Posted by Kaid Benfield in Environmental Justice , Health and the Environment , Living Sustainably
On this Veterans' Day, when we remember those who have served, it is troubling to note that, although veterans make up around 9 percent of our population, they comprise 23 percent of our homeless population and fully a third of...continued→
Posted by Kaid Benfield in Living Sustainably
"Sustainable communities" was the phrase of the day at the annual symposium of the American Institute of Certified Planners, held last week at the National Building Museum. Federal officials from the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development...continued→
Posted by Kaid Benfield in Living Sustainably , Solving Global Warming , U.S. Law and Policy
Wow. Only a week after I wrote a post celebrating how well the Obama administration seems to be getting its act together on smart growth and sustainability, they have done it again. My friend Shelley Poticha has accepted a senior...continued→
Posted by Kaid Benfield in Environmental Justice , Green Enterprise , Living Sustainably , Solving Global Warming , U.S. Law and Policy
Wow. On Monday, before heading out to toss the first pitch at Tuesday's baseball All-Star Game, the president kicked off a White House forum on urban policy by criticizing past federal measures that have encouraged sprawl and promising a new...continued→
Posted by Kaid Benfield in Living Sustainably , Solving Global Warming , U.S. Law and Policy
The more the merrier, and one only wonders what took them so long. Back in March, the Obama administration announced an exciting new partnership between the federal transportation and housing & urban development departments to pursue together an agenda for...continued→
Posted by Kaid Benfield in Living Sustainably
Wow. And note that the steep decline in new housing construction started in early 2006, well before the recession set in almost two years later. Well, I guess we already knew that. What I didn't know before I...continued→
Posted by Kaid Benfield in Environmental Justice , Health and the Environment , Living Sustainably
One generally thinks of "tent cities" as something that mainly occurs in third world countries where poverty is particularly high and/or refugees flee oppression. But they are now becoming more common in the US, too, as foreclosures and other...continued→
Posted by Kaid Benfield in Environmental Justice , Living Sustainably , Moving Beyond Oil , Solving Global Warming , U.S. Law and Policy
Now that the two major political parties have, for better or worse, formally nominated their candidates for president and vice president of the United States, I am reposting these two entries, with some minor updating. They were originally published on August 12...continued→
Posted by Kaid Benfield in Environmental Justice , Living Sustainably , Moving Beyond Oil , Saving Wildlife and Wild Places , Solving Global Warming , U.S. Law and Policy
Dear Mr. President-elect*:As you may know, America is entering a period of rapid growth that will have a profound effect on our national well-being. As a result, you and your administration will have an unprecedented challenge, but also an unprecedented...continued→
Posted by Kaid Benfield in Green Enterprise , Living Sustainably
The Urban Land Institute and National Multi-Housing Council, in association with the Sierra Club, have produced a terrific new book and toolkit for citizens, businesses, and advocates called Getting Density Right.As the description on the web site of the ULI...continued→
