Job Oppty: City of Rockville Seeking Housing/CDBG Planner

We're glad to share this announcement courtesy of Clark Larson:

"The City of Rockville, Maryland is recruiting for a housing planner position in the Department of Community Planning and Development Services (CPDS).  We are looking for a person who is familiar with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) regulations (Davis Bacon, lead paint, financial procedures, etc) and administration.  They would supervise two people, a rehab specialist and the administrator of our Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit (MPDU) program, administer a small ($300,000) CDBG program, produce the City's housing plan and a few other small grants....

The job advertisement can be found at the following link.  Closing date is AUGUST 9th.
Go to: http://agency.governmentjobs.com/rockville/default.cfm and click on the listing for 'Housing Planner'"

Job Oppty: EPA Seeks Student Contractor for Social Media/Online Technologies

We’re glad to share this job announcement from the EPA Office of Research and Development for a student contractor to work on social media and online technologies.

Aug 25 VDDA Luncheon on Hampton BID

Register today for VDDA's Regional Hot Topic Luncheon, Thursday, August 25th, 12pm to 2pm, followed by a walking tour of Hampton's Downtown BID.

"15 Years of Progress: The City of Hampton's Business Improvement Districts"
Crowne Plaza Hampton Marina
700 Settlers Landing Road, Hampton, VA
$30.00 for 2011 VDDA members, $35.00 for non-members

AICP Certification Maintenance Units and AIA/CES available!

Following the luncheon, please join us at 2:00 pm for a walking tour of Downtown Hampton's BID!

The City of Hampton has two Business Improvement Districts (BIDs): Downtown Hampton and Coliseum Central. Under Virginia law, special taxing is permitted in these districts, and is collected in Hampton's BIDs in the form of assessed property taxes. The Downtown Hampton District encompasses more than 250 businesses and property owners and is managed by Downtown Hampton Development Partnership (DHDP). The DHDP is committed to enhancing the physical beauty, commercial vitality, and distinguished character of Downtown Hampton. The Coliseum Central District, including over 1,900 acres and representing over 700 businesses and property owners, is managed by Coliseum Central Business Improvement District. Coliseum Central uses the revenues generated to fund projects, programs, and initiatives designed to enhance or improve elements within the District. Both business improvement districts are guided by adopted master plans.

The City of Hampton was the recipient of the 2011 Donald Hunter Excellence in Economic Development Planning Award from the American Planning Association for the Peninsula Town Center Project, the redevelopment of an enclosed mall into a pedestrian-oriented mixed use development. The Project was guided by the Coliseum Central Master Plan. Join us as Sherry Spring, Executive Director of Downtown Hampton Development Partnership, and Elizabeth McCoury, Executive Director of Coliseum Central Business Improvement District, discuss activities and achievements within their Districts and how their ongoing efforts and partnerships are supported by the City of Hampton.

For more information, contact VDDA at (804) 754-4120 or admin@downtownvirginia.org

Click here to Register Online!

Job Oppty: President of NoMa Business Improvement District

Job Announcement

NOMA BID

President

(Washington, DC)

NoMa BID Background

Located four blocks from the Capitol and just north of Union Station, NoMa is the fastest growing neighborhood in Washington, DC.  Since the New York Avenue Metro opened six years ago, over seven million square feet of new housing, offices, retail and hotels have been built. The NoMa Business Improvement District (BID) has been a leading force in shaping and supporting the area's renaissance. The NoMa BID is a 501(c)6 nonprofit created by the District of Columbia Council in March 2007 and governed by a 15- member Board of Directors.  The BID's annual budget of $2 million is funded by a special assessment collected from property owners in a 35-block area between Union Station and New York Avenue. Please visit www.nomabid.org for more information about the BID.

Job Description

The President of the BID is responsible for developing and implementing the BID's vision for NoMa as one of DC's most exciting, fastest growing and connected neighborhoods.  The President reports to the Board of Directors and is also responsible for the overall administration, financial management and day to day activities of the BID.

The President establishes the vision, sets priorities and oversees BID programs including:

o   Clean Team

o   Public Safety

o   Marketing and Events

o   Economic Development

o   Transportation and Planning

o   Arts and Culture

o   Community Development

Experience and Qualifications

-    10+ years of experience in related field, with:

o   Solid track record building public/ private partnerships

o   Management responsibility

o   Budget and financial management experience

- Collaborative working style and demonstrated success in managing people and effective teams
- Knowledge of Washington DC city government

- PR, marketing and branding experience
- A high comfort level with public speaking and operating in the public eye
- Understanding of urban planning and all types of real estate development
- Passion for community development and placemaking
- Demonstrated commitment to customer service at all levels
- Impeccable reputation in financial stewardship and ethics
- Bachelor degree required, masters or graduate level degree preferred

To Apply

Submit cover letter, resume and 3 references by August 19th, 2011 to Louise Stoner Crawford at louise.stonercrawford@gmail.com.

Full job description is posted at nomabid.org.

Rail~Volution 2011 Conference Registration Now Open!

October 16-19, 2011
Washington, DC
www.railvolution.com

Rail~Volution 2011 Conference Registration Now Open!
Learn from the past. Dream of the future. Make a difference now.

This year Rail~Volution comes to Washington, DC, where history and cutting edge converge. What better place to bring together people dedicated to transit, livability and communities and let them explore? A city where innovation can be seen in Pierre Charles L’Enfant’s centuries-old street plan, as well as the year-old Capital Bikeshare program. Where investments made over 30 years ago in the Metrorail system -- now the second busiest in the nation -- support evolving transit and land use patterns.

Rail~Volution presents people who have learned the lessons and are honest about sharing their experiences. They bring examples of projects at every phase of development, emerging to mature. For four days in October, the best and brightest ideas on livability will be debated, researched, tested and shared.

Join us. See for yourself how initiatives are linking neighborhoods, spurring economic development and providing residents, commuters and visitors with more active transportation choices.

Your stories and lessons learned, your take on new policies and your wisdom gained through innovative best practices, will guide the conversation. Come be a part of the Rail~Volution!

To learn more about Rail~Volution 2011, click here.

To Register, click here
Sunday, October 16- Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Washington, DC
www.railvolution.com
Conference Location and Hotel Information:
The Washington Marriott Wardman Park
2660 Woodley Road NW
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: (202) 328-2000
Reservations: (800) 266-9432

The group rate of $269 / night for single or double will be available upon request (space permitting) until September 23, 2011.

Enterprise Green Communities internship position open

Enterprise Community Partners

Green Communities Internship
Technical Review Support

Job Summary

Assist the Enterprise Green Communities technical team with EGC certification reviews and related communication and coordination with project teams. This internship will focus on processing incoming applicants, coordinating submittal documents, answering technical questions in a timely fashion, and completing full technical reviews of certification submittals as needed.  

The job will be based out of Columbia, MD.

Job Responsibilities

- Assist project teams coming through for Enterprise Green Communities Certification by providing timely responses to project team inquires about the Certification process, submittals, and scheduling.

- Update online and manual tracking documentation of projects seeking Certification

- Work with project team to evaluate technical questions and respond within 48 hours.

- Record technical questions and waiver requests in tracking spreadsheet on a weekly basis.

- Assist with full technical reviews of certification documents.

Qualifications

- BA/BS degree required, Masters degree preferred in green building, energy performance and/or architecture.

- Working knowledge of building construction

- Experience working with a high volume of concurrent tasks and ability to prioritize

- Highly motivated and self-directed individual, with a desire to work with a dynamic team

- Strong organizational skills

- Excellent communication skills, especially though email and phone

- Proficiency in MS Office suite, especially MS Excel and Word.

Rate of pay: Commensurate with experience.

Interested candidates should apply through the link below

https://careers.enterprisecommunity.com/Careers.aspx?adata=da4SC2E22XYhtBOjK0p3dCYY7gVopmZTi6wdXmmY84gCSzdExVLGsrX9eGr5d%2f%2boXNzJtBqENn0TzHbbERZOonlTkZ9bmVHV

Job Oppty: Research Director, Housing and Sustainability at ULI

The Urban Land Institute has a new Research Director, Housing and Sustainability position that is open in the Initiatives Department.

ULI-the Urban Land Institute

Position Description

POSITION TITLE:                           Research Director, Housing and Sustainability

DEPARTMENT:                               Initiatives, Washington, DC

FLSA CLASSIFICATION:               Exempt

REPORTS TO:                                  Executive Vice President, Initiatives

POSITION SUMMARY:

The mission and passion of the Urban Land Institute is to assist metropolitan areas in becoming sustainable and thriving communities.  As a key element of this effort, information is gathered, distilled and disseminated to our members, policy makers, and the public.  The Research Director, Housing and Sustainability (the “Director”) works with the Initiatives Group, other staff, ULI Product and District Councils and members to identify trends, cutting edge issues, and obstacles to accomplishing improved metropolitan planning and development. This position will integrate material from a variety of external sources, create and develop ULI related research and publish and disseminate materials in creative and compelling ways. The Director will work closely with the Senior Resident Fellows for Housing and for Sustainability as well as the other Senior Fellows and ULI staff. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position is critical to the Urban Land Institute’s ability to help its members, public policy makers and the public understand the challenges of integrating sustainable practices throughout the development process, from urban planning through development and construction to ultimate redevelopment.  Central to sustainable development is developing a full spectrum of housing options affordable to people of all incomes and stages in life. 

While the majority of efforts and projects will relate to housing, the environment and sustainability, the Director will also support and advise other topic areas within the Initiatives Group such as infrastructure, capital markets, and public policy.  The Director works to identify and integrate good land use policy and urban design elements to ultimately cause improved development policy and practice to occur within metropolitan areas. 

To apply, contact Tim Cooper, Vice President, Human Resources.

Job Oppty: DC Golden Triangle Retail Strategy Rep

"The Golden Triangle has a unique and one-of-a-kind position open.  We are looking for a savvy and sophisticated person with excellent relationship-building skills to implement a Retail Strategy in the heart of DC, primarily by identifying and recruiting great retailers. We are thinking outside the box for this position, since it does not necessarily require retail or brokerage backgrounds."  See the job description at 

 http://www.goldentriangledc.com/about/employment.

Free Article Downloads from T&F Planning Journals

Taylor and Francis has a Planning and Urban Landing Page on their website, "which has Top Downloaded Articles from several of its planning-related journals" that are available free of charge.  Topics covered in the articles available include "subjects as diverse as; urban planning and design; built envrionment; regional development; housing reform; sustainability and social justice, as well as many others. "

Sept 7-8 VDHA Training: Revitalizing Neighborhoods Through Housing & Econ Dev

Hosted by the Virginia Housing Development Authority

Join us for this free training!

                                                                                    

Revitalizing Neighborhoods Through

Housing & Economic Development

When:

September 7 - 8, 2011

Time:

Registration 8:30 a.m.

Training 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (both days)

Where:

Virginia Housing Center

4224 Cox Road, Glen Allen, VA 23060

Why:

14 AICP Certification Maintenance credits
(must attend both days for credit)

Bonus:

Free event, free lunch and free parking!

Sponsor:

VHDA

Register:

Email Debbie.Griner@vhda.com

(Please include any special dietary needs in your email.)

RSVP:

August 22, 2011

For more information, please contact Bruce DeSimone, AICP,

at 804-343-5656 or Bruce.Desimone@vhda.com

National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC) seeking Fall 2011 Interns - Wash DC office

"The National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC) is seeking fall intern(s) to assist on food and agriculture issues in our Washington, DC office.  Founded in 1986, NFFC represents family farm, fishing and rural groups whose members face the challenge of the deepening economic recession in rural communities. 

The combination of our 26 member groups' grassroots strength and NFFC's experience at the national level enables us to play a unique role in working to secure a sustainable, economically just, healthy and secure food and farm system. Additional power comes from collaboration with a network of domestic and international organizations sharing similar ideals.

Interns will have an opportunity to assist with various aspects of NFFC's work, including monitoring pending federal legislation, attending hearings, and supporting NFFC's work around implementation of programs from the 2008 Farm Bill as well as issues related to the 2012 Farm Bill. Potential areas of focus include: strategic reserves, corporate concentration, farm subsidies, trade and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Interns will have opportunities to attend meetings, events, and hearings on Capitol Hill and at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other government agencies.

Skills and Qualifications:

·       Working towards, or completed, a college degree.

·       Interest and experience in agricultural and/or farm policy. Ideally the intern will have professional, classroom, or on-farm experience with food and farm policy issues

·      Strong oral, written, organizational and research skills

·      Self-motivated and able to work both independently and collaboratively

·      Knowledge of federal legislative process helpful

·      Understanding of expectations of a professional work environment

·      Social media/website skills desired, but not required

The position is for August-December 2011 in our Washington, DC office located on Capitol Hill. Hours: minimum of 20 hours/week. A modest transportation stipend will be provided. Telecommuting positions will be considered; please indicate this preference in your application.

To apply, please send a cover letter, a resume, and a writing sample to Lisa Griffith at lisa@nffc.net with “Intern Application” in the subject line; only complete applications will be considered.  Applications accepted on a rolling basis until position is filled.

For more information about NFFC visit www.nffc.net "

APA's GALIP/NYC Metro Chapter Host West Village Tour on Sunday, Oct 2

Mark your calendars!

We invite APA members from throughout the region and beyond to attend:

APA's GALIP Division /
New York City Metro Chapter
West Village Tour
Sunday, October 2, 2011

"How Adult Uses Created a Neighborhood"

...based on the history of the LGBT community in New York City and how the Adult Use Zoning laws affected the community. 

On the ten year anniversary of our last such walking tour, our guides, Richard Landman and Michael Levine, will once again share their decades of experience as planning and legal professionals, activists, residents and "gay men about town."  This tour offers unique insight into the ways that adult uses in New York related to existing neighborhoods and the LGBT population.

The speakers' collective experience includes participating in the Stonewall Riots at Sheridan Square in 1969; helping to found the Gay Liberation Front at the University of Buffalo in 1970; and serving as the former Director of Administration at the NYC Dept. of City Planning in 1979 and the Executive Director of Real Estate Development in 1979.

The tour will start at 1 pm at Sheridan Square, and end at approximately 2:30 pm at the piers (Hudson River). The tour will include approximately one hour of lecture and 30 minutes of walking.

CM credits pending.

Please watch for registration details to be announced.  Please direct any questions to Cade Hobbick, GALIP Chair (cade@galip.org).

July 26 Online Conf on Global Urban Issues Hosted by Austr Planning Institute

We're glad to share news about this upcoming event from the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA)

Critical Mass: The Global Urban Condition

When : July 27 11am to 10.30pm AEST (click here for time zone conversions)

Cost: $50 (Australian dollars) for PIA members for the ENTIRE conference

"PIA's International Division is hosting a division conference for the first time - please support us in this initiative to provide a professional development opportunity to all PIA members regardless of where you are located around the globe, all you need is access to a computer and you can join us!

Registration is a capped at $50 for PIA members which will give you full access to the conference including the ability to enter and leave the conference throughout as it suits you so you can join us for the full 10+ hours or just as your timetable allows it.

This registration will also allow you to access the recorded full conference online after the event at your convenience.

What is an online conference?

Papers will be presented and watched online, in an easy to use and interactive format from your desktop wherever you are based in the world. We have chosen times that suit all participants across different time zones.

Check out the conference web site for more details

It is our experience that the members of the Planning Institute of Australia and allied international professionals offer key insights into addressing growth pains in cities; experience that can help address issues and strengthen know-how both at home and abroad . So join us to discuss topical issues and to participate in building solutions for the world’s cities of today.

All enquiries to international@planning.org.au"
 

Using Social Media to Engage Youth and Racial Minorities

Today at the EPA 12th Community Involvement Training Conference in Arlington, VA, Beth Offenbacker gave a presentation focusing on the role of technology in engaging youth and racial minorities in civic capacity building and environmental awareness.  The presentation showed examples of interactive games and mobile applications ("apps") that seek to broaden the public engagement process. Emerging technologies for communications, computing, and visualization can be effectively used during the planning process for public involvement, data collection, spatial analysis, and visioning. At the same time, we should critically assess the impacts of technology on planning processes such as outreach. Civil liberties and the digital divide are two such concerns. These two emerging technologies present opportunities for future civic engagement, public involvement and even future employment, including for traditionally underserved groups, and particularly to reach youth who may be highly conversant with the technologies or who may be interested in becoming more active in their communities. Public involvement efforts can and should focus on opportunities to cultivate a culture of participation with youth and racial minorities. Three games/apps will be highlighted in this session: Walking History, an interactive, mobile game; Community PlanIt, an immersive 3D game; and Participatory Chinatown, a game designed for the master planning process in Boston's Chinatown.

Webinar Series: Sustainable Development in the National Capital Region

We're glad to share this announcement from HousingPolicy.org:

"Join us for our Live at the Forum Summer Series: Sustainable Development in the National Capital Region, a three-part webinar series highlighting exciting and innovative projects in the Washington, D.C., metro region. 

The series will serve as a venue for discussion about the initiatives within the metro region and as a way of introducing leaders and practitioners across the U.S. to local-level efforts to promote affordable housing and sustainable communities. Speakers will log in to the HousingPolicy.org Forum directly following the presentations to continue the discussion and respond to listener questions.

• Wednesday, July 27 - Budget-Oriented Development

• Thursday, August 4 - Thinking Globally, Planning Regionally

• Tuesday, August 9 - Preserving Affordability

The webinar series will help queue up topics that will be covered in more detail at the upcoming Solutions for Sustainable Communities: 2011 Learning Conference on State & Local Housing Policy from the Center for Housing Policy and National Housing Conference. The conference will take place in Washington, D.C., September 26-28, 2011. See the event page at NHC.org for more details."

Job Oppty: Bipartisan Policy Center Policy Analyst - Housing

  EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Policy Analyst, Housing Commission

The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) is a non-profit organization that was established in 2007 by former Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole and George Mitchell to develop and promote solutions that can attract public support and political momentum in order to achieve real progress. 

The BPC is currently seeking a Policy Analyst to assist with the organization’s new Housing Commission.  Housing was at the very heart of the fiscal and financial crisis that erupted in 2007.  That crisis and its aftermath have left the housing markets, and much of our housing policy apparatus, in wreckage.  The effect on American families has been devastating and the crisis continues to unfold with no end in sight.  In 2011, almost four years after the beginning of the crisis, and after 2.3 million families have lost their homes to foreclosure, housing prices have begun to drop again. The nation’s housing markets and policies need to be remade.      

Decisions made today and over the coming decade will determine the nature of our housing finance system; the relative role of the private market and the government in that system; the nature and form of policies that produce decent housing options for all, either through rental or ownership; the regulatory barriers impacting access to decent housing; the need for national mortgage servicing and foreclosure standards; and countless other fundamental issues. The bipartisan Housing Commission will help define and shape the debate.

General Duties and Responsibilities:

The position of Policy Analyst is a versatile one, involving a variety of tasks, always simultaneously. Responsibilities include research, analysis, writing, and editing; strategic policy and tactical thinking; organizational management of meetings, events, communications, and contacts; and proactive engagement on numerous other issues ranging from grant fundraising to blogging. The Policy Analyst position is one in which you will be expected to learn quickly on the job, and you will have the opportunity to directly interact and engage with top leaders in the field. As part of a growing think-tank, you will also be challenged to think creatively about non-policy issues such as project direction, strategy, and bipartisanship.

Qualifications:

• Ability to multi-task on numerous projects, large and small, in both collaborative and independent situations
• Strong research, writing and organizational skills
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively
• Knowledge of housing and/or housing finance policies
• Preference for 1 -2 years public policy or Capitol Hill experience
• Applicant must have completed a B.A.

The BPC offers a highly competitive salary and provides generous benefits.  Individuals interested in this position should send resume, cover letter, writing sample and references to jobs@bipartisanpolicy.org. The BPC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Evaluation of the Public Health Impacts of Traffic Congestion

A new study by Jonathan Levy, Jonathan Buonocore and Katherine von Stackelberg focuses on the public health impacts of traffic congestion:

"Traffic congestion is a significant issue in urban areas in the United States and around the world.  Previous analyses have estimated the economic costs of congestion, related to fuel and time wasted, but few have quantified the public health impacts or determined how these impacts compare in magnitude to the economic costs. Moreover, the relative magnitudes of economic and public health impacts of congestion would be expected to vary significantly across urban areas, as a function of road infrastructure, population density, and atmospheric conditions influencing pollutant formation, but this variability has not been explored....In this study, we evaluate the public health impacts of ambient exposures to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations associated with a business-as-usual scenario of predicted traffic congestion....Our analyses indicate that the public health impacts of congestion may be significant enough in magnitude, at least in some urban areas, to be considered in future evaluations of the benefits of policies to mitigate congestion."

Read the study at this link.

Current Virginia Local Government Job Openings

The Virginia Municipal League posts job openings in local government on its website on a biweekly basis and there are several planning jobs on the list right now, including

• Principle Town Planner, Culpeper
• Regulatory Programs Manager, Va. Dept. of Conservation & Recreation
• Community Development Director, Clifton Forge
• Director of Community Development, Louisa County

See the most recent posts at this link.

Call for Proposals: 2012 Virginia Forum, due Sept 30

Virginia Forum: March 29-31, 2012

“Greater Virginias”

The 2012 Virginia Forum will be held on the campus of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The Virginia Forum is interdisciplinary and welcomes proposals from scholars, teachers, and professionals in all fields. The theme, “Greater Virginias,” emphasizes Virginia’s relationship across political and geographical boundaries to broader ideas, patterns, and adjoining regions. The theme is comparative and invites scholars to submit papers about all aspects of Virginia life, geography, environment, history, and culture. We plan to offer sessions and workshops that draw from the full range of Virginia-focused research, including the humanities and sciences.

We invite proposals from fields including all the arts and sciences:
economics, politics, geography, law, literature, history, politics, archaeology and anthropology, environmental studies, museum and library studies, preservation, and others. Please submit a one-page paper proposal and a one-page curriculum vitae in a single email message to vaforum@jmu.edu by 30 September 2011. Please be sure to include your email address and other contact information.

Proposals for complete panel sessions, workshops, etc. are encouraged, and should include a one-page description of the overall session, as well as a separate, one-page description for each individual presentation in the session and a one-page curriculum vitae for each panel member. Additional information is available online at www.virginiaforum.org.

Direct further inquiries to: vaforum@jmu.edu.
Proposal Deadline: September 30, 2011.

New Document on Six Basic Principles of Transportation Equity

Upstream Public Health, which is part of the Transportation Equity Network, has recently released a document that outlines the six basic principles of transportation health equity.  These principles "lay out a set of priorities for advocates of improved public health and equitable transit."  You can download the document at this link.

Internship Oppty: Natl Assn of Counties Community Svcs Division

Intern Announcement

National Association of Counties

Community Services Division

July 2011

The National Association of Counties (NACo) in Washington, D.C., seeks a part-time, professional intern beginning in early September 2011 through December 2011, with potential to continue into Spring 2012.

The successful candidate will focus on county sustainability and energy project efforts. More specifically, the candidate will work with county staff from across the country to improve the energy efficiency of county buildings and support community-wide energy efficiency initiatives, including the use of the U.S. EPA’s ENERGY STAR tools, and to support county implementation of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant and other federal energy investments.

The internship is part time, 20 hours per week, and pays $12/hour. The work schedule is flexible upon agreement with supervisor. The position is ideal for a current graduate student or recent graduate looking to break into the sustainability field.

Qualifications: Excellent oral and written communication skills; Experience using EPA’s Portfolio Manager tool is a major plus; good political judgment; relevant educational background, such as sustainability, government, public policy, or public administration studies; previous professional workplace experience, including use of Microsoft Office software.

Interested individuals should apply to: Resumes@naco.org, no later than July 29, 2011.

NACo is the only national organization that represents county governments in the United States.  Founded in 1935, NACo provides essential services to the nation’s 3,066 counties.  NACo advances issues with a unified voice before the federal government, improves the public's understanding of county government, assists counties in finding and sharing innovative solutions through education and research, and provides value-added services to save counties and taxpayers money. 

For more information about NACo, visit www.naco.org, and for the Green Government Initiative, please visit www.greencounties.org. 

New Report: Making the Case for Investment in the Walking Environment

Living Streets has just released a new report entitled Making the Case for Investment in the Walking Environment.  The report was commissioned by the University of the West of England and it “brings together and evaluates the multiple health, economic, social and environmental benefits of investment in walking friendly public spaces.”

New Report on the Importance of Transportation Policies To Civil Rights

Where We Need to Go: A Civil Rights
Roadmap for Transportation Equity

This new report, published by the Leadership Conference Education Fund, highlights "the important opportunity for all segments of society to participate fully in the debates around our nation’s transportation policy to ensure no community is left behind."  The summary and the full report are at this link.

Job Oppty: Sustainability Associate in the Center for Research and Innovation at the National League of Cities

Job opening for a Sustainability Associate in the Center for Research and Innovation at the National League of Cities (NLC)

The position is part of the NLC Sustainability Team and is a year-long appointment (with the possibility of an extension).  The position works in support of local governments around the country to implement sustainable practices at the city level and also by providing local leaders with the information needed they need for these programs.

Apply at this link: http://www.nlc.org/about-nlc/careers-at-nlc/associate-sustainability.

Special thanks to Lara Malakoff for circulating this job announcement through the CASPA listserve.

July 12 Tuesdays at APA-DC: Arlington County's "Community Energy Plan"

July 12, 2011 • 5:30 p.m. ET

Arlington County's "Community Energy Plan" is a strategic planning effort to ensure economic competitiveness and energy supply security while reinforcing the county's environmental commitment. Through this process Arlington will transform the way it generates, distributes, stores, and uses energy.

A nationally recognized leader in climate action, Arlington County is working to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from government operations through the Arlington Initiative to Reduce Emissions (AIRE) program. The county has broadened that effort into the community to chart a course toward a healthy, viable, sustainable Arlington for generations to come.

The plan aims to sharply reduce energy use in Arlington, including an ambitious goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 70 percent by 2050.

Hear from Richard Dooley, project manager for the plan, about this new sustainability initiative.

CM | 1.0
RSVP at http://www.planning.org/tuesdaysatapa/dc/

Job Oppty: USGBC - Campaign Specialist

Job description in posted on USGBC website: 

http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=63&#cmpspcl.

Applicants should submit resume and letter of interest to jobs@usgbc.org.

Aaron Lande

U.S. Green Building Council | Sustainable Cities Specialist

202.828.7422 (main) | 202.552.1355 (direct) | alande@usgbc.org

www.usgbc.org | www.greenplaybook.org

Read JAPA in July — free!

This month (July) all APA members can read the latest issue of the Journal of the American Planning Association for free.  They also can browse the JAPA archived volumes for free.  Just log in with your APA ID at this link.

Alexandria UAP Course Schedule for Fall 2011

UAP in Alexandria is offering a diverse array of courses for the Fall 2011 semester.  See the schedule at this link.  If you are not currently a student in the program, we encourage you to visit our website to learn more about UAP's Masters in Urban and Regional Planning and how to enroll.

Tues July 19 Sustainable and Inclusive Housing Prize Initiative and Learning Summit

Please join APA, HUD, the State Department, the Government of Brazil’s Ministry of Cities, and Ashoka Changemakers for a free event at the National Building Museum honoring the 11 finalists from the Sustainable and Inclusive Housing Prize Initiative. The Learning Summit will consist of interactive panel discussions from 9:30am to 4:00pm with an Awards Ceremony from 4:00pm to 6:00pm. CM Credit is pending.

To register, go to:

http://www.huduser.org/portal/SIHPI/index.html

More information:
In support of U.S. President Barack Obama's Energy and Climate Partnership for the Americas (ECPA), Ashoka's Changemakers, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of State, the American Planning Association and the Brazilian Ministry of Cities, and funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, launched a global collaborative competition - Sustainable Urban Housing: Collaborating for Liveable and Inclusive Cities.

Eleven finalists from around the globe reached the final phase of the competition in February 2011 after being vetted by a panel of expert judges. Three diverse entries emerged as winners of the competition through the global public voting stage: Developing Real Estate for Squatters and Tenants of the City of Buenos Aires, Argentina; Zero Waste, Sustainable Architecture, Renewable Energy: Unlimited Source of Renewable Materials for Sustainable Housing, Brazil; and Green Development Zone, USA.

These innovative solutions lift up ideas to provide sustainable, energy efficient housing and communities in a way that unleashes economic opportunities for the urban poor, and builds smarter, cleaner cities around the world. Please join us as we celebrate the finalists, the winners and the end to the competition and begin the next phases of this exciting initiative with a host of exciting panels, speakers and engaging discussion to find solutions to our rapidly urbanizing world.

Call for chapter proposals: Sustainable eParticipation

A message from Rolf Leuhrs from Pep-Net:

"In the past 5-10 years, eParticipation has emerged as a novel theoretical and practical domain, and it will further characterize the policy agendas of most industrialized and developing countries in the near future.

However, documented practice shows mixed results from eParticipation initiatives, and concerns about sustainability-related matters (the likelihood that an expensive trial program will become “embedded” as a stable practice in the institutional setup of the concerned public sector organization) have started to emerge.

This is why Francesco Molinari and I are launching the initiative of this collective book to be published in 2012 by IGI Global (formerly Idea Group Inc.).

The book should provide relevant theoretical frameworks and the latest empirical research findings in the area of eParticipation. It is aimed to promote awareness and further debate on the scope and limitations of citizen engagement supported by ICT in modern democracies. It will also offer operational guidelines and lessons learned from past experiences to the benefit of government executives wanting to engage in eParticipation trials.

Specifically, the book is designed to deliver:

• a collection of European and international best practice of sustainable eParticipation
• a set of evaluation exercises to be used as guidelines for political understanding and future action
• an overview of existing methods, tools and ICT solutions available as a result of prior experiments
• an initial assessment of the “market potential” of the above. 

Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before July 30, 2011, a 2-3 page chapter proposal clearly explaining the scope and contents of their proposed chapter.

For more information regarding this call, please visit http://supart.org/"

UAP Faculty Publications 2010-2011

UAP Chair and Professor Tom Sanchez today released the report of 2010-2011 publications by faculty members.  This academic year was "yet another productive year for UAP faculty," he noted.  "Based on this year’s FARs [Faculty Activity Reports] we published (including accepted for publication or under contract) 8 books, 6 book chapters, and 33 articles."  The complete report is attached.

Forthcoming Pubs from UAP's Jesse Richardson on Cons Easements, Dillon Rule, Water Law

UAP’s Jesse Richardson has two forthcoming articles, one related to conservation easements and the second focusing on the Dillon Rule.

(1) "Zoning for Conservation Easements", in Volume 74, Duke Journal of Law and Contemporary Problems (Fall 2011) (co-authored with MURP graduate Amanda Bernard).

(2) "Dillon's Rule is From Mars, Home Rule is From Venus: Local Government Autonomy and the Rules of Statutory Construction", in Publius: The Journal of Federalism.

Jesse also is authoring an amicus curiae ("friend of court") brief on behalf of 16 clients in an extremely important water law case in the Supreme Court of New Mexico. The case, Bounds v. D'Antonio, involves "exempt wells". Exempt wells primarily exist in states that use the prior appropriation rule for groundwater rights (western states). Prior appropriation gives rights to use the water based on the time of the initial use- “first in time, first in right”. The first landowner to beneficially use or divert the water gains priority of right. In times of water shortage, the first appropriator gets his full amount, then the second appropriator, and so forth until the water is exhausted. Junior appropriators receive no water in times of scarcity.

Thirteen states use the prior appropriation rule for groundwater. Add to this list four other states that use other legal rules for groundwater rights, but have permitting systems that provide at least some limited exemption from those rules for some water wells. Of these 17 states, Utah is the only state that does not exempt some water wells from the prior appropriation rules.

Bounds specifically involves the exemption for domestic water wells. Bounds, a farmer, holds senior groundwater rights in a basin that is fully appropriated (rights to all of the water in the basin has been assigned). New Mexico law requires the state engineer to issues a perimit for a domestic water well whenever a homeowner applies for one. Bounds filed suit against the state engineer, claiming that the law deprives him of his property rights without just compensation and without due process of law. Bounds also claims that the domestic well exemption violates the prior appropriation doctrine.

The trial court ruled in favor of Bounds, finding that the law violates the due process clause of the New Mexico Constitution. The New Mexico Court of Appeals reversed, finding that the state legislature and the state engineer have discretion in implementing the broad provisions of prior appropriation. Bounds appealed to the Supreme Court of New Mexico.

Richardson represents sixteen clients from across the country (including ground water associations from Virginia to Idaho and Washington State, and private companies) in drafting a amicus curiae ("friend of court") brief in the case supporting the constitutionality of the law. Although the case is only binding within New Mexico, the case is likely to have effects across the west, and even with respect to water rights and land use planning in the east.

Exempt wells are not only a contentious issue for water law, but also in land use planning. Opponents of exempt wells contend that they promote sprawl and cumulative impact on water resources. Supporters of exempt wells cite the fact that exempt wells are often the only source of water for houses in rural areas and the administrative burden of having to process prior appropriation rights for tens of thousands of domestic water wells, each of which only uses a small amount of water.

Job Opptys: DC Sustainable Energy Utility

An *updated* copy of the DC SEU's current job opportunities is attached. Please feel free to pass along to your networks. At this point, our focus remains on identifying strong candidates who reside within the District of Columbia. Please see below for application instructions.

Thank you,
Emilie Grenier
Human Resources
DC Sustainable Energy Utility
Washington, D.C.

July 6 Young Professionals in Transp Leadership Summit with Guest Speaker Sec of Transp Ray LaHood

Young Professionals in Transportation (YPT) will be holding its next Leadership Seminar (speaker series) with the Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood on July 6th at USDOT HQ.  A networking happy hour at Justin's Cafe will follow.

This is a YPT Members-only event.  If you'd like to become a Member and attend please follow this link:  
http://raylahoodleadershipseminar.eventbrite.com/
Your registration for the Leadership Seminar serves a dual purpose as it includes an annual membership ($22).

For more specific information on this event please visit the following YPT Blog announcement:
http://yptblog.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/event-alert-ypt-leadership-seminar-with-usdot-sec-ray-lahood-on-july-6-2011/

For more information on the benefits of becoming a member of YPT
please check out our website:  
http://ypt.transportation.org/Content.aspx?id=10
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact YPT at yptcontact@gmail.com.

We look forward to seeing you on July 6th!

Thanks,

Aaron T. Zimmerman, PTP
YPT Secretary

Job Oppty: Research Analyst, Colliers

Colliers International is seeking qualified candidates for a Research Analyst in their Washington DC area K Street office.  Please see attached for the full announcement. If interested contact:

Kaci McDowell
Market Manager, Investment Services Group | USA
Mobile +1 202.744.4439
Main +1 202.534.3000
kaci.mcdowell@colliers.com

NGOs, Partnerships, Peacebuilding Focus of Forthcoming Publications from UAP Faculty Max Stephenson

Dr. Max Stephenson has several articles in the process of publication on the subjects of NGOs, partnerships and peacebuilding. They include:

Accepted, in press, “Public/Private Housing Partnerships,” for Andrew Carswell (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Housing, 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, Ca.: Sage Publications, 2012.

Accepted, in press, “Implementing the Liberal Peace in Post-Conflict Scenarios: The Case of Women in Black-Serbia,” Global Policy. October 2011. With Laura Zanotti.

Accepted, in press, “Theorizing the Role of Sport for Development and Peacebuilding,” Sport in Society. With Marcy Schnitzer Laura Zanotti and Yannis Stivachtis.

Accepted and in press. “Networked Organizations” for Mohammed Sarlak (ed.). The New Faces of Organizations in the 21st Century. Toronto, Ontario: North American  Institute of Science and Information Technology. With Tracy Cooper. 2011

The Sport in Society article grew out of a report to the Olympic Truce Centre in Athens which is now being ready for printing and distribution: Examining the Processes, Necessary Conditions and Possibilities of Sport as Strategy for Peacebuilding. Same authors as the article.

In addition, Laura Zanotti and Dr. Stephenson are ISCE Scholars this summer and they recently spent a week in Haiti in May undertaking research toward a posited book on the Roles of NGOs in Post-Conflict Fragile States.

“We also just returned from Athens (June 20-23, 2011) where we presented a paper entitled Exploring the Roles of NGOs as Promoters of Peace: The Case of the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland at the 9th International Conference on Politics and International Affairs of the Athens Institute for Education and Research,” said Dr. Stephenson. “That paper is the last draft substantive chapter for our forthcoming book entitled: Community-Based NGOs, Peacebuilding and the Challenges of Post-Conflict Governance. Sterling, Va.: Kumarian Press, 2012.”

Forthcoming Books on Sustainability by UAP’s Ralph Hall

UAP Assistant Professor Ralph Hall has a forthcoming book that is receiving impressive accolades.

Gudmundsson, H., Hall, R. P., Marsden, G., and Zietsman, J. (forthcoming) Sustainability in Transportation: Making it Count. Springer and Samfundslitteratur.  The proposal for this forthcoming textbook received second prize in a national book competition in Denmark. This link shows a short video of Henrik Gudmundsson receiving the award on behalf of the writing team: http://www.laerebogsprisen.dk/index.php?id=1064.  You can also read more at this link.

He also is co-author of a second forthcoming book on globalization with Nicholas Ashford.

Ashford, N. A., and Hall, R. P. (2011) Technology, Globalization, and Sustainable Development. New Haven, Yale University Press.  Learn more at http://yalepress.yale.edu/yupbooks/book.asp?isbn=9780300169720.