2012

Partners for Livable Communities (Partners), in partnership with the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) and with funding from Lumina Foundation, releases Business at the Table: The Employer Drive for Higher Education Attainment. This collection of case studies was created during the Business at the Table initiative to develop strategies for improving U.S. higher education attainment (degrees and credentials) through chamber of commerce and business involvement.

This compendium of case studies provides business and chamber leaders the perspective to further Lumina’s Goal 2025: to increase the proportion of Americans with high-quality degrees and credentials to 60 percent by the year 2025. Included are programs led by chambers of commerce, two-year and four-year colleges and universities, and national and local higher education achievement programs. Interviews were conducted with the CEO or director of each program, providing personal accounts of trials and victories on the road to success. Case studies explore the history of the program or organization, key players, geographic context, specific place-based economic challenges that were overcome, and the short and long-term goals that have been achieved.

Walkability is synonymous with less traffic, a higher quality of life, and more vibrant streetscapes. A new Brookings Institution study—Walk this Way: The Economic Promise of Walkable Places in Metropolitan Washington, D.C., by Christopher B. Lienberger and Mariela Alfonzo—highlights the economics behind walkabaility, and why walkable areas are worth more than previously thought.

Here is a section of sidewalk in Boston made from brick pavers. It’s clear that the lack of uniform sizes and heights could pose challenges for the disabled or elderly pedestrian. Photo credit Seldom Scene Photography.

Designers, planners, and members of the public have recently come into conflict over Boston’s historic use of molded brick in sidewalks and public spaces.  Some think the use of bricks represents the face of Boston, while others condemn them as obstacles to the disabled and elderly. The different viewpoints amount to an ownership debate on the city’s public space.

The City’s Commission for Persons with Disabilities maintains that traditional, molded bricks are unable to provide the smooth surfaces (meaning no height variations greater than a quarter of an inch) that the Americans with Disabilities Act requires. However, other professionals (landscape architects, historical preservationists, and the brick industry) affirm that the material itself is not to blame, but rather improper installation and maintenance. 

Age Friendly Cities

Rapidly urbanizing world populations are also rapidly aging. The number of people aged over 60 worldwide is expected to double from 11 percent to 22 percent by 2050 [i]. The need to adapt cities to meet the needs of an aging population is more important now than ever, and creating connected cities accessible for all ages is an integral part of responding to these demographic shifts. The World Health Organization (WHO) has been at the forefront of fostering responsible policymaking and networking related to aging in cities, and organized its Age Friendly Cities Project [ii] in 2005.

Partners for Livable Communities presents a PowerPoint presentation to accompany the 2012 Stories for Change report. This presentation is for community residents, city leaders, arts and cultural institutions, and many more to share the great stories of innovation and creativity featured in the Stories for Change report to begin discussions of reaching out to older adults and immigrants with the community.

Partners announces the launching of the City Leaders Institute on Aging in Place (CLI), a one-year, pilot program focused on making local-level changes to facilitate aging in place.

This program is funded by MetLife Foundation and implemented by Partners for Livable Communities (Partners).

As part of this program, five Civic Teams were invited to participate as part of the 2012-2013 class. Each team has identified a specific goal for the year-long program.

• Arlington County, Virginia, aims to create a walkable, livable, urban environment that enhances welcoming connections and eliminates barriers between and among places, and enables all people to work, live, play, and visit in Arlington.
• Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, Florida, aims to identify and develop a platform to educate older people, public officials, and the community-at-large about issues related to elderly pedestrians, drivers, mass transit users, and travelers. 
• Montgomery County, Maryland, aims to develop and implement a nonprofit and faith-based summit to clarify the needs of affordable, alternative housing options for older adults.
• Phoenix, Arizona, aims to develop new and enhanced service delivery mechanisms to connect older adults with their peers and with the community, to provide relevant activities and services, and to leverage their talents.
• San Diego, California, aims to increase community health and wellness among youngsters and older adults in the City of La Mesa and the La Mesa Spring Valley School District by implementing an intergenerational Safe Routes to School program and other strategic plans focused on health and wellbeing in this community.