GOPC staff members will be sharing their expertise to a variety of audiences at upcoming conferences around Ohio. We hope to see you in attendance! Click on the links below for more information on how to register.
Press Coverage of "Revitalizing America's Smaller Legacy Cities"
Last week Greater Ohio Policy Center, in partnership with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, published our latest report, “Revitalizing America’s Smaller Legacy Cities: Strategies for Postindustrial Success from Gary to Lowell”. In the report, GOPC’s Torey Hollingsworth and Alison Goebel examine the trajectories of 24 smaller legacy cities across 7 states from 2000 to 2015 and identify strategies that are contributing to progress in these small to mid-sized legacy cities.
Since its release, the report has garnered attention from media outlets, city practitioners, and fellow researchers alike. Below is a wrap-up of the media coverage of the report to date.
Press Coverage:
Report Looks at Revitalization, Reinvestment Strategies for Smaller Legacy Cities
Hannah News Network 9/6/2017
The Overlooked Cities of the Rust Belt
CityLab.com 9/5/2017
State of Labor: Compared to nation, Ohio jobs grow more slowly
Dayton Daily News 9/5/2017
3 Keys to Revival in Small Cities
RIS Media 9/4/2017
Report: Lancaster city's revitalization is model for other small cities
Lancaster Online 9/1/2017
Report Outlines Ways for Smaller Legacy Cities to Grow
Builder Online 9/29/2017
Albany a post-industrial success story, study finds
Albany Times Union - 8/29/2017
How the Economy Has Changed in 24 Small Legacy Cities in the U.S.
Next City - 8/29/2017
Report lays out strategies to revitalize smaller legacy cities
Business Insider - 8/29/2017
Ohio Transportation Academy Features Pittsburgh and Columbus Regional Models
By Alex Highley, GOPC Project Coordinator
Last week, Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC) and Transportation for America (T4A) led the second workshop of the 2017 Ohio Transportation Leadership Academy in Columbus. The day-long workshop, titled “Making Informed Decisions about Transportation Investments,” saw participants from various sectors and organizations convene from six areas around Ohio: Cincinnati, Delaware, Toledo, Lorain, Cleveland, and Akron.
The morning session was led by GOPC’s Executive Director Alison Goebel and T4A’s Vice President for Technical Assistance Beth Osborne, who discussed sources and strategies for funding public transportation projects using a combination of federal, state, and local sources. Given that many local transit systems in Ohio are in need of additional support to maintain and expand service, Goebel and Osborne emphasized that leaders seek a diverse combination of funding sources through, for example, partnerships with employers and universities, advertising, or philanthropic contributions. Participants also learned about how implementing robust performance measures to transportation projects can help communicate the local need for additional support.
Carly Dobkins of the Pittsburgh Regional Transportation Alliance
In the afternoon sessions, participants welcomed speakers from Pittsburgh and Columbus, who discussed their regions’ creative efforts to improve local transportation systems. Carly Dobkins, from Pittsburgh’s Regional Transportation Alliance, and Sean Luther, from Envision Downtown, spoke about the ongoing effort in Pittsburgh to create a regional transportation vision that seeks to tackle mobility challenges in the city of Pittsburgh and the surrounding area. In bringing together a large coalition of county-level leaders, these initiatives have focused on the full multi-county region’s shared transportation priorities, while planning for future demographic and economic changes. Dobkins and Luther highlighted efforts to work across borders by bringing to the table public, private, and philanthropic sectors from various parts of the region to build an interconnected and multimodal system. A strong emphasis on economic activity and providing project options to transportation users have been key in moving towards a shared vision for the greater Pittsburgh region as a whole.
For the final session of the day, Josh Sikich and Doug Arseneault from the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) discussed the recent cost-effective process of redesigning central Ohio’s bus system. These changes to the system ensure that COTA now offers more frequent service while more readily taking into account where jobs are located and where people live. Sikich and Arseneault explained that the final version of the bus route system was a product of COTA’s community engagement over several years, incorporating riders’ needs that were expressed through dozens of public meetings. Moreover, the success of the smooth transition was based on the education of the public through constant messaging and communication, which allowed riders to become familiar with the new system and understand what improvements and efficiencies were made.
GOPC would like to thank all speakers and participants for attending and contributing to a successful workshop!
Senate Approves 6 Veto Overrides - Delays Vote on Funding for Counties and Transit Agencies
In a rare August session, the Ohio Senate voted on 6 of the 11 veto overrides that the Ohio House of Representatives approved during a special voting session on July 6. They held over five other veto overrides for a possible future vote, including a provision that seeks to provide additional funding for counties and transit agencies.
GOPC Co-hosts Sessions on Neighborhood Homes Tax Credit Proposal
In late July, Greater Ohio Policy Center, in partnership with the Neighborhood Homes Coalition, held a series of discussions around the Neighborhood Homes Tax Credit (NHTC), a new federal policy proposal aimed at stabilizing and improving distressed housing markets. The Land Bank Center of Columbus and Franklin County generously hosted the events.
Ohio EPA Provides Update on VW Mitigation Trust Fund
In December of 2016, the Ohio EPA began accepting comments on the use of the anticipated $75 million the state of Ohio expects to receive as part of the settlement in the Volkswagen Clean Air Act civil settlement. While a Trustee was appointed by the court earlier this year, there are still ongoing negotiations with the court and parties to the settlement.
Ohio EPA asks for Stakeholder Input for Drinking Water Utility Asset Management Requirements
Providing the infrastructure for safe drinking water is one of the basic functions of local government in Ohio. Ohio has over 4,000 public water systems, ranging from large systems in major cities that serve thousands of customers, to village systems, schools, and mobile home parks that serve less than a hundred customers.
Transportation Financing Districts Provide a More Powerful Value Capture Tool: Are Local Governments Ready to Use It?
GOPC On the Road: Warren & Youngstown
Shrinking Cities Reading Series Part VII: “Small, Gritty, and Green: The Promise of America’s Smaller Industrial Cities in a Low-Carbon World”
In her book Small, Gritty, and Green, Catherine Tumber makes an argument for the value of small older-industrial cities in a low-carbon future. Tumber aligns smaller cities’ sizes, industrial pasts, and proximity to agriculture with broader societal needs she prescribes for a less fossil-fuel dependent future.