Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities

EPA and other nonprofit organizations are accepting applications for EPA's Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program. The program, which began in 2011, provides technical assistance to about 50 communities a year on specific topics related to smart growth — such as launching a bike-share program, reforming zoning codes, conducting a parking audit, creating complete streets, implementing transit-oriented development, and many others. The program is easy to apply for — a two-page letter is required and it must be sponsored by a municipality or Native American tribe. There is no financial commitment on the part of the community. The technical assistance is focused on moving toward implementation. Applications that give a clear sense of how the community plans to move forward will be given preference, EPA says. Deadlines depend on the grantee (EPA or asociated nonprofit), but most are October 25-26. See www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/buildingblocks.htm for details.

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• See the September 2012 issue of Better! Cities & Towns.Topics: Artists energize places, Parking and transit-oriented development, the sprawl culture war, Complete Streets, Pocket neighborhood in Illinois, European-style street, Treating people and nature better, Highway teardown and New Haven, Sustainable Urbanism and Beyond, Too Much Magic, Advice from a pioneering source

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