Andria McClellan

Last week, I had the privilege to attend HOPE's Economic Mobility Forum in Selma, Alabama. The topic of discussion was Seizing the Moment: Maximizing Federal Investment in Under Resourced Communities. Communities like those in the small towns in the Black Belt of Alabama, have often faced barriers in accessing the kinds of federal funds that large cities and wealthier communities have had access to for decades. These small towns have very limited staff to write grants and manage complex grant programs and yet have great need for water, road and sewer improvement, disaster recovery, housing and community development, among others. Without intentional support and accessible program design, the new historic federal programs in infrastructure and greenhouse gas reduction would likely perpetuate the current disparities. What are federal agencies doing to ensure access to underserved areas? Read more about the discussion in my new piece on the Hope Policy Institute blog.

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Draft for regional Transportation Improvement Program opens for public comment. The 2025-28 TIP outlines federally funded projects for #CentralPA roadways over the next 4 years https://lnkd.in/e5B_zuQg @cumberlink #CentralPA #CumberlandCounty

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Between this and the new energy standards, the message is clear: it will take great effort to right the wrongs of housing injustice in the US. But we can say, right now, today: we will not keep digging this hole. We can decide that the most vulnerable families will be protected from hazards and escalating climate risks from now on - not locked into a future of danger and instability. It's a start.

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Find out how #LocalGovs like Frederick County Government, Maryland use Polco to engage their communities in shaping the budget. “This survey is another important tool for us to gather feedback from residents. Balancing Act from Polco is an interactive way for people to share what they would like to see in Frederick County’s budget.”  Jessica Fitzwater, County Executive. Read More: https://lnkd.in/eaG8zSnB #PolcoNews #FrederickCounty #PublicEngagement #BalancingAct #ParticipatoryBudgeting #CommunityInvolvement #BudgetPlanning #LocalGovernment #LocalGov #FrederickMD #CountyBudget

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Here is my new Planetizen column: "Planners’ Complicity in Excessive Traffic Deaths: Professor Wes Marshall’s provocatively-titled new book, 'Killed by a Traffic Engineer,' has stimulated fierce debates. Are his criticisms justified? Let’s examine the degree that traffic engineers contribute to avoidable traffic deaths." (https://lnkd.in/gGTkfvUy) Marshall highlights the role that exposure -- the distance and speed that people drive -- as a risk factor, and makes the concept accessible to a general audience. I rely on his research in reports such as, "A New Traffic Safety Paradigm" (www.vtpi.org/ntsp.pdf ), and he cites my research in his book. What do you think? Can we recognize the additional crashes caused by increased vehicle travel and the safety benefits of vehicle travel reduction strategies?

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So much multi-solving is reflected in this U.S. federal press release, with pursuit of many co-benefits related to climate resilient communities -- "Through the BRIC program, FEMA invests in a variety of mitigation activities with an added focus on infrastructure projects benefitting disadvantaged communities, nature-based solutions, climate resilience and adaption and adopting hazard resistant building codes." #resilientinfrastructure

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FREE WEBINAR (APA AICP CM | 1 credit) 👉 2024 State of the Practice: 10 Public Engagement Trends in Transportation | AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials), Association Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO), American Public Transportation Association, National Association of Regional Councils, National Association of Development Organizations (NADO), Transportation Research Board, MetroQuest Software, and Social Pinpoint have collaborated to bring you the NEW inaugural "State of the Practice Report" for public engagement in transportation agencies! Join us on May 22nd, as Dave Biggs teams up with Jamille Robbins from NCDOT, Amy Adams Luft from COMPASS, and Lloyd Brown from HDR as they unveil the top 10 key findings and trends, gleaned from insights shared by over 430 transportation practitioners across America. Save your seat today: https://hubs.ly/Q02vLhsJ0 Together, they'll delve into important topics including: • Top public engagement challenges and barriers facing transportation agencies • How transportation agencies are staffing and resourcing public engagement • Key goals, objectives, and motivations for improving public participation • Using hybrid engagement (online surveys + public meetings) to increase participation • Ways to enhance diversity and engage traditionally hard to reach audiences • How technologies like AI are changing the future of community engagement Save the date and be part of the conversation! Register now: https://hubs.ly/Q02vLhsJ0

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I just had a good meeting with FPISC this afternoon. All our building information is open government data that is easy for us to share and for others to incorporate. The hurdle becomes the archaeological and traditional cultural places data. In some cases, our tribal partners have specially asked that we not share certain types of data, particularly the traditional cultural places information. Buildings and structures? yes! Just ask us. Archaeological and cultural information? We have specific criteria on who can receive this type of information, the recipient federal agency would not be allowed to do a general share of our information to other entities, and our tribal partners would expect consultation on who was receiving the information and how it will be used. But that doesn't mean we can't start discussions on how we can better communicate cultural resource information.

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Curious about all the new federal funding for infrastructure and the environment? Here is a great roundup of videos, resources and tips for navigating the federal technical assistance program and building local relationships: https://lnkd.in/epewzRdV

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Along with other #ACRENetwork members, we are calling on the next gov. to make sure no #rural community is left behind. We need policies that address diminishing public services, inadequate infrastructure, unaffordable housing & ageing populations. - Rural proof policy - Invest in services, infrastructure and affordable housing - Support community-led action - Enable communities to contribute to, and benefit from transition to #NetZero https://lnkd.in/enJz379F

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Great piece in POLITICO looking at what steps governors across the country are taking to ease the #housingaffordability crisis. In each state profiled, NAHB's state and local associations were key to developing and delivering policy solutions: https://lnkd.in/eFfZNxJh

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Rivers & Roads publishes the latest white paper on scattered site housing, offering a solution to Maryland's affordable housing crisis, particularly in rural areas. Our paper addresses the pressing challenges faced by individuals and families across urban and rural Maryland due to escalating housing costs. Unlike traditional large housing projects, scattered site housing disperses publicly funded rental units within communities, promoting social cohesion and addressing local opposition and funding hurdles. "Our work underscores the need for mixed-income developments that seamlessly integrate into existing neighborhoods," says Rivers & Roads partner Ross Benincasa. "We're not just tackling the housing crisis; we're fostering cohesive, inclusive communities." Discover case studies from urban to rural settings, showcasing the adaptability and success of scattered site housing. Our white paper outlines actionable recommendations for Maryland, including dedicated funding streams and public-private partnerships. With nearly 30% of renters in Maryland spending over half their income on housing, our white paper's release couldn't be more timely. Let's work together to create a strategic approach to housing that supports economic stability and social cohesion across the state. We invite policymakers, developers, and community leaders to engage with the insights and recommendations in our white paper, as we strive to address the urgent need for more housing supply in our rural communities. #AffordableHousing #CommunityIntegration #ScatteredSiteHousing #MarylandHousingCrisis 🌟

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Post #2 on the federal budget 2024 from Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP) research staff: Highlights of new spending: o  Using federal lands to accelerate new housing: requiring departments and agencies to offer parcels of lands; plan to introduce legislation to facilitate acquisition of public lands for homes; $500M/5yrs for a new Public Lands Acquisition Fund; establishing a Public Lands Acquisition Council to identify parcels of land for housing; starting with Canada Post properties, National Defence lands, and repurposing of PSPC offices. If implemented effectively, this has significant potential to generate affordable housing (that will hopefully align with Affordability Action Council recommendations to build future-ready housing that is energy efficient, resilient to a changing climate, and near public transit). o  Canada Disability Benefit: Act to be passed in June 2024 and payments to begin July 2025, with $2400 per year maximum benefit for about 600,000 eligible people. Overall cost is estimated at around $5 billion/ 5yrs. Fingers crossed that this can role out as planned as it is badly needed. o  Consultations forthcoming: new tax on residentially zoned vacant land; National Caregiving Strategy; survey on interprovincial trade to identify top barriers; return of funds from fuel charge to Indigenous communities. Things to watch in 2024. o  Student loan forgiveness for care and health workers in rural and remote communities: Increased scope of student loan forgiveness to include early childhood educators, and a broader range of health workers. Hopefully effective in helping to address worker shortages. o  Research funding: Significant funding for enhancing research and researchers (I suspect academic friends of the IRPP will be very excited about these): - new capstone research funding organization overlaying NSERC, SSHRC and CIHR (federal granting councils) that will support internationally collaborative, multi-disciplinary and mission-driven research. - a new advisory council on science and innovation that will include academic, industry and not-for-profit sectors and develop a national science and innovation strategy to guide priority setting. - higher pay for post-secondary scholarships, with doctoral support rising from $20,000 under SSHRC to $40,000 per year. Post-docs rise from $45,000 for SSHRC to $70,000. Very meaningful increases at a time when cost of living is a major concern. o  Passenger rail: $462 million over 5 years for Via Rail network operations and commitment to replace aging fleet and renew Remote Passenger Rail funding. This is in line with recommendations from the Affordability Action Council, and will hopefully help address gaps in access to transportation in many areas of Canada. More to come in subsequent post..

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Valuable perspectives here to help empower local leaders in their financial decision-making in the economic aftermath of the pandemic. The article delves into the latest findings from the National League of Cities' research, highlighting significant shifts in municipal expenditures from 2021 to 2022. From the rise in public safety spending to the impact of inflation on general government expenses, these trends shed light on significant community budgetary adjustments. #LocalGovernment #BudgetPlanning #Municipalities

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DC has a contractual cap on the number of bus shelters. A cap! A couple of years ago, I first learned that DC was committed to a bus shelter installation and maintenance contract with Clear Channel that gives the private company a lot of discretion over where to put bus shelters. That's a big part of why if you're waiting for a bus in Wards 2 and 3, you're a lot more likely to be protected from the elements by a bus shelter than if you're in Wards 7 and 8. This, despite the fact that a larger share of residents in Wards 7 and 8 depend on the bus to get around. Structural racism at work. But Santiago L. -- who has been beating this drum for years now -- peels back even more layers in this piece. This contract is a bad deal for DC overall, and it's the worst for lower-income Black neighborhoods in DC. The good news? The contract is up in 2025.

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As NC Governor's Highway Safety Program Director, I can try to change individual driving behavior until I'm blue in the face. It won't accomplish much. Or- we can collectively try to change how communities proactively address and prevent traffic crashes. THAT is what will save lives. This article by @NC Health News talks about the importance of bringing public health principles to work in traffic safety. The article focuses on bike & pedestrian safety, but at GHSP we've tried to bring public health approaches to other areas of traffic safety as well, while continuing to work with traditional partners like law enforcement, educators and others. Mark my words: in this work, there are STRONG institutional bias that are perfectly OK doing what we've always done, and getting what we've always gotten- namely, over 1600 deaths on NC roads each year. That's not acceptable to me. I'm fighting those institutional bias every day, and it's tough. Thanks to brave advocates like Steven Hardy-Braz and community partners like UNC Highway Safety Research Center for your lifechanging work.

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