Press Releases News
Friday, February 8th, 2013
(Feb. 8, 2013) The Center for Transit-Oriented Development (CTOD) today released results of a year-long study into the potential for transit-oriented development to unlock economic, environmental and fiscal benefits for Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.
“In an environment where we’re asked to do more with less, and make the most of our existing transit assets, the Pittsburgh region is poised to be a model,” said Abigail Thorne-Lyman, Director of CTOD. “This strategy has been developed with deep involvement from the nonprofit, public, and business sectors, meaning everyone is ready to act.”
The CTOD report, “Transit-Oriented Development Typology Strategy for Allegheny County,” was commissioned by the Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group under the auspices of its GoBurgh initiative and funded by the Heinz Endowments.
The study revealed some interesting findings about what is needed to support TOD in Pittsburgh, including new sources of funding for smaller scale infrastructure improvements such as pedestrian pathways and signage to help link the stations to nearby communities. It also identifies priority areas for TOD investments out of 100 stations in the rail, busway, and incline transit network, based on the readiness of those stations to be transformed into walkable, transit supportive communities. The study prioritizes stations based on three types of investments: infrastructure, new development, and building the capacity of community groups, which is a specialty of the Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group and its GoBurgh initiative.
“The great news is, in the world of transportation, these are relatively low-cost investments that can catalyze significant gains for these communities,” said Chris Sandvig, Regional Policy Director for the Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group and leader of its GoBurgh initiative. “We need to capitalize on that existing infrastructure in a comprehensive and systematic way so we can realize the economic, access, environmental and fiscal benefits of transit-oriented development.”
Copies of the report can be downloaded here.
MEDIA CONTACT:
For more information, Rebecca M. (Becky) Sullivan, Communications Director, Reconnecting America bsullivan@reconnectingamerica.org, 202-429-6990, ext. 206,
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About the Center For Transit-Oriented Development
The Center for Transit-Oriented Development (CTOD) is the only national nonprofit effort dedicated to providing best practices, research and tools to support equitable market-based transit-oriented development. CTOD partners with both the public and private market sectors to strategize about ways to encourage the development of high performing communities around transit stations and to build transit systems that maximize development potential. CTOD works to integrate local and regional planning, generate new tools for economic development, real estate and investment issues, improve affordability and livability for all members of the community, and respond to imperatives for climate change and sustainability. The Center for TOD is a partnership of Reconnecting America, the Center for Neighborhood Technology, and Strategic Economics. For more information visit CTOD’s website here.>>
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Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012
CHICAGO (October 23, 2012)—The Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that works nationally to promote more sustainable urban communities, has received grant funding from the Surdna Foundation to pilot wet weather retrofit (“Wetrofit”) services that reduce urban flood damage to homes and businesses. Modeled on the ‘one-stop-shop’ concept developed for building energy retrofits, the service will help cities tackle stormwater challenges at a neighborhood scale.
Recent survey research by CNT suggests that urban municipalities and stormwater utilities face significant challenges in relation to flooding. The survey respondents serve 330 municipalities in the eight Great Lakes states (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin) with a population of approximately 19.7 million people. All received flooding complaints, with 80 percent characterizing the annual number of complaints as medium or large. Stormwater is flooding into people’s backyards, streets, and parking lots; into the interior of buildings through sewer backups; and through the walls of homes and buildings. Seventy-five percent of respondents said they are interested in working with CNT to develop best practice solutions.
“Flooding is expensive and causes misery to home owners and businesses,” said Kathy Tholin, CEO of the Center for Neighborhood Technology. “With increasingly severe weather and overloaded sewer systems, the frequency and cost of flood damage will continue to rise. Effective solutions exist—such as repairing private lateral sewage pipes, installing water permeable paving, and building rain gardens—but communities and property owners need advice and help. This funding will help us help communities.”
“Much of the infrastructure on which this country depends for its economic growth and prosperity is decades old and nearing the end of its life; and government funding available for renewing, replacing, or reinventing these systems is severely constrained. Philanthropy cannot fill the gaps left by the sharp declines in public spending, but we can help with creative solutions,” said Michelle Knapik, Director of Sustainable Environments Program at the Surdna Foundation.
“Early indicators point to a next generation infrastructure that is more decentralized, enables people and communities to be engaged in infrastructure designs and decisions, and that has the potential to support regional economies. More learning is needed—CNT’s water retrofit program is truly ‘next generation’ and we are delighted to be supporting it.”
The project is part of Smart Water for Smart Regions, a two-year initiative that was launched in September 2012 and brings new research, inventive solutions, and regional advocacy focused on water supply and stormwater in the eight Great Lakes states (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin). Other sponsors of the initiative include the Joyce Foundation and State Farm.
MEDIA CONTACT
Nicole Gotthelf, Center for Neighborhood Technology, nicoleg@cnt.org, 773-269-4029.
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Founded in 1978, CNT is a Chicago-based think-and-do tank that works nationally to advance urban sustainability by researching, inventing and testing strategies that use resources more efficiently and equitably. Its programs focus on transportation, energy, water, community development, and climate. Visit www.cnt.org for more information.
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Wednesday, October 17th, 2012
Average moderate-income household in 25 largest U.S. metro areas spends nearly 60 percent of income on housing and transportation
WASHINGTON—The combined costs of housing and transportation in the nation’s largest 25 metro areas have swelled by 44 percent since 2000 while incomes have failed to keep pace, according to a new report from the Center for Housing Policy—the research affiliate of the National Housing Conference—and the Center for Neighborhood Technology. The report, Losing Ground: The Struggle of Moderate-Income Households to Afford the Rising Costs of Housing and Transportation, details the challenges that American households face as the combined costs of housing and transportation consume an ever-larger share of household incomes.
Source: Housing + Transportation (H+T®) Affordability Index applied to 2000 Census data and 2006-2010 American Community Survey data (Center for Neighborhood Technology and Center for Housing Policy).
The report includes a special focus on moderate-income households, defined as those earning between 50 and 100 percent of the median household income in their area. In the 25 largest metro areas, the report finds that moderate-income households spend an average of 59 percent of their income on housing and transportation. The report finds cost burdens to be highest in the Miami area, where moderate-income households spend 72 percent of their income on housing and transportation. The next highest burdens are in the Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif., area (69 percent), the Tampa area (66 percent), and the Los Angeles area (65 percent)
“If we really want to understand whether housing is affordable, we need to consider housing and transportation costs together,” explains Center for Housing Policy Executive Director Jeffrey Lubell. “Along with utilities, which we include within housing costs, these are the true ‘costs of place,’ and our report shows they have grown much faster than incomes since 2000.”
The report finds that housing and transportation costs have increased 44 percent over this period while household incomes have risen only 25 percent. As a result, Americans are now substantially less able to afford their costs of place, undermining their ability to meet other critical household expenses, such as food, clothing, health insurance and child care.
Cost burdens have increased despite reductions in home sale prices caused by the major housing downturn that began in 2006. “Increased demand for rental housing combined with insufficient new production has raised rents,” continued Lubell, “while households with blemished credit and existing homeowners with underwater mortgages have been unable to take advantage of lower home prices. Add in the higher transportation costs associated with higher gas prices, stagnant or slowly growing wages and the loss of income associated with layoffs and it’s easy to see how Americans have lost ground.”
“Both housing and transportation costs need to be made more affordable,” notes Center for Neighborhood Technology President and Co-Founder Scott Bernstein. “Letting the public know that the full cost of a location includes both housing and transportation is a first step; targeting resources that lower the cost of transportation, such as improved public transportation, to areas where it will help America’s working families, is also essential.”
The report notes that there are many policies that local and state governments can adopt to help reduce housing costs in places where transportation costs are low or where public investments will make transportation more affordable in the future. Policy options include taking measures to preserve existing affordable housing, reforming restrictive regulations to lower the cost of creating new housing in such areas, and instituting requirements or incentives to include affordable housing as part of new development.
“Given the substantial increases that we expect in coming years in the demand for housing within walking distance of public transit,” explains Bernstein, “it will be essential to act proactively to ensure that affordable housing is preserved and included within new development in these areas.”
Read the full report ››
Key Findings
- Housing and transportation costs have gone up faster than incomes for American households. Since 2000, combined housing and transportation costs have risen 44 percent in the 25 largest U.S. metros, while household incomes have risen only 25 percent. That means that for every dollar household incomes have gone up, housing and transportation costs have risen about $1.75, cutting into wealth, savings and even budgets for essentials.
- Moderate-income households spend a disproportionate share of income for housing and transportation. For households earning 50 to 100 percent of the median income of their metropolitan area, nearly three-fifths (59 percent) of income goes to housing and transportation costs. For these households, the growing “costs of place” are particularly burdensome, leaving little for necessary expenses such as food, education and health care.
- Places where the combined housing and transportation cost burden is greatest are not always the places with the highest absolute costs. In some metro areas, such as Washington, D.C., Boston and San Francisco, high costs are matched by relatively high incomes, helping moderate-income households better afford their housing and transportation costs. But other regions, such as Riverside-San Bernardino (CA), Los Angeles and San Diego, have high housing and transportation costs despite moderate to low median incomes, with average combined cost burdens for moderate-income households ranging from 63 to 69 percent of household income.
- Moderate-income households in the Miami metro area have the highest combined cost burdens, spending an average of 72 percent of income on housing and transportation. A second Florida metro area— Tampa— also has very high cost burdens, with moderate-income households spending an average of 66 percent of income on housing and transportation. To a large extent, the high cost burdens in both of these metro areas are driven by low incomes.
- Housing costs alone do not paint a complete picture of the total “cost of place.” The inclusion of transportation costs shifts the relative affordability of many metro areas. For example, housing costs in the Houston region are comparatively affordable for moderate-income households, ranking eighth out of the 25 regions examined, but adding in transportation costs drops Houston into 17th place in overall affordability. In contrast, metro areas such as San Francisco, Boston, and New York are some of the least affordable regions for moderate-income households when housing alone is considered, but are among the most affordable when housing and transportation costs are considered together.
- For moderate-income households, homeowners carry heavier cost burdens than renters. For the typical moderate-income renter in the 25 metro areas studied, housing and transportation costs consume an average of 55 percent of income. Moderate-income homeowners carrying a mortgage, however, face average costs of nearly 72 percent of income.
- Despite lower burdens than homeowners, moderate-income renters are still barely making ends meet in many metro areas. In the LA metro area, where average housing + transportation costs consume 61 percent of income for moderate-income renters, a typical renter household would not have enough left over at the end of the month to pay the minimum costs of food, health care, and other basic necessities. This would suggest these households are either cutting corners on essentials, or accruing debt.
- Cost burdens for moderate-income households vary substantially within metro areas. Even in metro areas where average cost burdens are relatively affordable, there are many neighborhoods that are out of reach for moderate-income households. In the Philadelphia region, for example, moderate-income households are faced with average housing and transportation costs exceeding 90 percent of income in some neighborhoods.
Methodology
Losing Ground provides estimates of the combined costs of housing and transportation in the nation’s 25 largest metro areas. For data on housing costs and income, the report relies on the 2006-2010 American Community Survey (ACS), with comparisons to the 2000 census to show change across time. The transportation cost data for this report are derived from the Housing + Transportation (H+T®) Affordability Index developed by the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), updated to reflect 2006-2010 ACS data. The model’s assumptions, calculations, and methods have been reviewed through several iterations by practitioners at the Metropolitan Council in Minneapolis-St. Paul, fellows with the Brookings Institution, and academics from institutions including the University of Minnesota, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and Temple University. This cost index has been applied to nearly 900 metropolitan and micropolitan areas in the United States, and is unique in that it measures joint transportation and housing affordability at a neighborhood level (see http://htaindex.cnt.org/).
Housing costs for renters include rent and utilities. For homeowners housing costs include mortgage payments, property taxes, home insurance, utilities, and, where applicable, payments for home equity loans, condominium fees, or mobile home costs. Transportation costs encompass all the trips that households make as part of their daily routine, including commuting, errands, and other travel. For car owners this includes the full costs of auto ownership, such as car payments, insurance, maintenance, and gas. For transit riders it includes the price of transit.
About the Center for Neighborhood Technology
Since 1978, Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) has been a leader in promoting urban sustainability—the more effective use of existing resources and community assets to improve the health of natural systems and the wealth of people, today and in the future. CNT is a creative think-and-do tank that combines rigorous research with effective solutions. CNT works across disciplines and issues, including transportation and community development, energy, water, and climate change.
About the Center for Housing Policy
The Center for Housing Policy is the research affiliate of the National Housing Conference (NHC) and specializes in developing solutions through research. In partnership with NHC and its members, the Center works to broaden understanding of the nation’s housing challenges and to examine the impact of policies and programs developed to address these needs.
About the National Housing Conference
As the United Voice for Housing, the nonprofit National Housing Conference (NHC) has been dedicated to helping ensure safe, decent and affordable housing for all in America since 1931.
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Tuesday, October 16th, 2012
Detailed findings for 25 largest U.S. metropolitan areas includes data on cost variations within metro areas, impacts of growing costs of place on household budgets and policies that can help
WASHINGTON—On Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012, the Center for Housing Policy—the research affiliate of the National Housing Conference—and the Center for Neighborhood Technology will discuss the findings of a new report, Losing Ground: The Struggle of Moderate-Income Households to Afford the Rising Costs of Housing and Transportation, that details the challenges that American households face as the combined costs of housing and transportation consume an ever-larger share of household incomes. In addition, case studies detail the immense variation in cost burdens within metro areas and the impacts of growing cost burdens on the household budgets of typical families.
Speakers for the telebriefing are:
- Scott Bernstein, President, Center for Neighborhood Technology
- Peter M. Haas, Ph.D., Chief Research Scientist, Center for Neighborhood Technology
- Jeffrey Lubell, Executive Director, Center for Housing Policy
- Chris Estes, President and CEO, National Housing Conference
The telebriefing will be from 11 am – 12 pm EST. Sign up for the telebriefing here.
To read an embargoed copy of the report now, contact:
Blake Warenik, Communications Manager
National Housing Conference and Center for Housing Policy
bwarenik@nhc.org
(202) 466-2121 x240
Nicole Gotthelf, Director of Development and Communications
Center for Neighborhood Technology
nicoleg@cnt.org
(773) 269-4029
Also available—detailed analysis of housing and transportation cost burdens in the following metro areas:
- Chicago
- Houston
- Philadelphia
- Los Angeles
- Miami
- New York
- Washington, D.C.
The 25 largest U.S. metro areas covered in the report:
- Atlanta
- Baltimore
- Boston
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Dallas-Fort Worth
- Denver
- Detroit
- Houston
- Los Angeles
- Miami
- Minneapolis
- New York
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Riverside-San Bernardino, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- San Diego
- San Francisco-Oakland
- Seattle
- St. Louis
- Tampa-St. Petersburg
- Washington, D.C.
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Tuesday, October 2nd, 2012
CHICAGO (October 1, 2012)
WHAT: CNT is hosting a conversation between CNT’s co-founder and President Scott Bernstein, renowned urban planner and founder of the Congress for the New Urbanism Andrés Duany, and Chief Technology Officer for the City of Chicago and White House Champion of Change John Tolva. This will be followed by table conversations amongst the attendees about the ideas raised at the talk. The conversation will be moderated by Chicago Sun-Times columnist and ABC 7-Chicago political analyst Laura Washington.
WHY: This conversation between three thinkers is a new twist on CNT’s history of promoting cross-discipline exchange of ideas, as well as an exploration of the extent to which the city is the crossroads of technology, urban form, and economics. The experts will raise and discuss new ideas and concepts about how the technology and the Internet can support smart, sustainable development, and over the course of the following weekend, experienced coders and software developers will compete to make these ideas a reality at CNT’s first Urban Sustainability Hackathon at TechNexus Venture Collaborative.
WHO: John Tolva, Scott Bernstein, and Andres Duany will come up with creative ideas and then CNT will work with Chicago coders and developers to execute them.
WHERE: Red Frog Events, 320 West Ohio Street, Suite 1W; Chicago, IL 60654
WHEN: Thursday, October 4, 2012, 5:30pm-8:00pm
CONTACT: Nicole Gotthelf, Director of Development and Strategic Communications, CNT, 773-269-4029, nicoleg@cnt.org
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Founded in 1978, CNT is a Chicago-based think-and-do tank that works nationally to advance urban sustainability by researching, inventing and testing strategies that use resources more efficiently and equitably. Its programs focus on transportation, energy, water, community development, and climate. Visit www.cnt.org for more information.
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Tuesday, September 25th, 2012
CHICAGO (September 24, 2012) – The City of Chicago has selected the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) to manage the Chicago Sustainable Backyards Program (SusBy). SusBy promotes simple, low-cost measures that residents can use to enhance the environment and reduce neighborhood flooding.
“CNT is excited to work with the City to foster backyards and community spaces that conserve water, manage stormwater, combat climate change and bring nature to Chicago, all while helping residents save money,” said CNT CEO Kathryn Tholin.
Sustainable Backyards encourages Chicagoans to create more environmentally-friendly landscapes in their yards, as well as in community and school gardens. The program offers Chicago residents educational information and rebates up to 50% back on their purchases of:
- TREES (up to $100 back)
- NATIVE PLANTS (up to $60 back)
- COMPOST BINS (up to $50 back)
- RAIN BARRELS (up to $40 back)
The SusBy program was created to alleviate basement and neighborhood flooding and reduce the flow of polluted water into our rivers and Lake Michigan using green infrastructure. Green infrastructure, as opposed to gray infrastructure (such as pipes), uses natural processes in order to infiltrate, evaporate, and/or reuse stormwater. Many of the green infrastructure practices encouraged have a multitude of benefits, from providing wildlife habitat to cooling the air and fostering a sense of community. Educational workshops will continue to be offered to residents who want to learn more about the SusBy program and the basics of making their green spaces more sustainable.
Sustainable Backyards is part of CNT’s “Smart Water for Smart Regions” initiative, which includes research, inventive solutions, and regional advocacy focused on water supply and stormwater management in the Great Lakes region. Sustainable Backyards will complement CNT’s wet weather retrofitting program, “Wetrofit,” to test and install fixes for flooding, currently being piloted in Chicago’s Albany Park and Rogers Park neighborhoods.
Funding for rebates currently comes from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Pollution Prevention Program and a USDA Forest Service Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Grant.
The public can find more information at www.cityofchicago.org/rainbarrel or by contacting susby@cnt.org or 312.743.9283.
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CONTACT
CDOT: Sean Wiedel, 312.744.8182
CNT: Nicole Gotthelf, 773.269.4029
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Friday, August 3rd, 2012
CHICAGO (August 3, 2012) – IGO CarSharing, Chicago’s only not-for-profit carsharing organization, has received a grant of over $700,000 from the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration as part of its Value Pricing Pilot Grant Program. IGO will use the funds to pilot a peer-to-peer carsharing program in connection with its existing carsharing service. The pilot will be conducted in partnership with the Illinois Department of Transportation and the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Urban Transportation Center.
Under a peer-to-peer carsharing model, individual car owners make their private cars available for a fee to others when they are not otherwise being used. Members who utilize the shared vehicles pay a fee by the hour or the day.
IGO will implement and study various models of peer-to-peer carsharing including solutions for low-density areas in which it is difficult to successfully operate traditional carsharing. Upon implementation of the pilot, IGO will also study financial benefits to participants and its effectiveness in reducing congestion and increasing air quality.
It is expected that peer-to-peer carsharing will have the same benefits of IGO’s existing carsharing program but on a larger scale. In its ten years of operation use of IGO’s services by members has resulted in over 9,000 vehicles being removed from Chicago-area roads. Additionally, IGO members save over $3,500 annually in transportation costs and report that they increase their walking and bicycling by 27% and 17%, respectively. Environmental benefits of IGO’s traditional carsharing operation include an annual reduction in CO2 emissions of over 45,000 metric tons.
“Over the past ten years, IGO has been able to significantly improve the quality of life for residents of the Chicago area through traditional carsharing. Adding a peer-to-peer program will allow us to ramp up carsharing—and its many benefits—to the scale necessary to better address the issues that threaten urban livability, sustainability and air quality,” said IGO CEO, Sharon Feigon.
UIC’s Urban Transportation Center will assist IGO in developing pricing for the service and evaluating the pilot once implemented. “This is a very exciting and groundbreaking project which could help to substantially expand carsharing in the Chicago region resulting in substantial cost savings to the public, increased use of transit, and spinoff environmental benefits,” said Steve Schlickman, Executive Director of UIC’s Urban Transportation Center.
About IGO CarSharing
Formed in 2002 as a pilot program of the Center for Neighborhood Technology, IGO has 15,000 members and close to 300 vehicles in over 40 neighborhoods in Chicago and five suburbs throughout the Chicago region. Members pay for cars by the hour (around $8.50), and gas is included in the hourly fee (as is insurance). A typical IGO member spends about $2,520 per year on transportation, roughly $5,000 less than what the average American spends annually to own, operate and maintain a car.
IGO offers the Chicago Card Plus IGO card with the CTA. It allows a seamless transfer between public transit and an IGO vehicle. The Chicago Card Plus IGO card is the only one of its kind in the nation. Seventy-three percent of IGO members either sell a car or postpone a decision to buy one after joining IGO.
By serving its mission to help Chicago area residents to live well in Chicago without having to own a car, IGO saves its members money, helps reduce traffic congestion, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, improves air quality and promotes healthy lifestyles and communities. To join IGO, visit igocars.org.
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CONTACT:
Michelle Thoma, IGO CarSharing, 773-269-2212, mthoma@igocars.org
IGO CarSharing is dedicated to creating a robust and seamlessly integrated transportation system that is ubiquitous, convenient, and affordable for individuals, and provides the region with expanded economic development opportunities and exemplary environmental performance. IGO is an affiliate of the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT). igocars.org
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Monday, May 21st, 2012
CHICAGO (May 21, 2012)—The Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that works nationally to promote more sustainable urban communities, has launched a “Smart Water for Smart Regions” initiative to transform water service and infrastructure in the Great Lakes region. The initiative will help communities deliver water services to homes and businesses more efficiently, effectively, and transparently, while sustaining the region’s water resources. The initiative is made possible with generous support from the Joyce Foundation and State Farm.
“Communities in the Great Lakes region, stretching from Minnesota to New York, are paying the price for deteriorating water infrastructure: unreliable service, rising water rates, and flooded neighborhoods,” said Harriet Festing, director of the CNT Water program. “Our environment suffers as well, with increased pollution of rivers and lakes and severe physical damage to landscapes and habitat. CNT will work with communities large and small to find practical, innovative, cost-effective ways to address these widespread problems.”
The “Smart Water for Smart Regions” initiative has already begun with a survey of more than 100 Great Lakes utilities and municipalities about their water service policies and practices. Preliminary survey results show that the challenges are pervasive, as is enthusiasm for collaborating together to overcome them. The full survey findings will be released this summer.
“State Farm processes thousands of claims each year for property damage related to failing water infrastructure,” said Michael Rivas Rossman, State Farm Public Affairs. “We see how prevalent, costly, and devastating this is for families and business owners, and we’re pleased to be working with CNT to find ways to better understand and address the problem.”
Working with the Alliance for Water Efficiency, American Water Works Association, Great Lakes Commission, and the Water Environment Federation, CNT’s “Smart Water for Smart Regions” initiative will take on these challenges with research, piloted solutions, and advocacy. As part of the initiative, CNT will:
- Establish collaborative programs with water supply utilities in the Great Lakes states who are seeking to reduce the volume of leakage and increase public awareness of the problem.
- Work with the largest stormwater utilities and municipalities to strengthen flood control strategies with a focus on simple, low-cost tools such as building rain gardens, repairing private lateral sewage pipes, and installing water permeable paving.
- Pioneer the nation’s first a one-stop wet weather retrofit or “Wetrofit” service to reduce flooding and waste in the Chicago region.
- Advocate for model state legislation that governs water utilities, including developing stronger targets, and public reporting on infrastructure and efficiency investments.
- Mobilize leaders, communities, and individuals across the Great Lakes to demand smarter infrastructure investment to reduce costs and efficiently conserve water.
“Restoring the health of the Great Lakes and area waterways is critical to the sustainability of the region. Investments in this work are vital to supporting a vision to protect the environment and resources for the future,” said Molly M. Flanagan, a program officer at the Joyce Foundation. “For many years, the Joyce Foundation has helped CNT develop innovative, cost-effective solutions to water infrastructure woes. We are pleased to help them now develop networks of communities that will bring their solutions to scale across the Great Lakes.”
“Efficient use of resources is what drives CNT, and this is an important time to ensure we make the right high-impact investments and policy change needed to improve people’s quality of life, reduce costs, and improve water quality,” said Kathryn Tholin, CEO of CNT. “We are grateful to the Joyce Foundation and State Farm for helping us expand our efforts and support communities as they make the transition to smart water services.”
MEDIA CONTACT
Emily Robinson, Center for Neighborhood Technology, erobinson@cnt.org, 773-269-4043
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Founded in 1978, CNT is a Chicago-based think-and-do tank that works nationally to advance urban sustainability by researching, inventing and testing strategies that use resources more efficiently and equitably. Its programs focus on transportation, energy, water, community development, and climate. Visit www.cnt.org for more information.
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Tuesday, March 27th, 2012
CHICAGO (March 27, 2012)—I-GO CarSharing, Chicago’s nonprofit carsharing organization, has added three all-electric vehicles to its fleet—two Mitsubishi i-MiEVs and a Nissan Leaf—becoming the first Chicago-area carsharing organization to offer all-electric vehicles to its members. The addition of these vehicles is the first step toward completion of I-GO’s larger project to have 16 solar canopies that will supply solar energy to a dedicated network of 30 electric vehicle charging stations. I-GO’s electric vehicle network will also include six charging stations powered by the grid.
“We’re excited to be adding these vehicles to I-GO’s fleet, and to have finalized agreements for all 16 solar canopy electric vehicle charging station sites. This project exemplifies I-GO’s commitment to innovation in carsharing and to providing our members with the most fuel efficient vehicles available,” said Sharon Feigon, CEO of I-GO.
The Mitsubishi i-MiEV and Nissan Leaf are class leaders, having the best mileage on a charge at up to 126/99 miles per charge city/highway (MPC) and 106/92 MPC, respectively, according to the EPA.
These vehicles are available to I-GO members at the following locations:
- Nissan Leaf at Jewel-OSCO at 2940 N. Ashland, Chicago
- Mitsubishi i-MiEV at Illinois Institute of Technology at 3201 S. State Street, Chicago
- Mitsubishi i-MiEV at I-GO’s headquarters at 2125 W. North Avenue, Chicago
I-GO is using a second Nissan Leaf as a fleet vehicle to efficiently service the entire I-GO fleet.
Each solar charging station will form a canopy that covers four parking spaces and will be able to power two electric vehicles. Two spaces will be reserved for I-GO at each location, and the others will be available to the public. Each canopy will be topped with 44 solar panels, for a capacity of 10 kilowatts. In aggregate, the canopies will produce about 200,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually, enough for 600,000 driving miles. As a result, I-GO and its members could save as many as 17,000 gallons of gasoline each year.
Once completed, I-GO will have a fleet of 36 all-electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles—the largest electric vehicle fleet in the Midwest.
The solar canopies will be located at:
- CTA Brown Line Kimball Park and Ride lot, Chicago (newly announced)
- Ravenswood Professional Building at 1945 W. Wilson Avenue, Chicago (newly announced)
- Greenleaf Art Center at 1806 W. Greenleaf Avenue, Chicago (newly announced)
- JEWEL-OSCO at 3400 N. Western Avenue, Chicago (newly announced)
- JEWEL-OSCO at 2940 N. Ashland Avenue, Chicago (newly announced)
- JEWEL-OSCO at 5516 N. Clark Street, Chicago
- JEWEL-OSCO at 5343 N. Broadway Street, Chicago
- JEWEL-OSCO at 101 W. 87th Street, Chicago
- JEWEL-OSCO at 438 W. Madison Avenue, Oak Park
- City of Evanston Municipal Lot #3 at 1702 Chicago Avenue
- City of Evanston Municipal Lot #4 at 2122 Central Street
- City of Evanston Municipal Lot #32 at 825 Hinman Avenue
- Village of Oak Park lot in the 1100 block of North Boulevard, between Marion and Forest
- Village of Oak Park Village Hall at 123 Madison
- Uncommon Ground Restaurant at 1401 West Devon, Chicago
- Illinois Institute of Technology at 3201 S. State Street (currently a charging station location)
I-GO’s solar-powered electric vehicle project has been made possible by grants from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Chicago Area Clean Cities Partnership, and the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation.
About I-GO CarSharing
Formed in 2002, I-GO has 15,000 members and more than 225 locations in 35 neighborhoods and four suburbs throughout the Chicago region. Members pay for cars by the hour (around $8.50), and gas is included in the hourly fee (as is insurance). A typical I-GO member spends about $2,520 per year on transportation, roughly $5,000 less than what the average American spends annually to own, operate and maintain a car.
I-GO offers a joint smart card with the CTA that allows a seamless transfer between public transit and an I-GO vehicle. The Chicago Card Plus I-GO card is the only one of its kind in the nation. Seventy-three percent of I-GO members either sell a car or postpone a decision to buy one after joining I-GO.
In addition to saving its members money, I-GO reduces traffic congestion, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, improves air quality, and promotes healthy lifestyles and neighborhoods. To join I-GO, visit igocars.org.
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CONTACT:
Michelle Thoma, I-GO CarSharing, 773-269-2212, mthoma@igocars.org
Emily Robinson, Center for Neighborhood Technology, 773.269.4043, erobinson@cnt.org
I-GO CarSharing is dedicated to creating a robust and seamlessly integrated transportation system that is ubiquitous, convenient, and affordable for individuals, and provides the region with expanded economic development opportunities and exemplary environmental performance. I-GO is an affiliate of the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT). http://www.igocars.org/
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Tuesday, February 28th, 2012
CNT’s H+T Index Reveals the High Cost of Transportation in Nearly 900 Regions Across the Country
CHICAGO (Feb. 28, 2012)—A new analysis by the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) reveals that less than one in three American communities (28 percent) are affordable for typical regional households when transportation costs—the second largest expense in a family budget—are considered along with housing costs. The analysis also shows that it is much more difficult for the typical household to find a truly affordable place to live today than it was a decade ago, with incomes having increased roughly half as much as transportation and housing costs since 2000.
“The H+T Index makes the transportation costs of a place transparent to people and policy makers so they can make smart decisions about where they live and how they invest public dollars,” said Scott Bernstein, CNT founder and president. “At a time when gas prices rise weekly, income is flat, and public transportation funding is threatened, the H+T Index provides information that can help us control the cost of living for families and communities.”
The Housing + Transportation (H+T®) Affordability Index provides the only comprehensive view of affordability by disclosing housing and transportation costs at a neighborhood level. The Index covers nearly 900 metropolitan and micropolitan areas across the country—encompassing nearly 180,000 neighborhoods and 89 percent of the US population.
Under the traditional definition of housing affordability (a rent or mortgage payment consumes no more than 30 percent of household income), three out of four US communities (76 percent) are considered “affordable” to the regional typical household making their area’s median income. However, under an expanded definition of affordability (housing and transportation costs consume no more than 45 percent of income), the number of affordable communities decreases dramatically to 28 percent, resulting in a net loss of 86,000 neighborhoods that are within reach for a typical family.
“Everyone understands ‘location, location, location’ when talking about the cost of housing, and they get that housing costs in Manhattan, Kansas, are very different than housing costs in Manhattan, New York,” said Peter Haas, CNT’s chief research scientist. “Location affects transportation costs, too. The H+T Index quantifies transportation costs by location and encourages people to consider both housing and transportation costs when looking for a home they can truly afford.”
Today’s release updates and expands the first H+T Index website, which used 2000 US Census data. The latest Index uses American Community Survey 2009 5-year estimates, covers smaller cities and towns, and provides improved measures of travel demand and household transportation costs.
CNT used the Index to rank metropolitan areas that had the highest and lowest average monthly transportation costs for a typical family earning the national median income.
Comparing Index data from 2000 to 2009 reveals that housing and transportation costs have dramatically outpaced incomes over that period, making it more difficult for the typical household to find a truly affordable place to live. Median housing costs, as reported by the US Census, have increased by nearly 37 percent nationwide, while the national median income has increased by approximately 22 percent. Average transportation costs in the geographies covered by both Indexes increased by more than 39 percent or $318 per month.
Despite the increase in transportation costs from 2000 to 2009, the Index shows that people living in location efficient neighborhoods—characterized by access to transit, jobs, and amenities—experienced a smaller increase than those living in car-dependent places. The typical family living in a location efficient neighborhood in 2000 (where transportation costs were less than 15 percent of the national median income), saw average transportation costs increase by approximately $1,400 annually. Meanwhile, families living in inefficient neighborhoods (where 2000 transportation costs were greater than 15 percent of the national median income) had average transportation costs increase by more than twice as much, or slightly over $3,900 annually. The difference amounts to a $200 per month location efficiency bonus.
“Despite the clear benefits to people’s pocketbooks when living in location efficient neighborhoods, we spent the first decade of the 21st Century developing in location inefficient places that put undue burden on household budgets, municipal coffers, and the environment,” said Bernstein. “Nearly six million households were added in the time period and areas our Index covers, but less than 1 percent of these were added in location efficient places. We have to do better.”
Since the Index was first launched, a diverse group of cities and organizations have used the Index in planning and policy purposes, ranging from federal agencies to private planning firms, and housing counselors to streetcar advocates.
“We are using the H+T Index and CNT’s work to better understand the implications our transit expansion plans will have on our mix of land uses and housing affordability,” said Harriet Tregoning, Director of the DC Office of Planning. “It’s a thoughtful index and a useful benchmark that can help many organizations and agencies make well-informed decisions.”
CONTACT:
Emily Robinson, Center for Neighborhood Technology, erobinson@cnt.org, 773-269-4043
Listen to the H+T webinar ››
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Founded in 1978, CNT is a Chicago-based think-and-do tank that works nationally to advance urban sustainability by researching, inventing and testing strategies that use resources more efficiently and equitably. Its programs focus on transportation, energy, water, community development, and climate. Visit www.cnt.org for more information.
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