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Elisabeth Berman
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May 23, 2013
Climate change affects every size of municipality, no matter how urban or rural. It is up to local governments to create, establish and encourage programs that deal with climate change within their communities. Preparing for future impacts is just as important as addressing immediate needs. But how do you plan for climate change? How can you finance climate change adaptation in your community and engage citizens in these programs and efforts? Join the International Team of ICMA, the Institute for Sustainable Communities, and the USAID-funded CityLinks program for a webinar on June 4, 2013 at 11AM EST
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Elisabeth Berman
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May 16, 2013
To enable 100 cities to better address major 21st century challenges, the Rockefeller Foundation is inviting cities from around the world to apply for the 100 Resilient Cities Centennial Challenge. The foundation, this year celebrating its 100th anniversary, is supporting this mandate conceptually and financially. The foundation supports work that expands opportunity and strengthens resilience to social, economic, health and environmental challenges. On May 14th, the Rockefeller Foundation announced a 100 Resilient Cities Centennial Challenge. They also plan to fund the hiring of 100 Chief Resiliency Officers, one for each winning city. So what is “resiliency”? Resiliency
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Jocelyn Worley
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May 14, 2013
ICMA’s Center for Sustainable Communities, plus some individuals from CPM, is going down to Atlanta all this week to staff the National Brownfields Conference. This conference is a multiday, multicomponent event focused on sustainable redevelopment of brownfields and revitalizing communities. We're currently setting up at the Georgia World Congress Center and getting ready for the grand kickoff tomorrow evening. Follow Brownfields 2013 on Facebook and Twitter to gain insight on what's going on during the conference! Brownfields, as defined by the US
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Elisabeth Berman
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May 10, 2013
Senior Corps week is this week (May 6 – 11), and celebrates the extraordinary contributions of seniors in communities across the country. Just in time for the week, new data from the Corporation for National and Community Service shows that across the country, senior volunteering is at a 10-year high. One in three volunteers is a senior (age 55 and older), and in the past 10 years, more than 20 million senior volunteers gave nearly 3 billion hours of service, at a value of $67 billion. The week will be marked by service projects and
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Tad McGalliard
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May 2, 2013
Today, HUD announced the winning consortium that will administer the Strong Cities Strong Communities National Resource Network (SC2- NRN). ICMA is excited to be a part of the chosen team. The following is from HUD's blog post on May 2, 2013. HUD Announces Winning Consortium to Operate the Strong Cities, Strong Communities National Resource Network Written by: Mark Linton I am pleased to announce that HUD has selected a consortium that includes Enterprise Community Partners, Public Financial Management (PFM), HR Develop a one-stop clearinghouse of federal, state, and
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Elisabeth Berman
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April 26, 2013
There has been a large push lately for “healthy living” initiatives in communities of all shapes and sizes. These programs encompass many aspects of what it means to “live well” and be healthy. The targeted area or municipality may choose to offer educational sessions, provide resources for residents and visitors, hold events and outline the general structure of programs aimed at helping those who choose to be involved to be healthier, more sustainable and make better choices about their lifestyle and how to engage within their community. The overall purpose of these initiatives is to encourage residents and
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Jocelyn Worley
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April 15, 2013
ICMA had a professional development day (somewhat like a work field trip) to Rockville, Maryland the other day, which is about a 40 minute ride from DC via the redline Metro. As a side note, Rockville, a Council-Manager form of government, is an ICMA member city and Barbara Matthews, the City Manager, has been a member for over 25 years. I must say that it was valuable as an ICMA employee to visit a place where our work has make an impact on their work. I had never been to Rockville and I was pleasantly surprised to learn
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Elisabeth Berman
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April 11, 2013
An exciting new opportunity for partnerships with local foundations has just opened up – Round Three of the Local Sustainability Matching Fund is now accepting applications! Anticipating support for another seven to ten projects, the goal of the fund is to encourage partnerships between local government sustainability directors and local, place-based foundations. Each partnership selected will receive an investment between $25,000 and $75,000, as long as the requirement of a 1:1 match by at least one local foundation is met. The Fund was originally a collaboration between the Funder’s Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities and the
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Tad McGalliard
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April 11, 2013
According to recent information from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Choice Neighborhood Planning Grants RFP is now available and applications are due on May 28, 2013. Please note the special conditions regarding funding for this program. "The FY2013 Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) was issued on March 25, 2013. Eligible applicants are public housing authorities (PHAs), local governments, nonprofits, tribal entities and for-profit developers that apply jointly with a public entity. Applications must propose to plan for the revitalization of a severely distressed public and/or HUD-assisted multifamily
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Tad McGalliard
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April 2, 2013
At ICMA we read about many ideas for innovative uses for vacant storefronts or abandoned properties. Here is one we have not heard of before: a street-level storefront coat check facility in Groningen, a university town in the Netherlands .
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Katherine Takai
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March 25, 2013
The Brownfields2013 Conferences offers invaluable learning and networking opportunities for local governments and all stakeholders involved in cleanup and remediation of brownfields. The conference will take place on May 15-17, 2013 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta; however online resources, including the Interactive Property Map and Resource Directory are available to the public now.
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Andrea Fox
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March 13, 2013
Want to learn more about solar energy, ENERGY STAR, and other topics relevant to local governments? Below is a list of webcasts that are being offered free of charge by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). EPA Webcasts March 20, 1:00-2:00 PM (EDT) – The Solar Roadmap: Navigating the Evolving Solar Energy Market March 21, 1:00-2:30 PM (EDT) - Climate Change Adaptation for State and Local
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Jocelyn Worley
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March 13, 2013
Yesterday, the EPA announced a list of 25 cities with the greatest number of ENERGY STAR certified buildings. Receiving ENERGY STAR certification is no easy feat and therefore these 25 cities, as well as other metropolises with certified buildings, should be congratulated for their efforts and stand as models for others. ENERGY STAR® is a joint program under the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) designed to help local governments, business, and residents save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. Over 8,200 buildings (a combination
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Tad McGalliard
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March 6, 2013
When you talk to vacant property and brownfields redevelopment experts there is always a tendency to look for the best and highest use of a particular property. However in many places, interim use strategies are filling the gap between a property's former use and it's next long term use. In Birmingham, Alabama, a small number of local merchants are selling their products from temporary stores in vacant storefronts downtown as part of a "pop-up shops" initiative. The initiative is part of a greater "pop-up-project" that is intended to find temporary uses for vacant
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Tad McGalliard
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February 26, 2013
All the resources you need to get started with solar in your community are now in one place. A resource database, a calendar of events and trainings, and access to ‘Ask the Expert’ services and technical assistance offerings are part of the SunShot Solar Outreach Partnership’s (SolarOPs) ongoing efforts to provide timely and actionable information to local governments interested in solar energy adoption. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) SunShot Initiative, SolarOPs is designed to help accelerate solar energy adoption on the local level by providing timely and actionable information to local governments. For more information about
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Katherine Takai
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December 18, 2012
Last week, the U.S. EPA modified the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Pollution (PM2.5) to require a 20% reduction in the maximum allowable amount of soot released from smokestacks, diesel trucks, and other pollutant sources. Soot, or fine particulate matter, is made up of microscopic particles released from smokestacks, diesel trucks, wood-burning stoves and other sources and contributes to haze. What do these new regulations mean? Americans will breathe cleaner air! Some of the other intended effects include: Reduced incidence of diseases,
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Tad McGalliard
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November 30, 2012
How is your metropolitan region recovering from the Great Recession. A new report from the Brookings Institute suggests that not many have fully recovered to pre-recession status.
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Jocelyn Worley
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November 12, 2012
It is nearly impossible to talk about environmental issues and sustainability without addressing population growth as a major core cause of these conditions. The world reached 7 billion people in 2011 and this number is only expected to grow exponentially. There is no doubt that the rising population has negative effects on the environment ; more demand for finite resources, increase in air pollution with additional infrastructure and transportation, increase in water pollution with runoff, habitat loss and deforestation to meet the demand for wood and land. Technologies and practices are
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Tad McGalliard
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November 6, 2012
In a three part series of briefing papers, former ICMA researcher Anna Read examines how asset-based economic development strategies and approaches are helping to create more sustainable and vibrant places in small towns and rural places.
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Tad McGalliard
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November 2, 2012
Need help overcoming barriers in your local solar market? It's time to put the U.S. Department of Energy's SunShot Initiative to work for you with four new services.
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