November 26, 2008—The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is recognizing four communities for innovative approaches to development that expand economic opportunity and protect public health and the environment, with the 2008 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement. This year’s competition was open to public and private sector entities.
The award categories and winners are:
Overall Excellence: Silver Spring Regional Center in Montgomery County, MD, for the Downtown Silver Spring Redevelopment Project that united public and private organizations in revitalizing their historic downtown.
Policies and Regulations: Atlanta Regional Commission for the Livable Centers Initiative that helps communities meet air quality goals by planning transportation improvements in concert with revitalization of existing development centers and corridors.
Built Projects: Urban Edge Housing Corporation for the Egleston Crossing project, which helped renew a neglected corridor in Boston’s Roxbury and Jamaica Plain neighborhoods with two new buildings that used green building techniques and provided new amenities and much-needed affordable housing.
Equitable Development: Mercy Housing California and the San Francisco Housing Authority for the Mission Creek Senior Community project, which transformed a brownfield site into an attractive, mixed-use, low-income senior community.
EPA created the National Award for Smart Growth Achievement in 2002 to recognize outstanding approaches to development that benefit the economy, the community, public health, and the environment. Since 2002, EPA has recognized 32 smart growth leaders from among 523 applications representing 46 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. For more information visit EPA’s Smart Growth Web site.
