Critical Path News’ Post

William Towns, adjunct Professor at Northwestern University's Sustainability and Social Impact Program dives into the challenges and goals of community redevelopment initiatives, focusing on achieving affordable housing, good education, public safety, commercial growth, and sustainable development.   He highlighted displacement of residents and the fear of gentrification as a major challenge and provides three pieces of advice for successful initiatives: 1️⃣ Listen to the community: Involve the community in transparent dialogue before the official planning process begins. Collaboration ensures that redevelopment plans align with the community's priorities and ideals. 2️⃣ Respect the ecosystem: Towns suggests that redevelopment initiatives should address the entire ecosystem of a community, considering factors such as crime, schools, and amenities. Planning components in isolation may lead to individual successes but might not bring significant change to the community. 3️⃣ Keep the momentum: Towns walks through tools and strategies to address unintended consequences, such as displacement. Examples include the Anti-Displacement and Gentrification Toolkit Project and community land trusts, which hold land on behalf of the community to discourage speculative buying. 👉https://lnkd.in/eeEt2_9T

See the great link below from our friends at the Shared-Use Mobility Center of a blog by StreetsBlog USA: "If you want to improve your community, start by listening to the people who live there. A new survey in Bogotá analyzed real people's opinions on essential amenities and barriers to sustainable mobility. How can one build a “15-minute city” when residents say pedestrian infrastructure is poor and they fear street violence?" Question: Do we as planners really listen enough? Are we designing for us and our peers or for the community in question? Some food for thought. See: https://lnkd.in/g5CT7dj7

https://lnkd.in/g_VW2hHw Today the City of SB hosted an advisory committee mtg to guide the "State Street Master Plan". Of big focus is the issue of whether to (further) reopen parts of lower State to car traffic. I haven't been living under a rock, and viscerally understand what President Obama I believe reminded his daughters after a particular event—  progress is not often a straight line. Seeing lower State become a haven for outdoor dining, safe biking and pedestrians, felt like meaningful progress. What will feel like even more progress is if when my kids are old enough to drive, they aren't as antsy as I was for the "freedom" of it, because they've already been (safely) biking around town. I hope our City and the committee does not make the notion of sustained progress feel even more elusive by applying a 19th c. mindset to address 21st c. issues (ie. the need for #climate friendly and resilient infrastructure, community building, infill housing and more equitable access to green spaces). It's hard to imagine an issue these days that could be addressed by adding more driving back into the mix. I sincerely appreciate the voice of our local Strong Towns SB group- offering research proven suggestions, including: "eliminating car traffic from the entire length of the promenade from the 400 block to the 1300 block and creating a pedestrian-centered promenade with dedicated space for public transit and cyclists..." SB folks: if you haven't already, make your opinion heard. SSACSecretary@SantaBarbaraCA.gov https://lnkd.in/g_VW2hHw Sullivan Israel Joanna Kaufman Mack Carlson Alina Werth

Knoxville, Tennessee, has secured a $42.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the largest federal grant in the city's recent history. The funding will be used to enhance connectivity between East Knoxville and other areas, with the aim of making downtown and South Knoxville's urban wilderness more accessible to East Knoxville residents through improved transportation options such as walking, biking, and other forms of transit. The project will involve creating over 10 miles of connective infrastructure, including greenways and multi-modal pathways, in seven phases. This initiative is expected to have a significant impact on transportation by improving access to key areas, addressing historical disparities, and promoting inclusive development. It also underscores the importance of investing in transportation infrastructure to foster community connectivity and mobility. #Knoxville #Transportation #Infrastructure #Funding

📢Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Round 5 funds in action! The City of Imperial will break ground next month on a $6.6 million community development project in a rural area of the county near West Worthington Road and Barioni Boulevard. 🏘️ The “Worthington La Luna” project will not only bring #AffordableHousing to the area but also build pedestrian-friendly transit options through the development of the bike lanes, signage, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, pedestrian crossings, and other tie-in features. #AHSC is administered by the California Strategic Growth Council and implemented by the California Department of Housing & Community Development. AHSC is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment — particularly in disadvantaged communities. #CaliforniaForAll

🌟 Building Your Town's Future 🌟   The push to revive small towns for sustainable growth and better living standards is gaining momentum. The Small Town Regeneration Strategy (STR) goes beyond infrastructure upgrades, focusing on, amongst other matters, economic renewal. Here's why your town should take a serious look at adopting the STR:   1️⃣ Legislative Mandate: Embracing Democratic Governance and Accountability | The heart of the STR beats with democratic ideals, emphasising the pivotal role of collaboration between local governments and communities. Such partnerships aren't just about legal obligations but about building trust, allocating resources effectively, and steering towards sustainable development. 2️⃣ Building Relationships: Collaboration Breeds Success | The STR isn't just about plans on paper; it's about building enduring relationships. Through community engagement, transparent communication, and inclusive planning, the STR sets the stage for long-term success and sustainability. 3️⃣ Dual Accountability for Change: Empowering Leadership and Community Ownership | In the realm of change, the STR promotes a shared responsibility model. It defines roles clearly, fosters communication, and ensures that both leaders and affected individuals are committed to achieving positive outcomes. 4️⃣ Maximizing Resources: Collaborative Regeneration | The STR paves the way for holistic regeneration by tapping into municipal and community resources. This collaborative effort not only addresses challenges comprehensively but also nurtures community ownership and investment. 5️⃣ Economic and Social Revitalization: Fuelling Growth and Well-being | Through strategic initiatives, the STR sparks economic growth, fosters entrepreneurship, and renews the social fabric of communities, leading to enhanced prosperity and well-being. 6️⃣ Infrastructure Development: Enhancing Functionality and Attractiveness | The STR doesn't overlook the importance of infrastructure. It seeks to improve roads, utilities, and public spaces, making towns more functional and appealing for residents and businesses alike. 7️⃣ Community Development and Environmental Sustainability: Balancing Progress with Preservation | With a focus on better services, community events, and environmental sustainability, the STR strives to enhance residents' quality of life while preserving natural resources for future generations. 8️⃣ Preservation of Identity and Access to Government Support: Nurturing Heritage and Securing Funding | By nurturing the town's identity and leveraging government support, the STR ensures that towns maintain their unique charm while accessing essential resources for growth and development.   Share your thoughts or questions in the comments below! Let's ignite discussions and drive positive change together.🌱💡 #SmallTownRevitalization #CommunityDevelopment #Sustainability #SmallTownSTR #Collaboration #ActiveCitizens

🌟 Rethinking Urban Spaces: The Evolving Landscape of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods 🌟 In our latest insightful blog, "The Evolution of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods: A Comparative Analysis," we delve into the transformative journey of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) from 2021 to 2024. This piece is a deep dive into the changing perspectives and strategies surrounding LTNs, highlighting how community aspirations and real-world impacts have evolved. 🔍 What's Inside: ·       Community Aspirations: Discover how initial aims of reducing through-traffic have broadened to include public safety, environmental cleanliness, and enhanced transport connectivity. ·       Approaching Solutions: Learn about the shift from physical barriers to more diversified strategies like time-specific modal filters and active travel incentives. ·       Public Perception and Participation: Uncover the transition from polarised views to a more nuanced understanding and proactive community involvement in LTN planning. ·       Real-world Impacts: Reflect on the consistent goals of safety, health, and air quality, and how tactics have adapted towards sustainable urban mobility. ·       Join us in exploring these vital insights, offering a glimpse into the future of urban living and planning. A special thanks to our active travel clients: Craig Nicol MCIHT Richard Eason Liz Rhodes Ehsan Askarany Naima Ihsan 🔗 Dive into the full blog here: https://lnkd.in/e9DsKpBH Reach out to us at info@engagecf.co.uk and discover how ECF can provide expert support and enhance your project's success. #UrbanPlanning #SustainableMobility #CommunityEngagement #LTNs #SustainableCities #CommunityDevelopment #TrafficManagement #SustainableTransport #CityPlanning #ActiveTravel #PublicTransport #EcoFriendlyLiving #SmartCities

Can urban growth and sustainability go hand-in-hand? It should. Concerns over the environmental impact of population growth are valid. The "20-Minute Neighborhood" is one approach to this dilemma — the idea is related to Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). The central vision is to increase housing density around improved transit hubs that are no more than 20-minutes by foot or bike from a commercial town center that offers essential services and amenities for the community. This type of development design can offer benefits such as: 🏡 More housing density for increased affordability 🚍 Improved transit networks 🏪 Easy access to essential services 🌱 Lower community carbon footprint 🤝 More resilient and connected communities According to the American Planning Association, one of the key elements to this model is to improve bus and bike networks to encourage people to leave their cars at home. The 20-Minute Neighborhood strategy is similar to Transit-Oriented Development, but on a smaller scale which may better serve the Bellingham community. . . . #20MinuteNeighborhood #CommunityDevelopment #UrbanPlanning #ComprehensivePlan #BellinghamPlan #WalkableCities #HousingForBellingham

As anger from East Side residents rises, and local politicians continue to literally turn their back to those voices, something's got to give. - "The East Side Parkways Coalition (ESP) began organizing in the summer of 2023, when it became clear there would be no air filtration of car exhaust. Since then, expert analysis has concluded, using the DOT’s own data, that the air quality will be concentrated and far worse than existing conditions at the portal ends of the tunnel. Already, the Kensington is an environmental disasterdelivering horrific health outcomes for the adjacent community including: nationwide highs for asthma, respiratory and heart disease, and low life expectancy. - Yet despite these environmental injustices, the Highway Administration has concluded the project will have “no significant impacts.” This conclusion calls into question the very measures used to determine the feasibility of large-scale transportation projects in high density, urban centers. Similarly, it prioritizes auto-centric mobility over big picture, community-centered, multi-modal urban planning. It underscores why the NYSDOT should not be the lead agency on this project. - This project has been flatly opposed by the community. State officials tout a process of community engagement, yet they have been largely absent since September 2023, when the DOT released its draft design report/environmental assessment for the tunnel. - Shouldn’t we be asking tough questions and demanding answers when the actual proposal is on the table? Isn’t that process just as important as the advocacy and visioning that took place in the past? The people do not accept disengagement as a leadership strategy." - Click through for the full article from Michael Gainer.