This year's engaging pre-conference events, exciting tours of model projects and in-conference networking forums make this "more than a conference." And the conference program itself has more than 100 diverse, cutting-edge sessions spanning three full days.
Smart Growth Fosters Equitable Development: Smart growth approaches to development create healthy, vibrant places that give people greater opportunity and choice. How can smart growth support equitable development, environmental justice and economic vitality and empower communities of color, tribes and disadvantaged groups to shape the neighborhoods, communities and regions in which they live? The 2012 New Partners for Smart Growth Conference includes several sessions and a half-day, pre-conference workshop that explore these critical issues and showcase strategies and opportunities for greater collaboration among the smart growth, equitable development and environmental justice communities.

Preconference Workshop: Across the country, communities and regions are finding that inclusive, equitable planning processes empower them to address the economic, environmental, health, and other challenges they face. However, integrating social equity, affordability, economic and workforce development, and environmental justice into local and regional planning is not always straightforward. During the "Advancing Equity through Planning" workshop (Wednesday, Feb. 1), you will hear from community leaders who have forged successful partnerships in planning efforts; learn about approaches to increasing engagement of lower-income communities, communities of color, indigenous groups and communities with environmental justice concerns; and explore how issues of environmental protection, affordability, job creation and environmental justice can be integrated in planning processes.

Equitable Development on Track: The conference has 15 different subject tracks, including three days of sessions on equitable development and environmental justice – as well as many other sessions on interrelated topics about public health, housing, transportation and economic revitalization.

On Thursday, Feb. 2, you can learn about planning strategies and successes in "Finding the Connections between Smart Growth, Environmental Justice and Equitable Development" and "People's Planning for Improvements without Displacement." In "Healthy Metropolitan Food Systems," see how local food systems can improve access to nutritious, promote social justice and increase job prospects.

Friday sessions focus on "Revitalization, Gentrification and Equitable Development," "Health, Justice and Equity in Freight and Infrastructure Development," and "Building Regional Equity Coalitions to Deliver on Sustainable Communities." Explore how transit corridor planning can move passengers and equity forward, how locating schools can strengthen education, preserve older neighborhoods and encourage healthier communities, or how kids are eliminating food deserts through urban gardens in brownfield projects. Meanwhile, the "Native American Collaboration on Smart Growth and Green Design" session showcases a network of housing leaders, community designers and sustainability advocates working together to overcome barriers to smart growth and green design in Native American communities.

Efforts to implement regional equity initiatives and multidisciplinary approaches to sustainable environmental and social equity, along with how immigrants are part of smart growth solutions, are slated for Saturday forums.

Scholarships Available: There are still some scholarships available through the Diversity Scholarship Fund for this event, to cover registration fees and some travel costs for leaders from disadvantaged communities and groups working on social and environmental justice. Check out the conference website for eligibility details and an application form at http://www.newpartners.org/scholarships.html.

Sign up NOW: Register online before the January 13 deadline. The special $133 room rate at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina is only available until January 11.

See the New Partners for Smart Growth conference website: www.NewPartners.org

For more information contact:
Michele Warren, Local Government Commission

1303 J St., Suite 250, Sacramento, CA 95814 USA
phone: 916-448-1198 x 308; email: [email protected]