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This week, we recognize Verizon for their ongoing support of Vision Long Island. They have provided our organization with a technology grant that makes this newsletter possible every week.
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Governor’s Economic Security Cabinet- Long Island Town Hall Meeting On July 30, 2008, Governor David Patterson’s Economic Security Cabinet held a three-hour Town Hall meeting at Farmingdale State College that provided residents with the opportunity to convey the Long Island perspective to representatives of multiple State agencies.
In an effort to making services more accessible and transparent, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance launched a new website, www.mybenefits.ny.gov, that will provide a single Internet portal for New York State’s families and community partners to connect with benefits, services, and work supports, and an e-government hub for human services.
According to the report, Long Island's foreclosure rate per household twice as large as New York City: The number of foreclosures per household reached 0.069% in Long Island in the second quarter of 2008, just shy of 0.072% rate in Queens and twice as big as in New York City (0.03%). According to a New York Times article by David M. Herszenhorn, the new housing law includes a plan aimed at helping as many as 400,000 homeowners to pay off their mortgages and replace them with "more affordable, government-insured loans." While there is plenty of suburban sprawl around the nation, let's hope that some of it goes to Long Island since we're the ones who started it all. The full Long Island Q2 08 Foreclosure Report can be downloaded on Property Shark's website. |
Various testimonies were given regarding the need for affordable housing and transportation system upgrades, coverage for the uninsured, foreclosure aide, and property tax relief. “People dependent on public transportation require that our infrastructure be fully and adequately maintained”, says Janet Allen, Program Director of Suffolk Community Council. “Today, however, there are warning signs that a stable economy may be in jeopardy. It is well documented that housing cost and the lack of housing that is affordable for our residents is a significant and complex economic challenge in this region. Since 2000, the number of people leaving Long Island has exceeded the number coming in at a growing rate each year. This makes it far more difficult for employers to attract and retain a workforce. Combined with growing foreclosure problems, it is a force that is driving economic stress for working people at all income levels” says the Long Island Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO.
Representatives from multiple agencies spoke on their fears of cuts to child care subsidies. Concerns were expressed regarding what will happen to the youth if programs that provide child care and additional educational resources are cut. A representative from Nassau BOCES explained that the programs at BOCES assist not just children, but the parents as well, through adult programs. A wave of deep sympathy was seen on the faces of the cabinet as a single mother from the Town of Babylon told her story. Making just $16 over the allowed income for aide, she feared cuts to child care subsidies would force her to leave her job. She urged the Cabinet to reconsider cutting the child care subsidies as woman like herself would be left with no help.
Even as President Bush signed into law on Wednesday a huge package of housing legislation to help hundreds of thousands of troubled borrowers avoid losing their homes, PropertyShark.com, a real estate data site, released its monthly report covering first-time residential foreclosures on Long Island. PropertyShark's report found that the Long Island foreclosure number reached a one-year high in the second quarter of 2008: There were 693 new auctions scheduled in the second quarter of 2008, 40% higher than in Q2 2007.
Joe Cortright, in |
Rocky Point Re-Opens Veteran's Park
"The big ticket items that will make all the difference are zoning changes and the sewage [system] because that will give business owners the economic tools to redevelop their properties," says Richard Johannesen in the article. Sewers would also allow for affordable apartments downtown, bringing more density and tax relief to a community that urgently needs it. The article states that Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy's office is in the midst of forming a bill that would provide "about $300,000 for a study on the potential for sewers in downtown areas in Rocky Point and Shoreham." If passed by the Suffolk County Legislature, the article states that a study could begin "by the end of the year." |
The community of Rocky Point began their visioning with Vision Long Island in October of 2007 and in February filed with their visioning plan with the town planning department. Now, in August, the first part of their visioning plan has come to fruition. On Tuesday, approximately 100 local residents, civic members, elected officials, and business leaders came together to celebrate the reopening of Veteran's Park. Located behind mouth-watering Tilda's Bake Shop, the formerly derelict park is in the first state of restoration. After acquiring the necessary grants, the park will receive playground equipment, which the community hopes will enable it to become a village green. According to 
Part of achieving that goal is the forging of alliances and partnerships to foster civic engagement in the downtown. The Brookhaven Business & Community Alliance is a result of this, as they have officially taken stewardship of the park. In addition, civic association members are advocating in Suffolk County for other essential components, such as sewers and sidewalks, that will further the revitalization. |
Congress for the New Urbanism Covers Shifting Demand from Suburban Sprawl to Walkable Communities
As Bill McKibben writes in a Washington Post Op-Ed, "this spring, something just as profound and defining has happened: Pulled back by the inescapable gravity of higher prices and the growing scarcity of fossil fuels, we're starting a slow recoil into more dense and compact regions and localities."
Many other experts in the housing field have released reports and studies citing this pattern. For the complete article and for links to more of these reports, visit the CNU's website. Smart Growth For Your Ears, Courtesy of NPR
Freeways give way to boulevards — slowly
In the July/August 2008 issue of the New Urban News, writer Philip Langdon revealed the cities across North America are razing their "jumbo suburban-style highway interchange." Toronto, Seattle, New Haven, and Trenton are anticipating replacing these freeways with slower-moving traditional street and road networks. Langdon's article offers the benefits of this revitalization strategy, citing examples like Milwaukee and San Francisco, who have experienced a rejuvenation of their downtowns. Demolition of Milwaukee's Park East Freeway in 2003, a priority of John Norquist during his 15 years as mayor, has helped tie that city's downtown area together and has set the stage for hundreds of millions of dollars of real estate projects. In San Francisco, the installation of a palm-lined boulevard on the route once occupied by the elevated Embarcadero Freeway have helped make the waterfront more populated and enjoyable.
Citzens are claiming back the streets as arteries of their communities, rather than mortal wounds that slice up their neighborhoods. High gasoline prices are certainly part of this equation, as mass transit increases its appeal. However, this is also part of the shift towards walkability and connectivity, which are the necessary ingredients for healthy, mixed-use communities. Contrary to the actions of the 60s and 70s, where communities were razed for incoming highways and torn asunder, this strategy weaves them back together. For the complete article, visit New Urban News' July/August newsletter here. |
An article from the Congress for the New Urbanism monthly e-newsletter cited that, due to market factors, Americans are shifting demands away from suburban sprawl and towards walkable, urban communities. Due to record-high gasoline prices, the appeal of suburbia has wilted across the country while "good urbanism has clearly demonstrated its enduring value even amidst the economic challenges."
The CNU notes, "dozens of news reports are pouring in from across the country" that indicate the prevailing favor of urban homes as evidenced by falling prices and national sentiments. One such report was conducted by Mark Eppli and Charles Tu, who previously wrote "Valuing the New Urbanism" (the landmark 1999 study that found significantly higher price appreciation in New Urbanist developments compared to their sprawl counterparts). Their updated study found that the price premium for Kentlands (and its sister, Lakelands), two New Urbanist communities, continued to grow during the recent real estate boom. Their unpublished paper finds:
NPR recently featured two articles that demonstrate the national shift towards urbanism and away from suburban sprawl. In "Making Cities More Walkable," Alex Chadwick talks to Christopher Leinberger, visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, about why urban planners are paying more attention to cities' "walkability." 
On All Things Considered, Portland was featured as a cities finding a creative alternative to traffic and high gas prices. They've added miles of bike lanes and traffic signals to help get residents to commute by bike. Cycling has doubled since 2001 and the daily Portland commute has been transformed. 
The article states that the greatest impediments to this change are costs and concern over whether traffic will be too greatly reduced. Studies conducted in Seattle found that a reduction in roadway capacity "reduces the number of auto trips," which in turn will help the city achieve its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 7 percent. To answer the battles that have ignited in these cities, proponents point to "a combination of grid streets, other modes of movement (including mass transit), and "appropriate demand management and land use strategies."
Help Find the Carbon Footprint Average for Long Island!
Calculate your carbon footprint on the Nature Conservancy's website. Please take the individual test, not the household one, and send the results to: Charlotte Coté, Producer at WLIW21 New York Public Television via telephone at (516) 367-2100 x8485, FAX (516) 692-7629, or email at cotec@wliw.org. These results will be in the strictest of confidence. In addition, please send this along to friends and family who live on Long Island to get more results. Again the individual results will be only viewed by Ms. Coté and not Vision, so please do not send them to us! Call for Comments: Draft Scoping for Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement for Brookhaven 2030 Plan The Town of Brookhaven's Draft Scoping Document for the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement for the Brookhaven 2030 Comprehensive Plan is now available for review and comment. A public meeting was held on July 14th on the release of the document. Citizens have until July 25th to review the document and submit comments so please do so ASAP if you haven't already! The Draft Scoping Document is available on the Town of Brookhaven's website here. You can also email your comments to Jeff Kassner, Assistant Director for the Division of Environmental Protection at jkassner@brookhaven.org. Affordable Green Housing: Call for Projects Beginning on August 5th 2008, $50,000 in grant funds will be available to green affordable housing projects. This generous grant is due to the leading national funders of the Green Communities initiative: Citigroup Foundation, The Home Depot Foundation and The Kresge Foundation. Join Enterprise Communities on Tuesday, August 5th at 2pm EST for an online meeting to review the application process. Information on how to join the meeting can be found at greencommunities.com. Applications for this grant must be received online by September 18 and awards are expected to be announced by the first week of November. For grant guidelines and the application, visit greencommunities.com. For more information related to the application, please call 410-715-7433 or email greencommunities@enterprisecommunity.org. Please note that Northwest applications are administered on a rolling basis and that Enterprise and its partners have updated the Green Communities Criteria. Before starting the application, be sure to request the 2008 criteria. More information on their partners is available here. |
WLIW 21 is producing an hour-long special in September entitled, "Going Green Long Island." In order to acquire an average individual carbon foot print for Long Island, they need as many individuals as they can to compare it to the national average.
Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce Monthly Music Night August 7th
For more information, call 516-922-7002. See a video from the Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce Cruise Night on YouTube. Green Community of Practice Comes to Nassau Starting August 12th
Contact Alexandra Zafra at greenformes for more information. To register for the event, call (646) 712-2108 or email alex@greenformes.com. Back Pack Pirates at Fire Island On August 13th
For more information, along with a permission slip, please see the attachment. NSCH is also seeking volunteers to help with this event, including registration, clean up, etc., and collection of back-to-school supplies. NSCH is holding its annual “S.O.S: Supply Our Students” drive in connection with the Pirates event, and expect to collect enough supplies to provide additional items for children in shelters, foster care, and our member agencies. Start a school supplies collection at your office, house of worship or school! If you are interested in helping out with this event, please Greta Guarton, Associate Director of NSCH at 516-742-7700 x 15 or email gguarton@nsch.org or visit their website. Canvas Gallery Open Mic Night on August 14th
Long Island Somos el Futoro, "Investing in Long Island's Future" Event to be held August 29th-30th
For general information and registration, please call 212-233-8955. LIPC Leadership Conference Comes to Brentwood September 13th
Change LI! Change NY! Change America! For more information or to register for this great event, please call 516.541.1006 ext.16 or email maurice@lipc.org. |
Following the recent successful launch of the Green Community of Practice at Kingston, NY, greenformes brings to the Nassau County, NY trading area the County's first Green Community of Practice. Monthly networking events will bring together community leaders, civic organizations, green businesses, professionals, entrepreneurs, and eco-minded residents to discuss the importance of and bring visibility to sustainable building and living philosophy, commerce, and education. The first free eco-business networking event promotes a sustainable Nassau County. It will be held in the beautiful, historic and waterfront City of Glen Cove on Tuesday, August 12th from 6-9pm at The Wharf @ Steamboat Landing at 76 Shore Road in Glen Cove. 
On August 13th, the Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless will have their 2nd Annual “Back Pack Pirates” event on Fire Island. In collaboration with Every Child’s Dream, it is a fun-filled day for children ages 8 – 15, complete with breakfast, lunch, a free t-shirt, pirate eye patch, bandana, and a range of activities from a ferry ride to Fire Island to a treasure hunt, music, and a theatrical performance. The event is limited to 500 children so please register before the deadline of August 1. 
On August 14th, come to the Canvas Gallery at 7:00 p.m. for another great edition of Open Mic Night, hosted by Joe Iadanza. Refreshments will be provided by Whole Foods Market with only a $5 cover charge for an evening of great local entertainment. To sign up to perform, send an email to 
From Friday, August 29th to Saturday, August 30th, New York State Assemblyman Philip Ramos, the Long Island Elected Officials Association and the Long Island Hispanic Coalition invite Long Islanders to attend the 2008 Long Island Somos el Futoro, or "Investing in Long Island's Future" conference at the Sheraton Long Island Hotel at 110 Motor Parkway in Hauppague. The Long Island Somos el Futuro conference is an annual legislative gathering focused on addressing the needs and challenges of the growing Hispanic community on Long Island. A principal goal of this conference is to increase the participation of Hispanics in the public policy-making progress and develop local and state legislative initiatives that address issues of concern for Hispanic Long Islanders. It will convene some of the most distinguished civic, community, business, and labor leaders from across New York State to discuss issues pertinent to Hispanic social, economic, and political empowerment.
On Saturday, September 13th, the Long Island Progressive Coalition will hold their 2008 Leadership Conference at the Academy of Saint Joseph at 1725 Brentwood Road in Brentwood. From 9:30-5pm, this free event will bring Long Islanders together to work for collective change while building bridges across racial lines, generations, and within communities. The conference offers hands-on training in practical, successful organizing skills with inspiring workshops and networking opportunities.|
Gordon Heights was founded in 1927 and became well known for the great restaurants and hotels, as well as many other resident-owned businesses that aided in making the community self-sufficient. Today, this wonderful community serves as the home of generations of its founding families. The Greater Gordon Heights Civic Association, partnered with the Gordon Heights Visioning Steering Committee, strives to restore the once-booming community with our current vision of greatness. The Gordon Heights Day serves as a fundraiser which aides the Civic Association with events and programs that serve everyone in the community, from youth to seniors. Join the celebration for the Gordon Heights Community’s 81st Anniversary. Gordon Heights Day will be held August 2, 2008 at the Granny Road Park in Medford from 10 am to 10 pm. For more information, contact us at gh1927@hotmail.com or see the flyer here. Group For the East End, Surfrider Foundation, and Parrish Art Museum Hold Collaborative Environmental Art Display
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The time of year has come again for the Annual Gordon Heights’ Day Celebration hosted by the Greater Gordon Heights Civic Association (GGHCA) to celebrate the community's anniversary. This year’s theme is “A Community’s Voice,” in light of the upcoming election.
This Saturday, Group for the East End is teaming up with the
Eyesore of the MOnthThe economic downturn and slowing housing market have made this issue of Smart Talk rather doom-and-gloom, so we will forgo this month's Eye Sore in hopes that next month will hold a brighter future. Sight for Sore Eyes - Sims 3
Your friendly, video-game loving staff thought this Sight for Sore Eyes would be a breath of fresh air. The Sims game series, published by Maxis, is the best-selling game in PC history. The games have allowed players to create families and design entire neighborhoods, guiding their Sims’ lives from cradle to grave with life-changing events such as getting promoted, fired, married, divorced, or abducted by aliens. The third installment of the Sims series, to be released in 2009, focuses specifically on the new freedom granted to Sims to explore their neighborhoods. Everything they need is within walking distance. Recently released video footage seems like a promotion for Smart Growth, revealing Sims enjoying completely walkable communities and active downtown areas where they can shop, meet up with friends, and hang out. |
In light of last week's quote from Al Gore, we present this week's closing words from the satirical newspaper, The Onion, which compares Al Gore to Superman. Enjoy! An exerpt from Al Gore Places Infant Son In Rocket To Escape Dying Planet:
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SMART GROWTH NEWS Newsletter Editor: Michelle Dutchen, Communications Director We strive to provide continued quality publications such as this each week. If you are interested in becoming a newsletter or news blast sponsor, please call the office at 631-261-0242 for rates and opportunities. If you have any news or events that you would like to add to our newsletter, submit them to info@visionlongisland.org for consideration.
For more information about Vision Long Island, visit http://www.visionlongisland.org or contact us at: |
