Thursday, April 5th, 2012 at 4:59 pm
CNT invites you to attend the Equity Express Green Financial Education Train-the-Trainer Workshop May 3 & 4, sponsored by PNC Bank.
Equity Express is an innovative workshop curriculum that helps participants achieve goals by lowering expenses, living healthy, and helping the environment. Participants share strategies to reduce expenses on energy, transportation, communication and food, and discover how their choices affect their health and the environment. Households have seen savings up to $200 a month.
Organizations have used the curriculum to put on their own Equity Express Workshops, or integrated the materials in to their existing programs. Organizations using Equity Express include:
- Centers for New Horizons
- Aunt Martha’s
- Trinity United Church of Christ
- North Side Community Federal Credit Union
The free Train-the-Trainer workshop is a 2-day session that brings in staff from a variety of organizations for interaction and discussion. We invite up to two trainers from each organization. Breakfast and lunch are provided. The workshop will be held at CNT’s offices, 2125 W. North Ave. Chicago, IL.
Space is limited, so please contact Adam Mays (amays@cnt.org, 773-815-5985) if you are interested in attending, or would like more information.
Download a fact sheet »
Posted in Climate, Featured Portfolio News | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012 at 2:41 pm
As a candidate for mayor, Rahm Emanuel vowed to make CTA’s Red Line Extension his top priority in improving transportation in Chicago. Just a few weeks ago, as Mayor Emanuel, he announced the creation of a $1.7 billion “Infrastructure Trust” that would support “transformational” projects, including the Red Line extension. Then just a few days ago, Emanuel re-announced his plan with a slight twist—it now includes $7 billion worth of infrastructure projects.
What is the extension? Why is it a priority for Mayor Emanuel?
The Red Line is the workhorse of the CTA system, accounting for 245,402 riders per weekday, which is nearly a third of total train ridership. It is 22 miles long, running from Howard Street on the North Side to 95th Street to the south. In recent years there have been a number of proposed improvements. CMAP has identified the most feasible extension and included it in the GO TO 2040 plan.
The South Extension project would add 5.5 miles to the Red Line, taking it from its current terminus along I-57 and following the Union Pacific corridor down to 130th St. It would operate on an elevated structure for its entire length. Stations are planned at 103rd, 111th, and 115th. Estimates for completion of the project range from 2016 into the unknown, as the project has been on the table since the late 1960s, when the Red Line was expanded to 95th Street.
Map showing how the Red Line would extend to 130th street. Map by John Paul Jones/Developing Communities Project
The Red Line expansion represents a ticket out of poverty for many people on the far South Side. The lack of rail connections in this part of Chicago means people have no rapid, inexpensive way to get into the city for work. A map from one of our recent publications, Prospering in Place, shows that the end of the Red Line to the south has “low” or “very low” access to jobs.
This map from CNT's recent report, "Prospering in Place" shows that the end of the Red Line to the south has “low” or “very low” access to jobs (in light blue). Copyright 2012 Center for Neighborhood Technology
Many of the un-served neighborhoods are disadvantaged already, and the lack of access to jobs keeps unemployment and poverty rates high. The map below, also from “Prospering in Place”, shows high poverty concentrations on the South Side of Chicago.
This map, also from "Prospering in Place", shows high poverty concentrations on the South Side of Chicago (in dark orange). Copyright 2012 Center for Neighborhood Technology
The same lack of access to jobs also hinders residents from having easy and safe routes to essential services, including hospitals and schools. New rail stations provide a chance to revitalize blighted neighborhoods through creation of transit-oriented developments that would include affordable housing, shops, and other mixed-use retail outlets within walking distance of the new stations.
At the CTA, where I sit on the Board of Directors, we are in the midst of completing the required Environmental Impact Statement for the expansion, which is expected to be finished in 2014. The CTA is moving forward with the process on our end to ensure the project can proceed as soon as funding is secured. We’re encouraged the extension remains a priority for Mayor Emanuel.
Posted in Chicago, Going Places, Staff Blog, Transit Expansion, Transit Funding, Transit Ridership | 1 Comment »
Monday, April 2nd, 2012 at 2:52 pm
Housing counselors know that their clients need to be prepared for the full cost of owning a home, which includes taxes, utilities, maintenance costs, and other expenses in addition to the mortgage payment. However, some may not have considered the impact that transportation costs have on a family budget, or how these costs are related to where that family lives. Transportation costs represent the second-largest and fastest-growing expense for the typical American family, and they can vary widely based on the location of a home, the size of the household, household income, and other factors. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Featured Portfolio News, Transportation and Community Development | No Comments »
Monday, April 2nd, 2012 at 2:19 pm
A Green Infrastructure Portfolio Standard would help cities scale up their green infrastructure, especially in urbanized areas in need of stormwater management methods.
For the past year, CNT, in partnership with American Rivers and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, has been working with officials in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Grand Rapids, Michigan to develop a new way to manage stormwater in developed urban settings: the Green Infrastructure Portfolio Standard (GIPS). The GIPS pilot program takes a cue from the popular Renewable Portfolio Standard and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard policies enacted in many states across the country to encourage renewable energy and energy efficiency use, respectively. The GIPS is intended specifically to help developed areas scale up green infrastructure practices relatively quickly, since stormwater regulations that apply only to new developments or redeveloped sites are inadequate for this purpose. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Featured Portfolio News, Natural Resources | No Comments »
Thursday, March 29th, 2012 at 2:14 pm
Chicago is a world class city that needs a world class transit system. Unfortunately, we don’t have funds that even come close to covering the $15 billion in work needed to keep our transit system working properly and expanding service. That will remain the case for the foreseeable future unless the state gets its fiscal issues straightened out.
It’s difficult to know where to begin with such huge problems like that. The Chicago region’s Riders for Better Transit has proposed legislation that would tie the gas tax to inflation. We like that idea. We also think our elected officials need to get serious about dealing with our antiquated sales tax and pension systems.
It’s been nearly four months since Chicagoans received a quarter-cent sales tax cut. Have you noticed? Probably not. That’s largely because even with the cut, Chicago residents still pay among the highest sales tax in the country—a dubious distinction, one that we would rather not own.
The combined state, county, and city of Chicago sales tax is 9.5 percent on a narrow range of goods and a few services. Given Illinois’ manufacturing and industrial past, taxing goods made sense back then. But our taxing structure hasn’t kept up with the evolution of our economy. Our heavy industrial past has been replaced by a knowledge and service economy. The tax base needs to evolve as well.
A shift from a narrow range of taxable goods to a broader range of goods and services could result in a lower overall tax rate. We’d lose the unsavory distinction of having the highest sales tax while gaining more public funding from more sources.
And what could we do with additional tax receipts from a broader base? We could create a dedicated revenue stream to invest in capital projects that would fill existing transit gaps. We’d replace a dubious distinction with one we’d be proud to tout: the most extensive transit system in the country.
And then pensions. It is no secret that a reformed pension system is long overdue. Our pensions are funded at only 38 percent, with liabilities exceeding assets. No wonder the rating agencies lowered the state’s bond rating in December 2011. To make matters worse, Moody’s Investors Service lowered the rating again in January, making Illinois’ credit rating the lowest in the country. Standard and Poor’s strongly warned the state of another possible downgrade and put Illinois on negative watch.
Having the worst-funded state pension system in the country is another dubious distinction we don’t need.
Pension reform is a vexing public policy issue that our state’s political leadership must tackle if we are to live up to the contract we made to thousands of Illinois employees over several generations. I’m encouraged to see that Gov. Pat Quinn has committed to reform Illinois’ pension system, starting with funding teacher pensions. He has a myriad of solutions, including raising Illinois higher education spending by 12 percent to help fund the pensions of state university employees and shifting at least some of the responsibility of funding teacher pensions to the schools, universities, and school districts.
I am hopeful that we’ll make headway on this in 2012.
Pension reform, like sales tax changes, requires our elected representatives to make difficult choices. Choices that taxpayers will support them for if only they make it clear how taxpayers will benefit.
Bond ratings and sales tax rates help determine how expensive it is to borrow funds for needed capital projects and to assure bond purchasers that there is enough dedicated revenue to pay back those bonds.
Unmet transit capital needs in northeastern Illinois exceed $15 billion. A Triple A+ bond rating and a dedicated revenue stream would go a long way towards closing the transit funding gap and giving our world class city the world class transit system it deserves.
Sales tax and pensions—it’s time for our elected representatives to take action.
Posted in Chicago, Going Places, Staff Blog, Transit Funding, Transit Policy | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 28th, 2012 at 1:26 pm
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) is moving forward this week with its plan to make green infrastructure a mainstay of stormwater management programs across the state. IEPA has convened a working group of stormwater policy stakeholders, including CNT, to devise statewide performance standards for stormwater management. At the working group’s inaugural meeting on March 29th, CNT Stormwater Program Manager Ryan Wilson will present a review of exemplary state programs from across the country that already have stormwater performance standards in place.
Communities that use water efficiently are communities that are more economically and environmentally resilient. That’s why effective use of our water resources is a cornerstone of CNT’s work.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Featured Portfolio News, Natural Resources | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 27th, 2012 at 11:24 am
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/
Posted in Press Releases | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 at 5:27 pm
Join CNT Energy in helping spread the word about Energy Impact Illinois (EI2) in your neighborhood and make every home more energy efficient. We are looking for volunteers to help host neighborhood events, connect EI2 with local organizations, and help EI2 have a face at events in your community. Become a part of the team, and start making your impact today. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Energy, Featured Portfolio News | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 at 4:22 pm
Riders who live at the edge of the Red Line may be unfairly required to pay higher fares the further they travel. Photo by Flickr User, SoStark
Mayor Emanuel and President Clinton’s announcement of an “Infrastructure Trust” has gotten many people thinking about innovative ways to revamp our aging transportation infrastructure.
I’m all for exciting new transportation ideas and ways to fund them. Having toured some innovative transit systems around the world, including Mexico City’s bus rapid transit line, I know we have some catching up to do.
But some ideas that work in other places may not be right for Chicago. I was surprised to read this in the Sun-Times article that covered the infrastructure trust press conference:
“CTA riders could be asked to pay higher fares for buses with front and rear boarding that operate in dedicated lanes with traffic lights that turn green automatically… Riders using a Red Line extension to 130th could pay higher fares the further they travel.”
As a member of the CTA Board, that last bit about the Red Line was news to me. The Board has not made any decisions or even had a discussion about distance-based fares.
I don’t think distance-based fares are the right way to help pay for transit improvements. It strikes me as unfair to make the poorest residents pay more to travel than wealthier people who live closer to downtown. We should not punish those who have been forced farther out of the city’s central core by rising real estate prices with increased transportation costs, especially when they have been denied the good transit access that many of us have enjoyed for so long.
We will find innovative ways to finance transit—I have some thoughts that I’ll share with you through this blog—but charging those who can least afford to pay more is not one of them.
Posted in Advocacy, Chicago, Going Places, Staff Blog, Transit Funding, Transit Ridership | No Comments »
