Finding Planning Inspiration on a Cold Winter Night

Much of the country has been in a brutal cold weather vice these past couple of weeks with no signs of warmth breaking though soon. At times like this, I’m inclined to grab a good book, a cup of hot tea and find someplace warm to hunker down. Luckily there are some great reads out there to cure the winter blues. Read my take a few of the notable new releases by F. Kaid Benfield, ITDP, Smart Growth America and SSTI.

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Looking Back and Looking Ahead on 50th Anniversary of the War on Poverty

In reflecting on notable achievements from 2013, I am struck by three separate federal actions that received little fanfare but are important to the War on Poverty’s arsenal. Each respond to one of the most profound lessons we have learned over the past 50 years -- the causes of poverty are often inter-related and cannot be successfully addressed by only focusing on housing, or education, or employment. Rather, integrated approaches are needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Celebrating the Meaning of Community this Holiday Season

It's the Holiday Season, a time when TV shows and classic movies remind us of the important things in life, notably that we are all connected and that one person’s actions can make a difference. Watch a few and you'll be reminded as I was that community is also an important part of the Christmas season, and we all play a role.

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Minnesota's Transit Climate Change – The value of communicating benefits and getting policies right

Money is not the only barrier to transit investment or to supporting development of new housing, job centers, schools or community facilities along transit-served corridors. New efforts in the Twin Cities illustrate two key ingredients required for a transit climate change: effectively communicating the benefits of transit, and removing administrative barriers to development. The beauty of these two are that they cost relatively little, and can be game changers for the short and long-term.

 

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An If/Then Reflection on Janette Sadik-Khan's Legacy

Over the years I have been fortunate to work with Janette Sadik-Khan on different federal policy efforts.  I don’t know where she is headed next, but I do know that IF she is involved THEN she will make an impact. What I find amazing and transferable to any city is the story her legacy tells about leadership, vision and the ability to take risks. Janette has reshaped transportation and shifted our perceptions about what is possible and now normal both in the market place and in the court of public opinion – not only in New York City but across the country as witnessed by cities like Indianapolis, Cleveland, Oklahoma City, and Salt Lake City to name only a few redesigning streets to work for people, cars, bikes and transit; and reclaiming sidewalks, trails and streets for active public spaces.

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MZ Strategies Joins the Rail~Volution

Rail~Volution is this country’s premier conference on “building livable communities with transit” and it's hosted this year by Seattle from Oct. 20-23. Mariia Zimmerman, Principal of MZ Strategies will be at the conference and is moderating two sessions and presenting findings from several new reports prepared by MZ Strategies for the University of Minnesota, Enterprise Community Partners, and the Metropolitan Council.

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Lessons from Fruitvale

Reflections from a recent site visit to the San Francisco Bay Area including a reminder of the lasting impact that a single project can have on broader regional reform and innovation. Fruitvale Village in Oakland, CA where community advocates continue to work together to improve community livability, with an emphasis on transit-oriented development.

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How Metros Invest Transportation Funds: MZ Strategies Report on Regional Allocation Process

MZ Strategies, LLC released a new report examining how Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) allocate federal transportation formula funds. The report, “Regional Allocation of Federal Transportation Funding,”  looks at the decision making process of six MPOs: Atlanta, Denver, Kansas City, Phoenix, Portland -- highlighting practices used by each to meet local and regional transportation priorities.

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For USDOT it's Transportation for Communities

Two recent announcements by the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) may have long-term impact on community development practitioners. In August, the Federal Transit Administration issued final guidance for its Capital Investment Program which funds New Starts and Small Starts transit projects (think subways, streetcars, light rail and bus rapid transit). And last week Secretary Foxx announced the latest round of TIGER grant recipients in 37 states (think big money for big transportation projects). With both of these announcements, USDOT signaled its recognition that these kind of large infrastructure investments can profoundly influence the way communities develop and markets respond.  

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Navigating the Regional Transportation Funding Maze

I’ve spent a fair amount of my “summer vacation” examining how metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) use their planning and programming tools to support livable communities. This is a question that a growing number of regions are interested in learning to help them make better investments with scarce public resources. While still far too opaque, best practices are emerging. MZ Strategies, LLC is involved with several efforts to help spread the word.

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Equitable TOD: Actions Speak Louder Than Plans

Equitable TOD refers to livable, mixed-use neighborhoods near transit, providing housing for all income levels. Over the years, planners, developers and affordable housing advocates have worked to realize the potential for equitable TOD. As a recent story from the Washington Post uncovers though, mixed-income housing requires more than award-winning plans. It requires a long-term commitment to action and to the people living in these neighborhoods.

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What a Difference a Year Makes

Today marks the one year anniversary of MZ Strategies, LLC, which I founded as a way to work directly with communities and organizations in developing and implementing strategies to create thriving, inclusive communities. Thanks go out to many people for their support, readership, collaboration, and encouragement! 

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Reclaiming America’s Cities and Neighborhoods

Cities are evolving, dynamic organisms. This is what makes them so incredible to those of us in the planning and design professions. They are a constantly changing experiment, but what I love is what they also say about American ingenuity and tenacity.  No other country abandoned their cities as fervently as in the US, but no other country can show the types of successful transformation of urban neighborhoods particularly in the face of relatively minor federal support.

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