It's not just about Washington anymore

We spent a lot of time during the last legislative session talking about the nexus between transportation, land use and climate pollution. And, we've talked a lot about how renewed investments in transit and bike/ped infrastructure, along with more Transit-Oriented Development, can not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also lead to more cohesive communities and better quality of life. Well TCC and allies like Futurewise are no longer just whistling in the wind.

In testimony before the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced an interagency Partnership for Livable Communities. DOT Secretary LaHood said, “Creating livable communities will result in improved quality of life for all Americans and create a more efficient and more accessible transportation network that serves the needs of individual communities. Fostering the concept of livability in transportation projects and programs will help America’s neighborhoods become safer, healthier and more vibrant.”

"As a result of our agencies’ work, I am pleased to join with my DOT and EPA colleagues to announce this statement of livability principles" said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "These principles mean that we will all be working off the same playbook to formulate and implement policies and programs. For the first time, the Federal government will speak with one voice on housing, environmental and transportation policy."

“It’s important that the separate agencies working to improve livability in our neighborhoods are all pointed in the same direction. We’re leading the way towards communities that are cleaner, healthier, more affordable, and great destinations for businesses and jobs,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “This partnership provides a framework to guide decisions that affect all communities. This way, investments of financial and human resources by any one of our agencies will meet shared goals and confront significant challenges we all face together.”


The Partnership embraces the following "livability" principles:

1. Provide more transportation choices.

Develop safe, reliable and economical transportation choices to decrease household transportation costs, reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote public health.

2. Promote equitable, affordable housing.

Expand location- and energy-efficient housing choices for people of all ages, incomes, races and ethnicities to increase mobility and lower the combined cost of housing and transportation.

3. Enhance economic competitiveness.

Improve economic competitiveness through reliable and timely access to employment centers, educational opportunities, services and other basic needs by workers as well as expanded business access to markets.

4. Support existing communities.

Target federal funding toward existing communities – through such strategies as transit-oriented, mixed-use development and land recycling – to increase community revitalization, improve the efficiency of public works investments, and safeguard rural landscapes.

5. Coordinate policies and leverage investment.

Align federal policies and funding to remove barriers to collaboration, leverage funding and increase the accountability and effectiveness of all levels of government to plan for future growth, including making smart energy choices such as locally generated renewable energy.

6. Value communities and neighborhoods.

Enhance the unique characteristics of all communities by investing in healthy, safe and walkable neighborhoods – rural, urban or suburban.

For more, check out Secretary LaHood's blog.