As Empire State Future's Executive Director, there are always three foci: First is listening to the coalition members so I can hear about land use and development challenges across the state; second is monitoring and trying to shape political, legislative and governmental activity in Albany; and third is getting out our Smart Growth message -- sustainable growth and economic revitalization.
This week I was in Bethpage and New Cassel on Long Island meeting with Sarah Lansdale and Sol Marie Jones of our newest coalition member, Sustainable Long Island. On Friday I met in Albany with the legislative or policy directors for the Preservation League of New York State, Scenic Hudson, Environmental Advocates, VISION Long Island, Sustainable Long Island, and Audubon to discuss the Empire State Future legislative agenda for 2009.
This week prior I was in Utica for the Cultural Blueprint Workshop at the beautifully renovated Stanley Theatre. The expansive discussion centered on the role of arts, education and cultural organizations in leading renewal efforts in Central New York.
During October I also participated in a two-day session of the Regional Plan Association-sponsored Mayor's Institute for Community Design in New Haven, Connecticut. Mayors from Mount Vernon, Ossining and Peekskill participated, together with their counterparts from three Connecticut cities. They discussed planning and economic development strategy regarding specific local projects, city by city, with a panel discussion of experts led by Empire State Future's coalition and steering committee member RPA
On October 21st, I presented ESF and its economic and Smart Growth mission to several major New York City-based funders gathered at the Surdna Foundation. In attendance were the Cummings Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Kaplan Fund, the Citi Foundation, and the New York Community Trust. The session was jointly sponsored by Surdna.
On October 15th, I met with Patty Salkin, Associate Dean of the Government Law Center at Albany Law School. We discussed land use, state legislative strategy and Smart Growth Policy.
The day before, I participated in the Adirondack Common Ground Alliance's workshop at Paul Smith's College. I attended at the suggestion of Brian Houseal, Executive Director of the Adirondack Council, an ESF coalition and steering committee member.
On October 8th, I met with Bill Shore of the Nature Network in Sleepy Hollow, Westchester County. We discussed membership in ESF and the possibility of sponsoring a joint conference.
On October 7th, I met with several Downstate housing advocates at a meeting sponsored by Chris Jones, Vice President of Research at RPA. Participants included representatives of Housing First, the Century Preservation Corporation, the Long Island Regional Planning Council, and Jonathan Drapkin, from ESF coalition member Mid-Hudson Pattern for Progress. The discussion centered on how best to incorporate the Downstate affordable and workforce housing agenda with Smart Growth.
A September visit to the North Country visit was most insightful. Wind turbines, an expanding Fort Drum, housing price and availability, the rehabilitation of Watertown's town center, open space management, and changing priorities on the farm are all part of the land use and development scene in this large corner of our very diverse state. And we may end up with a new member from the Watertown area. Having never been to the nearby Thousand Islands on the Saint Lawrence River, I have to confess I was very impressed with its natural beauty.
And in Northport, Long Island, coalition member Eric Alexander and I went over his view of Long Island's needs for the coming legislative session -- key items include Improvements to the LIRR, Making TDR's easier to use, and Priority Growth Centers.
Also during September, I spoke to the National Matching Funders for Older Industrial Cities, and spoke with a number of Rochester area funders as well. I believe we have a compelling case.
I will be seeking additional input from all coalition members on legislative strategy over the coming months.
During August in Albany, Empire State Future kicked off what will need to be a focused effort to assemble a 2009 package of legislation. The 2008 passage of the Brownfield reform bill and the Smart Growth Principles bill provide a base upon which to build.
It seems as though 2009 should be a good year for Smart Growth oriented activity and legislation. The Governor's Smart Growth Cabinet is up and running and focused. Efforts have begun to align state spending with state goals on Smart Growth. We will watch and see.
The combination of energy costs and higher lending standards will likely slow the push to large homes on large lots in green fields. Surveys of the home building industry show more households want homes in livable, walkable communities than ever before. Demographic trends, specifically the rapid increase in smaller households suggest a move toward smaller homes in closer proximity to each other.
New York is, however, losing its young adults both upstate and in Long Island -- and oddly, for opposite reasons. Upstate the 20-34 year old cohort moves for lack of opportunity. On the Island, they leave because of housing is not affordable. Older people with wealth may be next to go. These are demographic trends that need to be countered. Old and poor is not a good formula for economic prosperity, particularly so as the state's medical and pension costs escalate.
Smart Growth in New York needs to entice the well off to stay and needs to give youth the means to get started. The same can be said for New York's small businesses and corporations. To do this without resort to new regulation or expensive programs necessitates a focus on the best long term use of New York's assets
While the mix varies widely and regionally across this diverse state, the assets include cheap fertile farmland, copious fresh water, existing infrastructure, considerable transportation choice and access, a skilled and educated work force, and a history of business innovation from manufacturing to transportation to finance and high technology.
The common thread through New York State's economic history is the organization and concentration of people and knowledge combined with appropriate investments in common infrastructure. Dispersal has proved costly as has over-concentration in specific projects in specific places.
Abandonment is no tonic either. Balance, economic and environmental sustainability, linkages and proximity have almost always been the keys to success.
The challenge for Empire State Future is figuring out how best to share this message. We are now formulating an approach to educate the public, the media, local elected officials and the State Legislature about the urgent need to restore balance to our public investments, our state economy, and our environment We hope more of you will be hearing more from us soon.
Peter B. Fleischer
