Session
Making the Case for Transit from an Economic Development Lens
Phoenix Ballroom C, 3rd Level
In today’s climate, when we showcase the benefits of public transit and transit-oriented development, are we clear enough about the economic benefits, from new or increased property tax revenue to job creation? Let’s look at the ways that various land uses contribute to tax base – and how tax base in turn supports services and infrastructure investments. Let’s also look at transit-driven strategies to address job access, crime, traffic congestion and environmental impacts. And finally, let’s look at the ways that underdevelopment or disinvestment in transit cuts connectivity, depriving a region of jobs and depriving residents of access to opportunity. Let’s revisit the case for transit and show how it can do more for a city or region than move people.
Moderator: Debbie Frank, Director of Transit Oriented Development, Office of TOD and Real Estate, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), Atlanta, GA
Michael Krantz, PE, LEED AP-ND, Senior Manager, TOD, Metro Transit, Minneapolis, MN
Frank White III, Chief Executive Officer, Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, Kansas City, MO
Alison Nemirow, Principal, Sustainable Economics, AECOM
Communications, Workforce Development, Economic Development, Transit.
Session
Community Ownership as an Anti-Displacement Strategy
Phoenix Ballroom C, 3rd Level
Transit projects have transformative impacts on underserved communities. Yet, they often put at risk small businesses that are the backbone of local economies. BIPOC-led, women-owned, or emerging majority-owned — these small businesses face the possiblity of being displaced and eliminated, with ripple effects in their surrounding communities. It doesn’t have to be this way. Neighborhoods and the sense of place they provide can be conserved with the right approach. Find out about innovative examples from around the country – programs and initiatives designed to proactively protect business during construction and preserve them amidst redevelopment efforts. Learn about ways to enhance local entrepreneurial ecosystems and to put ownership into the hands of community members. Get a look at a different path – one that relies for future growth on business-owner wealth-building during the multiple phases of transit projects.
Moderator: Joel Bookman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bookman Associates, Chicago, IL
Kimberly Berggren, Director of Community Development, City of Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Park, MN
Ryan Winkle, Executive Director, Retail, Arts, Innovation & Livability Community Development Corporation (RAIL CDC), Mesa, AZ
Sheila Somashekhar, Director, Purple Line Corridor Coalition, National Center for Smart Growth Education and Research, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
