Press Release

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For Immediate Release

FROM: Local Government Commission

CONTACT: Michele Kelso, (916) 448-1198 308, mkelso@lgc.org

Support For New Development Patterns Emerging From Builders And Developers

Recent articles in magazines serving builders and developers reveal a surprising trend: Multifamily Trends is featuring an article on "Urban Infill Solutions." The cover of Builder Magazine announced the "TND {Traditional Neighborhood Development} Tide," and Urban Land is covering "Transit Oriented Development." What's going on here? Could it be that the market has spoken and smart builders and developers are listening? This question will be explored at a conference in San Diego to be held June 27 and 28 at the US Grant Hotel in San Diego. It is organized by the Local Government Commission.

The event, Planning and Building More Livable Communities, will bring together a multitude of professions including architects and planners, developers and builders, local government officials, health professionals, transportation experts, air pollution control officials, economic development specialists, water experts, and others with a stake in designing and building more compact, walkable, livable communities. It is designed for those who want to work with other professions and interests, toward a common goal - better places for people to live.

The program is cosponsored by the Urban Land Institute, and numerous others including financial sponsors - the Lewis Development Corporation and KB Homes. According to Local Government Commission Executive Director Judy Corbett, "After putting on livable communities conferences for over 10 years, this is the first time that individual builders and developers have stepped up to the plate to provide support. I'm delighted. They are the ones who will be constructing California's future communities."

Among the developers and builders on the program is Michael Dieden , President of Creative Housing, a firm currently building housing adjacent to transit stops in South Pasadena. According to Dieden, consumers are looking for the option of being less dependent on a car. "Property values around transit stations are outperforming older locations," he reports, "we see it as a real growth industry."

Also on the program is John Anderson, Vice President of New Urban Builders, who is currently building a traditional neighborhood development in Chico, CA. According to Anderson, "We are meeting a significant market demand for better neighborhoods. Our buyers prefer to live on a street that isn't dominated by garage doors."

As a result of this new market niche, more firms are changing their product. Some are young builders and developers looking to enter a profession which has until recently been dominated by large scale, greenfield developers. Others are greenfield developers who see a new market opening up for infill development and traditional neighborhood development and want to take advantage of it.

At the conference, speakers will tell the audience that building more walkable, compact communities - traditional neighborhood development or transit oriented development - is much harder than building sprawl development on the urban edge. According to Diedon, "If you go out to the desert and build 2,000 homes, you can get your permit in a few days. It took us five years to get the permits for our South Pasadena project." Anderson concurs, "Our town's general plan points to our great old neighborhoods as models for today's development. At the same time, our zoning code and street standards are hardwired to produce sprawl. When we build Smart Growth neighborhoods, we have to get all kinds of special permission."

The conference agenda will also feature city managers, planners and local elected officials - including Azusa City Manger Rick Cole, San Diego's Planner Gail Goldberg, and Mayor Bev Perry of Brea - who will address what cities can do to attract builders and developers who will produce the kind of product that they want.

The Planning and Building More Livable Communities Conference is presented by the Local Government Commission. Sponsors and major funders include: the California Department of Health Services, California Department of Transportation, Irvine Foundation, Southern California Gas Company, U.S. EPA Region IX Office, Lewis Operating Corp. and the U.C. Berkeley Traffic Safety Center.

For more information about the program agenda, speakers and special features, visit the conference web site at: http://lgc.digitalgear.com/events1/detail.tpl?cart=312384069939658&_sku=31195221881485

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The Local Government Commission (LGC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, membership organization that provides inspiration, technical assistance, and networking to local elected officials and other dedicated community leaders who are working to create healthy, walkable, and resource-efficient communities.

The LGC's membership is composed of local elected officials, city and county staff, planners, architects, and community leaders who are committed to making their communities more livable, prosperous, and resource-efficient.

Visit us on the web at: www.lgc.org

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