Growth Gamble

In January, Citistates Group journalists Neal Peirce and Curtis Johnson examine the risky combination of aging, slow or no growth population and land-gobbling, spread-out development that New England faces today.

The Home@Last housing awareness initiative is sponsored by Citizens' Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA), the Home Builders Association of Massachusetts, and local communities.

While there are a number of smart growth and affordable housing efforts working in all six states, the region as a whole lacks a cohesive strategy. Peirce and Johnson examine the region’s sprawl, loss of youth, housing crisis, anti-family culture, and soaring local tax burdens and offer some solutions for protecting New England’s future.

This fourth article in the six part series, “New Century, New Game,” will begin appearing in newspapers around the region and at our website starting this weekend, January 7th.

New England Futures Spotlight

Each month, New England Futures highlight projects that are already seeking to make a difference in the issue of that month. This month, we focus on smart growth and affordable housing. See the Best Practices area of our website under Growth for more great projects.

Archdiocese of Hartford

The Archdiocese of Hartford is working to address growth and equity issues.

The Archdiocese of Hartford was instrumental in spearheading the CenterEdge Project, a coalition of 65 organizations throughout the State of Connecticut whose objective was to educate residents about the problem of sprawl, its impact on the environment and the need for access to opportunity for its poorest citizens. As part of the project, the archdiocese commissioned a study, "Connecticut Metropatterns," that examined the patterns and trends that affect Connecticut's residents. One outcome of this project's efforts has been the formation of 1000 Friends of Connecticut, whose objective is to use the ideas of CenterEdge and the coalition to advocate for social and political change in Connecticut. Bishop Peter A. Rosazza of the Archdiocese is also a part of the New England Futures' Strategic Alliance. Contact Patricia Wallace, a New England Futures advisor, at the Office of Urban Affairs for more information about the work of the Archdiocese of Hartford.

Manufactured Housing Park Program

The New Hampshire Community Loan Fund’s Manufactured Housing Park Program has proven remarkably successful.

The Manufactured Housing Park Program is the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund’s oldest and most developed program, offering loans, technical assistance and development expertise in existing and new manufactured housing parks. Cooperative ownership puts control into the residents’ hands and, with access to less expensive financing, gives homeowners the chance to build equity and have long-term stability. Starting with the Meredith Center Cooperative formed in 1984, 69 manufactured housing parks are now owned by homeowners in the New Hampshire parks, and assisted by The Loan Fund.

Submit your project to be highlighted next month on the topic of Connections: Transportation and Broadband by sending a description of the project to info@newenglandfutures.org.

Participate on Growth at the New England Futures Website

Rhode Island Housing helps low- and moderate-income Rhode Islanders find houses and apartments they can afford.

Help us to make the New England Futures’ website an active and vibrant destination where all New Englanders can participate in their future by writing blog entries, moderating forums, taking the survey, or providing content. Go to our website to view the Best Practices and Resources that we have already identified on the topic of growth and affordable housing, and let us know about any of your projects that you want us to list.

Contact Christine Petterssen at cpetterssen@iscvt.org to find out how you can contribute to the new NEF website.

Funding for New England Futures

Phase II for New England Futures is funded by the generous support of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, Surdna Foundation and Northeast Utilities.

We strongly believe that with sufficient resources for New England Futures, the New England states can make pivotal advances on strategic issues and rise out of isolation to lead the country with innovative solutions to some of its more intractable problems. To help fund NEF, contact Beth Humstone at ehumstone@iscvt.org.

Preview of What’s to Come in February

To compete, New England needs border-to-border broadband and must address glaring deficiencies in the regional transportation system – roads, rail, air, water and interconnections. Coming in February, Citistates journalists Neal Peirce and Curtis Johnson put forth some possible solutions to these pressing problems. Contact the project at info@newenglandfutures.org to see how you can help on this issue.