their efforts. Case studies in Northeast Ohio and the Ruhr Valley in Germany are featured.
Date Published: August 2012
Connecticut Department of Transportation's Perspective on TOD Presentation
This presentation is an overview of how the CT Department of Transportation is maximizing the economic benefits of their transit investment by supporting TOD. Presented by Tom Maziarz, Bureau Chief of Policy and Planning, Connecticut Department of Transportation.
Date Published: July 2012
Baltimore Integration Partnership Presentation
This presentation is an overview of the development and structure of Baltimore’s Integration Partnership.
Date Published: July 2012
It's the Economy Stupid! - Presentation
This video recorded during the Sustainable Communities Leadership Academy in Baltimore, MD on June 18-20, 2012 features Dena Belzer, President of Strategic Economics, and Tom Maziarz, Bureau Chief of Policy and Planning at the Connecticut Department of Transportation. The presenters detail the challenges of merging land use and transportation planning with long term economic development.
Date Published: June 2012
Issue Brief: Redeveloping Brownfield Sites
This issue brief brownfields and giving a brief history of federal environmental laws, and then describes different approaches to redeveloping contaminated land, with case studies from around the country. The issue brief also provides suggestions for funding resources.
Date Published: June 2012
Issue Brief: Creating Regional TOD Plans & Strategies
This issue brief discusses the benefits of regional TOD planning, provides five approaches to creating such plans & strategies, and highlights case studies from the Baltimore and Twin Cities regions. The brief ends with a list of links to resources that can be helpful in planning for TOD at a regional scale.
Date Published: May 2012
Case Studies for Stormwater Management on Compacted, Contaminated Soils in Dense Urban Areas
These case studies provide three examples of projects that successfully implemented stormwater management principles.
Date Published: March 2012
This report presents the common trends in how 12 local governments developed and implemented stormwater policies to support green infrastructure. The local policies examined in this paper include interagency cooperation, enforcement and management issues and integration with state and federal regulations.
Date Published: March 2012
This report features the NYC Watershed Partnership, which works closely with government and non-governmental partners to protect the drinking water supply of 9 million people while promoting economic viability and preserving the social character of the communities in the upstate watershed.
Date Published: February 2012
The Case for Mixed-Income Transit-Oriented Development in the Denver Region
This report, which was commissioned by the Enterprise Community Partners of Denver, concludes that there is a growing demand for housing near transit, and a closing window of opportunity to develop it in a sustainable way with mixed-income housing.
Date Published: February 2012
These case studies describe ways metropolitan areas are addressing preservation challenges and opportunities, and identifies the strategies and tools communities can use to preserve affordable housing in transit-rich neighborhoods.
Date Published: February 2012
Street Storage for Combined Sewer Surcharge Control
This case study describes the use of street storage and catch basin modifications to reduce the rate of runoff entering combined sewer systems (CSS). These modifications help alleviate residential basement flooding that results from CSS surcharging during rainfall events.
Date Published: February 2012
This report provides case studies and checklists of possible actions that metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), rural transportation planning organizations (RPOs), state departments of transportation, local government entities, and other planning partners may take to enhance their partnership efforts.
Date Published: February 2012
These reports highlight the efforts of work being done through the Kansas Opportunity Innovation Network (KOIN). KOIN is a joint initiative by Kansas State University’s Advanced Manufacturing Institute (an Economic Development Administration-designated University Center), the state’s Economic Development Districts, and other partners to increase the number of globally competitive products and services produced in Kansas rural communities.
Date Published: February 2012
Field Evaluation of Permeable Pavements for Stormwater Management
This fact sheet illustrates a case study conducted by the City of Olympia on permeable and other alternative pavement surfaces. The study demonstrates the potential of alternative pavement systems to reduce stormwater runoff and provide water quality and cost savings benefits.
Date Published: February 2012
These case studies (in Largo, Maryland, and Tampa, Florida) demonstrate the potential to use low impact development practices in the design of new parking facilities and as retrofits for existing parking facilities to reduce runoff volume and remove pollutants. Includes monitoring data.
Date Published: February 2012
This toolkit-known as the EDTK-features a suite of 27 tools and links to reverse patterns of segregation and disinvestment, prevent displacement, and promote equitable revitalization.
Date Published: June 2014
Online Mapping for Residents to view Hazard Potential
This online mapping tool, developed by the California Emergency Management Agency, features the "My Hazards" Web site, to help residents identify and prepare for natural hazards in their locality. The agency hopes that by identifying local risk, residents will increase their knowledge about natural disasters and take up preparedness efforts specific to their risk.
Date Published: May 2014
The Capital Absorption Capacity of Places: A Self Assessment Tool
This is tool allows communities to self-assess their Capital Absorption Framework. The framework assumes that many stakeholders – from intermediaries to community groups to public agencies to the mainstream investment community – are required to make community investment possible. These stakeholders interact with each other and with the policy and regulatory environment in places to create an ecosystem for capital absorption.
Date Published: March 2014
Sustainable Working Waterfronts Webinar
This webinar walks attendees through the Sustainable Working Waterfronts Toolkit website, which contains information, data, and tools that individuals, communities, and governments at all levels can use to develop, inform, and enhance their sustainable working waterfront initiatives.
Date Published: March 2014
Civic Engagement: Mapping Tools to Process
This is the presentation, given by Ken Snyder at the HUD Grantee Convening in Dec 2013, that uses the IAP2 spectrum of engagement to show how tools and technology can be mapped to different parts of the civic engagement process.
Date Published: March 2014
This toolkit was developed to provide you with easy to use information about the basics of inclusionary housing as well as the myths and facts surrounding it; a sample PowerPoint presentation you can use to introduce the concept to others; a case study on how inclusionary housing is being used successfully in one community; and model ordinance language you can use to help enact this policy in your community.
Date Published: August 2013
These materials are from the "Implementing a Regional Plan as an Over-arching Economic Development Strategy" breakout session held during the Prosperous Places workshop in Salt Lake City, March 25-26, 2013.
Date Published: April 2013
Scenario Planning Capacity Assessment Tool
This draft capacity assessment tool is a resource to help grantees evaluate their ability to undertake scenario planning in the areas of data, technology, and staff capacity.
Date Published: November 2012
These materials are from a three-day hands on expert training workshop in scenario planning that featured specific emphasis in organizing and communicating for successful planning processes and selecting and using tools effectively in planning processes.
Date Published: October 2012
Communications Toolkit for Consortium Members
This is an online tool, the NEOSCC’s Conditions and Trends Platform (CAT), which is designed to help Northeast Ohioans understand, talk about and contribute to the future of our region.
Date Published: October 2012
This project selection tool helps KeepSpace assess and prioritize projects seeking competitive state or nonprofit funding. This tool was originally developed by EPA for Rhode Island.
Date Published: September 2012
Walkability Workbook from WALC and EPA
This free, new, excellent resource from the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute (WALC) and U.S. EPA was developed as part of EPA's Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program. The WALC Institute, led by Dan Burden, has helped hundreds of communities improve their streets and other public spaces through walkability audits and other tools, many available with this Walkability Workbook.
Date Published: August 2012
In this guide, Envision Utah walks through the process of digitizing maps, identifying common themes and crafting scenarios that reflect the broad array of issues and input identified through your engagement process. Join us for an in depth look behind the scenes.
Date Published: May 2012
Climate Resilience Evaluation & Awareness Tool (CREAT)
Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool (CREAT) is an interactive software tool designed for water and wastewater utilities to assess the risk of potential climate change impacts on their assets, operations, and missions and to develop adaptation plans.
Date Published: May 2012
American Opportunity: A Communications Toolkit
This toolkit represents the best thinking about how to use the Opportunity Frame from the communications professionals at the SPIN Project, the leaders of The Opportunity Agenda, other communications professionals engaged in defining the Opportunity Frame, and grassroots leaders from across the country working on critically important issues.
Date Published: May 2012
This webinar explores the technical side of scenario development. Review the process of moving from public engagement to the development of themes that are considered in alternative scenarios. We also look at how to use land use modeling tools to create your scenarios. This webinar features detailed use of Envision Tomorrow + (ET+) to illustrate scenario development from a technical modeling standpoint.
Date Published: April 2012
This section explores answers the following questions as they relate to scenario planning: How do we quantify our values? What do we want to measure? The quality of your scenarios and eventual plan are only as good as the data and tools that you use. Scenarios planning is the nexus of good ideas and good data, on top of a strong foundation of values research and planning.
Date Published: March 2012
This guide addresses tools and strategies to reduce the negative consequences of climate change on vulnerable communities. The guide briefly discusses how the tools and strategies could be adapted to assess coastal zones and water resources.
Date Published: March 2012
Assessment of Local Models and Tools for Analyzing Smart-Growth Strategies
This report, developed by the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans), explores models and tools available for use by cities and counties for assessing the potential effects of smart-growth land-use and transportation strategies designed to provide mobility options and reduce demand on automobile-oriented facilities.
Date Published: March 2012
This online tool, which is configured in a "Create Your Own Guide" format may be particularly useful to make a customized guide for local officials.
Date Published: February 2012
Trip Generation Tool for Mixed-Use Developments
This spreadsheet includes a tool that makes it easy to estimate trips generated by a new mixed-use development to more fairly assess these projects in development review processes.
Date Published: February 2012
Strategic Package of Tools to Promote Transit Oriented Development in Metropolitan Phoenix
This package is a summary of 23 tools that could be offered to the development community to create and enhance vibrant, healthy communities that support light-rail rail. Focused on metropolitan Phoenix, with nationwide application.
Date Published: February 2012
Smart Growth Implementation Tool Kit: Policy Audit
This toolkit is a set of practical tools to help communities grow smarter. The toolkit is designed to help local leaders untangle the policies and procedures that get in the way of smarter growth and sustainable development.
Date Published: February 2012
Security and Emergency Response Planning Toolbox for Small Water and Wastewater Systems
This toolbox consists of five core modules, appendices, and introductory text that relates security and emergency preparedness to best practices of system operation and management.
Date Published: February 2012
Nonpoint Source Outreach Toolbox
This toolbox features website links to media published by topics associated with Nonpoint sources. Media includes printed materials (advertisements, posters), radio and TV advertisements and public service announcements, as well as social media.
Date Published: February 2012
This handbook provides a variety of tools for cities, counties, multi-stakeholder groups, watershed groups, and other interested members of the public to manage or control growth and development for water resource protection. The book identifies the impacts of land use on water quality, water supplies, and the overall health and functioning of watersheds on which all communities -- and all life -- depend.
Date Published: February 2012
Creating Successful TOD Districts in Los Angeles: A Citywide Toolkit for Achieving Regional Goals
This toolkit assesses which stations are – or are not – supporting transit-oriented characteristics, and identifies strategies and investments that could help station areas achieve higher transit ridership, lower VMT, provide housing for a mix of incomes and guard against displacement, and to create healthy, prosperous neighborhoods where people of all incomes have a multitude of travel options.
Date Published: February 2012
This website, developed by the Chesapeake Stormwater Network, provides stormwater-related resources for advocates, planners and designers, managers, and residents. A variety of links maneuvers users to current and updated policy information, policy and design issues, training opportunities, research and resources.
Date Published: February 2012
OSHC Guidance on Performance Measurement and Flagship Sustainability Indicator Fact Sheets
This document provides instructional guidance and fact sheets on collecting and documenting grantee performance measures related to Sustainability Outcomes captured by the Flagship Sustainability Indicators, which are one set of performance measures developed by OSHC and its partners.
Date Published: August 2012
Field Evaluation of Permeable Pavements for Stormwater Management
This fact sheet illustrates a case study conducted by the City of Olympia on permeable and other alternative pavement surfaces. The study demonstrates the potential of alternative pavement systems to reduce stormwater runoff and provide water quality and cost savings benefits.
Date Published: February 2012
SCI Snapshots: Affordable Housing Creation and Preservation
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in affordable housing creation and preservation from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
SCI Snapshots: Arts and Culture
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in arts and culture from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
SCI Snapshots: Brownfields and Land Recycling
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in brownfields and land recycling from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
SCI Snapshots: Economic Development
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in economic development from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
SCI Snapshots: Equitable Development and Equity Strategies
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in equitable development and equity strategies from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
SCI Snapshots: Federal and State Alignment
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in federal and state alignment from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
SCI Snapshots: Finance Mechanisms
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in finance mechanisms from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
SCI Snapshots: Green Building Codes and Standards
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in agreen building codes and standards from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
SCI Snapshots: Green Infrastructure
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in green infrastucture from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
SCI Snapshots: Implementation Funding
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in implementation funding from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
SCI Snapshots: Implementation Strategies
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in implementation strategies from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
SCI Snapshots: Neighborhood or Downtown Plan
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in neighborhood and downtown from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
SCI Snapshots: Ongoing Partnerships
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in ongoing partnerships from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
SCI Snapshots: Performance Metrics
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in performance metrics from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
SCI Snapshots: Public Engagement Strategies
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in public engagement strategies from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
SCI Snapshots: Scenario Planning
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in scenario planning from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
SCI Snapshots: Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in transit oriented development (TOD) from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
SCI Snapshots: Transportation Choice
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in increasing transportation choice (including transit, bicycling, and walking) from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
SCI Snapshots: Workforce Development and Training
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in workforce development and training from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
This compilation of brief snapshot entries provides an overview of the best practices in zoning from the 143 HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees.
Date Published: December 2015
Tools for Effective Community Engagement Webinar
This webinar, held on May 22, 2015, is intended for Colorado communities affected by the 2013 floods, including local government staff and elected officials, and community-based partner organizations (e.g., housing authorities, parks and recreation districts, and private and nonprofit partners, etc.).
Date Published: May 2015
Sustainable Communities Learning Network Video Interview Series
This video features a handful of the HUD SCI grantee projects who are also NADO members to find out more about the impact these grants have had on their regions
Date Published: February 2015
Aligning Government Funds with Innovative Revenue Programs Webinar
This webinar, held on January 27, 2015, begins with Enterprise and LIIF providing a brief presentation on the role that government financing can plan play in innovative financing tools and programs. The overview is followed by presentations from various partners who vet investment opportunities and financing tools, launch innovative revenue programs or have achieved planning success as a result of aligning with public agencies.
Date Published: January 2015
Sustainable Communities Learning Network Video Series: GROWashington-Aroostook (Maine)
This video series includes interviews with representatives from a handful of the HUD SCI grantee projects who are also NADO members to find out more about the impact these grants have had on their regions
Date Published: January 2015
Unconventional Jobs: Forum on Jobs and Economic Resilience for SCI Grantees Video
This video from a forum for Sustainable Communities Initiative (SCI) grantees, held October 23-24, 2014, describes the new workforce law (WIOA), the sharing economy, equity crowdfunding and the JOBS act, and Digital Commons (makerspaces).
Date Published: January 2015
Webinar Materials: Working in Rural Communities
This series covers NDRC NOFA requirements as well as specific topics related to climate resilience strategies. On December 15, the "Working in Rural Communities" webinar focused on disaster recovery/resilience issues unique to working in rural communities, including funding resources, community engagement, and rural infrastructure.
Date Published: December 2014
Aging Infrastructure Webinar Series
This webinar, held on December 17, 2014, explores water infrastructure, which is foundational for our health, economic well-being, and quality of life. Unfortunately, it’s widely accepted that America’s water infrastructure is aging faster than we can replace it. The most recent American Society of Civil Engineers Report Card gave our country’s water infrastructure a Grade D.
Date Published: December 2014
Envisioning Post Grant Success: 2014 SCI Grantee Convening Webinar
This webinar, held on June 26, 2014, features the next steps for a SCI grantee after developing a vision and identifying goals and strategies. How do you maintain momentum and see great ideas take shape on the ground? How do you maintain the energy created and funnel it toward targeted action? Create a road map for post-grant success by assessing strategic, organizational, capacity, and funding ability in the context of established vision and goals.
Date Published: December 2014
LEED-ND and Other Tools for Implementing Sustainability at the Neighborhood Scale Webinar
This webinar, held on November 20, 2014, describes LEED-ND, the rating system for sustainable neighborhoods, which are the building blocks of sustainable cities. The neighborhood scale presents the opportunity to focus development and improvements that enhance quality of life in a very direct way. Whether good or bad - neighborhood level decisions about the environment, economy and community can make incremental change that bring a wave of outcomes to a region.
Date Published: November 2014
This webinar, held on November 13, 2014, is hosted by the NADO Research Foundation. It addresses the intersection between local food, public health, and regional resilience, by exploring Central Minnesota’s Choose Health program. The Choose Health program is one of several regional initiatives that is growing the region’s local food economy and increasing access to healthy food options for disadvantaged populations.
Date Published: November 2014
Using Green Infrastructure to Meet Clean Water Act Consent Decree Requirements Webinar
This webinar, held on November 12, 2014, discusses how communities are using green infrastructure approaches to address U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) consent decrees to clean up combined sewer overflows (CSOs) – and achieving cost savings and additional community benefits as a result. Josh Rivard from the Center for Infrastructure Research at University of Louisville shares case stories from Louisville, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Kansas City, and Saint Louis, and he outlines the basic steps involved in taking this new approach to compliance efforts.
Date Published: November 2014
This video from the Sustainable Communities Leadership Academy, held on October 20-22, 2014, contains comments from the Funding and Finance for Implementation Panel, with Dace West
Date Published: October 2014
This video from the Sustainable Communities Leadership Academy, held on October 20-22, 2014, contains comments from the Implementation Panel, with Dwayne Marsh.
Date Published: October 2014
This video from the Sustainable Communities Leadership Academy, held on October 20-22, 2014, contains comments from the Funding and Finance for Implementation Panel, with Craig Adelman.
Date Published: October 2014
This video from the Sustainable Communities Leadership Academy, held on October 20-22, 2014, features Gina Bartlett, Senior Mediator, Consensus Building Institute describing collaboration in implementation with a focus on setting the stage for successful collaboration in the long-term.
Date Published: October 2014
Using Tools and Data to Inform Equity-Oriented Decision-Making Webinar
This webinar, held on October 15, 2014, describes three strategies for thinking about and improving equity in our regions. University of Maryland staff demonstrates OppMap, a web-based tool for community-driven opportunity mapping in the Baltimore region. Kirwan Institute staff shows how historical analysis brings clarity to equity discussions in Cleveland. MAPC staff shares lessons learned about how tapping into empathy can help cultivate an open environment for discussing equity.
Date Published: October 2014
OER Summer Smarts Webinar: Demonstrating Economic Resilience
This webinar, held on September 29, 2014, demonstrates how pilot SCI grantee projects are demonstrating the concrete value of the planning process.
Date Published: September 2014
OER Summer Smarts Webinar: Implementation Tips for Smaller Places
This webinar, held on September 10, 2014, from the HUD Summer Smarts series features tips for SCI grantees in rural places to implement their plans.
Date Published: September 2014
OER Summer Smarts Webinar: Big Money
This webinar, held on August 20, 2014, investigates how communities find the dollars to actually pay for major projects and infrastructure investments.
Date Published: August 2014
Brownfields and Vacant Properties Inventories & Information Systems: Lessons from the Field Webinar
This webinar, held on August 14, 2014, discusses the value and various means of conducting inventories and property condition surveys as well as building information systems around brownfields and vacant properties. Presenters share examples from communities on how to use this data to inform the development and implementation of plans, spur strategic revitalization initiatives, leverage funding, and educate and engage the public.
Date Published: August 2014
The Regional Development Organization's Role in Disaster Recovery Webinar
This webinar, held on August 12, 2014, features speakers from three Regional Development Organizations (RDOs) that have been intensively involved in disaster recovery efforts. Presenters share their experiences, lessons learned, and recommendations for other RDOs seeking to engage in recovery work.
Date Published: August 2014
OER Summer Smarts Webinar: Funding for the Long Haul
This webinar, held on August 6, 2014, describes tactics SCI grantees are employing to maintain staffing into implementation.
Date Published: August 2014
Strengthening Rural-Urban Connections to Support Competitive Regions Webinar
This webinar, held on July 24, 2014, focuses on connecting rural and urban areas within a region. Though geography, politics, and demographics often result in rural and urban communities being thought of as distinct and unrelated places, current economic and social realities reveal that an effective framework for understanding urban and rural is through a prism of interdependence and linkages.
Date Published: July 2014
Tools to Support Regional Investment Decisions Webinar
This webinar, held on July 19, 2014, features panelists introducing two tools to support regional investment decisions. Setting standards and measurable goals is one key for effective long-term regional plans. Measurable goals and benchmarking allows cities to align investment decisions, prioritize and rank areas for development, focus on utilizing resources effectively, and create “development ready” codes and incentives
Date Published: July 2014
This video features Suk-Kyung, Assistant Professor of Michigan State University. She represented the Mid-Michigan Sustainability program of Greater Lansing, MI.
Date Published: July 2014
Interview with Paul Tuss - Executive Director, Bear Paw Development Corporation
This video features Paul Tuss of Havre, Montana, speaking on behalf of the North Central Montana project. It is a very diverse, rural area, that also includes three tribal reservations.
Date Published: July 2014
Interview with Maggie Woodruff - Transportation Planner, New Orleans Regional Planning Commission
This video interview features Maggie Woodruff, of New Orleans, describing the Claiborne Corridor project in Louisiana.
Date Published: July 2014
Interview with Kathy Dahlkemper - County Executive, Erie County
This video features Kathy Dahlkemper, County Executive, of Erie County, PA, speaking on behalf of Destination Erie and Erie Regional Vision. Kathy describes what makes her community sustainable and her vision for the community.
Date Published: July 2014
Interview with Julie Powers - Executive Director, Mid-Michigan Environmental Action Council
This video interview features Julie Powers of the Mid-Michigan Environmental Action Council, a partner of Greater Lansing's planning project.
Date Published: July 2014
This video interview features Brian McGrain of Ingham, MI, who did not receive a SCI grant, but continues to pursue regional planning and sustainability efforts.
Date Published: July 2014
Interview with Ben Pratt - Project Coordinator, Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership
This video webinar by PlaceMatters focuses on communicating complex planning ideas to public constituents and decision makers, and finding ways to explain it, talk about it, and grapple with it.
Date Published: July 2014
OER Summer Smarts Webinar: Outcomes that Last
This webinar, held on July 9, 2014, translates plan elements to specific implementation activities, with an emphasis on examples from SCI grantees on how they mobilized the support to get initial activities underway.
Date Published: July 2014
Engagement Tech for All Webinar
This webinar, held on June 26, 2014, describes the latest innovations in the field of civic technology, and the potential for these technologies to advance transformational change in communities, particularly around the lives of low-income people.
Date Published: June 2014
OER Summer Smarts Webinar: Governance Structures for Implementation
This webinar, held on June 18, 2014, provides an opportunity for SCI grantees and others to share the leadership structures that they built during the planning process and how they are using those alternative structures to implement first steps in project development.
Date Published: June 2014
Putting It All Together: The Nuts and Bolts of Designing a Regional Plan Webinar
This webinar, held on June 16, 2014, is hosted by the NADO Research Foundation. It features three executive directors from rural regions whose organizations have published their final regional plans as part of the Sustainable Communities Initiative (SCI). They present their design strategies and techniques to create a readable, engaging document that will continue to shape the conversation about community and economic development and quality-of-life in their regions for years to come.
Date Published: June 2014
Innovations in Workforce Development Podcast
This podcast, held on June 10, 2014, highlights how Clackamas County, Oregon's Workforce Investment Council is serving as a regional convener to meet the needs of businesses and workers alike.
Date Published: June 2014
Sustainable Communities Leadership Academy Road to Success 2: Welcoming Remarks, Betsy Spencer Video
This video from the Sustainable Communities Leadership Academy held on May 12-14, 2014 features Betsy Spencer, Director, Director, Office of Neighborhood Housing and Community Development, City of Austin discussing how the City of Austin addressed tough community engagement challenges in their planning process.
Date Published: May 2014
This video from the Sustainable Communities Leadership Academy held on May 12-14, 2014 features Carol Davis, Sustainability Manager for Blacksburg, VA and Ken Snyder, President & CEO, PlaceMatters. They explore new ways to get your community involved in the planning process in a meaningful way that is both empowering for citizens and contributes to a stronger, more sustainable plan.
Date Published: May 2014
This video from the Sustainable Communities Leadership Academy held on May 12-14, 2014, features Joe McKinney, Executive Director, National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) discussing challenges that may arise in the planning process, and how a community can address those challenges to move toward successful completion of their plans.
Date Published: May 2014
This webinar, held on April 30, 2014, focuses on jobs, which are an important part of sustainable community building efforts everywhere and a challenging area of focus for policy makers and practitioners.
Date Published: April 2014
This webinar, held on April 24, 2014, features staff at the Center for Hazards Research and Policy Development at the University of Louisville sharing their experience developing a statewide policy and planning framework for resiliency and recovery planning.
Date Published: April 2014
Best Practices Case Studies from the Tennessee Regions' Roundtable Network Webinar
This webinar, held on April 16, 2014, showcases case studies in community and economic development throughout Tennessee that are featured in the new Tennessee Regions’ Roundtable Network publication, “Navigating our Future: Best Practices Case Studies from the Tennessee Regions’ Roundtable Network.”
Date Published: April 2014
Using Community and Economic Development Strategies to Build Disaster Resilient Economies Webinar
This webinar, held on April 8, 2014, features leaders from east central Iowa, Longmont, Colorado, and Springfield, Massachusetts discussing how they are rebuilding and protecting their economic assets, including downtowns and key industries. The presenters discuss targeting growth to safe locations; encouraging walkable, mixed-use design; providing recovery funding and preparedness training to businesses; upgrading infrastructure; encouraging economic diversification; and promoting regional partnerships and coordinated planning.
Date Published: April 2014
Foreign Direct Investment and Exporting Webinar
This webinar, held on March 14, 2014, walks attendees through a web-based resource that is designed to promote ways to more effectively attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and develop export potential. The project profiles provide several useful examples for local communities that may want to introduce initiatives to promote exporting and FDI or have already launched such initiatives and want to make them more effective.
Date Published: March 2014
Sustainable Working Waterfronts Webinar
This webinar, held on March 4, 2014, walks attendees through the Sustainable Working Waterfronts Toolkit website, which contains information, data, and tools that individuals, communities, and governments at all levels can use to develop, inform, and enhance their sustainable working waterfront initiatives.
Date Published: March 2014
Transitioning to Long-Term Community Engagement Webinar
This webinar, held on February 19, 2014, features speakers from two different communities that are on the forefront of implementing long-term strategies for community engagement – the Kansas City Region and Piedmont Triad. This webinar describes the approaches these regions are exploring and using to continue and institutionalize the public/community partnerships developed during the Sustainable Communities Initiative (SCI) planning phase.
Date Published: February 2014
Meet Me Downtown: Case Studies in Small Town Economic Development Webinar
This webinar, held on February 5, 2014, highlights three small towns (Greenville, KY; Claremont, NH; and Millen, GA) that are investing in their downtowns through streetscape improvements, historic preservation, brownfields remediation, and tourism initiatives. The webinar showcases how strong local and regional leadership, dedicated volunteers, and a mix of local, state, and federal funding can come together to transform downtowns and main streets, improving both quality-of-life and economic opportunities for residents.
Date Published: February 2014
Putting Equity on the Map: Innovative Tools to Measure Access to Opportunity Webinar
This webinar, held on January 22, 2014, describes cutting edge equity mapping tools being used by regions around the country to measure social equity and access to opportunity. Across the country, access to opportunity varies greatly depending on the neighborhood or town one lives in. As our regions plan for the future, how do we ensure that decisions made today benefit everyone's quality of life?
Date Published: January 2014
Regional Innovation Acceleration Network (RIAN) Webinar
This webinar, held on December 18, 2013, is hosted by the NADO Research Foundation and the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA). It describes State Science and Technology Institute's (SSTI) Regional Innovation Acceleration Network (RIAN).
Date Published: December 2013
This webinar, held on December 13, 2013, contains an overview of HUD’s sustainable housing initiatives, with a focus on new initiatives launched with the President’s Climate Action Plan last summer, including the expansion of the Better Buildings Challenge to include multifamily residential buildings.
Date Published: December 2013
Value Capture: Silver Bullet or Fool's Gold? Webinar
This webinar, held on December 11, 2013, provides an overview of value capture tools used in the US, explores research about the “transit premium” experienced by businesses and property owners, and provides real-world examples of innovative value capture strategies currently underway in the US.
Date Published: December 2013
Brookings Institution Panel on the Nation's Skills Gap Webcast
This discussion, held December 4, 2013, highlights the importance of understanding the workforce skills gap in order to create effective public policies aimed at creating equitable economic growth in America.
Date Published: December 2013
Asset Management for Stormwater Webinar
This webinar, held on November 26, 2013, features Heather Himmelberger from the Southwest Environmental Finance Center introducing participants to asset management, an approach to maintaining infrastructure in a strategic way so that it is sustained over the long term at the lowest overall life cycle cost while meeting the needs of the community.
Date Published: November 2013
Moving From a Vision Scenario to Vision Implementation Video
This webinar, held on October 30, 2013, features Amy Thompson, a planner at Envision Utah, interviewing Envision Utah’s President and CEO Robert Grow, about the process for moving from a vision scenario to vision implementation.
Date Published: October 2013
Catching the Vision of Vision West ND Webinar
This webinar, held on October 24, 2013, describes the goals and status of Vision West ND, an initiative which covers a 19-county region in North Dakota. The webinar includes information on how Vision West ND is addressing the region's important issues, such as infrastructure, resource management, land use, water/wastewater, education, health care, and public safety.
Date Published: October 2013
Performance Measures for Local Livability and Multi-Modal Transportation Webinar
This webinar, held on October 16, 2013, is intended for MAP-21 subgrantees to learn about the benefits, best practices, and collaborative strategies for developing regional transportation performance measurements in their advocacy for better planning at the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) and state levels.
Date Published: October 2013
Economic Development Strategies for Small and Rural Communities: Ag-Based Renewable Energy Podcast
This podcast details how Kandiyohi County, Minnesota leveraged its agricultural industry and abundant natural resources to cultivate its agriculturally-based renewable energy industry.
Date Published: September 2013
Connecting Jobs and Workforce Development to Transit Webinar and Issue Brief
This webinar, held on September 18, 2013, provides an overview of the benefits of employers and workforce training providers locating near transit for and addresses the barriers that often prevent them from choosing a transit-oriented location. Speakers from Denver, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Phoenix discuss how they are working to better connect workers to jobs around their regions via transit.
Date Published: September 2013
Envision Tomorrow Plus Training Video Series
This set of training videos trains users on the popular Envision Tomorrow Plus (ET+) tools. Envision Tomorrow is an innovative set of urban and regional planning tools that can be used to model development feasibility on a site-by-site basis as well as create and evaluate multiple land use scenarios, test and refine transportation plans, produce small-area concept plans, and model complex regional issues.
Date Published: September 2013
Asset-Based Economic Development Strategies for Small Towns and Rural Communities Webinar
This webinar, held September 13, 2013, features leaders in two communities discussing how they developed their local and regional economies and attracted new residents and business by leveraging natural environmental, economic, cultural, and physical assets common in many small towns and rural places.
Date Published: September 2013
Introduction to COAST-a tool for community-led climate adaptation planning Webinar
This webinar, held on September 19, 2013, features Sam Merrill from the New England Environmental Finance Center. He introduces participants to COAST, a free, interactive tool that is being used in communities around the country to evaluate the costs and benefits of various adaptation options to sea level rise and storm surge.
Date Published: September 2013
Summer Smarts Series #6: Integrated Engagement of Persons with Disabilities Webinar
This webinar, held on August 14, 2013, includes representatives from HUD's Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities (OSHC) and the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) highlighting how Sustainable Communities Initiative grantees can more effectively engage persons with disabilities throughout the planning and implementation process.
Date Published: August 2013
Unlocking Metropolitan Planning Organization Funding Tools to Support Sustainability Plans Webinar
This webinar, held on August 14, 2013, explores provisions within federal transportation funding (including MAP-21) that regions can use to begin implementing their sustainability plans.
Date Published: August 2013
Preserving Affordable Housing Near Transit: Program and Policy Models for Success Webinar
This webinar, held on August 5, 2013, provides a brief overview of the need to preserve affordable housing near transit at the national level and will focus on three unique examples from the Boston, Denver and Washington DC regions. The examples highlight the ways that policy, cross sector collaboration and financing can begin to address the need for affordable housing preservation near transit.
Date Published: August 2013
Increasing the Financial Resiliency of Your Region in a Disaster-Filled World Webinar
This webinar, held on July 19, 2013, helps participants consider their local governments’ financial vulnerability as well as their capacity to respond to future natural disasters based on research and lessons learned responding to tropical natural disasters along the Gulf Coast of the United States. Further, joint financial vulnerabilities between local governments in a region are identified and strategies provided for how individual local governments can increase financial capacity that improves financial resiliency for the overall region.
Date Published: July 2013
Assessing the Economic Impact of Stormwater Investments Webinar
This webinar, held on June 19, 2013, presents the results of a study by the Environmental Finance Center at University of Maryland. The study contains findings from an investigation of the economic impact of urban stormwater management investments.
Date Published: June 2013
Communicating Complexity in Planning Webinar
This video, published on June 19, 2013, explores ways in which planners can translate complex planning ideas into usable information for the public and key decision makers.
Date Published: June 2013
Summer Smarts Series #2: So What is My Plan Supposed to Look Like, Anyway? Webinar
This webinar, held on June 5, 2013, features FY 2010 Sustainable Communities Initiative (SCI) grantees explaining the look, feel, and content of regional plans and final plans to FY 2011 grantees.
Date Published: June 2013
U.S. Cluster Map and Registry Webinar
This webinar, held on May 17, 2013, provides an overview of the U.S. Cluster Map and Registry which contains data on the regional clusters that are driving the national economy. Through this website practitioners can access key information on industries by location and type, in both data and chart format, which can be useful for developing a regional economic development strategy.
Date Published: May 2013
Triple Bottom Line Tool Webinar
This webinar, held on May 17, 2013, describes the Triple Bottom Line tool, which is designed to help optimize the impact of economic development investments on economic vitality, natural resource stewardship, and community well-being. It is designed to serve investors, economic development professionals, and decision-makers in the private, public, and non-profit sectors.
Date Published: May 2013
This webinar, held on May 1, 2013, features Christopher Forinash of the Institute for Sustainable Communities as moderator, and is introduced by Salin Geevarghese of HUD's Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities. The capital absorption framework is presented by Robin Hacke of Living Cities, and David Wood of the Initiative for Responsible Investment at Harvard University.
Date Published: May 2013
Transforming the Region: Video
In this video, two grantees share their work advancing sustainability at the regional scale: Marc Draisen, Executive Director, Metropolitan Area Planning Council and Bob Dean, Deputy Executive Director, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.
Date Published: April 2013
The Bridge to Better Development: Video and Materials
This presentation covers the story of 3CDC’s success in redeveloping and revitalizing Cincinnati’s central business district and over-the-Rhine neighborhood after years of neglect, crime, and disinvestment.
Date Published: April 2013
Addressing Equity and Rural Poverty Webinar
This webinar, held on April 16, 2013, highlights the opportunities and challenges small towns and rural communities face in combating poverty and promoting inclusive economic development. Presenters discuss efforts being made to incorporate equity – the just and fair inclusion into society where everyone can participate and prosper – into regional and community economic development plans in California and Tennessee.
Date Published: April 2013
This webinar, held on April 1, 2013, features Jason Lally of PlaceMatters, Dylan Mullenix of the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, and Sarah Madden of Sasaki Associates talking about the use of the CrowdGauge software, a tool originally developed for the Des Moines Tomorrow Plan. CrowdGauge is available as open source software.
Date Published: April 2013
If I'd Only Known: A Reflection on Lessons Learned & the Challenges Ahead
This video captures a panel discussion in which four 2010 grantees share their elevator pitches, explaining what they are trying to accomplish with their grants.
Date Published: March 2013
It Takes More than Money Video: Building Capacity to Attract and Deploy Private Capital Investment
This presentation, held on March 13, 2013, describes the Capital Absorption Framework developed by Living Cities. The framework was developed to help communities make effective use of different forms of capital to provide needed goods and services to underserved communities. Presenters use this as a guided working session in which teams participated in capital absorption self assessment exercises at their tables.
Date Published: March 2013
Sustainable Economic Development Strategies Webinar and Issue Brief
This webinar, held on December 19, 2012, assists SCI grantees interested or already engaged in economic development strategies. The webinar features three guest speakers who have extensive experience with implementation-oriented economic development strategies, including forming creative partnerships and crafting policies to advance job growth in their regions.
Date Published: December 2012
Back to Basics: Performance Measures and Flagship Sustainability Indicators Webinar
This webinar, held on November 1, 2012, focuses on one particular group of performance measures, called the Flagship Sustainability Indicators, which are outcome-based indicators used to measure SCI grantee progress toward creating sustainable regions and communities. HUD's Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities requires all FY 2011 SCI grantees to report on the Flagship Sustainability Indicators, and reporting is optional for FY 2010 grantees.
Date Published: November 2012
2012 Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities Summer Smarts Series
This series features eight sessions for SCI grantees.
Date Published: October 2012
Who Am I: Solving Your Identity Crisis to Optimize Development Potential Video
This video from the Sustainable Communities Leadership Academy held in Denver, October 1-3, 2012, contains a presentation by Dena Belzer, President, Strategic Economics during the Sustainable Communities. This presentation discusses the factors that effect land value and how to optimize development at a regional scale.
Date Published: December 2012
Equity, Growth and the American Future Video
This video from the Sustainable Communities Leadership Academy held in Denver, October 1-3, 2012 contains a presentation by Manuel Pastor, Director, Program for Environmental and Regional Equity, and Director, Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration at the University of Southern California. This presentation is an overview of population and demographic changes in America and an exploration of the relationship between equity and growth.
Date Published: December 2012
Clinic-Stakeholder Development and Effective Communications Video
This clinic, held October 1-3, 2012, provides an overview of how to engage and develop a wide group of stakeholders and how to communicate your message using values. The clinic was originally presented by Robert Grow, President, Envision Utah, at the Sustainable Communities Leadership Academy.
Date Published: December 2012
Data Preparation for Land Use and Scenario Planning Tools Webinar
This webinar, held on September 14, 2012, features the why’s and how’s of data readiness. Getting data lined up early can help tremendously in dealing with the complexity of regional planning processes. This is particularly true when getting ready for scenario planning.
Date Published: September 2012
NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide
This guide provides cities with state-of-the-practice solutions that can help create complete streets that are safe and enjoyable for bicyclists.
Date Published: September 2012
Web-based Scenario Planning Tools Webinar
This webinar, held on August 30, 2012, describes a host of web-based scenario planning tools.
Date Published: August 2012
Maximizing Your Fair Housing and Equity Assessment for Regional Prosperity Webinar
This webinar, held on July 25, 2012, instructs SCI grantees how they can use their Fair Housing and Equity Assessment process to maximize opportunities to create regional prosperity.
Date Published: July 2012
Redeveloping Brownfield Properties: A Regional Approach Webinar
This webinar, held on June 20, 2012, addresses local and regional strategies for redeveloping environmentally challenged properties (commonly referred to as "brownfields") by showcasing successful and transformative brownfield redevelopment projects and programs from around the country. Discussion topics include the financial, technical, and regulatory tools available to move your planning and redevelopment forward.
Date Published: June 2012
It's the Economy Stupid! - Presentation
This video recorded during the Sustainable Communities Leadership Academy in Baltimore, MD on June 18-20, 2012 features Dena Belzer, President of Strategic Economics, and Tom Maziarz, Bureau Chief of Policy and Planning at the Connecticut Department of Transportation. The presenters detail the challenges of merging land use and transportation planning with long term economic development.
Date Published: June 2012
Effective Strategies for Engaging Your Community on Sustainability Webinar
In this interactive online training, held on June 12, 2012, SCI grantees learn techniques to develop effective community engagement techniques for their planning programs and processes. Presenters share recommendations for getting the message out via traditional and social media, and strategies for communicating with the general public.
Date Published: June 2012
Livability in Transportation Webinar: Visioning, Planning and Process, and Policy
These online trainings and guidebook illustrate how livability principles have been incorporated into transportation planning, programming, and project design, using examples from State, regional, and local sponsors.
Date Published: June 2012
SCI Equity and Scenario Planning Webinar
This webinar, held on May 16, 2012, features a panel discussion of the link between social equity and scenario planning, providing training on engaging under-represented communities in scenario planning and using scenario planning tools and techniques to address social equity issues.
Date Published: May 2012
Developing Land Acquisition and TOD Funds Webinar and Issue Brief
This webinar, held on May 16, 2012, engages organizations considering launching fund efforts, to better understand how a structured fund model works, where and when one might be utilized successfully, and the opportunities and challenges specific to utilizing Sustainable Communities or other federal resources in such a model. Speakers from two communities, one city, one region, highlight their current activities.
Date Published: May 2012
Regional Planning for Transit and TOD Webinar and Issue Brief
This webinar, held on March 21, 2012, describes the challenges the Gulf Regional Planning Commission is facing and how they are using transit and TOD planning to lower housing and transportation costs for residents of the region, and explore how the Twin Cities is leveraging their existing and planned transit network to implement a vision of sustainable, vibrant and healthy communities. This webinar also highlights some of the overarching principles of regional planning for transit and TOD.
Date Published: March 2012
Regional Planning for Transit and TOD Webinar and Issue Brief
This webinar, held on March 21, 2012, describes the challenges the Gulf Regional Planning Commission is facing and how they are using transit and TOD planning to lower housing and transportation costs for residents of the region, and explore how the Twin Cities is leveraging their existing and planned transit network to implement a vision of sustainable, vibrant and healthy communities. This webinar also highlights some of the overarching principles of regional planning for transit and TOD.
Date Published: March 2012
Smaller Places Summit: OpportunityLink Video
This video from the Smaller Places Summit, held on March 5, 2012 - March 7, 2012, features Barbara Stiffarm of OpportunityLink describing their successful rural bus service.
Date Published: March 2012
This webinar, held on February 23, 2012, explores the unique challenges and opportunities affecting coalition building in rural and small town settings. Featuring speakers currently creating regional sustainable development plans with support from the HUD Office of Sustainable Communities, this discussion covered such topics as building consortiums, reaching out to diverse stakeholder groups, crafting communications strategies, and grant management.
Date Published: February 2012
Value Capture and Transit Webinar
This webinar, held on October 25, 2011, introduces participants to the range of value capture strategies that can be employed near transit, and provides real-world examples of innovative value capture strategies currently underway in the U.S.
Date Published: October 2011
These capacity builder and HUD reports include an in-depth analysis of various topics, including policy guidance, example scenarios, and best practices.
Green Infrastructure and the Sustainable Communities Initiative
This regional plan provides a unified long-term strategy for development in Chittenden County, VT by combining the region's Regional Plan, the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), and the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.
Date Published: February 2015
Aging Infrastructure Webinar Series
This webinar, held on December 17, 2014, explores water infrastructure, which is foundational for our health, economic well-being, and quality of life. Unfortunately, it’s widely accepted that America’s water infrastructure is aging faster than we can replace it. The most recent American Society of Civil Engineers Report Card gave our country’s water infrastructure a Grade D.
Date Published: December 2014
Enhancing Sustainable Communities with Green Infrastructure
This guide, released by the EPA Office of Sustainable Communities, helps community leaders and stakeholders incorporate green infrastructure strategies into transformative plans for their communities. By highlighting strategies that help manage stormwater while also achieving other environmental, public health, social, and economic benefits, the guide provides a framework for communities to make the most of their limited investments.
Date Published: November 2014
Cultivating a Competitive Advantage in Rural Counties
This report highlights how rural counties are pursuing asset-based economic development initiatives that create jobs and build wealth while preserving rural landscapes, culture, and heritage.
Date Published: November 2014
SF Bay Area and DC Regional Case Studies on Transportation Reform
This report summarizes key lessons learned from these two regions where advocates, philanthropy, the public sector and private entrepreneurs have created powerful coalitions to make transportation investments work better for people, places and the environment.
Date Published: September 2014
This product is the product of a technical assistance project with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the state of Vermont, and the Mad River Valley Planning District on how communities can recover from flood impacts and become more resilient to future disasters.
Date Published: July 2014
A Workforce that Works: County Innovations in Workforce Development
This issue brief that demonstrates the importance of a quality workforce as one of the most important factors for promoting county economic competitiveness.
Date Published: July 2014
Civic Engagement: Mapping Tools to Process
This is the presentation, given by Ken Snyder at the HUD Grantee Convening in Dec 2013, that uses the IAP2 spectrum of engagement to show how tools and technology can be mapped to different parts of the civic engagement process.
Date Published: March 2014
Navigating Our Future: Best Practices Case Studies from the Tennessee Regions' Roundtable Network
This publication from the Tennessee Regions’ Roundtable, sponsored by the NADO Research Foundation, highlights innovative community and economic development projects being implemented throughout Tennessee. Stories presented from the state’s diverse regions and communities demonstrate collaborative leadership, strategic partnerships, and implementation-funding techniques that readers can put to use in their own communities.
Date Published: February 2014
This guide describes financing for a newly popular form of transit-oriented development: equitable TOD. As demand for livable communities grows, land values near transit increase, which can sometimes lead to gentrification.
Date Published: February 2014
Spotlight on Large Urban Counties
This report, from NACo, profiles how large urban counties in the U.S. are driving economic recovery, fostering community resilience and pioneering new approaches to public service.
Date Published: January 2014
Building Capacity: Issue Brief Compilation from Phase I Team Implementation
This issue brief represents a compilation of specific issue area briefs provided by the Implementation team. Each issue brief accompanied a monthly webinar and allowed grantees to gain additional resources on topics such as creating regional TOD plans and strategies, infill infrastructure financing, advancing sustainability in a slow economy, and redeveloping brownfield properties. This document was created for the purpose of providing grantees with a one-stop resource for all issue briefs from Phase I Capacity Building work of Team Implementation.
Date Published: December 2013
Digital Coast: Tools to Promote County Resilience
This guide introduces a resource for coastal counties from NACo. Digital Coast: Tools to Promote County Resilience provides an overview of Digital Coast, a suite of tools to analyze and communicate coastal natural resource management issues. This publication provides background on Digital Coast and describes specific tools available to counties and communities to address needs in three main topic areas.
Date Published: October 2013
On Common Ground - The Vitality of Small Communities
This article from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) “On Common Ground” magazine highlights vibrant small towns and communities. “Across the country, community leaders are joining together to bring new life back to small towns. They are doing it by focusing on smart growth that highlights the existing assets of a community — its history, culture and landscape — or by creating a new source of vitality, such as by encouraging artists to flourish or by undertaking creative placemaking,” notes NAR.
Date Published: June 2013
Building Better Budgets: A National Examination of the Fiscal Benefits of Smart Growth Development
This report surveys 17 studies that compare different development scenarios, including a brand-new study of Nashville-Davidson County, TN, commissioned specifically for this report. The report looks at the costs associated with smart growth development and conventional suburban development, as well as both strategies’ revenue potential.
Date Published: May 2013
Analysis of Nashville Area Development Reveals Opportunity for Public Savings
This analysis features fiscal impact analyses of three development scenarios in Nashville-Davidson County, TN (PDF) examines the public costs and benefits of three development scenarios in Nashville-Davidson County: The Gulch, a smart growth oriented development project; Lennox Village, a New Urbanist-style development in a ‘greenfield’ location; and Bradford Hills, a conventional suburban residential subdivision outside of the city.
Date Published: April 2013
Aligning Strategies to Maximize Impact: Case Studies on Transportation and Economic Development
This report features 10 case studies from 11 states, where regional planning and economic development organizations are taking steps to coordinate planning processes and investment strategies, partner with new entities to improve outreach and implementation, document progress through metrics, and communicate results in an engaging way.
Date Published: April 2013
Issue Brief: Advancing Environmental Justice Through Sustainability Planning
This brief explains why addressing environmental justice (EJ) is a key aspect of creating sustainable regions, and presents ways in which those involved in local and regional planning can achieve EJ in their communities. It begins by defining EJ and outlining some key issue areas –namely industrial pollution, goods movement, urban sprawl, transportation inequity, smart growth, and displacement.
Date Published: December 2012
Back to Basics: Performance Measures and Flagship Sustainability Indicators Webinar
This webinar focuses on one particular group of performance measures, called the Flagship Sustainability Indicators, which are outcome-based indicators used to measure grantee progress toward creating sustainable regions and communities. OSHC requires all FY11 grantees to report on the Flagship Sustainability Indicators, and reporting is optional for FY10 grantees.
Date Published: December 2012
This report presents the common trends in how 12 local governments developed and implemented stormwater policies to support green infrastructure. The local policies examined in this paper include interagency cooperation, enforcement and management issues and integration with state and federal regulations.
Date Published: March 2012
Assessment of Local Models and Tools for Analyzing Smart-Growth Strategies
This report, developed by the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans), explores models and tools available for use by cities and counties for assessing the potential effects of smart-growth land-use and transportation strategies designed to provide mobility options and reduce demand on automobile-oriented facilities.
Date Published: March 2012
The Case for Mixed-Income Transit-Oriented Development in the Denver Region
This report, which was commissioned by the Enterprise Community Partners of Denver, concludes that there is a growing demand for housing near transit, and a closing window of opportunity to develop it in a sustainable way with mixed-income housing.
Date Published: February 2012
This report provides case studies and checklists of possible actions that metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), rural transportation planning organizations (RPOs), state departments of transportation, local government entities, and other planning partners may take to enhance their partnership efforts.
Date Published: February 2012
These reports highlight the efforts of work being done through the Kansas Opportunity Innovation Network (KOIN). KOIN is a joint initiative by Kansas State University’s Advanced Manufacturing Institute (an Economic Development Administration-designated University Center), the state’s Economic Development Districts, and other partners to increase the number of globally competitive products and services produced in Kansas rural communities.
Date Published: February 2012
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Two Rivers-Ottauquechee, VT
This Regional Plan gives guidance to developers, municipalities and other political subdivisions in the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Region, and the State of Vermont on appropriate development, improvement and conservation of the region's physical and human resources. The plan includes guidance on energy, healthy communities, housing, population change, transportation, natural resources, and implementation. This plan was adopted in July 2017.
Date Published: July 2017
Corridor Plan for Light Rail Extension for Minneapolis, MN Blue Line
This website describes the 13 mile, 11 stop, light rail extension that will connect downtown Minneapolis to its northwest communities - including making connections between these northwest communities and other transit options.
Date Published: March 2017
Comprehensive Plan Update for Easton, PA - Vision Easton
This update to the City of Easton's Comprehensive Plan 2015 was approved in February 2017. It outlines 52 initiatives to help the city transform, unify, and thrive. The plan includes strategies for site-specific urban development, neighborhood investment, and ways to preserve urban and natural landscapes. The plan consists of three separate planning documents which detail the city's history, demographics, existing conditions, examination of the regional context, and priority projects – on a user friendly website.
Date Published: February 2017
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Corridor Project for Saint Paul, MN Gateway Corridor
The Gateway Corridor project includes transit studies and news updates for Bus Rapid Transit project connecting the east metro area to the Twin Cities.
Date Published: January 2017
Infrastructure Plan for Glens Falls, NY
This website for the Adirondack Gateway Council lays out the region's planned infrastructure developments, including target communities in the region and their respective proposed projects, as well as reports and other related documents.
Date Published: January 2017
Unified Development Code for Dona Ana County, NM
This document is the Unified Development Code (UDC) of Doña Ana County, NM. The UDC consolidates all development-related regulations including zoning requirements, subdivision requirements, design and development standards, and review procedures into one document. The code was adopted by the county in December 2016 after over 65 planning meetings and took effect in February 2017.
Date Published: December 2016
Parramore Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan
The Parramore Neighborhood plan lays out a vision for protecting the integrity and heritage of one of Orlando's oldest African American neighborhoods as the neighborhood is connected to the new SunRail commuter rail, Downtown Orlando and area neighborhoods. With extensive engagement of residents, business owners, and community leaders, this plan recommends actions for encouraging economic growth, redevelopment, and improvements in education, safety, housing and quality of life in this historic community.
Date Published: May 2016
Downtown Allentown, PA Development and Urban Design Plan
This document outlines a plan for downtown development in Allentown, PA. It also provides recommendations in the areas of land use, urban design, and transportation and infrastructure.
Date Published: December 2015
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Together North Jersey, NJ
This plan provides three years of extensive planning activities by the coalition of nearly 100 diverse partners. It also provides information including a Discovery Phase, a Visioning Phase, and an Action Planning Phase, all of which were informed by extensive public outreach activities held in diverse settings across the region.
Date Published: November 2015
Conservation and Development Plan for Mansfield, CT
This plan provides a unified framework of values, goals, strategies and actions that will guide both the town officials as they make decisions about the town's physical, social and economic development over the next 20 years.
Date Published: October 2015
Doña Ana Affordable Housing Plan
This Affordable Housing Plan lays out the housing needs, barriers, and goals to housing development in Doña Ana County, NM. The plan applies to the unincorporated areas of the County, including colonias, but not including Las Cruces and Mesilla. The plan was adopted in October 2015.
Date Published: October 2015
Four Corners/Geneva Ave Station Area Plan for Boston, MA
The Four Corners/Geneva Avenue Station Area Plan establishes a framework for future improvements and investment to complement the transit infrastructure at the new MBTA station and to enhance three distinct Main Street districts at Four Corners, Bowdoin/Geneva, and Grove Hall and the surrounding neighborhoods.
Date Published: October 2015
Corridor Plan for Michigan Street, Grand Rapids, MI
This plan provides an outline of policies and strategies that will help the Michigan Street Corridor area achieve a sustainable future through initiating desired land use changes, sequencing improvements to the transportation system, and framing important community conversations.
Date Published: August 2015
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Dona Ana County, NM (Plan 2040: Viva Dona Ana)
This comprehensive plan for Doña Ana County and its municipalities (Plan 2040) is the result of a collaborative effort to advance and integrate regional planning by bringing together planning for housing, transportation, workforce, economic development, and the environment. Plan 2040 has been specifically developed to address the values and interests of people living and working in Doña Ana County and aims to advance locally shaped livability principles and priorities.
Date Published: August 2015
El Camino Real Corridor Plan for Dona Ana County, NM
This corridor enhancement plan focuses on a series of improvements along the 92-mile corridor in Doña Ana County, New Mexico. The corridor is part of the official El Camino Real Scenic ByWay that stretches from the border of Mexico to north of Santa Fe. Using criteria from the National Scenic ByWay and Housing and Urban Development's Livability Principles, the Corridor Enhancement Plan proposes four catalytic projects with the ultimate goal of providing more economic opportunities for the region and area residents.
Date Published: July 2015
Neighborhood Plan for Central Warren, OH
This plan provides a strategy to promote sustainability at the neighborhood level. It also provides a comprehensive parcel inventory and a housing rehabilitation strategy.
Date Published: July 2015
Regional Housing Strategy for the Denver Regional COG, CO
In 2013, DRCOG initiated a Regional Housing Strategy (RHS) study to identify the nature and extent of the region’s housing needs, to inform the Metro Vision update. The RHS takes a “balanced housing” approach with the goal of providing a diverse set of housing choices for the many types of households who call the region home today and in the future. Strategy development focused on how to improve provision of a diverse set of housing opportunities for residents of all ages, incomes and abilities throughout the region.
Date Published: July 2015
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Northwest Region, VT
This regional plan for sustainable development provides a framework for the economic, social and environmental factors that influence and sustain growth and development in rural northwest Vermont.
Date Published: July 2015
Walkable Urban Code for Phoenix, AZ
This Walkable Urban Code describes the implementation of the vision and policies of Phoenix's TOD station area plans. The plan directs land-use development, subdivision standards, lot requirements, set backs and building codes. The plan also utilizes Transect principles.
Date Published: July 2015
Agriculture and Healthy Communities Plan for Glens Falls, NY
This report highlights existing community health conditions, with a focus on availability of local healthy food, with a discussion of trends and vision for the future. The report highlights changing demographics and the growing aging population as well as the importance of value-added agriculture and local food processing to keep more wealth in community.
Date Published: June 2015
Broadband-Communications Plan for Glens Falls, NY
This report highlights the missed opportunities that limited broadband and wireless communications presents in this rural region. The study inventories and maps existing broadband availability noting that broadband and cell phone coverage is increasingly central to economic development, entrepreneurship and job creation in the region.
Date Published: June 2015
Brownfields Plan for Glens Falls, NY
This plan lays out the Adirondack Gateway Council region's brownfield remediation strategies.
Date Published: June 2015
Corridor Plan for Denver's East Corridor, CO
This Blueprint serves as the final report of the planning efforts conducted along the East Rail Line. It is designed to support ongoing collaborative cross-jurisdictional and interagency planning and development. The corridor is defined as the area within one mile of these lines.
Date Published: June 2015
Corridor Plan for Denver's Gold Corridor, CO
This Blueprint serves as the final report of the planning efforts conducted along the Gold Rail Line. It is designed to support ongoing collaborative cross-jurisdictional and inter-agency planning and development. The corridor is defined as the area within one mile of these lines.
Date Published: June 2015
Corridor Plan for Denver's Northwest Corridor, CO
This Blueprint serves as the final report of the planning efforts conducted along the Northwest Rail Line and US 36 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route conducted through SCI. It is designed to support ongoing collaborative cross-jurisdictional and inter-agency planning and development. The corridor is defined as the area within one mile of these lines.
Date Published: June 2015
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) and Housing and Transportation Plan for Glens Falls, NY
The Adirondack Gateway Regional Fair Housing and Equity Assessment and Housing and Transportation Analysis (2015) serves as the HUD‐required regional Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) and as one of several technical reports supporting the overall sustainable development plan for the Adirondack Gateway Council Region. It contributes important knowledge and recommendations for action to the Regional Sustainable Development planning process.
Date Published: June 2015
Granite State Future: Statewide Snapshot
This report provides a compilation of the nine regional plans, numerous statewide technical studies, and the robust outreach efforts conducted at the state and regional level to presents the citizens of New Hampshire with the relative priorities of different subjects across the state.
Date Published: June 2015
Public Art and Design Plan for Washtenaw Corridor, MI
This plan provides a public art design strategy for the ReImagine Washtenaw Avenue project.
Date Published: June 2015
Renew East Arkansas (East Arkansas Planning and Development District) lays out the region's priorities for growth and development summarized from a three-year comprehensive visioning and planning process. The report presents existing conditions related to population, poverty and educational attainment and an overview of strategies for building civic leadership, infrastructure, affordable housing, tourism and cultural development in this largely rural region.
Date Published: June 2015
Station Area Implementation Strategy for Sheridan Station, Denver, CO
This document is about action. It puts forth specific implementation projects and strategies for the Sheridan Station area that are the building blocks to creating a 20-Minute Neighborhood. What is a 20-Minute Neighborhood? It’s a neighborhood where residents have safe and convenient access by walking, bicycling, or transit to many of the places and services they use daily, including local markets and other neighborhood serving businesses, restaurants, schools, and parks within a half-mile or 20-minute walking distance, and in the case of the Sheridan Station 20-Minute neighborhood, using the Sheridan light rail station as a transit hub.
Date Published: June 2015
Uptown Transit District Plan for Phoenix, AZ
This transit district plan for light rail station area features the following elements: health, economic development, housing, land-use, mobility and "green" systems. Highlights include current conditions discussion, a health impact assessment and strategies to address the health challenges, and a community vision for the future.
Date Published: June 2015
Delta Roots - The Mid-South Regional Food Systems Plan for East Arkansas
This food system plan assesses the potential for expanding value-added agriculture and the local food economy in the greater E. Arkansas/Memphis region. This report was a joint product of two HUD regional grantees: Shelby County, TN and E. Arkansas Economic and Development District.
Date Published: May 2015
Eastlake Garfield Transit District Plan for Phoenix, AZ
This transit district plan for light rail station area features the following elements: health, economic development, housing, land-use, mobility and "green" systems. Highlights include current conditions discussion, a health impact assessment and strategies to address the health challenges, and a community vision for the future.
Date Published: May 2015
FOCUS: Framework for Our Future for Cape Fear, NC
This plan provides 10 key strategies for Lower Cape Fear region, NC to consider when making policy decisions to guide public and private investment in the region.
Date Published: May 2015
Gateway Transit District Plan for Phoenix, AZ
This transit district plan for light rail station area features the following elements: health, economic development, housing, land-use, mobility and "green" systems. Highlights include current conditions discussion, a health impact assessment and strategies to address the health challenges, and a community vision for the future.
Date Published: May 2015
Midtown Transit District Plan for Phoenix, AZ
This transit district plan for light rail station area features the following elements: health, economic development, housing, land-use, mobility and "green" systems. Highlights include current conditions discussion, a health impact assessment and strategies to address the health challenges, and a community vision for the future.
Date Published: May 2015
Solano Transit District Plan for Phoenix, AZ
This transit district plan for light rail station area features the following elements: health, economic development, housing, land-use, mobility and "green" systems. Highlights include current conditions discussion, a health impact assessment and strategies to address the health challenges, and a community vision for the future.
Date Published: May 2015
Border Area Economic Development Plan for Dona Ana County, NM
This plan examines how Dona Ana County can best position itself to take advantage of increased commerce by leveraging investments coming into the area, strengthening transportation corridors and choices, developing its own business strengths and strengthening existing communities near the U.S./Mexico border, as manufacturing expands south of the border.
Date Published: April 2015
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Teton View, WY and ID
This regional strategy and plan is for a four county, seven city region that straddles two states adjacent to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. The plan draws on the findings from 20 research projects and assessments and includes 60 region-wide initiatives and community projects for this western region.
Date Published: April 2015
This report gives a high-level summary of the South Central Kansas Prosperity Plan, a Regional Plan for Sustainable Development created by the Regional Economic Area Partnership (REAP).
Date Published: March 2015
Existing Conditions Report for South Central Kansas Prosperity Plan
This report was part of the baseline analysis phase, designed to highlight issues and trends shaping community development, investment, and resource management decisions within the five-county region of South Central Kansas. The report considers the existing demographics and statistics for workforce amd business development, the built environment, transportation, water, natural resources, and healthy community design.
Date Published: March 2015
Implementation Plan Overview for Destination Erie, PA
This document helps citizens understand why Erie County, PA needs a regional plan. The document breaks apart five building blocks (Connected, Green, Livable, Educated, Thriving) over three time periods (Short-term, Medium-term, and Long-term).
Date Published: March 2015
Preliminary Engineering Concept TOD Plan for Orange Avenue, FL
This engineering concept plan incorporates alternatives for the Orange Avenue corridor around the Sand Lake Road SunRail Station in Orange County, FL.
Date Published: March 2015
This plan focuses on the economy, the environment, community vitality, social equity, infrastructure, education, public health, and more. The plan aims to make the most of our existing resources and talent, draw new development to the state, and prepare us for future growth.
Date Published: March 2015
Regional Vision Plan for Destination Erie, PA
This document provides a regional plan for Erie County, PA. It also provides economic development strategies for the surrounding region in OH and PA.
Date Published: March 2015
Blue Hill Avenue/Cummins Highway Station Area Plan for Boston, MA
The Blue Hill Avenue/Cummins Highway Station Area Plan establishes a framework for future improvements and investment to complement the transit infrastructure at a new MBTA station and to enhance both the commercial center of Mattapan Square and the surrounding neighborhoods.
Date Published: February 2015
Glades Region Master Plan for Palm Beach County, FL
This master plan will serve as a guiding blueprint to enhance economic competitiveness focusing on major employment centers in the Glades Region which includes Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay, Canal Point, and surrounding areas which make up the Glades Unincorporated Urban Service Area.
Date Published: February 2015
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for South Central Kansas Prosperity Plan
This report is the complete South Central Kansas Prosperity Plan, a Regional Plan for Sustainable Development created by the Regional Economic Area Partnership (REAP). The report presents a vision and a plan for the future of Butler, Harvey, Reno, Sedgwick, and Sumner Counties in Kansas.
Date Published: February 2015
Washington Realized: A Sustainable Community Strategy
This plan provides two complementary strategies aimed at revitalization of the Washington area of West Sacramento CA: a transit-oriented development strategy and a complete communities strategy. This document provides a blueprint and funding strategy to shift development patterns towards compact, transit-served, mixed- use growth that is inclusive of current residents.
Date Published: February 2015
Alternative Fuel Scenario Assessment for Centralina, NC and SC
This guidebook provides thorough information about alternative fuel filling station economics and technical best practices. It provides information on market considerations, analysis of fuel types, financial modeling, permitting and regulatory considerations, and design considerations.
Date Published: January 2015
Child Care White Paper for Western North Dakota Energy Project
This white paper provides a review of the childcare problem in the Bakken oil region of North Dakota and considerations for addressing this issue.
Date Published: January 2015
Complete Planning Resources for Henderson, NV (Southern Nevada Strong)
This webpage provides a catalog of all of the studies, presentations, meeting notes and summaries, and final documents from the collaborative process that Southern Nevada Strong led to develop their Regional Plan for Sustainable Development.
Date Published: January 2015
This executive summary report communicates an overview of the region's vision for the future in terms of transportation, housing, education and workforce development, human services, and health care access for Southern Nevada.
Date Published: January 2015
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) for South Central Kansas Prosperity Plan
This Fair Housing and Equity Assessment presents information about the housing conditions in South Central Kansas, including ways in which current development patterns shape social and economic opportunities for all residents, especially underserved groups.
Date Published: January 2015
Implementation Matrix for Regional Plan for Henderson, NV (Southern Nevada Strong)
This report provides a menu of concrete implementation strategies tied to the goals and objectives of Southern Nevada Strong's Regional Plan for Sustainable Development. Each strategy includes the local lead and supporting organization partners, an analysis of fiscal impact, and the potential time horizon for implemention.
Date Published: January 2015
Planning Report Library for "The Grand Vision" in Northwest Michigan
This website is a landing page for Northwest Michigan regional Grand Vision reports that were developed through scenario planning workshops and community engagement. The Grand Vision includes guiding principles, project timelines, partners and calls to action for regional growth, transportation and land use, economic growth, housing, agriculture, and the natural environment.
Date Published: January 2015
Reality Check 2050 Visioning Session - Final Report for Centralina, NC and SC
This report documents the recommendations from the Reality Check 2050 Visioning Exercise led by the Urban Land Institute in 2013.
Date Published: January 2015
Regional Asset Map for South Central Kansas Prosperity Plan
This report presents a consolidated inventory of South Central Kansas' regional assets to guide strategic economic development investments. Assets include physical infrastructure, human and social capital, training and educational systems, regulatory climate, and overall quality of life.
Date Published: January 2015
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Henderson, NV (Southern Nevada Strong)
This Regional Plan for Sustainable Development communicates a collective vision for the future in terms of transportation, housing, education and workforce development, human services, and health care access for Southern Nevada. It also provides an overview of key issues facing the region, a preferred, more compact land use scenario and policy strategies to implement this vision.
Date Published: January 2015
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Northwest Michigan - Framework for our Future
This website is a landing page for the chapters of Framework For Our Future: A Regional Prosperity Plan for Northwest Michigan. The chapters include regional frameworks for growth and investment, housing, transportation, energy arts and culture, recreation, natural resources, talent, food and farming, and healthy communities.
Date Published: January 2015
Regional Scenario Planning Summary for Centralina, NC and SC
This report provides information on Connect our Future’s regional growth scenario planning process, developed collaboratively and with extensive community engagement. The report provides information about the process for developing the scenario planning model, the preferred growth scenario, and technical information about the model itself and CommunityViz software.
Date Published: January 2015
Comprehensive Plan for Village of Forest Park, IL
This plan provides information that will guide the Village of Forest Park in the review of development and redevelopment proposals, the prioritization of capital improvement projects, and in influencing future land use policy decisions. The plan also provides information on baseline statistics for population, school attendance, housing, income, and business market data.
Date Published: December 2014
This Regional Plan has dozens of recommendations spread throughout the 17 issue areas of the plan. In short, the recommendations call for the long-term continuation of Vision West ND (or a similar organization) to manage and expedite additional resources to create a sustainable future for the region.
Date Published: December 2014
Green Infrastructure Plan for Southeast Michigan
This webpage is a portal to SEMCOG's green infrastructure resources, including the regional Green Infrastructure Vision, a Low Impact Development Guide, and the Great Lakes Green Streets Guidebook. In Southeast Michigan, green infrastructure includes two broad categories: 1) natural, undisturbed environment such as wetlands, trees, prairies, lakes, rivers, and streams; and 2) constructed or built green infrastructure such as rain gardens, bioswales, community gardens, and agricultural lands.
Date Published: December 2014
Jump Start Action Plans and Zoning Ordinances for Central Arkansas
This website provides information and links to all of the approved Jump Start Action Plans and updated zoning ordinances made within Imagine Central Arkansas 'Jump Start' areas.
Date Published: December 2014
Planning Outreach Executive Summary for Henderson, NV (Southern Nevada Strong)
This report provides a full description of Southern Nevada Strong's robust, three-phase public engagement effort during the development of their Regional Plan for Sustainable Development that ultimately reached more than 6,000 people. It provides information about inclusive governance structures and the 19 different methods used to get input in multiple languages.
Date Published: December 2014
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Imagine Central Arkansas
This regional plan provides information on regional planning for the five counties of central Arkansas, which includes the metropolitan area of Little Rock, AR.
Date Published: December 2014
This website provides a link to the Omaha-Council Bluffs Heartland 2050 Vision long-term regional plan for improving the quality of life for all Heartland residents. The plan provides information on six goals that include economic development, high quality education, healthy living and safe neighborhoods, housing and development, efficient infrastructure, and protection of natural resources.
Date Published: December 2014
Community Challenge Grant Plan and Case Studies for New Hampshire
These thirteen profiles of New Hampshire communities use competitive small (sub) grant awards to complete showcase land-use planning and reform activities. Activities include: mixed use zoning, traditional neighborhood overlays, form based codes, energy efficiency and pedestrian master plans.
Date Published: November 2014
Corridor Design Portfolio for the Tri-County Region, MI
This guide presents strategies for designing and developing sustainable corridors. It highlights common techniques that communities use today to meet sustainability needs, including energy, local food, built environments, mobility, natural resources, capacity and economic development.
Date Published: November 2014
Fair Housing for Regional and Municipal Planning: A Guide Book for New Hampshire Planners
This guidebook is a resource for New Hampshire communities seeking information about the state's housing discrimination laws and some aspects of federal housing law current at the time of the report's publication (pre-publication of final AFFH rule).
Date Published: November 2014
Master Plan for Imagine Flint, MI
This plan provides a policy guide for the City of Flint's community improvement and development over the next two decades and beyond. It also outlines strategies that will help effectively guide City leaders and community stakeholders in making substantive and thoughtful decisions for the community regarding land use and development, housing and neighborhoods, transportation and mobility, environmental features, open space and parks, infrastructure and community facilities, and economic development.
Date Published: November 2014
Capitol Region Plan for Conservation and Development
This plan is a general guide for the future conservation and development of the greater Hartford, CT area. Its individual chapters provide an overview of the many factors that influence the regional development pattern, and the choices available as they move into the future.
Date Published: October 2014
Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA) for Sustainable Knowledge Corridor, CT
This report provides an analysis of fair housing and access to opportunity in the greater Hartford, CT/Western MA region. The fair housing and equity assessment analyzes how well regional plans link fair housing considerations with issues of transportation, employment, education, land use planning, and environmental justice and makes recommendations about locations for affordable housing in areas that offer access to opportunity regardless of race, family status, disability, source of income or other personal characteristics protected under federal and state civil rights statutes.
Date Published: October 2014
Growth and Investment Area Study and Commercial Corridor Inventory for Antrim County, MI
This is a study of selected Growth and Investment Areas and related commercial corridor issues in Northwest MI, Antrim Co.
Date Published: October 2014
Growth and Investment Area Study and Commercial Corridor Inventory for Benzie County, MI
This is a study of selected Growth and Investment Areas and related commercial corridor issues in Northwest MI, Benzie Co.
Date Published: October 2014
Growth and Investment Area Study and Commercial Corridor Inventory for Kalkaska County, MI
This is a study of selected Growth and Investment Areas and related commercial corridor issues in Northwest MI, Kalkaska Co.
Date Published: October 2014
Growth and Investment Area Study and Commercial Corridor Inventory for Wexford County, MI
This is a study of selected Growth and Investment Areas and related commercial corridor issues in Northwest MI, Wexford Co.
Date Published: October 2014
This plan provides a vision and prioritized action steps for the Sustainable Knowledge Corridor, a bi-state region that includes the greater Hartford, CT area and the Pioneer Valley in Western Massachusetts.
Date Published: October 2014
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Lehigh Valley, PA
This regional plan, prepared by 14 regional partners, builds on the earlier Leigh Valley 2030. It promotes 31 goals around four themes: Economy, Environment, Transportation and Livable Communities.
Date Published: October 2014
Smart Growth Plan for Wachusett Corridor, MA
This Smart Growth Corridor Plan provides a strategy for land-use around the new Wachusett Station in central Massachusetts. The new commuter rail station, funded through a U.S. DOT TIGER grant, provides Fitchburg, Leominster and Westminster new connections and linkages to the City of Boston and its western suburbs; the plan identifies opportunities for enhancing the regional economy, job market, housing and recreational opportunities in a 2.5 mile radius around the new station.
Date Published: October 2014
Sustainability Toolkit from Pioneer Valley, MA
This toolkit provides technical assistance and resources to help municipalities in the Pioneer Valley, MA region implement their Regional Plan for Sustainable Development by adopting strategies (including model policies, bylaws, and ordinances) to take action on climate change, promote use of clean energy sources, grow smarter, protect their environments, promote food security, and encourage use of green infrastructure.
Date Published: September 2014
Child Care Planning Report for Western North Dakota Energy Project
This project includes coordination among community developers, program providers, and stakeholders in Minot, Williston, and Dickinson, North Dakota to address the child care crisis in the region.
Date Published: August 2014
Climate Change in Northern New Hampshire: Past, Present, and Future
This report provides historic and projected regional climate change data for the state along with strategies to help Northern NH communities adapt to and mitigate impacts of climate change.
Date Published: August 2014
Climate Change in Southern New Hampshire: Past, Present, and Future
This report provides historic and projected regional climate change data for the state along with strategies to help Southern NH communities adapt to and mitigate impacts of climate change.
Date Published: August 2014
Comprehensive Plan (Forward Together) for Blueprint Binghamton
This Comprehensive Plan Update for the City of Binghamton, NY was developed with significant public input and adopted in August 2014. The plan presents existing conditions as well as a vision and recommendations for increasing economic opportunities, entrepreneurship, housing choices, downtown development, pedestrian connections, environmental benefits and long-term resiliency and sustainability in the City. Binghamton used a variety of creative means to engage its residents in this process, including area youth.
Date Published: August 2014
Jobs, Workforce, and Education Alignment Strategy for the Greater Charlotte Region
This report supplements the region's Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) and provides a blueprint for aligning workforce development and education strategies to the types of jobs the region targets in their CEDS. The report provides an asset inventory for existing workforce development initiatives and jobs, identify gaps, and make recommendations for new priorities or changes to current priorities to better align with the current and future employment opportunities.
Date Published: August 2014
Reality Check 2050 Visioning Session - Participants Guidebook for Centralina, NC and SC
This collection of documents forms the packets that participants received during the Reality Check 2050 Visioning Exercise led by the Urban Land Institute. The report documents the specific outcomes that participants want to see in the 14-county Centralina region.
Date Published: August 2014
Regional Climate and Energy Plan for Lehigh Valley, PA
This energy and climate element of the Lehigh Valley Comprehensive Plan lays out a strategy for considering a changing climate in its planning, including increased risk of flooding, and its commitment to producing an adaptation plan. It also examines its fuel sources and recommends strategies to increase energy efficiency, including the use of green infrastructure, and diversification of fuel types – including the use of solar energy.
Date Published: August 2014
Regional Economic Strategy for the Denver Regional COG, CO
The objectives of the Regional Economic Strategy (RES) are to determine how to integrate economic vitality principles into Metro Vision towards a broader approach to regional sustainability, and to identify appropriate roles for DRCOG in contributing to the economic vitality of the region.
Date Published: August 2014
Financing Equitable Transit-Oriented Communities in the Sacramento Region
This report provides recommendations for a framework, operational structure, and financial tools to support an equitable TOD loan fund in Sacramento, CA.
Date Published: July 2014
Planning Report Online Library for Centralina, NC and SC
This webpage provides a catalog of all of the studies, presentations, meeting notes and summaries, and final documents from the collaborative process that Connect Our Future led to develop their Regional Plan for Sustainable Development.
Date Published: June 2014
DeBary SunRail Station Area Economic Development Strategic Plan
This station area economic development plan lays out the TOD Overlay District for the DeBary station stop on Central Florida's 61 mile SunRail corridor.
Date Published: May 2014
Corridor Plan for Washtenaw Corridor, MI
This plan provides an overview of regional planning efforts, with clear goals to transform the Washtenaw Avenue corridor into a multi-modal, vibrant, mixed-use corridor that efficiently moves people within the urbanized areas. It also provides implementation strategies and a progress report highlighting goal advancement.
Date Published: April 2014
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Evansville, IN - Millennial Plan for 2040
This website provides information related to the Sustainable Evansville Area Coalition regional plan for the tri-county area of Henderson, Vanderburgh and Warrick Counties in Indiana.
Date Published: April 2014
Upham's Corner Station Area Plan for Boston, MA
The Upham's Corner Station Area Plan establishes a framework for future improvements and investment to enhance both the commercial center of Upham's Corner and the surrounding neighborhoods.
Date Published: April 2014
Local Food Implementation Plan for Southwestern, WI - Delicious Driftless Fare Festival
This document summarizes the work required in the months preceding the Delicious Driftless Fare (DDF) event, and which were viewed as necessary for successful replication of the event in future years. The DDF was a one-day event that showcased the region's produce and specialty crop producers and local artistic talent and was part of an overall effort by Grow Southwest to identify and capitalize on local resources, to better produce local energy and food, minimize commutes, and maximize local employment in Grant, Green, Lafayette, Iowa, and Richland counties.
Date Published: March 2014
Neighborhood Association Regional Implementation Plan for Southwestern Wisconsin
This report outlines strategies to help any municipality or organization start a neighborhood association program. Specifically, this document outlines the process of organizing the Haseltine Hills Alliance.
Date Published: March 2014
Regional Housing Study for Southwestern Wisconsin
This report provides statistical and narrative data identifying a housing profile in Southwestern Wisconsin. The study describes the current situation related to housing markets, home ownership, and affordability challenges.
Date Published: March 2014
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Rockford, IL (Vital Signs)
This Regional Sustainability Plan presents measurable data across a broad spectrum of sustainability topic areas to guide regional decision-making. The regional plan integrates the Long Range Transportation Plan, Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, HUD Consolidated Plan, EPA Water Quality Plans and more.
Date Published: March 2014
Strategic Plan for Haseltine Hills, WI
This report provides a number of strategies to help the Haseltine Hills Alliance neighborhood association maintain their organization as well as implement their specific goals and actions. The process includes a cycle of planning, engagement, implementation, celebration, and sustaining.
Date Published: March 2014
Sustainable Code Framework for Kansas City, MO
The Sustainable Code Framework is a resource to help local governments identify code strategies that match the vision they have for their community. The Sustainable Code Framework allows communities to explore different code options based on their development objectives. The framework also contains a database of existing projects that demonstrate many of the sustainable principles communities desire. These projects are for the most part local so communities can actually see the projects and how they integrate into local communities.
Date Published: March 2014
Form-Based Code for Cincinnati, OH
This form-based code provides information on an effective regulatory tool, which motivated the City of Cincinnati to take a more progressive community place-type approach within Plan Cincinnati, particularly in place of conventional zoning.
Date Published: February 2014
Community Plan for the Aloha-Reedville Transit Corridor, Washington County, OR
This webpage is the landing page for the Aloha-Reedville Study and Livable Community Plan Effort in Washington County, OR. The page provides links to the final Aloha-Reedville report as well as the project's Economic Redevelopment Plan, Housing Equity and Opportunity Strategy, Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan, and Streetscape Improvement Plan.
Date Published: January 2014
Framework for Recreation in Northwest Michigan
This Northwest Michigan regional framework is a plan to ensure easily accessible opportunities for outdoor recreation while protecting natural resources. The document provides information on community needs, recreation assets, recreation management, recreation and the economy, and strategies to address local recreation related needs.
Date Published: January 2014
Model Community (Colonia) Master Plan for Dona Ana County, NM
This Colonia Master Plan focuses on creating solutions that comprehensively look at employment, transportation, economic development, and housing in Doña Ana County, which is home to 37 colonia communities. Traditionally, plans try to solve these problems individually, but the needs of the colonias are great. By taking a comprehensive approach, the Colonia Master Plan aims to serve as a model for future colonia improvement efforts.
Date Published: January 2014
Our Next Future: An Action Plan for Building a Smart, Sustainable and Resilient Pioneer Valley
This plan provides a vision for a more vibrant, competitive, sustainable and equitable Pioneer Valley region in Western MA. It is designed to achieve success through promoting collaboration of communities on a regional basis.
Date Published: January 2014
Downtown North / Downtown West: A Plan for the City of Hartford
This report provides a strategic approach to planning for two neighborhoods in Hartford, CT: Downtown North and Downtown West. It also presents a clearer framework for marketing the district for future development and informing requests for development proposals.
Date Published: December 2013
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Corridor Study for Minneapolis, MN Cedar Ave.
This BRT Market and Development Study evaluates the impact of BRT and the potential of Transit Oriented Development in six station areas.
Date Published: November 2013
Comprehensive Plan for Village of Bellwood, IL
This comprehensive plan for the City of Bellwood, IL provides information for the city to stabilize housing, grow its population, and increase retail and entertainment amenities to enhance the quality of life for its current and future citizens. The plan will serve as a guide in considering policy changes as it relates to land use planning, budget preparation, diversifying housing stock, commercial opportunities, and adding recreational venues, in the creation of a mixed land use development plan around access to transportation.
Date Published: November 2013
Master Plan for Grand Traverse County, MI
This planning document provides a vision for citizen-lead development of land, transportation, and the economy. The Traverse County master plan was a collaborative effort in local planning and land use decision making.
Date Published: November 2013
Master Plan for Traverse City, MI
This master planning document provides information for five corridors within the Traverse City, MI to use in enhancing and redeveloping property, infrastructure, and transit. The plan also provides information on restoring commercial activity, healthy communities, and residential neighborhoods.
Date Published: October 2013
This redevelopment plan focuses on providing a strategy for redevelopment and preservation of the City of Ypsilanti. The plan also concentrates on the assets of the people, businesses, buildings, and infrastructure.
Date Published: October 2013
Strategic Plan for Land Resources of the Sinsinawa Mound Dominican Religious Order
This plan details the long term planning strategy for the Sinsinawa Dominican religious order and focuses on "explor[ing] future ways of caring for the land at Sinsinawa Mound."
Date Published: October 2013
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Action Plan for Twin Cities, MN Northstar Commuter Rail
This document is the action plan and strategic recommendations for moving forward transit oriented development in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul region.
Date Published: June 2013
Complete Streets Master Plan for Downtown New Britain, CT
This master plan provides a guide for creating a more pedestrian-friendly, attractive and livable environment throughout a downtown area in preparation for the 2015 scheduled opening of a new bus rapid transit project.
Date Published: May 2013
De-Concentration of Poverty and Fair Housing Plan for Rockford, IL
This report presents a strategy for deconcentrating public housing (PHA) developments and Section 8 Rental Vouchers in minority ethnic and racial and poverty concentrated census tracts and geographies.
Date Published: May 2013
Water Conservation and Efficiency Plan for the Village of Oak Park, IL
The plan focuses on water supply issues with the goal of increasing water efficiency and promoting water conservation within village operations and among Oak Park residents and businesses. This plan also provides information on Oak Park's average day usage of water and percent use of their allocation from Lake Michigan.
Date Published: April 2013
Corridor Plan for William Street, Ann Arbor, MI
This plan provides a strategy for the redevelopment of five city-owned parking areas in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It also provides overarching and site-level recommendations for plan implementation.
Date Published: March 2013
BRT Corridor Infill and Development Report for Madison, WI
This draft assessment provides information about the four corridors being studied for future Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) development in Madison. The study also provides information about the process used for infill and redevelopment for the identified sites. The study reviews the metrics and data used to come up with the project sites as well as a detailed building program.
Date Published: February 2013
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Dona Ana County, NM (Camino Real)
The goal of Regional Plan for Sustainable Development is to create scalable, replicable models of sustainable planning and the to develop tools to implement those models across the intertwined valley settlements of Doña Ana County. Starting with public workshops in 2008, the residents of Doña Ana County have been engaged in a visioning process to help us better define future directions for this region. This effort resulted in One Valley, One Vision 2040 which has set the stage for successive planning endeavors by establishing a common vision and coordinated growth strategies. The Camino Real Regional Plan for Sustainable Development will build upon these prior efforts and begin to give form to the regional vision.
Date Published: October 2012
Comprehensive Plan for City of Berwyn, IL
This comprehensive plan for the City of Berwyn, IL provides information on the current and future planned upgrades to the retail and transit infrastructure in the city. The key elements addressed in the Berwyn Comprehensive Plan are based upon those outlined in the Illinois State statute and include land use, economic development, housing, natural resources, transportation, community facilities, image and identity, and implementation strategies.
Date Published: August 2012
Regional Equity Atlas for the Denver Regional COG, CO
The Denver Regional Equity Atlas is a tool to help raise awareness among a wide range of stakeholders about the benefits and opportunities that a robust public transportation network can create. This interactive tool provides users with the ability to create maps that depict the region’s major origins and destinations in relation to the current and future transit network, and also generate reports on demographic, economic and other data of the region or particular communities.
Date Published: April 2012
Native American Arts and Cultural Facility Plans for Northwoods NiiJii, WI
This website shows the winning plans from an energy efficient design competition for preliminary drawings for an integrated Woodland Indian Arts and Cultural Facility on the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Reservation in Lac du Flambeau Wisconsin.
Date Published: January 2012
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Central Minnesota - Our Plan
This website provides links to the Creating a Resilient Region: The Central Minnesota Sustainable Development Plan and related resources. The site describes the need for the plan, the process of creation, and lessons learned.
Date Published: January 2012
Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for Vision West ND
This RPSD is the culminating report from a multi-year, multi-stakeholder regional planning process bringing together the issues and priorities of citizens, local officials and community representatives from a 19 county area in Western North Dakota facing the stresses of accelerated oil extraction.
Date Published: January 2012
Growth Centers Concept Plans for Rhode Island
This land use plan for 2025 endorses the formation of smaller regional centers and the emergence of new centers for growth. The adopted future land use map from 2006 calls for a statewide network of centers of various sizes – state, regional, city, town, and village interconnected by infrastructure corridors, supported by employment centers, public services, framed by greenspace and includes all municipalities at one level or another. Greenspace, special places, centers of all sizes, and transportation corridors are all essential elements in solid land use planning and implementing the future land use vision.
Date Published: December 2011
Corridor Plan for Illinois Route 336
This plan provides a strategy to improve system linkage, economic sustainability, and travel efficiency along Illinois Route 336 (IL 336) near Quincy, Macomb, Canton, and Peoria, IL.
Date Published: July 2011
Local Food Business Plan for Central Ohio
This food assessment and plan provides information on all components of a regional food system in 12 central Ohio counties, to make policy recommendations to local governments on food decisions. This assessment is a tool that enables working groups of local practitioners to collect and analyze food and agricultural data to identify resources and connect dots to strengthen the region's economy, coordinate local food efforts, and encourage pro-agriculture policy.
Date Published: April 2010
Master Plan Technical Document for Memphis, TN
This Master Plan Technical Report is comprised of the final versions of six individual working papers that were prepared during the development of the Memphis International Airport Master Plan Update between the beginning of 2008 and the end of 2009. These documents present detailed technical information compiled as part of each major element of the master planning process. The purpose of this Master Plan Update is to provide guidance for the continued improvement of the Airport for the 20-year planning horizon and beyond. This report provides background data on the Airport and a comprehensive inventory of current and planned near-term Airport facilities and conditions. This information will provide the basis for assessing existing conditions and future facility requirements.
Date Published: January 2010