ULI calls on government to help revive urban areas

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The federal government must act as a "catalyst for change" by providing strong support for local initiatives to revive blighted areas, develop affordable housing closer to jobs, ease traffic congestion and improve overall growth patterns, according to Urban Land Institute President Richard M. Rosan.|ret||ret||tab|

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Revitalization|ret||ret||tab|

Rosan discussed the need for more federal involvement in urban revitalization efforts during testimony before the Millennial Housing Commission, ac-cording to a press release from ULI. The hearing was held at the New York Bar Association office in New York City. |ret||ret||tab|

The commission created last fall by U.S. Reps. James Walsh, R-New York, and Alan Mollohan, D-West Virginia will develop legislative and regulatory recommendations for Congress to improve the delivery of housing services to lower-income Americans and expand affordable housing opportunities. |ret||ret||tab|

ULI Senior Resident Fellow William H. Hudnut III, who specializes in public policy issues, serves on the commission.|ret||ret||tab|

The need for more affordable housing must be discussed not in a vacuum, but as part of the overall issue of urban regeneration, Rosan said. |ret||ret||tab|

To keep America's communities competitive glo-bally, a wide-ranging, long-term federal plan is needed for urban revitalization that includes transportation and infrastructure improvements and infill development, including affordable housing, Rosan said.|ret||ret||tab|

"The federal government needs to be doing more than using the Clean Air Act to force cities to grow more efficiently. It must provide the vision, leadership and funds to stimulate sound community planning, land assembly and infrastructure improvements," Rosan said. "Our nation's leaders must help our urban areas prepare for the inevitability of growth."|ret||ret||tab|

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U.S. cities gaining appeal|ret||ret||tab|

Currently, the U.S. Census Bureau is forecasting an increase of 63 million people nationwide by 2025, with California, Texas and Florida incurring the largest increases. |ret||ret||tab|

Urban sprawl problems of traffic congestion, crowded schools, insufficient infrastructure and inadequate affordable housing will only get worse without increased federal support, Rosan noted. |ret||ret||tab|

Such an investment is needed to link together state, regional and local efforts to change urban growth patterns and locate work-force housing closer to employment centers, he said. |ret||ret||tab|

Rosan pointed out that after decades of losing residents, many U.S. cities are regaining population, not just in the suburban fringe, but in downtown neighborhoods. |ret||ret||tab|

The downtown migration is being fueled largely by young professionals and empty nesters seeking an urban lifestyle. |ret||ret||tab|

While this has generated a market for infill housing, most of it is priced well beyond the reach of moderate-income workers, he noted. |ret||ret||tab|

"While many downtown areas are enjoying a revival from gentrification, the benefits are likely to be short-lived. Pressure on low- and moderate-income neighborhoods will accelerate as market-driven redevelopment occurs. Our cities are simply not equipped to provide the infrastructure and mixed-income housing that is absolutely necessary to handle future population growth," Rosan said. |ret||ret||tab|

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Land assembly and acquisition|ret||ret||tab|

One of the main impediments to large-scale urban infill development particularly affordable housing is the difficulty of land assembly and acquisition, Rosan said. |ret||ret||tab|

"Obstacles include high land costs, limited supply, difficult site assembly requirements, long chains of title, and a decision by property owners to hold the land indefinitely for speculative use. In addition, many cities have no reliable method for collecting information on vacant land and abandoned structures," he said. |ret||ret||tab|

Rosan cited a recent Brookings Insti-tution survey of 70 cities showing that only 56 percent of the cities used a computerized method to track land. |ret||ret||tab|

The method relied on most for notification about abandoned properties was calls from residents living near the properties. |ret||ret||tab|

"This is not conducive to productive planning. Much potentially usable land inside urban areas is bypassed because it is cheaper and easier to build further out," Rosan said. |ret||ret||tab|

He noted that some cities are trying to make urban projects more feasible by offering land grants, low-cost leases, title clearance assistance and low-interest loans. |ret||ret||tab|

In addition, some cities have created redevelopment authorities to ac-quire, assemble, clean up and package parcels of land for resale. |ret||ret||tab|

"They are doing what they can to provide an atmosphere of inclusiveness and diversity, improve the quality of life, and enhance economic competitiveness. But problems associated with growth cannot be solved solely at the local, regional or state level. |ret||ret||tab|

"The federal government needs to be the catalyst for change. Improving the growth of our urban areas has no ranking on our national agenda. It should rank at the top," Rosan said.|ret||ret||tab|

Better planning, spurred by coordination at all levels of government, is vital to the creation of work-force housing that is located near employment, he noted. |ret||ret||tab|

"Our cities have created far more jobs than housing. Working families are being pushed farther and farther away from where they work, adding to traffic congestion and sprawl," Rosan said. |ret||ret||tab|

"It's inefficient growth, it's hard on the families, and it hurts the local economies. For our cities to remain economically viable, they must grow in a way that promotes mixed-income housing that is closer to jobs and public transit. The old ways of urban development don't reflect the realities of today's living and working environment." |ret||ret||tab|

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Funding fuels development|ret||ret||tab|

John K. McIlwain, ULI senior resident fellow for housing, also testified at the hearing. |ret||ret||tab|

Just as federal programs such as the 1950s interstate highway program helped fuel a pattern of auto-dependent, single-use, suburban development, federal programs can be used today to help reverse sprawling development patterns and improve urban land use planning, he said. |ret||ret||tab|

For instance, he suggested using a variety of federal programs, including the Federal Housing Administration mortgage insurance programs, mortgage revenue bonds, low-income housing tax credits, Community Development Block Grants and HOME funds in ways to make smart-growth development more attractive and less expensive. |ret||ret||tab|

"The federal government has a powerful influence over the residential finance market. It can use this influence to guide development toward areas planned by local communities that include key elements of smart growth planning, such as increased density, mass transit, walkable development, mixed uses and mixed-income housing," McIlwain said. |ret||ret||tab|

"The federal government will never be able to tell people where to live, as opportunity and choice are primary American values. But, it can provide encouragement, incentives and wise planning," he added. |ret||ret||tab|

The Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide responsible leadership in the use of land in order to enhance the total environment. Established in 1936, the institute has nearly 17,000 members representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.[[In-content Ad]]