for Sustainable
Communities
THREE YEARS OF HELPING
COMMUNITIES ACHIEVE
THEIR VISIONS FOR GROWTH
AND PROSPERITY
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About the Partnership
On June 16, 2009, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan, U.S. Secretary
of Transportation Ray LaHood, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa R Jackson
announced that they were forming the interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities. Guided by
six Livability Principles (below), HUD, DOT, and EPA are coordinating investments and aligning policies to
support communities that want to give Americans more housing choices, make transportation systems more
efficient and reliable, reinforce existing investments, protect the environment, and support vibrant and healthy
neighborhoods that attract businesses.
Livability Principles
• Provide more transportation choices
• Promote equitable, affordable housing
• Increase economic competitiveness
Support existing communities
Leverage federal investment
Value communities and neighborhoods
The Partnership for Sustainable Communities is about asking communities what they
need from the federal government, and helping them bring all the stakeholders to
the table so they can realize their local visions for success. The $240 million in grants
HUD has provided over the past two years has leveraged $253 million in private
investment and commitments from local partners, ensuring that communities can plan
and target their resources with precision, create jobs, and speed economic growth.
These kinds of tools show that the debate isn't about government that's big or small,
but about government that's smart. As our local economies become increasingly
interdependent, it's clear these kinds of smart government tools are essential to
creating an economy built to last.
Secretary Shaun Donovan
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
55
Through this Partnership with HUD and EPA, we are breaking down barriers to
local innovation and coordination in communities across America. We are working
hard to ensure local leaders have the resources and tools they need to strengthen
neighborhoods by connecting housing with affordable and sustainable transportation
choices. These projects mean jobs right now and an economy that will continue to
grow—that's what I call a win-win.
Secretary Ray LaHood
U.S. Department of Transportation
Bringing our agencies together around these shared goals opens up numerous
opportunities to protect health and the environment at the same time we're
strengthening communities and using resources more efficiently. By coordinating
targeted federal investments in transportation infrastructure, clean water, and housing,
we can give our communities the economic and environmental advantages they need
to compete in the 21st century. This type of smart growth and smart investment can
help American cities, suburbs, small towns, and rural areas become healthier and
more prosperous.
Administrator Lisa P. Jackson
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
Introduction
Interagency collaboration through the Partnership for
Sustainable Communities uses taxpayer money more
efficiently and gets better results for communities. By
coordinating federal investments in infrastructure,
facilities, and services, the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department
of Transportation (DOT), and U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) can meet multiple economic,
environmental, and community objectives with each
dollar spent.
Since 2009, HUD, DOT, and EPA have been
coordinating their work to help communities around
the country better meet their housing, transportation,
and environmental goals—laying the groundwork for
an economy that provides good jobs now and creates
a strong foundation for long-term prosperity. This
report describes accomplishments of the Partnership
and the communities it serves on its third anniversary.
American communities face complex challenges
as they try to strengthen their economies, meet
changing demand for housing and transportation,
and protect the environment and public health. The
Partnership agencies recognized they could better help
communities by partnering to develop, implement, and
share successful approaches. Small towns, suburbs,
cities, and entire regions are planning for sustainable
communities, and many have asked the Partnership
to help them turn these plans into reality. Every region
has different needs and resources, so communities are
taking different paths to becoming more economically
and environmentally sustainable and ensuring that
all members of the community benefit from those
improvements. One of the Partnership's goals is to help
communities engage all residents in developing visions
and plans for future growth. This inclusive planning
catalyzes public and private investment and can speed
implementation of plans.
Since 2009, the Partnership has provided over $3.5
billion in assistance to more than 700 communities.
Partnership grant and technical assistance recipients
are located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia,
and Puerto Rico. Demand for Partnership assistance
far outstrips available resources. As of April 2012,
Partnership agencies received more than 7,700
applications for assistance, requesting almost $102
billion. The Partnership has been able to fund 744
projects with approximately $3.51 billion. (See the
WHAT ARE SUSTAINABLE
COMMUNITIES?
In sustainable communities, people can live closer
to jobs or have easier access to more jobs in a
wider region thanks to public transit. Sustainable
communities include a variety of housing types near
workplaces, schools, parks, stores, and amenities,
making it convenient to walk, bike, take transit, or
drive short distances to daily destinations.
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SPOTLIGHT ON THE HUD
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
INITIATIVE
Over the last three years, HUD has awarded 152 grants
in 48 states as part of its Sustainable Communities
Initiative. The $240 million in federal investments has
leveraged almost $253 million in private investment
and commitments from local partners. From rural and
tribal communities in West Virginia, South Dakota, and
Washington to cities like Chicago, Seattle, and Kansas
City, regions are working together to develop local
solutions to strengthen their economies and create jobs.
In 2010, HUD established a Preferred Sustainability
Status to support implementation of plans being
funded through its Regional Planning and Community
Challenge grants. Applicants with Preferred
Sustainability Status receive preference for funding in
other HUD grant programs.
inside back cover for a map of Partnership grant and
technical assistance recipients.)
One of the Partnership's primary goals is to better align
and coordinate HUD, DOT, and EPA assistance to
communities across the country. The Partnership jointly
develops programs and reviews grant applications,
ensuring that grants and technical assistance build on
earlier funding and meet multiple community goals
with each investment. Staff in the three agencies'
regional offices around the country are replicating the
national Partnership to make it easier for communities
to make connections across agencies.
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PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
In addition, the Partnership helps tribal, state, regional,
and local governments by providing technical
assistance and giving communities better access to
information, training, and peer-to-peer learning.
In 2011, for example, HUD and EPA created a
capacity-building network to help grant and assistance
recipients exchange ideas on successful strategies,
emerging tools, and public engagement plans. The
National Sustainable Communities Learning Network
was launched in March 2012 to facilitate peer-to-peer
learning among the recipients of HUD Sustainable
Communities Regional Planning and Community
Challenge Grants, EPA Brownfields Area-Wide
Planning Grants, and technical assistance from EPA's
Office of Sustainable Communities. In February 2012,
HUD also launched a public, online Sustainable
Communities Resource Center to provide information
on local and regional strategies for sustainable housing
and planning. The Resource Center, which provides
ready access to innovative practices, cutting-edge
research, new reports, and other resources, is available
at www.huduser. org/portal/sustainability/home. html.
The Partnership's work includes helping urban,
suburban, and rural communities share their success
stories. The case studies that follow are models for
communities that aim to be greener, healthier, more
economically competitive, and more affordable.
For more case studies, please visit the Partnership's
website, www.sustainablecommunities.gou.
Examples of Competitive Grant and Technical Assistance Programs
Developed and Reviewed Jointly by the Partnership Agencies
Program
TIGER11 Capital Grants
TIGER II Capital Grants
TIGER III Capital Grants
TIGER IV Capital Grants
FHWA2 Transportation, Community, and System Preservation Program
FTA3 Bus Livability Program
FTA Alternatives Analysis Planning Grants
Smart Growth Implementation Assistance
Partnership Brownfields Pilots
Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Pilots
Greening America's Capitals
Building Blocks for Sustainable Communitie
Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grants
Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants
Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants
Community Challenge Grants
Community Challenge / TIGER II Planning Grants
Lead Agency Year
2010
1 TIGER stands for Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery.
2 FHWA stands for Federal Highway Administration.
3 FTA stands for Federal Transit Administration.
4 The Smart Growth Implementation Assistance program became a Partnership program in 2009.
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PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
Aiming to Be "New England's
Greenest City"
Located on the coast between New York City
and Providence, Bridgeport was once a bustling
industrial and shipping center. Over the past 50
years, the city has been in decline; today, residents
suffer from higher-than-average rates of asthma due
to air pollution, and many lack easy access to fresh
food, jobs, and public transportation.
Each Partnership agency had provided Bridgeport
with assistance before 2009. DOT funded major
transit upgrades, including Bridgeport's Intermodal
Transportation Center. EPA awarded grants
and technical assistance, including brownfields5
assessment and cleanup grants, job training grants,
and career training assistance. HUD provided
funding to promote affordable housing and
community development. However, this support
was not well-coordinated and did not always
consider the city's needs as a whole. That approach
changed in 2009 with the participation of the
Partnership for Sustainable Communities.
The Power of Partnership
"In 2009, our regional teams began meeting
monthly to talk about how we could better
coordinate our assistance across New England,"
says EPA Regional Administrator Curt Spalding.
"Could a clean brownfield site in one location serve
as a catalyst for a new transit center, for example?
Could nearby affordable housing make it easier
for lower- income people to get to work, a health
clinic, or a full-service grocery store? Could a
"The Partnership for Sustainable Communities in
Bridgeport is an example of collaborative problem-
solving and unified government at its best. This
collaboration has encouraged HUD, DOT, and EPA
to work together to focus resources not just on
transportation, housing, or the environment, but on
how to coordinate all three."
—Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch
section of a city designed to promote walkability
reduce pollution and improve public health in
an area suffering from high rates of asthma? The
Partnership makes it possible for us to look not
just at one project at a time, but at the cumulative
impact of our federal support."
By combining funding and technical expertise,
the three agencies are working together to help
Bridgeport achieve its goals for sustainability. In
2009, Bridgeport received an EPA Environmental
Justice Showcase Community Grant, which led to
many improvements in the distressed East End and
East Side neighborhoods, including a new fishing
pier and renewed access for residents who had been
unable to get to the waterfront. In 2010, Bridgeport
received $11 million in TIGER multimodal
transportation funding from DOT to build and
upgrade roads around the East Side's Steel Point
Peninsula to prepare for redevelopment.
Bridgeport is also a partner in the New York-
Connecticut Sustainable Communities Consortium,
a large stakeholder group comprised of city, county,
and regional representatives that received a 2010
HUD Regional Planning Grant through the Regional
Plan Association (RPA). RPA is an independent
urban research and advocacy group that provides
leadership and guidance on sustainability,
infrastructure, and economic competitiveness
issues in the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut
metropolitan region.
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g
Steel Point will have pedestrian- and bike-friendly streets that
connect neighborhoods to public transit, open the waterfront to the
public, and support commercial and residential development.
Image courtesy of Bridgeport Landing Development LLC.
A brownfield is a property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which
might be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous
substance, pollutant, or contaminant.
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PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
As part of this grant, the consortium is studying
the feasibility of opening Barnum Station, a
proposed rail station in Bridgeport's East End,
on a cleaned-up brownfield. The city hopes the
station will anchor its East Side redevelopment
plan, leading to new business investment; mixed-
use, transit-oriented development; and affordable
homes. As part of its extensive public outreach
strategy for implementing the HUD planning
grant, the consortium has held seven forums and
"town halls," where an estimated 420 residents
and stakeholders heard about the progress of the
planning work and provided input. In January 2012,
residents and stakeholders attended a town hall
meeting in Bridgeport to learn about the Barnum
Station feasibility study and share ideas to enhance
the project.
"The Partnership's efforts have helped further a
vision of the future of Bridgeport to become New
England's greenest city," said Bridgeport Mayor
Bill Finch. "By the federal government coordinating
resources and technical expertise, we have a chance of
realizing a vision such as the Barnum Station project."
SPOTLIGHT ON ATLANTA, GA: COORDINATING FEDERAL ASSISTANCE
Since 2009, the Partnership for Sustainable Communities has
been working with other federal and local agencies to coordinate
grants and technical expertise in southwest Atlanta to bring jobs,
help the housing market recover, and protect the environment.
For example, an EPA Environmental Workforce Development
Training Grant was awarded in 2012 to teach community
residents construction and environmental cleanup skills. The
trainees will help rehabilitate foreclosed homes that the city of
Atlanta and the Annie E. Casey Foundation have purchased with
a HUD Neighborhood Stabilization Program Grant. The East-
West Streetcar, to be built with funds from DOT's Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) and the city of Atlanta, will give southwest
Atlanta residents easier access to jobs and amenities downtown.
"Such coordination is unusual for government; it's a great advance to see federal, state, and local agencies working to
achieve a better outcome for families and children than they could have on their own," says Gail Hayes, director of the
Annie E. Casey Foundation's Atlanta Civic Site. She adds, "Federal agencies joined with city departments to discuss how
we could use our resources effectively to improve economic, social, and environmental conditions in the southwest
neighborhoods. Because of this enhanced coordination in all three areas, EPA, HUD, and DOT were able to achieve
significant progress for communities in need."
At public meetings, residents expressed their concerns
about exposure to contaminants from brownfields,
excessive pollution from nearby highways, and the lack of
jobs. Here, they comment on a proposed plan.
Photo courtesy of the city of Atlanta.
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PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
Two Cities Envision a
Sustainable Future Together
Ranson and Charles Town are fighting the effects
of manufacturing closures, as well as increasing
growth pressures from the Baltimore-Washington
metropolitan area. In the past several years, Ranson
has lost more than 1,500 jobs as manufacturers shut
down, leaving the community with contaminated,
vacant sites and a downtown in economic decline.
At the same time, Jefferson County's population
has been growing steadily, but with few strategies
to guide the growth. Joining forces with federal and
state agencies, Ranson and Charles Town have
developed a plan for revitalization. The Partnership
for Sustainable Communities has been a key player
in moving that plan forward.
The Power of Partnership
The Partnership initially helped the two cities
implement recommendations from EPA brownfields
assessment grants awarded in 2001, 2004, and
2006. These grants paved the way for American
Public University's construction of an academic
center—the first LEED-certified6 commercial
building in West Virginia—on a former brownfield.
The university is also transforming a shuttered
manufacturing facility into a LEED- certified office
building. According to Ranson's city manager,
Andy Blake, the university's investment will attract
hundreds of jobs.
"If not for the work done through the brownfields
grants, we would have been forced to look outside
the city limits for land parcels large enough to
expand our campus," says Wallace Boston,
president and CEO of the American Public
University System. "Instead, we have been able
to compound our commitment to sustainability
by reclaiming sites and reducing the impact to the
surrounding countryside."
To build on this momentum, Ranson and Charles
Town applied for and received an EPA Brownfields
Area-Wide Planning Grant, a HUD Community
Challenge Planning Grant, and a DOT TIGER
II Planning Grant in 2010. With these funds, the
two cities began envisioning a sustainable future.
Coordination of the three grants allowed the
communities to develop a cohesive plan that uses
vacant, previously contaminated land for economic
"All the stars aligned -transportation, zoning, the
environment, workforce housing. The Partnership
allowed us to refine our plans into implementable
steps to create a sustainable community for
generations to come."
—Ranson City Manager Andy Blake
development, links
transportation to
land use, protects
the environment,
and provides more
affordable housing.
The city of
Ranson received
technical assistance
through EPA's
Building Blocks
for Sustainable
Communities
Program to
strengthen and
articulate the plan.
EPA worked with
elected officials,
stakeholders, and
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Green Corridor
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Charles Washington
Commuter
Center
The Green Corridor will surround
., ... . . ..c Fairfax Boulevard, making it easier
the public to identify forpeople to walk orbike tojobs and
community facilities in both towns.
Learn more atwww.ransonrenewed.
com. Image courtesy of the city of
Ranson.
areas for growth
and analyze existing
community tools.
This assistance,
provided in May 2011, resulted in a clear and
specific action plan that helped Ranson implement
the three grants ahead of schedule.
The plan centers on transforming Fairfax Boulevard,
the main thoroughfare between the two cities.
A "green corridor" will surround the boulevard,
providing a walkable, bikeable connection between
the two cities that provides access to regional job
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification provides
third-party verification that a building, home, or community was designed
and built using strategies to achieve high performance in sustainable site
development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor
environmental quality. From the U.S. Green Building Council, www.usgbc.org.
0)
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centers and community facilities. Ranson and
Charles Town are using the TIGER II grant, with
a local match, to redesign the road to become a
"complete street" designed to be safe for drivers,
bicyclists, and pedestrians. These funds will also
help transform a rundown historic building into a
regional commuter center in downtown Charles
Town, providing residents and workers with access
to regional trains and buses.
In April 2012, Ranson's city council unanimously
approved proposals to enact a new zoning code
and comprehensive plan, moving the community
one step closer to realizing its vision for growth.
With the Community Challenge Grant and Building
Blocks technical assistance, the city drafted new
PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
zoning requirements to develop streets that are
safe and comfortable for pedestrians, bicyclists,
and motorized vehicles; bring buildings closer to
the street; allow a mix of uses; and accommodate
affordable homes. With the Brownfields Area-Wide
Planning Grant, the city created a downtown plan
that will develop six cleaned-up brownfields and
spur the local economy. Ranson also plans to use a
HUD Brownfields Economic Development Initiative
Grant and Section 108 loan to clean up a former
foundry. The site will be redeveloped as Powhatan
Place, a mixed-use, LEED-certified development
that will include a variety of housing types, stores,
and recreation areas, as well as green infrastructure7
to manage stormwater runoff.
Green infrastructure strategies use vegetation, soils, and permeable pavement
in settings like rain gardens, parking lots, and along streets to mimic natural
processes by capturing, slowing, and filtering rainfall and stormwater runoff.
EPA BUILDING BLOCKS FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM
Launched in 2011, the Building Blocks for Sustainable
Communities Program provides quick, targeted
technical assistance to communities. Selected
communities receive assistance from private-sector
and non-profit experts through workshops and
engagement with decision-makers. These projects
stimulate local discussions about growth and
development and provide ideas on how communities
can become more economically and environmentally
sustainable. The workshops use tools with a proven
track record and widespread application, addressing
topics such as:
• Complete streets
• Green building
• Linking land use to water quality
• Matching parking supply and demand
• Using smart growth to improve fiscal and
economic health
• Making neighborhoods more walkable
EPA has developed new tools and delivered
assistance to 138 communities in 42 states. In some
cases, the workshops are part of a coordinated effort
to support the early stages of HUD regional planning
or community challenge grants. Other examples of
outcomes include:
• In Lincoln, Nebraska, developed and adopted
policies for infill and redevelopment based on
energy conservation specifications that were
discussed at a Building Blocks workshop in
May 2011.
• In Dover, New Hampshire, five options
emerging from the Building Blocks workshop
were incorporated into an update of zoning,
site review, and subdivision approval policies.
These changes include allowing solar, wind, and
geothermal energy in all zoning categories in the
city, as well as street and sidewalks upgrades to
make neighborhoods more walkable.
• In Bluffton, South Carolina, identified areas for
preservation and areas for development. Based
on these priorities, the city created a mechanism
by which development in the downtown helps
finance conservation in areas the community
would like to preserve.
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PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
Preserving History, Strengthening
Communities on the Civil Rights Trail
The 54-mile Selma to Montgomery National
Historic Trail, designated in 1996 by Congress,
commemorates the 1965 Voting Rights March along
U.S. Highway 80. In the same year, DOT named the
route an All-American Road as part of the Federal
Highway Administration's (FHWA) National Scenic
Byways Program. To receive an All-American Road
designation, a road must have one-of-a-kind features
that do not exist elsewhere and be considered a
"destination unto itself."
The trail begins in the small town of Selma, runs
through forests and farms, and ends in the historic
Peacock neighborhood in Montgomery, the state
capital. FHWA provides funds through its National
Scenic Byways Program and is a key player in
interpreting and protecting the historic route.
Communities near the trail share a deep connection
to the march and want to preserve its history for
future generations while reviving the struggling
neighborhoods surrounding the trail. That effort is a
story of collaboration among federal, state, and local
agencies and these communities.
The Power of Partnership
Revitalization began with 18 brownfield site
assessments by EPA and the state of Alabama to
determine the best sites for revitalization in the
rural and underserved communities along the trail.
Nine community visioning sessions supported by
EPA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the
JeffDownes, deputy mayor of Montgomery, and Stan Meiburg, EPA
Region 4 deputy regional administrator, display West Montgomery
community plans for Mt. Zion Church, a historic landmark along the
trail. Photo courtesy of EPA.
"When faced with the challenges of redevelopment,
the keys to success are a plan that has been composed
together with many stakeholders, and developini
collaborative partnership including the public and
private sectors. I have no doubt in the successful
culmination of the efforts to preserve the Selma
to Montgomery National Historic Trail thanks to
the support of the Partnership for Sustainable
Communities and our other federal, state, and local
partners."
—Mayor Todd Strange, Montgomery
National Park Service helped draft plans to connect
historic points of interest in preparation for the 50th
anniversary of the march. Community outreach
sessions conducted by the city of Montgomery
with HUD Community Development Block Grant
funds led to a collection of plans with strong local
support in the city of Montgomery and more rural
communities.
EPA, FHWA, the National Park Service, and the city
of Montgomery worked with the state on a green
infrastructure design to absorb stormwater, which
will help prevent sewage overflows into Genetta
Stream in West Montgomery. Instead of maintaining
underground pipes, the city will "daylight" the buried
stream, bringing it back to the surface to improve
drainage. The city also built a greenway around the
stream to create an attractive community park with
an entrance to the trail.
HUD Community Development Block Grant funds
have been used for streetscape improvements,
affordable homes for police and teachers, and
repairs to the historic Mount Zion Church, where the
march ended. The U.S. Department of Labor's Job
Corps Program and the city of Montgomery trained
90 young people in green building techniques to
build community gardens and renovate homes in
the Peacock neighborhood. Department of Energy
Weatherization Assistance Program funds also
supported this community revitalization effort. EPA's
Greening America's Capitals program provided
technical assistance to help the city explore options to
rehabilitate a section of the trail under Interstates 65
and 85.
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PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange says of the
trail, "It's fitting that this stretch of land—that
demonstrated to the world the great things that can
be accomplished when people unite to strive for a
common purpose—is illustrating the dramatic results
that can happen when federal agencies combine
their talents and resources with state and local
governments to transform areas of blight and neglect
to places of natural beauty and sustainable viability.
We are proud of what has been accomplished here
by working together."
Genetta Park, once an industrial area, will serve as a gateway to the
Selma-Montgomery Trail. Bringing Genetta Stream, now buried, to
the surface will create a natural wetland to clean stormwater runoff
before it is released downstream. Image courtesy ofJudd Langham,
2D Studio, Birmingham, AL.
IMPROVING FUNDING PROCESSES
The Partnership is constantly looking for opportunities to help communities get the funding they need and make sure
federal programs take community priorities into account. FTA worked with HUD, EPA, and other stakeholders to improve
the New Starts Program, which provides funding for new rail, streetcar, bus rapid transit, and ferry systems. Proposed
changes could reduce the time needed to move projects through FTA's approval process by as much as six months.
In January 2012, FTA proposed a regulatory change to:
• Evaluate projects using measures that assess a project's environmental benefits and impact on economic development
as well as its impact on transportation. This change will allow FTA to consider smaller projects that might better meet a
community's needs.
• Simplify how cost-effectiveness is calculated, reducing or eliminating time-consuming technical requirements that are
unnecessary.
• Allow projects to be evaluated based more on local priorities, such as meeting the needs of historically underserved
populations.
FTA is reviewing comments on the proposal and aims to publish the final rule later in 2012.
SUPPORTING HEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE, AND EQUITABLE
COMMUNITIES FOR ALL AMERICANS
HUD, DOT, and EPA are committed to building healthy, sustainable, and equitable communities for all Americans, including
minority, low-income, tribal, and other vulnerable populations that experience higher levels of environmental pollution and
other social and economic burdens. The agencies work together to expand community access to funding opportunities,
increase transparency and meaningful participation, and promote investment in historically underrepresented communities.
For example, when reviewing grant and technical assistance applications, the Partnership agencies screen for engagement
of populations not traditionally involved in planning, such as low-income people, minorities, people with limited English
proficiency, youth, seniors, and persons with disabilities. HUD is working with its regional planning grantees to conduct
"fair housing and equity analyses" that will provide information on regional demographics; residents' ability to find jobs,
educational opportunities, and affordable places to live; and the fairness of planned investments.
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PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
Restoring a Stream and a Community
The city of Cincinnati and Hamilton County are
working with the Partnership for Sustainable
Communities and state and local agencies on a
revitalization plan focused on what at first might
seem like an unlikely target—the city's combined
sewer system. Built in 1906, the system is often
overwhelmed in wet weather, when untreated
stormwater mixes with wastewater in the combined
system and overflows into water bodies or backs
up into homes. The city is investing in green
infrastructure such as rain gardens, reforestation,
and street and building upgrades to manage
stormwater. In doing so, it hopes not only to solve
the sewage overflow problem, but also to revitalize
the low-income community of South Fairmount.
As part of an innovative settlement with EPA,
the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater
Cincinnati is investigating integrated green and
"gray" stormwater solutions instead of installing
large drainage pipes (a typical "gray" solution).8
Although both designs can reduce stormwater
runoff, the green alternative is less expensive and
more attractive, and can produce more jobs. An
important goal of the parties is the restoration of
Lick Run, a stream in South Fairmount that was
buried as the area developed. The sewer district
hopes to achieve required runoff reductions by
daylighting the stream and restoring the stream
channel. The sewer district will submit this
alternative approach for the combined sewer
system to EPA for approval. If the pilot shows that
o
"Cincinnati is demonstrating that there are sustainable
solutions to challenges that traditionally would have
been managed only through gray infrastructure.
The initiative has resulted in rich engagement and
participation from public and private agencies all
across the spectrum to ensure these projects leave a
successful legacy of sustainability and partnerships for
communities of the future. Together, we're not only
addressing combined sewer overflow issues but also
helping revitalize our communities."
—Cincinnati Vice Mayor Roxanne Quails
combined sewer overflow control goals can be
met, Cincinnati will be able to proceed with these
innovative projects.
The Power of Partnership
The Partnership helped focus investment and
agency collaboration. EPA helped the sewer district
explore green infrastructure options and, because
there is little data on the performance of large
green infrastructure projects, is working with the
city to monitor pilot projects. The city used HUD
Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds to
purchase properties and remove rundown buildings.
The Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority
received a HUD Choice Neighborhoods Planning
Grant to develop a comprehensive neighborhood
transformation plan for the English Woods/Fairmount
community. A HUD Community Challenge Grant is
funding an overhaul of Cincinnati's zoning code that
will encourage a mix of land uses, affordable homes,
and more compact development. In May 2012, 700
city residents gathered to help develop a form-based
code9 to restore the character of city neighborhoods.
The code changes also will remove zoning-related
obstacles to watershed-friendly strategies, such as
reducing impervious surfaces by changing parking
requirements.
o
o
Rain gardens at the HUD-owned St. Francis Senior Apartments
replaced excess pavement to reduce stormwater runoff. A
monitoring station, pictured at right, measures runoff levels.
Photo courtesy of EPA.
Gray infrastructure includes conventional piped drainage and water
treatment systems.
Form-based codes are development regulations that control the physical form
of buildings and public spaces, unlike traditional zoning regulations, which
regulate uses.
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PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
The Partnership is also supporting revitalization by
promoting development that uses transit investments
to connect housing and job opportunities. "Transit-
oriented development is really about creating
walkable, vibrant communities with a diversity of
people and opportunities, all in close proximity to
each other," says Charles Graves, director of city
planning and buildings.
The Cincinnati Streetcar project, for example,
partially funded by a TIGER II grant from DOT
and currently under construction, will add a new
streetcar line to improve access to major employers,
the riverfront, and area attractions. Meanwhile, a
HUD-funded demonstration project will lead to new
policies that encourage affordable housing and small-
business entrepreneurship along the streetcar line.
Greater Cincinnati Works does infrastructure work to prepare for the
Cincinnati Streetcar. Image courtesy of the city of Cincinnati.
SPOTLIGHT ON WYANDANCH, NY:
WORKING TOGETHER TO SUPPORT DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION
The Partnership has been working with Wyandanch,
New York, in central Long Island, to implement a major
community revitalization initiative. The town aims to
transform its economically distressed downtown into a
transit-oriented, pedestrian-friendly, and environmentally
sustainable destination. As part of this revitalization effort,
the town received EPA Clean Water State Revolving Funds to
install a sanitary sewer system. The new sewer system is key
to the revitalization effort because Wyandanch lacked this
essential infrastructure for the proposed redevelopment.
In addition to ongoing technical assistance from EPA, HUD,
and DOT, Wyandanch received funding from DOT to study
the feasibility of building a train station and, later, for the
actual construction. The revitalization effort will make the neighborhood more walkable, create connections between bus
and rail, and make it easier for visitors to reach downtown parks and restaurants. The Partnership continues to work with
Wyandanch to support its vision for economic and environmental sustainability.
The vision for the Wyandanch downtown includes a mix of
uses and housing types; a connected network of streets, civic
spaces, and parks; and streets designed for pedestrians and
vehicles. Image courtesy of Torti Gallas and Partners.
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PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
Historic Preservation and Green
Building Meet in New Transit Center
To prepare for new intercity train service slated to
begin in 2014, the city of Moline and MetroLINK, the
regional transit provider, are working to transform
an old warehouse into the Moline Multimodal
Station. The station will house Amtrak service that
will reconnect the Quad Cities to Chicago—and,
eventually, to Iowa City, Des Moines, and Omaha—
and should spark development opportunities in
downtown Moline. The Moline station will include new
construction as well as green renovation of the historic
O'Rourke Building on a brownfield site. The project is
receiving funding and expertise from the Partnership
for Sustainable Communities, the Illinois Department
of Transportation, and the city of Moline.
The multimodal station, which will include the train
station and the adjacent existing bus station, will help
residents and visitors travel more easily between the
Quad Cities and Chicago and other destinations. It
will contain Amtrak facilities on the ground level and
private development on the upper floors. Complete
build-out of the station area will include $100 million in
housing, commercial office space, parking garages, and
hotel space.
The Power of Partnership
"Providing federal funds for facilities like this one in
Moline can reduce our dependence on oil, relieve
congestion, and improve air quality," says Therese
McMillan, deputy administrator of the FTA, which
administers a DOT TIGER II grant that funds the
project. "This facility will let people keep more of their
The proposed Quad Cities Amtrak Station will ease travel between
the Quad Cities (Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa; and Rock Island,
Moline, and East Moline, Illinois), Chicago, and other destinations.
Image courtesy of Renew Moline.
"Seventeen years working in government and this
was the first time I had DOT, the Federal Highway
Administration, the Federal Transit Administration,
HUD, and EPA in the same room at the same time
talking about the same projects in a coordinated and
efficient way."
—Heather Roberts, Business Development Coordinator,
MetroLINK
hard-earned money in their pocket instead of spending
it at the gas pump." Locating homes near the transit
center also gives residents more options for commuting
to work and running errands. To provide more
downtown housing options, a HUD Neighborhood
Stabilization Grant is being used to rehabilitate the
nearby historic Washington Square Apartments.
Because the building is in the Moline Downtown
Commercial Historic District, redevelopment must
follow historic preservation guidelines to receive a
tax credit. At the same time, the city's green building
requirements call for LEED Silver certification.
These potentially conflicting requirements could
deter developers unfamiliar with navigating such a
complex project. EPA worked closely with FTA, the
city, and MetroLINK to clear this hurdle. EPA provided
assistance by developing case studies of successful
green preservation projects, offering templates for
Moline to follow. The Delta Institute, an EPA grantee,
provided a green building readiness evaluation, which
included a LEED certification strategy. MetroLINK
and the city provided these materials to developers
in a workshop that illustrated how to use historic
preservation guidelines and tax credits while achieving
LEED certification. This support was instrumental in
helping FTA move the project forward without delays.
Construction on the project is expected to begin in
August 2012.
"If it weren't for the Partnership, EPA would not
have been in a position to help us with our TIGER II
project," says Heather Roberts, business development
coordinator for MetroLINK. "We are committed to
attaining a LEED Silver certification or better on our
project. This goal was made so much easier because of
the coordinated discussion between DOT and EPA."
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PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
o
o
Creating a Sustainable and
Inclusive Neighborhood
Based on the Denver region's plan for growth,
which included transportation as a core element,
the Denver Regional Transportation District
(RTD) developed FasTracks, an ambitious transit
expansion plan. The FasTracks plan proposed
nine new or extended rail lines, more than 55
new stations, bus rapid transit, and enhancements
to existing bus and rail service across the eight-
county region. The business community, local
governments, environmental groups, and others
supported FasTracks as a way to make the Denver
region more livable, affordable, and economically
competitive. Investing in this new infrastructure
would attract jobs and support new business
growth, while the expanded transit would reduce
traffic congestion and pollution. In 2004, voters
approved a ballot measure to fund FasTracks
through a regional sales tax.
FasTracks' new transit corridors and stations
present the Denver region with many opportunities
for transit-oriented development—walkable
neighborhoods near transit stations that make
it easy for people to visit, live, or work nearby
without having to drive. After FasTracks passed,
local jurisdictions began planning transit-oriented
development on land near both existing and
planned stations and formed partnerships with
property owners, developers, and neighborhood
leaders. The La Alma/Lincoln Park neighborhood
hosts one of many redevelopment efforts now
underway.
The Tapiz Apartments are a HUD-owned senior housing complex in
La Alma/Lincoln Park. The building features a mural by a local artist.
Photo courtesy of EPA.
"The Partnership provided excitement around the
issue of collaborative planning across disciplines.
Without it, we wouldn't have been able to
attract decision-makers to the table in the areas
where we had gaps to fill (energy, stormwater,
and transportation). With the decision-makers
participating in the visioning and implementation
exercises, we were able to actually take the plans
and make them a reality. This is, I believe, due to the
Partnership's oversight."
—Kimball Crangle, Senior Developer,
Denver Housing Authority
The Power of Partnership
La Alma/Lincoln Park, just south of downtown, is
one of Denver's oldest neighborhoods. Located
next to the 10th & Osage transit station, it has
a distinctive identity as a culturally diverse
community with a long tradition of valuing the arts.
The neighborhood is attractive for reinvestment
because of its proximity to transit, many nearby
amenities, and active involvement by residents.
The Denver Housing Authority (DHA) owns an
aging residential development near the station.
Next to both the DHA parcel and the transit
station were two undeveloped parcels with
minor contamination. Seizing the opportunity to
transform the vacant parcels and the DHA site, the
city and county of Denver, DHA, and RTD formed
a partnership to create a new vision for what would
become the Mariposa District.
To ensure that the character and quality of the
Mariposa development would fit the community's
needs and values, more than 120 community
meetings and group interviews were held with
residents, community leaders, city agencies,
businesses, and local government representatives.
Community members outlined their vision for
the redevelopment, which included buildings and
services that met the community's needs, economic
self-sufficiency, more jobs and job training, homes
affordable to people at various income levels,
safety and security, more education opportunities,
enhancing residents' health, and fostering a strong
sense of community. The result of this intensive
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PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
community engagement was a master plan that
would guide the redevelopment by looking at
the neighborhood as a whole, rather than parcel
by parcel. Based on this vision, the parcels were
purchased by the city and county of Denver from
the Regional Transportation District in 2007 and
then assessed and cleaned up with funding from
EPA brownfield grants to the city.
State and local officials asked the Partnership for
Sustainable Communities to support their plans. In
2009, DOT Secretary Ray LaHood, HUD Secretary
Shaun Donovan, and EPA Administrator Lisa
Jackson visited to kick off the work.
The Mariposa redevelopment shows how the
three agencies are working together and with
the community. Funding from the EPA Office
of Brownfields and Land Revitalization and
HUD funding from the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act helped make construction of
the 100-unit Tapiz Apartments possible, providing
affordable homes for seniors and disabled people.
The redevelopment project was a Sustainable
Communities Brownfields Pilot, under which
the Partnership organized three workshops that
brought together community representatives,
residents of DHA housing, city agencies, EPA,
SPOTLIGHT ON CALIFORNIA: PLANNING FOR DEVELOPMENT
AROUND HIGH-SPEED RAIL
The California High-Speed Rail project offers an opportunity
to create cleaner, cost-effective transportation options and
development patterns. In 2011, EPA, HUD, FTA, the Federal
Railroad Administration (FRA), and the California High-Speed
Rail Authority (CHSRA) signed an agreement to work together
to use environmentally sustainable practices in planning,
siting, designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining
the high-speed rail system. Many tasks are underway. For
example, CHSRA and FRA are investing grant money in station-
area planning in several cities, and Partnership agencies are
helping coordinate new and existing federal, state, and local
investments. Partnership agencies also regularly collaborate
with the high-speed rail project team to provide technical
assistance on planning, energy, water resources, materials,
and policy and use their networks to bring in other experts as
needed. For example, the Partnership engaged the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory, which helped the team create
a strategic energy plan for powering the rail system with 100
percent renewable energy.
The proposed 800-mile system would connect major cities
with up to 26 stations. Fresno is slated to have the first station.
Good planning will be essential to making the station an asset
for the city. Well-planned rail stations can attract vibrant, walkable development with diverse housing, transportation, and
economic opportunities. The Partnership is working with the Fresno Strong Cities, Strong Communities team to provide
technical assistance on the station-area planning. Strong Cities, Strong Communities is a White House initiative to strengthen
local capacity and spark economic growth in communities while ensuring taxpayer dollars are used wisely and effectively.
EPA, DOT, and HUD regional staff participated in a Strong Cities, Strong Communities-led workshop to begin planning the
station area. They also provided input on the city's proposal for station-area planning and are working with the Strong Cities,
Strong Communities team and the city of Fresno to coordinate federal investments in the station area.
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The High-Speed Rail project would benefit Fresno's
downtown redevelopment and provide fast transit options to
other California cities. The 255-mile trip from Fresno to Los
Angeles, for example, would take 1 hour and 24 minutes.
Image courtesy of the California High-Speed Rail Authority.
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PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
HUD, and DOT to develop more detailed
implementation plans around specific issues
like transportation, energy efficiency, and green
infrastructure. A 2011 HUD HOPE VI grant
helped fund further implementation activities,
including an environmentally friendly and
health-conscious design for Mariposa. New
construction will use 50 percent less energy than
comparable conventional buildings, and Mariposa
will incorporate green infrastructure to handle
stormwater. "Mixed-income housing, a healthy
living environment, and transportation choices
are essential ingredients of sustainability. The
Mariposa community has all of these elements
and is a great example of how housing policies
can improve communities," says HUD Regional
Administrator Rick Garcia.
DOT funds helped make the 10th & Osage
station more accessible for people with disabilities
and increased the frequency of train service,
better connecting La Alma/Lincoln Park to other
parts of Denver. The Mariposa redevelopment
can be a model for transit-oriented development
around the new stations built under FasTracks.
When complete, Mariposa will feature better
access to a range of transportation choices and
will replace old, dilapidated public housing
with more than 800 units of mixed-income
housing, maintaining the same number of
affordable units on the site and creating new
homes at a variety of price points. The extensive
community involvement has helped ensure that
the neighborhood will preserve its character and
sense of place while creating opportunities to
bring in new residents and businesses.
EXPLORING THE ROLE
OF TRANSPORTATION IN
LIVABILITY
In 2011, FHWA conducted several regional
livability workshops around the country to explore
transportation's role in improving quality of life. The
meetings brought together leaders from metropolitan
planning organizations, transportation agencies,
city and county governments, public and private
developers, nonprofit organizations, housing agencies,
environmental and resource preservation agencies,
and others. FHWA developed resources to explain
transportation's role in enhancing quality of life,
including videos with local leaders and a booklet
called "Creating Livable Communities" that provides
strategies for considering livability objectives in
transportation investment decisions. These and other
resources are available at www.fliwa.dot.gov/livability.
Creating Livable
Communities (available
at www.fhwa.dot.gov/
livability/creating_
livable_communities/
livabilitybooklet.
pdf) provides
strategies on how to
effectively consider
and incorporate
livability objectives
in transportation
investment decisions.
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PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
.
Transportation Options and
Community Planning Lead to New
Economic Opportunities
Since the creation of its reservation in 1881, the
Spokane Tribe of Indians has been seeking to achieve
its vision of sovereignty through self-sufficiency.
With a growing population but declining revenues,
the tribe struggles with high poverty levels, limited
employment opportunities, few transportation choices,
and a lack of both infrastructure and housing. These
interrelated challenges require innovative solutions and
comprehensive, integrated planning.
To address these challenges, the tribe partnered with
Native American nonprofit Antithesis Research and the
Partnership for Sustainable Communities to improve
environmental and economic conditions. Through a
2010 HUD Community Challenge Grant, the Spokane
Tribe is bringing together community, government,
and business leaders to prepare a community master
plan to assess the tribe's needs and create integrated
solutions for housing, transportation, infrastructure, and
economic development.
The Power of Partnership
With a 47 percent unemployment rate on the
reservation, the tribe is focused on supporting
economic development and helping residents get
better access to jobs. One strategy is to improve
transportation choices; in 2008, the tribe completed
a feasibility study that determined that lack of
transportation options was the major reason for
long-term unemployment. The study crystallized
the problem and put in motion other requests
for assistance. In 2009, the tribe received an FTA
Tribal Transit Planning Grant to complete a transit
development plan.
I
The Moccasin Express provides residents reliable transportation
to jobs and amenities. Photo courtesy of the Spokane Tribe
of Indians.
"The sustainability project has brought a wide variety
of folks from different walks of life to the same table
to discuss and lay the foundation for sustainability
actions for the future."
—Rudy Peone, Secretary-Elect,
Spokane Tribal Business Council
"The reservation is 45 miles from Spokane, and
there are no transit systems that connect," says
Chamisa Radford, the tribe's planning and economic
development director. "If you don't have a car or your
car breaks down, you lose your job." With funds from
the FTA Tribal Transit Program, the state, and the
tribe's fuel taxes, the tribe now operates two bus routes
and a vanpool service dubbed the Moccasin Express.
The tribe is working to locate transit centers near
homes and conduct a marketing campaign to increase
ridership. Today, the Moccasin Express and two bus
routes provide reliable transportation for more than
1,000 riders a month.
Working with the Partnership, the tribe has identified
additional community needs, such as addressing the
reservation's aging water infrastructure. The tribe is
receiving technical assistance in 2012 through EPA's
Smart Growth Implementation Assistance Program
to plan for and address water shortages, pipe failures,
and sewer system maintenance. Improving the water
infrastructure will give the reservation safer, more
reliable water and sewer service, which will enhance
the quality of life for residents and support the
development of new tribal business enterprises.
"Previously, the tribe had to work with individual
departments completely separate from each other,"
says Scott Radford, vice chair of Antithesis Research.
"There was duplication of work, or the work was not
as comprehensive as it could have been. Now, water,
transportation, and housing issues are being addressed
together at one time."
The Partnership has also helped inspire collaboration
within the tribe, says Chamisa Radford. "We actually
have grant writers from different departments meeting
together for the first time, so we can be more strategic
about which resources to apply for and how to have a
single project meet multiple needs. We are learning a
new system, and I see great benefits."
^H
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16
PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
o
a
The Road Ahead
As the Partnership enters its fourth year, HUD, DOT,
and EPA continue to collaborate with each other and
with other federal, tribal, state, regional, and local
partners to consider housing, transportation, and
environmental policy as they exist in the real world—
inextricably connected. When agencies talk regularly,
they can help communities solve problems more
easily—and avoid the problems that come from
lack of coordination. Community members, political
leaders, and government staff across the country
have made it clear that interagency collaboration
has greatly improved communication, making
government more efficient and providing better
results for communities. The Partnership will continue
to share models of local successes, coordinate to
make government work better, and help communities
find innovative solutions to the challenges they face
now and in the future.
Learn More
Find the latest information on the activities of the
Partnership for Sustainable Communities at
www.sustainablecommunities.gou. The site features:
• Announcements about grants and technical
assistance from each agency.
• Tools, publications, and other resources.
• A map of grant and technical assistance
recipients.
• Community case studies, fact sheets, and
videos.
• Contact information for staff in regional offices.
SUPPORTING SMALL TOWNS
AND RURAL AREAS
The Partnership has joined with the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) to explore opportunities to help
small towns and rural areas plan for long-term growth.
The agencies are investing funds more effectively by
sharing information and coordinating actions.
For example:
• In western North Dakota, a 2010 USDA Rural
Business Opportunity Grant helped the region
identify the impacts of a population increase
resulting from the oil and gas industry that is
overwhelming existing housing and infrastructure.
The community was able to use that work to
develop a long-term strategy to guide future
infrastructure investments through a HUD
Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant.
• In southwest Iowa, a 2010 USDA grant that
develops markets for locally grown food prompted
an eight-county region to work with leaders in
Omaha and Council Bluffs to include local food
strategies as part of a 2011 HUD Sustainable
Communities Regional Planning Grant.
• USDA alerted organizations in eastern Arkansas
about HUD grant opportunities. The East
Arkansas Planning and Development District
joined forces with a coalition of state and local
agencies, nonprofits, and colleges to apply for
a HUD Regional Planning Grant to help address
problems of persistent poverty. The grant, which
was awarded in 2011, will help shape the area's
economy for years to come.
In 2011, the Partnership
and USDA jointly
published Supporting
Sustainable Rural
Communities (available
at www.epa.gov/
smartgrowth/publications.
htm). This report explains
how Partnership work can
help rural communities
achieve their goals,
describes programs at
the four agencies that
are working in rural
places, and provides case
studies of small towns
and rural regions that
have implemented sustainable
approaches with assistance from
federal agencies.
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PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
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Photos on front cover (from left to right): Atlanta, GA; Ranson, WV; Cincinnati, OH; Spokane, WA
Photos on back cover (from left to right): Bridgeport, CT; Moline, IL; Denver, CO; Montgomery, AL
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