Webinars

"Advocacy Training 201" webinar materials now available online

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Thank you to everyone who attended Smart Growth America’s Sustainable Communities Network webinar earlier this week, “Advocacy Training 201.” Telling Members of Congress about your projects and the benefits of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities is a crucial part of supporting these valuable federal programs.

Christopher Coes, Manager of LOCUS, provided additional training on how to talk about your project, The Partnership for Sustainable Communities, and Member of Congress meetings. The webinar also included a simulated in-district meeting with a Member of Congress, which can be viewed below.

As we’ve mentioned before, August recess is one of the best times to meet with your member of Congress (or their staff) to discuss the importance of the Partnership on the ground in your community and to our nation as a whole. To help you make these meetings happen, we have a toolkit available on the Partnership Blog and we are more than happy to assist you with scheduling or provide more infomation. Please contact Melissa Schreiber-Stahl at mschreiberstahl [at] smartgrowthamerica [dot] org with questions or to request scheduling help.

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Join us on Monday, August 8th for "Advocacy Training 201"

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In the next few days, Members of Congress will return to their districts and states to meet with constituents like you. As you know, the Partnership is under threat in the current budget cycle, so it is extremely important that you meet with your Members of Congress while they are in your home state during August. By meeting with your Senators and Representatives from the districts your project covers, you will help to show the positive impact of the Partnership and its future potential.

Should you choose to meet with one or more of your Members, we are here to support you every step of the way. Join us on Monday, August 8, 2011 from 3-4 PM EDT for “Advocacy Training 201,” which will include a simulated meeting with a Member of Congress.

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"Promoting Affordable and Fair Housing near Transit, Jobs, and Town Centers" webinar materials now available online

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Thank you to everyone who attended Smart Growth America’s Sustainable Communities Network webinar “Promoting Affordable and Fair Housing near Transit, Jobs, and Town Centers” last week. This webinar was hosted by Smart Growth America, PolicyLink, Reconnecting America, and the National Housing Conference.

Included on this webinar are practitioners taking steps to ensure that housing for families at all income levels is available in location-efficient and opportunity-rich areas. Following an overview of tools available to create and preserve affordable homes in areas where transportation costs are likely to be low, learn how some of these tools have been implemented in Denver, Colorado as Denver expands its public transportation system. Included is a discussion of policies and legal decisions that help to ensure communities create their fair share of homes for low- and moderate-income families in New Jersey, as well as strategies to build public support for well-located affordable homes.

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Additional materials now available: Applying for HUD Regional Planning Grants

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On July 14, Smart Growth America along with the American Planning Association hosted a webinar that provided tips for organizations interested in applying for the next round of HUD Regional Planning Grants. The webinar included discussion from past Partnership for Sustainable Communities grant recipients, advice from a firm that has written several successful applications, and information about criteria that the Partnership uses to grade applications. Presentations from the webinar are also available.

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Webinar materials now available: Applying for HUD Regional Planning Grants

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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced an additional $67 million investment in stronger, more sustainable communities that connect housing to jobs while fostering local innovation and building a clean energy economy.

A webinar jointly hosted by Smart Growth America and the American Planning Association last week provided tips from past Partnership for Sustainable Communities grant recipients, advice from a firm that has written several successful applications, and information about criteria that the Partnership uses to grade applications. Presenting at the webinar were Tim Torma, Deputy Director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Sustainable Communities. The Office of Sustainable Communities coordinates with other agencies as well as state and local governments to promote smart growth. Also presenting was David Rouse, AICP, a principal with the planning and design firm Wallace Roberts & Todd based in Philadelphia. He has been involved with a number of 2010 Sustainable Communities grant applications, including WRT’s current work as a subgrantee for the New River Valley Regional Consortium in Virginia.

Jeff Hirt, Sustainable Planning Project Manager at the Mid-America Regional Council in Kansas City, MO, also presented. With more than 60 regional partners, the Mid-America Regional Council received a $4.25 million planning grant from HUD for the implementation of the Regional Plan for Sustainable Development, a Category 2 grant. And finally Mark Kirstner, Senior Transportation Planner with the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation, and the project manager for the Piedmont Triad Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Project also presented on the webinar. The Piedmont project is a $1.6 million Regional Planning Grant Program.

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Upcoming webinar: Applying for HUD Regional Planning Grants

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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced an additional $67 million investment in stronger, more sustainable communities that connect housing to jobs while fostering local innovation and building a clean energy economy.

If you plan to apply for this year’s round of HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning grants, join us for a webinar on Thursday, July 14, 2011 at 2:00 PM EDT. You will hear tips from past Partnership for Sustainable Communities grant recipients, receive advice from a firm that has written several successful applications, and learn the criteria that the Partnership uses to grade applications.

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"Advocacy Training 101" webinar materials now available online

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Thank you to everyone who attended Smart Growth America’s Sustainable Communities Network webinar last week, “Advocacy Training 101.” Telling members of Congress about the benefits of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities is a crucial part of supporting these valuable federal programs.

Christopher Coes, Manager of LOCUS, discussed tools and tips about how to effectively advocate for the Partnership. This webinar explains the skills and tools you need to engage Congressional representatives one-on-one or with a group, including the most effective methods of communication, messaging and how to respond to decision makers’ concerns.

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Join us Thursday: Tips for effective advocacy

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Beginning at the end of June, Members of Congress will be back at the offices in their home states meeting with constituents. This is a great opportunity to tell your representatives about your support for the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

Join us on Thursday, June 23, 2011 from 2-3 PM EDT to learn tips for successful advocacy. Click here to sign up for this training.

Among the techniques discussed in this webinar will be how to schedule and hold a successful meeting with your Members of Congress, how to engage others and bring a group to the meeting, and how to effectively talk about the Partnership for Sustainable Communities and its benefits.

Sign up today for Smart Growth America’s advocacy training: click here to register.

Can’t schedule a meeting for this recess? That’s ok. You can still learn useful information from this training opportunity and schedule a meeting in your district office at any time! Contact jholmberg [at] smartgrowthamerica [dot] org or 202-207-3355 x121 with any questions.

You can learn about trainings like this before they happen: Click here to join the Sustainable Communities Network.

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Celebrating Two Years of Partnership: webinar materials now online

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On June 16, 2009, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined together to help communities nationwide improve access to affordable housing, increase transportation options, and lower transportation costs while protecting the environment to better support local economies.

Beth Osborne, Deputy Assistant Secretary, DOT; Shelley Poticha, Director, Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities, HUD; John Frece, Director, Office of Sustainable Communities, EPA; and Derek Douglas, Special Assistant to the President for Urban Affairs joined Smart Growth America’s Sustainable Communities Network on Thursday, June 17 for a webinar to discuss the Partnership’s success over the past two years and what’s next for this dynamic interagency alliance.

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Partnership for Sustainable Communities marks two years of work across the country

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On June 16, 2009, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined together to help communities nationwide improve access to affordable housing, increase transportation options, and lower transportation costs while protecting the environment to better support local economies.

Two years later, the interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities is working to coordinate federal investments in housing, transportation, water and other infrastructure to make neighborhoods more prosperous, allow people to live closer to jobs, save households time and money, and reduce pollution. The Partnership has visited with residents and business leaders in hundreds of communities, coordinated to provide new funding opportunities and worked to reduce barriers at the federal level.

In a post on the White House blog, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, DOT Secretary Ray LaHood and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson explain the strengths of coordinating between agencies.

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