Stephen Goldsmith

Graphic by RWJF describing a few of the ways in which recent policy changes will impact families and communities. Local organizations such as DataHaven have published reports and maps showing how some of these changes impact individual towns and legislative districts. #nnip

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NEW Funding Opportunity! The Clean Mobility program offers up to $21.6 million for projects across New York State and will award up to $3 million per project, with priority given to projects in disadvantaged communities. The Clean Mobility Program provides funding for scalable, community-led demonstration projects that improve connections through micro mobility, ridesharing, and on-demand shared transportation options. Together, these solutions lower pollution and offer residents affordable connections to services, jobs, and transit, including in underserved communities. Supporting electric vehicle ride sharing, e-bikes, e-scooters and other sustainable, affordable mobility options helps keep people engaged and active in their communities. We are looking for innovative demonstration proposals that offer the opportunity to help New Yorkers maintain transportation independence and can be replicated and adopted throughout the state for the benefit of all. https://lnkd.in/e7ThfDrU

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We just released "Assessment of the Commonwealth's Urban Search and Rescue Capabilities," for Act 113. Recommendations developed reflect the broad consensus of Advisory Committee members. The Advisory Committee recommends that the General Assembly consider: - establishing a permanent US&R Advisory Organization to determine the needs of each region; - funding Pennsylvania’s US&R system to meet the needs of each region based on its hazards and risk profile; and - amending Title 77 to expand workers’ compensation coverage for specialized response teams when they are deployed. Other recommendations are that PEMA and the Advisory Organization should determine the appropriate sustainability funding for each team, and that regions use a resource tracker to report equipment and personnel so that PEMA remains informed of the system’s readiness across the state. The Commission extends its thanks to the staff of PEMA, PA TF-1, PANG, the regional task forces, and the dozens of first responders who helped produce this report. This is an outstanding report that was started and completed in a short time frame. It's all about urban search & rescue. We took a couple field trips to watch training exercises at HACC's Harrisburg campus and the PA National Guard's training center at Ft. Indiantown Gap, toured Task Force 1's warehouse in Philadelphia where box trucks are packed with equipment and supplies and are ready to go anywhere in the US at a moment's notice, and had opportunities to sit down to talk to nationally recognized experts and dozens of first responders. https://lnkd.in/exVDaYe9

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Public libraries should be fine-free. ✅ 36% increase in checkouts ✅ 19% increase in digital checkouts ✅ 15,334 new library cards were created ✅ 1,600 new users of Libby/Overdrive, the BCLS’s digital catalog of online programs, collections and services 🔻 57% reduction in the list of lost items

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CBIA has joined the list of states producing a pamphlet-sized guidebook for legislators and stakeholders that tracks Connecticut’s economic competitiveness. https://ow.ly/cezl50WQwRv

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  For Immediate Release: 2/24/2026   GOVERNOR HOCHUL ANNOUNCES $5 MILLION IN GRANTS AWARDED TO HELP PRO-HOUSING COMMUNITIES BOOST HOUSING PRODUCTION  Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the state has awarded $5 million in technical assistance grants to help certified Pro-Housing Communities undertake activities to increase housing supply. Communities applied to receive up to $250,000 to help in their efforts to create master plans, conduct market studies and zoning analyses, streamline building permits, and assist with implementing similar actions that improve their ability to cultivate a pro-housing environment.   “The Pro-Housing Communities Program is a true partnership between the State and localities that tackles the housing shortage, makes it possible for people to live in the communities of their choice and serves as an effective vehicle for aligning housing and local economic development,” Governor Hochul said. “That’s why we are making additional resources available to the 400-and-counting certified Pro-Housing Communities that will help them succeed in creating the housing New Yorkers want and need.”  ... Governor Hochul signed Executive Order 30 in July 2023 creating the Pro-Housing Community Program, which recognizes and rewards municipalities actively working to unlock their housing potential and encourages others to follow suit. Under the Program, which is administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), local governments that are taking action to support housing growth to address the housing shortage throughout the State can apply to become certified. After becoming certified, localities have exclusive access to up to $750 million in discretionary State funding. Since the launch of the Pro-Housing Communities Program, these state funds support up to 20,000 more homes statewide.....  Through this new grant funding, eligible cities, towns and villages will also receive assistance that can be used to procure planning, engineering or other professional services that can provide the needed expertise and best practices for a variety of housing growth activities.   Governor Hochul’s Housing Agenda Governor Hochul is dedicated to addressing New York’s housing crisis and making the State more affordable and more livable for all New Yorkers. Since FY23, the Governor has worked to increase housing supply to make housing more affordable by launching a $25 billion five year comprehensive Housing Plan, enacted the most significant housing legislation in decades and implemented new protections for renters and homeowners. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, HCR has created new programs that jumpstart development of affordable and mixed-income homes — for both renters and homebuyers. These include the Pro-Housing Community Program, which allows certified localities exclusive access to up to $750 million in discretionary State funding.....   ###    

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Recent research from the Pew Charitable Trusts is informing the City of Philadelphia’s efforts to strengthen its contracting system and get the providers of critical resident services paid on time. Read more about the research findings, recommendations, and ongoing partnership between the city, Pew, and other local philanthropies. https://lnkd.in/eJNgUYVt

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In a service-driven economy, so many of our zoning districts labeled "Industrial" or "Manufacturing" have long been devoid of heavy industry, in favor of fast food drive-throughs and self-storage facilities. As Everett, Watertown, and other Greater Boston cities have recently proven, adding residential uses in formerly industrial areas can be a great way of revitalizing those areas, paying for environmental remediation, and addressing our immense regional housing shortage. But first it has to be legal. Allowing new housing in industrial zoning districts comes with nuances that can't fit in an 800-word op-ed, especially when there's such a harrowing shortage of industrial real estate in the region as well. But in places where the politics of adding new housing are particularly thorny, amending commercial and industrial zoning may be low-hanging fruit. https://lnkd.in/eWTjxXFc

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