Smart Growth America recently announced Tacoma is one of 15 communities that has been selected to receive the organization’s 2011 free smart growth technical assistance. Each community will receive a 1- or 2-day training session with a smart growth expert on the issue of their choice. This technical assistance was made possible through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program.
In addition to Tacoma, the winning communities are: Township of Byram, NJ; City of Deerfield Beach, FL; Derry Township, PA; City of Eastport, ME; City of Greer, SC; Gwinnett County, GA; City of Kimberly, ID; City of Newark, OH; City of New Orleans, LA; Northern Maine Development Commission, Caribou, ME; Town of Notasulga, AL; City of Oklahoma City, OK; Pima County Development Services Department, AZ; and Pittsburgh City Council, PA;
“Smart Growth America is committed to providing the tools and training to help community leaders keep their cities and towns livable, sustainable and vital places,” said Roger Millar, Director of Smart Growth America’s Leadership Institute. “We are excited about working with each of these communities to develop local solutions that support thriving places now and for generations to come.”
Smart Growth America received nearly 90 applications for this technical assistance from 34 states plus the District of Columbia. While all of the applications were worthy, the 15 communities selected to receive technical assistance exhibited the strongest interest in and need for smart growth tools and clearly demonstrated a commitment from local business, community and political leaders to implement local smart growth solutions.
Smart Growth America offered twelve “ready-to-go” technical assistance tools as part of the program that help communities build stronger local economies, protect the environment, preserve sense of place and improve overall quality of life.
The technical assistance is funded through a grant to Smart Growth America from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Sustainable Communities under their Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program. The Building Blocks program funds quick, targeted assistance to communities that face common development problems. Three other nonprofit organizationsForterra, Global Green USA and Project for Public Spacesalso received competitively awarded grants under this program this year to help communities get the kinds of development they want.
Learn about additional technical assistance opportunities available from Smart Growth America online at http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/leadership-institute/technical-assistance .
Smart Growth America is a national organization dedicated to researching, advocating for and leading coalitions to bring smart growth practices to more communities nationwide. From providing more sidewalks to ensuring more homes are built near public transportation or that productive farms remain a part of our communities, smart growth helps make sure people across the nation can live in great neighborhoods. For additional information visit http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org .
