Smart Growth
ACHIEVEMENT
2O12
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Lisa P. Jackson
Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
A message from...
EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson
Congratulations to the winners of the 2012 National Award for Smart
Growth Achievement. Every year, the winners of this award show us
creative ways to build and maintain cleaner, healthier, environmentally
responsible, and economically resilient communities, and this year is no
exception. These projects, policies, and programs provide models that other
communities can use to improve their overall well-being.
Smart growth investments produce results—shown clearly by the work
of these and previous award winners. Communities are revitalizing
brownfield sites, bringing jobs and amenities in and getting toxic
contamination out. They are transforming forgotten spaces into clean and
bustling neighborhood centers, creating thriving public places. They are
increasing housing and transportation options for all residents, generating
new economic opportunities, helping people save money, and reducing
pollution from vehicles.
I'm proud to recognize the efforts of this year's National Award for Smart
Growth Achievement winners to protect the environment, improve quality
of life, and strengthen the economy. This type of innovative thinking allows
communities to continue enhancing where people live, work, and play.
On behalf of everyone at EPA, thank you for helping to create a more
sustainable, prosperous future for people all across the country.
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WINNERS
Overall Excellence
The BLVD Transformation,
Lancaster, CA: A dilapidated downtown
corridor has been transformed into
a lively, mixed-use district through
investments in the streetscape, housing,
and business development, bringing
jobs, economic growth, and
community revitalization.
Main Street or Corridor
Revitalization
The Cooperative Building,
Brattleboro, VT: A new, energy-efficient,
multi-story building with a food co-op,
affordable apartments, and innovative,
money-saving environmental features
has contributed to the vibrancy of
Brattleboro's Main Street while promoting
healthy living.
Honorable Mention: The Larkin District,
Buffalo, NY: The rehabilitation of a
warehouse building and public spaces
has sparked widespread revita/ization and
redevelopment of a mixed-use district that
reconnects a historic neighborhood to the
rest of the city.
Programs and Policies
Destination Portsmouth, Portsmouth, VA:
A comprehensive overhaul of development
and land use regulations has begun to
realize the community's vision for a livable
and pedestrian-friendly city while providing
additional opportunities for economic
development and reinvestment.
Honorable Mention: Bay Area Transit-
Oriented Affordable Housing Fund,
San Francisco Bay Area, CA:
A $50-mi//ion revolving fund provides
loans for investments in affordable, transit-
accessible housing options in an area
struggling with high housing costs.
Equitable Development
The Mariposa District, Denver, CO:
A community-oriented master plan
strengthens a transit-accessible, diverse
Denver neighborhood through the
construction of affordable housing, health
improvements, and educational services
for residents.
Honorable Mention: Northwest Gardens,
Fort Lauderdale, FL: After decades of
disinvestment, a downtown neighborhood
becomes a robust, sustainable, self-
sufficient community with affordable
homes, workforce training, community
gardens, and civic pride.
EPA created the National Award
for Smart Growth Achievement
in 2002 to recognize exceptional
approaches to development
that respect the environment,
foster economic vitality, enhance
quality of life, and provide new
opportunities for disadvantaged
communities. Over the past 11 years,
EPA has received 809 applications
from 50 states, the District of
Columbia, and Puerto Rico. This
year, EPA received 47 applications
from 25 states.
The winning entries were selected
based on their effectiveness in
creating sustainable communities;
showing innovative smart growth
planning and implementation;
establishing a robust public
involvement process; generating
partnerships among public, private,
and nonprofit stakeholders; and
serving as national models.
Award winners were selected by two
separate panels. The first consisted of
experts from the planning and design
professions, nonprofits, academia,
and federal agencies. The second was
an internal EPA panel that provided
the final review. EPA management
made final selections.
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Smart Growth Principles
• Mix land uses.
• Take advantage of compact
building design.
• Create a range of housing opportunities
and choices.
• Create walkable neighborhoods.
• Foster distinctive, attractive communities
with a strong sense of place.
• Preserve open space, farmland, natural
beauty, and critical environmental areas.
• Strengthen and direct development
toward existing communities.
• Provide a variety of
transportation choices.
• Make development decisions predictable,
fair, and cost-effective.
• Encourage community and stakeholder
collaboration in development decisions.
Smart Growth
ACHIEVEMENT
How Smart Growth
Protects the Environment
While communities use smart growth strategies for
many reasons—to improve quality of life, to attract new
businesses and residents, to use taxpayer money more
efficiently, and to take advantage of previous investments
in infrastructure—protecting the environment is often
one of their main goals. Smart growth policies can bring
environmental benefits whether they are applied regionally
or locally. Each element of smart growth development
complements and enhances the other elements, and
each investment reaps multiple environmental benefits.
For example, rain gardens on streets capture and filter
stormwater runoff, which protects water quality, but they
also make the street more pleasant for pedestrians and
bicyclists, encouraging more people to try options besides
driving. In turn, driving less reduces air pollution and
greenhouse gas emissions. Two previous National Award
for Smart Growth Achievement winners, Portland, Oregon,
and Breckenridge, Colorado, show how smart growth
strategies can yield environmental results.
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In the Portland, Oregon metro region, the 2040 Growth Concept planning process and the Making
the Greatest Place Initiative, a 2010 EPA Award winner, developed and implemented a vision of
more compact development. This development pattern uses land more efficiently; encourages
brownfield cleanup and redevelopment; and puts homes, workplaces, schools, and amenities close
enough together to make walking, biking, and public transit more appealing and useful alternatives.
Thanks to the wealth of transportation options and the compact development pattern, Portland-
area residents drive 20 percent fewer miles than residents of similarly sized metropolitan
areas—despite a population increase of over 800,000 people during the past two decades. Since
the mid 1990s, ridership on the region's transit system, TriMet, has gone up annually, and since
2001 overall bike traffic in Portland is up 219%. Since 1 990, TriMet ridership has increased more than regional population growth or driving
rates. Smart growth policies contributed to Portland and Multnomah County's 1 7 percent drop in per capita greenhouse gas emissions from
1990 to 2007, as well as the region's attainment of high air quality standards.
Protecting green and open space has also been a priority of Portland Metro's planning process. Using funds from bond measures, the city has
bought more than 12,000 acres within city boundaries to protect water quality, increase wildlife habitat, and provide residents with easy access
to nature. The region's urban tree canopy has remained steady at over 30 percent, lowering ambient air temperature, absorbing rainfall and
filtering pollution while creating beautiful streets and parks that maintain the region's character.
Breckenridge, Colorado's Wellington Neighborhood, a 2002 EPA Award winner, cleaned up and
reused a contaminated former mining site to develop a compact cluster of homes, most of which
are deed-restricted for residents who work in the county. All homes built today meet ENERGY STAR
standards, meaning they have energy-efficient lighting and appliances and are constructed using
renewable materials. Although the neighborhood has doubled from 20 to 40 acres in the past ten
years, it has almost tripled the number of homes, maintaining a compact development pattern.
Nearly 5 acres of open space and creek access have been preserved as public lands for hiking,
biking, water sports, and other recreation, as well as protecting wildlife habitat.
The homes' energy-efficiency features allow residents to spend approximately 60 percent less
on their energy bills than if they lived in a conventionally built house. The efficiency that saves people money also reduces
air pollution. Compared to a conventional home, an equivalent property in the Wellington Neighborhood produces 3.2 fewer tons of carbon
dioxide, 3.3 fewer pounds of sulfur dioxide, and 8.8 fewer pounds of nitrogen oxides per year.
The neighborhood is on the Purple Route of the free shuttle bus system to downtown Breckenridge, which gives residents the option of driving
less. From 2007 to 2012, the Purple Route provided about 325,000 passenger trips, saving just under 100,000 pounds of carbon dioxide
compared to each trip being made by a solo driver.
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Overall Excellence in
Smart Growth
City of Lancaster,
California
Lancaster, California
Partners:
The BLVD Association,
InSite Development
The BLVD Transformation
The redesign of Lancaster Boulevard helped transform downtown
Lancaster into a thriving residential and commercial district through
investments in new streetscape design, public facilities, affordable
homes, and local businesses. Dubbed "The BLVD Transformation,"
this comprehensive effort engaged residents and businesses to
revitalize the formerly dilapidated downtown and make it a distinctive
destination. Completed after just eight months of construction, The
BLVD demonstrates how redesigning a corridor guided by a strategic
vision can spark new life in a community.
In the face of economic challenges brought
on by the recession, the suburban town of
Lancaster needed bold and decisive action.
The local unemployment rate had risen
to twice the national average in the late
2000s, and the city's downtown had been
in decline for more than 20 years, with
vacant storefronts and few housing options.
The area was relatively unwalkable and
lacked shops, restaurants, public plazas,
and entertainment venues. Using a variety
of creative techniques, the city engaged
residents, businesses, and other stakeholders
to help create a Downtown Specific Plan to
enhance the city's lagging downtown area.
An important element of the plan was to
revive Lancaster Boulevard, the city's
former cultural and commercial corridor.
The refurbished Lancaster Boulevard, known
as "The BLVD," features an attractive new
streetscape, more than 110,000 square feet
of rehabilitated commercial space, a new
park and museum, and more than 800
low- to moderate-income apartments and
condos that are within walking distance of
downtown. Three apartment buildings are
designed for seniors and disabled adults,
with amenities to engage residents in
community life. Another provides
homes for artists next door to extensive
exhibition space in the Lancaster Museum
of Art & History.
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Uniform landscaping and signage,
combined with a rebranding campaign,
has helped create an identity for The BLVD
as a welcoming destination for shopping,
dining, farmers' markets, concerts, and
community festivals. A central space in
The BLVD can be used for parking and
serves as an inviting, shaded, community
gathering place when the street is closed to
vehicle traffic for special events. Pedestrian-
friendly amenities, like wider sidewalks,
drought-tolerant landscaping that provides
shade and shelter, benches, and mid-
block crossings are inviting and encourage
visitors and residents to walk or bike,
which reduces pollution from vehicles.
As the project progressed, the city worked
closely with the downtown merchants'
association and private developers to attract
and retain businesses. The city transformed
its regulatory system and established
flexible development codes, clear rules,
and an accelerated downtown permitting
and construction schedule. City staff and
developers coordinated with business
owners to ensure that shops and restaurants
could stay open during construction. The
revitalization project breathed new life into
The city creatively engaged residents in the planning
process, hosting downtown tours, community workshops,
flashlightwalks and creating "information centers" in
downtown storefront windows.
the merchants' association. Now renamed
The BLVD Association, it focuses on
maintaining strong communication between
the city and downtown businesses.
The city estimates that the project has
resulted in $273 million in economic output
and $1 30 million in private investment. The
BLVD Transformation has yielded 48 new
locally owned businesses and over 1,900
jobs, offering residents access to shops and
stores that would have previously required
driving. Now, people can walk from their
homes to eat a meal, attend a concert, ride
a commuter train that takes them to jobs in
Burbank or Los Angeles, buy groceries in
a local farmers' market, or play in a park.
The city's emphasis on communication,
coordination, and cooperation helped
ensure that The BLVD Transformation took
into account the needs and concerns of
local residents and businesses to once
again make Lancaster Boulevard the heart
of the community.
The BLVD is now a downtown destination and hosts
regional and community events throughout the year, like
the BooLVD Halloween and Harvest Festival.
The BLVD has had a huge economic impact on the
Lancaster region, generating more than 1,900 full-time
jobs and nearly $300 million in economic activity.
It is so exciting to actually see
all the pieces starting to come
together. To go from blueprint to
footprint in just a matter of months
has been simply amazing.
— Valerie Orcutt, owner of Bella West
Salon & Spa and vice president of
The BLVD Association
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Main Street or
Corridor Revitalization
The Cooperative Building
The redevelopment of the Brattleboro Food Co-op from a strip mall
surrounded by parking lots into a street-facing, mixed-use development,
with commercial space, offices, and affordable apartments, has brought
benefits to Brattleboro's residents and economy. The new Cooperative
Building incorporates money-saving and innovative environmental
features while fitting with the character of a traditional walkable New
England town. Community members were the true champions of this
project, insisting on a downtown location for their co-op that integrates
both the grocery store and mixed-income housing.
By 2003, the Brattleboro Food Co-op, a local
grocery store owned and operated by its
members, was outgrowing its space on the
south end of Main Street and was looking
for a new property. The co-op's leadership
and members wanted to keep the store in
downtown Brattleboro rather than relocate
to a much less expensive site several miles
outside of town. A central location would
remain close to transit, downtown residents,
and other shops and maintain the co-op's
role as an important employer in the city.
Ultimately, the co-op decided to buy its
existing property when it came up for sale;
the site would give the co-op space to
expand and create rental housing, which
was needed in downtown Brattleboro.
The project partners decided to demolish
the existing, single-story strip mall and
build a four-story, mixed-use building
with a strong street presence. The new
development restored the historic
streetscape pattern by putting the building
close to the sidewalk, in line with the
rest of Main Street and within walking
distance to the town's primary transit hub.
Known as the Cooperative Building, it
has the co-op on the ground floor, office
space on the second floor, and 24 mixed-
income apartments on the two top floors.
The housing was included in response to
community concerns about the lack of
affordable rental units close to jobs and
services downtown.
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The Cooperative Building helped restore Brattleboro's
historic streetscape by putting parking behind the
building to make pedestrian access easier.
The co-op's members also wanted to reduce
environmental impacts. The site, previously
contaminated by a dry-cleaning facility,
was cleaned up. The building was moved
away from the nearby brook and a green
buffer was added to protect the water from
pollution and the building from flooding.
The building is energy-efficient and includes
high-tech insulation, window glazing, and
a green roof. An innovative heat exchange
system uses heat that would typically
be wasted by the co-op's refrigeration
equipment to heat the apartments, saving
the equivalent of nearly 8,000 gallons of oil
per year. The exterior of the building uses
local Vermont slate, a natural and durable
surface that offers better energy performance
than conventional materials, and the
development team paid particular care to
weatherization and air sealing, an important
consideration in Vermont's cold climate.
These features have cut per-square-foot
energy costs by approximately 50 percent,
which helps keep the apartments affordable.
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The co-op and its members have a broad commitment
to the community. The co-op teaches classes in
nutrition and healthy cooking to Brattleboro residents.
The new co-op, completed in June 2012,
has already had a positive impact. The
project's $12-million construction budget
created about 400 jobs for local workers
with a variety of skill levels, in addition to
the co-op's growing workforce of nearly
200 people. The co-op, Brattleboro's only
downtown food store, also engages the
community in a variety of ways—it buys
from local, organic growers, provides
health education in local schools and
has even established a state-of-the-art
demonstration kitchen where Brattleboro
residents can learn about nutrition and
healthy eating. The co-op and its
members are committed to helping
Brattleboro thrive.
The Cooperative Building's many green features include
permeable pavers outside the store entrance, a green
roof and energy efficient heating and cooling system.
This project was always so
much more than just a grocery
store. I grew up in this town.
For me, it was about helping
to create a livable community
and something we could all be
proud of.
— David Cadran, co-op employee
and Cooperative Bui/ding resident
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WINNER
The City of Portsmouth
Department of Planning
Portsmouth, Virginia
Partners:
Ferrell Madden & Lewis,
Wallace Roberts & Todd,
Clarion Associates, Hellmuth
Obata and Kassabaum (HOK)
Architects, Commonwealth
Architects
Programs and Policies
Destination Portsmouth
In 2009, after completing a revision of its comprehensive plan, the
city of Portsmouth undertook a broad review of its development
and land use regulations. The cumulative result was Destination
Portsmouth—the passage of a package of new plans, zoning
ordinances, and other development policies, developed in
collaboration with community stakeholders, that support and
implement the vision outlined in the city's comprehensive plan.
These policies replace outdated regulations to provide clarity for
developers and help the city get the type of development it wants.
Portsmouth, a mid-sized city on the
Chesapeake Bay in the Hampton Roads
metropolitan area, lost 20 percent of its
population in recent years. Despite a
strong employment base, including three
major military installations—the Naval
Hospital, Navy Shipyard, and Coast
Guard Headquarters—Portsmouth was
having trouble keeping those employees
in the city after work, losing most of
them to nearby suburbs. To encourage
development, have workers live in
Portsmouth, attract new businesses, and
protect historic character, Portsmouth's
community leaders did a major update
to their comprehensive plan to spur
community-wide reinvestment and
revitalization by supporting development
in targeted growth areas. However, the
city's codes and ordinances, written in
the mid-1 980s, were not compatible with
the type of development that the city
wanted for its future, creating a wide gap
between vision and implementation. City
leaders realized they would need new,
more flexible codes to implement the
comprehensive plan, protect Portsmouth's
historic neighborhoods, and redevelop
the downtown.
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High Street, the heart of Portsmouth's downtown
commercial district, will be transformed into a
multimodal thoroughfare with mixed-use buildings, light
rail, and an inviting streetscape.
Over an 1 8-month period, the city rewrote
its regulations to create a more walkable,
sustainable, and convenient Portsmouth
for residents and visitors. The new policies,
which encourage redevelopment and
infill to use land more efficiently, apply to
all properties within city limits and were
adopted unanimously by the city council.
The regulatory revision makes compact,
walkable development by-right, meaning
that development proposals that meet
these criteria are administratively approved
with no need for costly or complicated
variances. In addition, city staff can now
quickly approve minor adjustments to
development proposals. These reforms
make the development process more
predictable—and therefore easier and more
cost-effective—for developers.
The new development policies include
more flexible zoning ordinances; required
streetscape and green infrastructure
improvements; and plans for transportation,
Destination Portsmouth is making streets throughout
the city more pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly.
floodplain management, historic
preservation, and environmental protection.
The new regulations are intended to
encourage growth in downtown and nearby
neighborhoods and include guidance
tailored to these areas to promote mixed-
use, mixed-income development. The
city provides incentives to developers to
incorporate green building and pedestrian
amenities into their designs by offering more
flexible density and parking requirements.
With the passage of each ordinance, the
city underwent an extensive community
engagement process to get feedback and
ensure that the community's goals and
vision were fully represented. The ultimate
goal of Destination Portsmouth is to give
Portsmouth's residents more choices while
enhancing the city's economic vitality and
protecting critical natural resources.
Portsmouth is already seeing changes
along its historic waterfront and in its
central neighborhoods. New businesses
are opening, buildings and homes are
An extended pedestrian path along the Elizabeth River
brings Portsmouth's residents back downtown for
exercise, picnics, and concerts.
being redeveloped in the city's core,
streets are becoming more walkable,
and military employees are remaining
downtown after work for restaurants
and events. Portsmouth's comprehensive
reform of its development regulations is
helping set a foundation for growth that
meets the community's goals.
As a resident and business owner
in Olde Towne Portsmouth,
I appreciate the opportunity
that the city afforded me for
significant public engagement
during the planning process in
designing my city.
— Ed Forlines, co-owner of
Way Back Yonder Antiques
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WINNER
Denver Housing
Authority
Denver, Colorado
Partners:
City of Denver, Colorado
Housing Finance Authority,
Colorado Department of Local
Affairs, Governor's Energy
Office, Regional Transportation
District, Denver Health, Denver
Public School District, The
Partnership for Sustainable
Communities, National
Renewable Energy Lab, Denver
ARTS and Venues, Art District
on Santa Fe, Federal Home
Loan Bank of San Francisco,
Citibank, Enterprise Community
Partners, The Richman Group
Equitable Development
The Mariposa District
The transformation of Denver's historic and diverse La Alma/
Lincoln Park neighborhood into the Mariposa District is turning
an area in need of redevelopment into a vibrant, mixed-use
district close to schools, jobs, and the 10th and Osage light-rail
station. Thanks to extensive community engagement, Mariposa's
development features environmental measures and emphasizes
healthy living for residents.
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In 2009, the Housing Authority of the
City and County of Denver (DMA) began
redevelopment of a 1 7.5-acre public
housing site in the La Alma/Lincoln Park
neighborhood. Partnering with community
groups, the city of Denver, and other
stakeholders, DHA led an extensive public
engagement process to create the South
Lincoln Redevelopment Master Plan
for the new Mariposa District. The plan
articulates a vision for an economically
diverse neighborhood that preserves
existing affordable housing while adding
new middle-income and market-rate
homes, for a total of about 800 housing
units where only 270 existed before.
The plan goes beyond housing to create
a complete neighborhood with easy
access to downtown Denver via light rail,
within walking distance of health care
and recreation facilities, and close to the
vibrant Art District on Santa Fe.
To develop the master plan, DHA held
more than 120 meetings, discussions, group
consultations, workshops, and information
sessions. Planners conducted door-to-door
interviews, translated outreach materials into
three languages, facilitated training sessions
for affected public housing residents, and
conducted surveys, many of which targeted
traditionally underrepresented groups such
as young people and non-English speakers.
Through this process, residents expressed
their strong concerns about being priced
out of their community as the renovations
went forward. These concerns moved DHA
to ensure that no public housing residents
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would be displaced against their choosing,
even during construction.
Another main concern for the community
was health, specifically the high frequency
of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes,
and asthma among area residents, along
with poor prenatal and senior health care.
The community-led development team
conducted a health impact assessment
for the project and partnered with Denver
Health, a public safety net hospital, to
assess current conditions and set targets
for progress. During the assessment, the
team worked with the neighborhood's Boys
and Girls Club to complete a Pedestrian
Environmental Quality Index to determine
the site's walkability and identify areas for
improvement. The master plan responds
to health concerns by adding sidewalks
and pedestrian walkways throughout the
development, bicycle lanes and bikeshare
stations, secure bike parking in housing
units and parking garages, and links
between new open spaces and existing
parks. Other community health concerns
are addressed through education programs
such as classes that teach healthy eating and
cooking and job-training for young people
in health-related fields.
The Denver Housing Authority facilitated over
120 public meetings and community engagement events
and translated documents into three languages.
The district uses creative practices
to protect the environment. The plan
prioritizes walking, biking, and transit,
which reduces pollution from vehicles.
Green building elements will reduce
energy consumption by up to 50 percent
across Mariposa, with 75 to 80 percent of
building rooftops dedicated to renewable
energy. Green infrastructure strategies will
reduce stormwater flows into the storm
sewers by 80 percent.
The Mariposa District, slated for
completion in 2018, provides affordable,
transit-accessible homes to residents of
all income levels in a neighborhood that
helps people live healthier lives. DHA's
efforts to build community trust make sure
that the new development meets residents'
needs while also preserving Mariposa's
exceptional assets: its neighborhood
identity, a strong sense of community, and
the culture shared by its residents.
Mariposa is home to a diverse group of residents who
benefit from neighborhood events, nearby amenities,
and proximity to public transit.
The 10th and Osage light-rail stop quickly and easily
connects Mariposa to downtown Denver.
I learned how the concerns of
residents could become part of the
plan for the redevelopment as long
as we voiced our thoughts... Our
goals and ideas have been included,
which will make this a place where
we want to continue to live.
— Katrina Aguirre, Mariposa resident
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The Larkin District has a number of public plazas
and restaurants that bring new life into a formerly
industrial area.
HONORABLE
MENTION
University at Buffalo
School of Architecture
and Planning
Buffalo, New York
Partners:
Larkin Development Group,
Empire State Development,
Local Initiatives Support
Corporation, City of Buffalo,
Neighborhood Housing Services
of South Buffalo, Old First Ward
Community Association, First
Niagara Bank, Kevin Connors
and Associates
Main Street or
Corridor Revitalization
The Larkin District
For nearly a century, former warehouses and factories in Buffalo's Hydraulics District
sat empty, making the neighborhood look rundown and desolate. When community
organizations and a local developer, who developed the historic Larkin at Exchange
building in 2004, partnered with the University at Buffalo School of Architecture and
Planning, it sparked revitalization throughout the neighborhood. Architectural students
created a master plan for an urban village that became the foundation for redevelopment.
The area, now referred to as the Larkin District, has become a lively, mixed-use
neighborhood only a mile from downtown.
The market was uncertain during the initial redevelopment of the Larkin at Exchange
Building, but the early success led to more demand, which in turn encouraged
cleanup of brownfield sites and the reuse of additional historic buildings that fit with
the neighborhood's character. The plan called for creation of a strong identity driven
by the area's history of innovation, distinctive gateways and street themes, improved
transportation, and a network of green public spaces. The Larkin District now has
thousands of square feet of office space, three new eating establishments, loft-style
apartments, parks, and plazas. Streets include new sidewalks, lighting, crosswalks,
bicycle lanes, bus shelters, and other improvements to make walking, biking, and public
transit more appealing. A "Lark 'n' Ride" program offers bike-sharing and taxi services.
Revitalization of the Larkin District benefits the wider Buffalo community. It has
demonstrated the market for living and working in a downtown neighborhood,
preserved historic character, and brought new local and national businesses. A
planned pedestrian-friendly traffic circle in the district would complete Buffalo's
Frederick Law Olmsted-designed park system by linking its northern and southern
sections, which will open up new recreational amenities and also strengthen Buffalo's
historic and cultural connections.
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Programs and Policies
Bay Area Transit-Oriented
Affordable Housing Fund
The San Francisco Bay Area, known for its high cost of living, has notoriously high housing
prices, particularly for homes near public transportation. Lower-income residents—the
people who often depend most on affordable transportation options—find it hard to afford
these homes and are pushed to the outer edges of metropolitan areas, away from jobs,
amenities, and public transit. The Bay Area Transit-Oriented Affordable Housing Fund
responds to this challenge by providing loans for developers to build affordable homes near
public transportation in Priority Development Areas—areas in an existing community that
are near fixed transit or comparable bus services.
The $50-million fund was launched through a program created by the Bay Area Metropolitan
Transportation Commission. The Commission began with an initial $10 million, and private-
sector partners, community development financial institutions, and foundations provided an
additional $40 million. As a revolving fund, once the original investments are repaid, it can
continue to finance additional projects without requiring new donations. This design gives the
fund relatively high risk tolerance and low interest rates compared to conventional loans, and
developers can secure funding for projects that would otherwise be impossible. The fund also
helps developers preserve sites by providing "patient capital," allowing them to acquire and
hold land before securing full project financing.
As of 2012, the fund has provided loans to two projects: Eddy & Taylor Family Housing, a
153-unit high-rise for low-income families located two blocks from a major transit station;
and Leigh Avenue Senior Apartments, a 64-unit building for seniors that is close to a light-
rail station and will provide free transit passes for all residents. In its first 10 years, the fund is
expected to finance the construction of 800 to 2,200 affordable, energy-efficient units, which
will continue to increase transit-accessible housing options for people in the Bay Area.
The Eddy & Taylor Building will provide housing for
low-income households, plus a ground-floor grocery
store to serve the community.
HONORABLE
MENTION
Metropolitan
Transportation Commission
San Francisco, California
Partners:
Low Income Investment Fund,
Association of Bay Area
Governments, Great
Communities Collaborative,
Ford Foundation, Living Cities,
The San Francisco Foundation,
Silicon Valley Community
Foundation, Citi Community
Capital, Morgan Stanley,
Bay Area CDFI Consortium
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Northwest Gardens' 7,000-square-foot urban farm
generates $1,000 worth ofvegetables per week and
sells food to local restaurants and residents.
HONORABLE
MENTION
The Housing Authority of
the City of Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Partners:
Carlisle Development Group,
Step-Up
Equitable Development
Northwest Gardens
After decades of disinvestment, Northwest Fort Lauderdale has struggled with high levels of
crime, poverty, and unemployment. The Northwest Gardens development addresses these
challenges by giving residents more affordable homes and new opportunities. Through safer
streets and social support; job training and education programs; and more than 550 LEED-
certified, high-quality, affordable homes, this rapidly transforming community is becoming
a model for economic, environmental, and social sustainability.
Northwest Gardens is anchored by a commitment to community development
through public engagement. The housing authority's Step-Up Apprenticeship Program
provides neighborhood youth with on-site construction training as they complete
their GEDs. Apprentices have built all of the cabinets at Northwest Gardens; some
have since found full-time positions, while others have taken leadership roles in
overseeing Northwest Gardens' 7,000-square-foot urban farm—the true community
center and heart of the neighborhood.
The redesigned neighborhood is one of the first communities in the nation to receive
LEED for Neighborhood Development certification and offers a range of energy-efficient,
affordable housing choices, which are part new construction and part rehabilitation
of existing buildings. The residential and community buildings face courtyards and
community gathering spaces, while a network of wide sidewalks connects the district.
Major bus lines and a community shuttle link the neighborhood to the rest of the
city. Residents benefit from savings on water and electric bills each month, lower
transportation costs, and an abundance of food grown in their own neighborhood.
By improving the quality of the neighborhood and bringing new residents, Northwest
Gardens is continuing to fuel local reinvestment. The housing authority has replaced
former public housing with affordable homes, generating enough rent to sustain the
development over the long term. Proving that green building, safety, and education are
not luxuries, Northwest Gardens has changed a community.
14
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PAST WINNERS
City of Tempe
•^H
City of Pasadena Planning and
Development Department
Sacramento Area Council of Governments
City and County of San Francisco
San Francisco Housing Authority and
Mercy Housing California
City/County Association of Governments of
San Mateo County
City of Santa Cruz Department of Housing
and Community Development
Department of the Navy SW Division
(San Diego)
^M
Town of Breckenridge Planning Department
Denver Urban Renewal Authority
City of Lakewood and Lakewood
Reinvestment Authority
Smart Growth and Green Building (2009)
3^^^^^^^^^^H
Policies and Regulations (2005)
Community Outreach and Education (2004)
Civic Places (2010)
Equitable Development (2008)
Policies and Regulations (2002)
Policies and Regulations (2004)
Built Projects (2003)
H^^^^^^^l
Built Projects (2002)
Overall Excellence (2005)
Built Projects (2005)
CONNECTICUT
Town of Redding
^^•r
City of Orlando
^^•1
Atlanta Regional Commission
Georgia Department of Community Affairs-
Office of Quality Growth
^^^^m
Chicago Department of Planning
and Development
Chicago Housing Authority
Town of Normal
^^m
City of Wichita
^^m
Gateway 1 Communities and Maine
Department of Transportation
^^^m^m
Baltimore City Department of Housing and
Community Development
Silver Spring Regional Center
Small Communities (2005)
Military Base Redevelopment (2005)
^^^^^^^^^^^^H
Policies and Regulations (2008)
Policies and Regulations (2003)
I^^^^M
Equitable Development (2006)
Built Projects (2009)
Civic Places (2011)
^^H
Built Projects (2006)
^^^m
Rural SmartGrowth (2010)
jTjU^^^^^^I^H
Smart Growth and Green Building (2010)
Overall Excellence (2008)
MASSACHUSETTS
Town of Barnstable
Massachusetts Office for
Commonwealth Development
Waterfront and Coastal Communities (2007)
Overall Excellence (2006)
^^^^^^^^^•CT-M.f-TiiiiiBniaraiiMii'nraii^^^^^^^^^a
• Massachusetts Executive Office of Community Outreach and Education (2002)
Environmental Affairs
• Urban Edge Housing Corporatior
• Metropolitan Council (Minneapolis-St. Paul) Overall Excellence (2003)
• City of St. Louis and the Old North St. Louis Ovgra||
Restoration Group
Uti^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B
SmartGrowth and Green Building (2011)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H
• Borough of Manhattan
• New York City Departments of
Transportation, Health, Design and
Construction, and City Planning
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H
NORTH CAROLINA
IMdHM^^^^^^^^^^^^^
lion Policies and Regulations (2009)
Overall Excellence (2004)
• Charlotte Department of Transportati
luuvn ui uaviuaun uveian LAueiienue \
• City of Greensboro Department of Housing Built Projects (2004)
and Community Development
• City of Raleigh and Wake County
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H
Community Outreach and Education (2003
1^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^••••i
• Cuyahoga County Treasurer's Office
^•^•^^•I^^^^^^^^^V!T!-:;7i
Programs, Policies and Regulations (2010i
VMP^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^BC.
• Lancaster County Planning Commission
• Lancaster County Planning Commission Overall Excellence (2009)
• Pennsylvania Department of Community and n ,. . ,n
Economic Development Pollcles and Re9ulatl°"s '2006'
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^••HM^H^HMHBB^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^WlW|l|llf£Lllll£^H
• Miner County Development Corporation and n lo 10
the Rural Learning Center Rural SmartGrowth (20111
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^m
Programs, Policies, and Regulations (2011
^^l^^^^^^^^^^^^H^^^^^^^^
Arlington County
-^
• Seattle Housing Authority
For more information on these award winners, see www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/awards.htm.
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Winner Contact Information
For more information on award winners
The BLVD Transformation
Chenin Dow, Projects Assistant
City of Lancaster
(661) 723-6165
cdow@cityoflancasterca.org
The Cooperative Building
Connie Snow, Executive Director
Windham & Windsor Housing Trust
(802) 246-2103
csnow@w-wht.org
Destination Portsmouth
Paul D. Holt III, Planning Director
James City County
(757)253-6685
paul.holt@jamescitycountyva.gov
Mariposa District
Kimball Crangle, Senior Developer
Denver Housing Authority
(720) 932-3000
kcrang@denverhousing.org
For more information on honorable mentions
Larkin District
Donna Kostrzewski, Vice President
Larkin Development Group
(716) 362-2677
donna@larkindg.com
Bay Area Transit-Oriented Affordable Housing Fund
Doug Johnson, Senior Planner
Metropolitan Transportation Commission
(510) 817-5846
djohnson@mtc.ca.gov
Northwest Gardens
Ken Naylor, Chief Operating Officer
Carlisle Development Group
(305) 476-8118
knaylor@carlisledevelopmentgroup.com
16
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Acknowledgments
Thanks to our review panel members
Chris Beck
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Kaid Benfield
Natural Resources Defense Council
Christopher Forinash
Institute for Sustainable Communities
Katie Grasty
U.S. Department of Transportation
Hank Greenberg
AARP
Julia Koster
National Capital Planning Commission
Doug Loescher
Civic Strategies Croup
Sunaree Marshall
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Vernice Miller-Travis
Maryland State Commission on Environmental Justice and
Sustainable Communities, Skeo Solutions
Melissa Quirk
National Low Income Housing Coalition
Jeff Speck
Speck & Associates LLC
Jess Zimbabwe
Urban Land Institute
Photo credits
Front cover:
Lancaster, CA: Photo courtesy of EPA.
How Smart Growth Protects the Environment (page 3)
Portland, OR: Photo courtesy of Housing Authority of Portland, Oregon.
Breckenridge, CO: Photo courtesy of Poplar Wellington.
Award Winners
Overall Excellence in Smart Growth (page 5)
Top: Photos courtesy of City of Lancaster.
Bottom: Photo courtesy of EPA.
Main Street or Corridor Revitalization (page 7)
Left: Photo courtesy of EPA.
Middle: Photo courtesy of Brattleboro Food Co-op.
Right: Photo courtesy of Gossens Bachman Architects.
Programs and Policies (page 9)
Left: Rendering courtesy of Urban Advantage.
Middle and right: Photo courtesy of EPA.
Equitable Development (page 11)
Top: Photos courtesy of Denver Housing Authority
Bottom: Photo courtesy of EPA.
Honorable Mention
Main Street or Corridor Revitalization (page 12)
Photo courtesy of Larkin Development Group.
Program and Policies (page 13)
Photo courtesy of David Baker + Partners, Architects.
Equitable Development (page 14)
Photo courtesy of Carlisle Development Group.
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Smart Growth
For more information about the
National Award for Smart Growth Achievement
and EPA's other smart growth activities, visit:
www.epa.gov/smartgrowth
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