On Monday, August 9th, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer held a meeting with members of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities (a collaboration between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Transportation (DOT), and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)) and Long Island leaders to discuss and better assist in the issues facing Long Island’s re-emerging walkable downtowns.
Nearly twenty LI towns and villages presented 25 revitalization and infrastructure projects to members of high-level federal leadership, including the Interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities. In addition to the municipalities, many local business groups, civic associations and government officials also attended. In total, there were over 350 representatives in the room at Briarcliff College in downtown Patchogue.
Last June, EPA, DOT, and HUD formed the Partnership for Sustainable Communities to promote the coordination of downtown housing, transportation and environmental investments at the local planning level. To date, the Partnership has held two similar meetings: one in an urban area and one in a rural area. This was the first official meeting of the new federal partnership in America’s suburbs. This event was coordinated in partnership with Vision Long Island, the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University and Sustainable Long Island. For more details on speakers and attendees click here