In the San Francisco Bay Area, the Great Communities Collaborative’s ambitious goal is to ensure “half of the Bay Area’s new homes, between now and 2030, [are] located in walkable neighborhoods near transit.” To achieve this, regional nonprofit and philanthropic organizations work closely with government entities charged with housing and transportation planning and investment to target funding and technical capacity to local transit-oriented development.

Already in the Chicago region, leaders are convening to support the many initiatives that warrant this high level of cooperation and coordination among the public and private sectors. How can we ensure that the right partners are working together at the right time? How can we learn from the Great Communities Collaborative here in our region?

The MPC’s Great Communities Roundtable discusses:
-Success stories from the Great Communities Collaborative in the San Francisco Bay Area.
-Various initiatives in Northeastern Illinois and Northwest Indiana this type of collaboration could support.
-Retooling federal programs to support similar efforts around the country.
-Local and regional philanthropic, nonprofits, and governmental agencies working to adapt this collaborative model in metropolitan Chicago.

Moderator

Mark Angelini, Practice Leader for the S.B. Friedman and Co., Resource Board Member for the Metropolitan Planning Council.

Keynote Presenter

Shelley Poticha, Director for the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities in the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development.

Panelists

Ngoan Le, Vice President of Programs for Chicago Community Trust.
Randy Blankenhorn, Executive Director for the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.
Leigh Morris, Chairman of the Board for the Regional Development Authority; Resource Board Member for the Metropolitan Planning Council.

Thanks to S.B. Friedman & Company for sponsoring this event.

Recorded Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at Metropolitan Planning Council Conference Center.