During the latter part of the 20th century, hundreds of once-vibrant American cities experienced job loss, growing poverty, and shrinking populations. Ensuring the continued economic success of our country depends on revitalizing these cities and restoring them to the economic, political, and cultural hubs they once were. Change is possible, but it won’t happen by chance. The Restoring Prosperity Initiative, a joint effort of groups in six states and at the national level, provides a roadmap for revitalizing America’s struggling cities. Read the Brookings "Restoring Prosperity" report.

Tackling the Mortgage Crisis: 10 Action Steps for State Government

June 23rd, 2008 | Category: All, Front, News

The Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program has released a report on the housing foreclosure crisis. The paper, penned by Alan Mallach, is titled Tackling the Mortgage Crisis: 10 Action Steps for State Government. While most media attention has focused on the role of the federal government in promoting mortgage reform and homeowner protection, Mallach argues that state governments also have an important role in addressing the crisis. He offers ten policy recommendations to help state governments tackle the problems posed by foreclosures.

Read the report here.

Bringing them Back: Encouraging Brownfields Redevelopment

June 05th, 2008 | Category: All, Federal Legislation, Front

The EPA estimates that between 500,000 and one million brownfields exist throughout the country, and older cities are home to a disproportionate number of these abandoned former industrial sites. Brownfields redevelopment is a valuable economic development tool for local governments, helping to restore vacant, polluted sites for housing, commercial, or recreational purposes. Several pieces of federal legislation supported by the National Brownfields Coalition would help encourage brownfields cleanup and redevelopment, including:

Reauthorization of Brownfields Law – HR 5336, introduced by Representatives Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and James L Oberstar (D-MN), increases funding for the site assessment and cleanup program from $200 million to $350 million and prioritizes brownfields projects that include green building or energy efficiency standards.

Brownfields Tax Credit – Representatives Michael Turner (R-OH) and Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH) have co-sponsored a bill (HR 3080) to establish a brownfields tax credit, which would help fund the testing and remediation procedures necessary to bring brownfield sites back into productive use in communities.

Waterfront Brownfields Pilot – Representative Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY) introduced HR 5469 to fund a $20 million Waterfront Brownfields Pilot Program, since so many of these sites are located on valuable river and lakefronts.