First steps toward livable communities

I've spent some time on this page introducing the idea of livable communities. We know that housing and transportation are tightly bound up with one another. Our transportation investment decisions don't occur in a vacuum; they must be consistent with our housing policies.

I want to pursue this idea a bit more here and describe for you what the HUD-DOT task force will do. I hope you can see how this will increase the quality of life for all Americans.

To begin, here are our four goals:

•  More choices for affordable housing near employment opportunities;
•  More transportation options, to lower transportation costs, shorten travel times, and improve the environment;
•  The ability to combine several errands into one trip through better coordination of transportation and land uses; and
•  Safe, livable, healthy communities.

How will we accomplish this? That's a simple question with a complicated answer.

We'll start by integrating the planning process. We'll encourage major metropolitan areas to integrate housing and transportation planning by providing HUD grants to support that integration.

We'll coordinate HUD-required 5-year Consolidated Planning with DOT-required long-range Transportation Plans and 4-year Transportation Improvement Planning.

And, we'll look for ways our two departments can further coordinate location efficiency in housing and transportation choices for states, counties, and municipalities.

On a less concrete level, the task force will evaluate and recommend measures that indicate livability. After all, if we don't know livability when we see it, how can we know if we've helped communities achieve it?

I have a few ideas. For example, I think everyone, urban and rural alike, needs safe and affordable access. Access to work, to medical services, to schools, to shopping, to recreation, and to other essential activities.

We're moving into new territory, and it must be mapped out. We need better tools to track housing and transportation options and expenditures. We need standardized and efficient performance measures. We need to learn from what works.

In the coming months, we'll work closely with Congress and our stakeholders on a new authorization package for surface transportation--the sidewalks, roads, rails, and transit that move you where you want to go, that move your goods where you need them. With your support, we can make livability a centerpiece of this legislation.

Comments

[J.J.]

This is an idea that is already enacted in California (SB 375) and there are several yet-to-be-determined costs associated with implementation, which make this an unfunded mandate and makes this an almost impossible feat to enforce on any local jurisdiction. Also, to connect transportation options to land use will ultimately require increased funding for transportation modeling systems and for transit, especially for operations costs, which in these uncertain economic times might prove difficult. Additionally, depending on how this federal proposal is carried forward, local control of land use might be put into jeopardy.

While the argument can be made that good policy makes sense regardless of the cost, it is important to keep in mind the ultimate goal of this policy. If the policy is mainly to get people out of their cars, this works best in major metropolitan areas and the biggest motivator to get people out of their cars is increased gas prices. If the goal is mainly to provide transit options for the sake of having transit, then incentives should be provided to cities that adopt general plans with business/residential mixed use plans and/or job centers and residential plans. And, if this is the goal, careful consideration should be given to the fact that most transit lines are heavily subsidized by government funds to entice ridership.

[Western Art]

The focus on aligning affordable housing with major employment centers is quite enlightened and will lead to many benefits.

In addition to the very positive impact on the environment from fewer miles driven, it eases the disproportionate burden that lower income employees face with their long commutes.

Driven further and further from their jobs by the high housing prices in major urban centers, the price of fuel (and associated taxes) simply to arrive at work significantly erodes their actual take-home pay.

[Wendy Schon]

I live in a rural/suburban town, about twenty minutes away from a city. I have been thinking for several years now that my town and others like it should have sidewalks or walking/biking pathways off-the-road so that residents can walk and bike safely around town. In towns like mine, a lot of driving could be replaced by walking or biking if it was safe to do so (winding rural roads make it hazardous, so I do not want my children to ride their bikes on many nearby roads). I think it would be hugely beneficial for a major initiative coming from the federal gov't and branching out towards small communities to establish walking/biking paths to reduce driving (and therefore carbon emissions). Frequent and dependable public transportation between suburbs and cities would also help reduce driving/carbon emissions.

[Wendy Schon]

Perhaps the Secretary of Education should be part of the discussions on sustainable communities. Many people live in the suburbs because they want to send their children to good public schools. A lot of driving occurs in the suburbs shuttling kids around to various activities: sports, music lessons, etc. If city public schools were of higher quality, more people would live in the city and be able to use public transportation. Changes in education funding policy could result in reversals of these trends. The bottom line is that we need to figure out ways to reduce Americans' driving in order to reduce carbon emissions.

[ladies bike]

What will be done about safe cycle ways to schools and work.

[Port Canaveral Transportation - United Luxury Transportation]

Excellent Blog that covers inner story of the transportation communities!!!

[solarglobalgreen]

We are witnessing an efficient government at work. I say it's about time.

[Orlando Florida Limousine]

With digitalization and integration communication channel has transformed. New communities are formed online easily and they can interact, communities have come closer to exchange their views and experiences. I joined so that I can share my transportation experience with all transporters and enthusiasts.

[child discipline]

Maybe some sort of a green tax break should be in place for people that walk or bicycle to work?

[Don Sims]

I am an unemployed young person with a Masters Degree in Urban Planning who is thrilled by these announcements. I am hoping to see more concrete job announcements on usajobs.gov. If anyone knows when the actual planning jobs are going to begin emerging let me know.

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If city public schools were of higher quality, more people would live in the city

[Wave59]

This really is a complicated issue with so many moving parts involved. I, for one, am not really sure what the best solution is to be honest.

[neverfull]

I am hoping to see more concrete job announcements on usajobs.gov. If anyone knows when the actual planning jobs are going to begin emerging let me know.