National Center for Smart Growth

Permanent URI for this communityhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/21472

The National Center for Smart Growth (NCSG) works to advance the notion that research, collaboration, engagement and thoughtful policy development hold the key to a smarter and more sustainable approach to urban and regional development. NCSG is based at the University of Maryland, College Park, housed under the School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, with support from the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, the A. James Clark School of Engineering, the School of Public Policy, and the Office of the Provost.

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15 Minute Neighborhoods in College Park, Maryland
(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2024-05) Anderson, Alanna; Arazi, David; Attipoe, Senam; Elson, Jona; Goode, Maeghen; Jones, Asia; Malhotra, Aarushi; Provolo, Emmanuelle; Ravert, Megan; Sanabia, Rafael; Sanford, Mimi; Santana, Ariana; Thorpe, Carey; Walker, Emma; Woods, Kayla; Elzoghbi, Riem
The Department of Planning and Community Development in the City of College Park, Maryland is exploring the concept of a 15 Minute City to facilitate the creation of amenity-rich, easily accessible neighborhoods throughout the community. A 15 Minute City is an urban planning concept used to describe a city in which amenities and services - such as retail, education, social services, recreation, employment, and other needs - may be easily accessed within a 15-minute walk, bike ride, or commute by public transport from any point in the city. The urban fabrics of such cities incorporate a wide range of mixed-use developments, bike and pedestrian-friendly streets and paths, easily accessible public spaces, public transportation, and other interventions to create relatively denser, walkable, livable neighborhoods. The goal is to create neighborhoods in which residents, particularly residents for whom mobility may be restricted due to cost, disability, time, and other constraints, may satisfy their everyday needs within their existing neighborhoods. 15 Minute Cities are posited to increase equity by making accessible amenities and services within neighborhoods, reduce car-dependency, promote sustainability, healthy lifestyles, and aging in place, improve social relations, and generally improve the quality of life within communities. In partnership with the Department of Planning and Community Development, student planners in the Urban Studies and Planning Program at the University of Maryland’s School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation investigated and provided recommendations on ways in which existing neighborhoods in College Park may be transformed into 15 Minute Cities. The project was conducted during Spring Semester 2024 as part of the graduate-level URSP673 Community Development course, under the guidance of Dr. Riem ElZoghbi.
Affordable Housing in Brunswick, MD
(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2023-12) Anderson, Will; Edmondson-Deigh, Kaya-Nadine; Lehman, Erin; Pearson-Merkowitz, Shanna
Brunswick is a rapidly growing city in rural Maryland that needs an affordable housing stock to keep up with its population growth. We examine if and how an Inclusionary Zoning program in the city could be used to create affordable housing units and how it would assist the city in its goal of a more integrated community. We will evaluate if an Inclusionary Zoning program would be appropriate, and we make specific recommendations for city policy. Mixed-income housing is one potential tool to provide affordable housing options to Brunswick residents. Several key factors in planning mixed income housing are evaluated, including the allocation of units to different income levels, proximity among income levels, density and housing type, tenure, and duration. Finally, we discuss why mixed income housing is right for Brunswick, and how planners can make it attractive to both subsidized and market rate occupants. Subsequently, we discuss state and federal opportunities for affordable housing, such as Community Development Block Grants and active grant opportunities through the Notice of Funding Opportunities. We highlight a federal program that provides funding for affordable senior housing. We also discuss how the support of nonprofit organizations is beneficial to this process. Finally, we end with final recommendations for Brunswick.
Affordable Housing Preservation and Development Analysis
(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2023-12) Glen-Williams, Michael; Lamprea-Barragan, Tania; Pearson, Shanna
This paper is a product of the Foundation of Social Policy research project, partnering with UMD’s Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability (PALS). It aims to shed light on affordability concerns surrounding rural housing in Maryland. We’ve been tasked by the Rural Maryland Council (RMC) to assess state policies from around the nation that have developed successful affordable-housing programs and to provide details on implementation in Maryland. The report’s primary goal is to offer a comprehensive examination of the challenges and barriers associated with rural housing affordability. Furthermore, the report endeavors to pinpoint key stakeholders and initiatives that have shaped rural housing policy in Maryland. Through these analyses, we aim to gain insights into the issue, enabling us to formulate meaningful recommendations and potential strategies to tackle these pressing challenges effectively.
Geophysical survey of Emory Grove United Methodist Church parking lot using ground-penetrating radar
(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2023-12) Herbert, Genevieve; Jones, Shannan; Pedersen, Matthew; Udell-Lopez, Kathrine; Schmerr, Nicholas
Project Background and Objectives In 1864, freed African Americans founded the Emory Grove community in Gaithersburg, Maryland. For about 100 years, since its inception, this community was vibrant and close-knit. At its height, Emory Grove was 300 acres and home to roughly 500 residents. The Emory Grove community hosted Methodist gatherings, called “camp meetings.” During the 1960s and 1970s, urban renewal led to the destruction of this once spirited community. With the goal of reestablishing community cohesion, Montgomery County’s Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) and the Emory Grove United Methodist Church envision a redevelopment project known as Heritage Emory Grove (HEG). This plan centers redevelopment efforts around the Emory Grove United Methodist Church and prioritizes historic programming and cultural amenities. The issue with the redevelopment is predominantly associated with the unmarked graves around the church and nearby cemetery that have been lost over time. Before proceeding with the redevelopment, local officials and community members want to ensure that any unmarked graves in the vicinity are identified and properly marked to avoid disturbing them during the redevelopment process. The objective of this study is to conduct a geophysical survey of the church parking lot and yard area (from hereafter referred to as the “landscaped area”) using ground-penetrating radar (GPR). Ground-penetrating radar is a non-intrusive method of surveying the shallow subsurface to investigate underground structures. It uses electromagnetic radiation in the microwave band frequencies of the radio spectrum to detect reflected signals from subsurface structures. It is typically used for the investigation of buried utilities such as pipes, cables, masonry, asphalt, and metals, and will be invaluable in locating and identifying potential unmarked gravesites. Geological Context Montgomery County has varying geology depending on the region (Singewald et al., 1953). The central portion of the county is made up of Ijamsville phyllite, the Wissahickon formation, and the Sykesville formation. Gaithersburg is situated in a region of predominantly Wissahickon formation (i.e., banded, or laminated quartz-rich phyllites and schists containing magnetite quartz veins), but Emory Grove is situated on a strip of serpentine bedrock. The soil makeup is as diverse as the region within the Piedmont Plateau, which has experienced deep stream valley incisions and complex structural geomorphology that has resisted erosion (Maryland Dept. of State Planning, 1973).
Ground Penetrating Radar Survey at Emory Grove Cemetery
(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2023-12) Islam, Aniqa; Perry, Megan; Shahid, Saffat; Schmerr, Nicholas
Research Objective: The objective of this survey is to use a non-invasive method to determine if and where unmarked graves may be at the Emory Grove Cemetery. Current redevelopment proposals require the Montgomery County Planning Department to be aware of the indistinctive burial sites to prevent disturbing the graves during construction. The Emory Grove United Methodist Church officials would also like to know their locations to properly identify the graves and to determine whether the cemetery must be shut down or if there is space for further burials. Geological Context: The Maryland Geological Survey cross section in Figure 1 shows the site lies above the Mather Gorge Formation, placed during the Lower Cambrian and/or Neoproterozoic period. This more than 800 feet continuous formation of quartz-mica schist interlayered with quartzitic metagraywacke is near the Blockhouse Point Fault, an unknown fault type. While the metagraywacke is subordinate, it is more visible as it has a higher resistance to weathering than the dominant schist [1].
Maryland’s Missing Middle Housing
(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2024-05) Eldadah, Samaa; Carter, Niambi; Dawkins, Casey
As Maryland localities struggle to meet the demand for a diversity of housing types at a range of income levels, the predominance of detached single-family zoning constrains available land for building new housing and limits the expansion of the housing supply. In this context, local governments have considered zoning change in detached single-family neighborhoods to better accommodate missing middle housing. As of May 2024, however, there have been no significant zoning changes to accommodate missing middle housing in single-family neighborhoods. However, counties are planning for future upzoning initiatives to increase density in residential neighborhoods through comprehensive plans. This report compiles lessons learned from four counties—Montgomery, Frederick, Anne Arundel, and Howard—about successes and challenges in preparing for upzoning to accommodate missing middle housing. These counties employ a range of strategies to address the market and political challenges to upzoning. Lessons learned from counties include using small area planning and zoning overlays, building political will through extensive stakeholder engagement, and offering incentives to developers to build missing middle housing.
Preserving and Developing Affordable Housing in Riverdale, MD
(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2024-05) Bardsley, Jesse; Dwyer, Maura; Edullantes, Hoang; Gordon, Samuel; Haddad, Sarah; Jones, Amory; Keen, Paul; Mule, Maya; Prendergast, Caila; Rahming, Nichelle; Velasquez, Deisy; Howell, Kathryn; Finio, Nicholas
As the Purple Line construction nears completion, the light rail’s opening will bring significant development pressure to every community along the corridor. This report focuses on one of these communities: Riverdale. The Purple Line Corridor Coalition is the primary sponsor of this report and contributed guidance throughout its creation. This work was also guided heavily by a PLCC partner organization, Greater Riverdale Thrives, a community coalition in Riverdale concerned with issues including affordable housing and political advocacy efforts. Riverdale is a majority low-income, renter, immigrant, Latino, and Black Prince George’s County bedroom community. This report focuses on the hyper-local context of Riverdale while investigating macroeconomic issues of wealth inequality, discerning the impacts of ownership and power distribution on the region’s housing market. Riverdale’s built environment has not seen much change since its initial development as a beltway suburb of Washington, D.C. in the 1950s and 1960s. After several generations, this community has morphed dramatically, and the needs of its residents have grown proportionately. The apartment complexes, built more than 50 years ago, are showing their age, and many have been bought by corporate landlords who have a minimal desire to maintain the properties. The shopping plaza—once deemed a cultural destination for the area—has fallen into disrepair at the hands of neglectful property ownership and disinvestment in the community at large. As the Purple Line development puts substantial pressure on the existing housing stock in the area, it will also incentivize the building of new housing near the station. Issues of affordable housing preservation and development, gentrification, and displacement are key areas for intervention and advocacy efforts. This report examines how housing can both be preserved and produced in a way that can benefit the community of Riverdale, by leveraging existing policy frameworks such as rent stabilization, while also looking at new opportunities such as a community land trust. The report includes a network map, which can be used to ensure that Riverdale maintains its cultural significance for its community members. The report also provides examples of how transit- oriented development can happen with minimal displacement based on experiences of other communities in the Washington, D.C. area, and other localities around the US that have undergone similar changes. Discussions of power dynamics in community advocacy are centered to highlight ways to empower the Riverdale community. Finally, this report offers tools that can be used by the community to expand ownership in the face of impending development. The Purple Line will radically change Riverdale and the surrounding community in the next few years. Ensuring that the community has a voice in the future development of Riverdale is of the highest importance to maintaining its cultural significance for years to come.
Preserving and Developing Affordable Housing in Riverdale, MD
(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2024-05) Bardsley, Jesse; Dwyer, Maura; Edullantes, Hoang; Gordon, Samuel; Haddad, Sarah; Jones, Amory; Keen, Paul; Mule, Maya; Prendergast, Caila; Rahming, Nichelle; Velasquez, Deisy; Howell, Kathryn; Finio, Nicholas
As the Purple Line construction nears completion, the light rail’s opening will bring significant development pressure to every community along the corridor. This report focuses on one of these communities: Riverdale. The Purple Line Corridor Coalition is the primary sponsor of this report and contributed guidance throughout its creation. This work was also guided heavily by a PLCC partner organization, Greater Riverdale Thrives, a community coalition in Riverdale concerned with issues including affordable housing and political advocacy efforts. Riverdale is a majority low-income, renter, immigrant, Latino, and Black Prince George’s County bedroom community. This report focuses on the hyper-local context of Riverdale while investigating macroeconomic issues of wealth inequality, discerning the impacts of ownership and power distribution on the region’s housing market. Riverdale’s built environment has not seen much change since its initial development as a beltway suburb of Washington, D.C. in the 1950s and 1960s. After several generations, this community has morphed dramatically, and the needs of its residents have grown proportionately. The apartment complexes, built more than 50 years ago, are showing their age, and many have been bought by corporate landlords who have a minimal desire to maintain the properties. The shopping plaza—once deemed a cultural destination for the area—has fallen into disrepair at the hands of neglectful property ownership and disinvestment in the community at large. As the Purple Line development puts substantial pressure on the existing housing stock in the area, it will also incentivize the building of new housing near the station. Issues of affordable housing preservation and development, gentrification, and displacement are key areas for intervention and advocacy efforts. This report examines how housing can both be preserved and produced in a way that can benefit the community of Riverdale, by leveraging existing policy frameworks such as rent stabilization, while also looking at new opportunities such as a community land trust. The report includes a network map, which can be used to ensure that Riverdale maintains its cultural significance for its community members. The report also provides examples of how transit- oriented development can happen with minimal displacement based on experiences of other communities in the Washington, D.C. area, and other localities around the US that have undergone similar changes. Discussions of power dynamics in community advocacy are centered to highlight ways to empower the Riverdale community. Finally, this report offers tools that can be used by the community to expand ownership in the face of impending development. The Purple Line will radically change Riverdale and the surrounding community in the next few years. Ensuring that the community has a voice in the future development of Riverdale is of the highest importance to maintaining its cultural significance for years to come.
The State of Affordable Housing in Brunswick, MD
(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2023-12) Anderson, Will; Edmondson-Deigh, Kaya-Nadine; Lehman, Erin; Pearson-Merkowitz, Shanna
Brunswick is a rapidly growing city in rural Maryland that needs an affordable housing stock to keep up with its population growth. We examine if and how an Inclusionary Zoning program in the city could be used to create affordable housing units and how it would assist the city in its goal of a more integrated community. We will evaluate if an Inclusionary Zoning program would be appropriate, and we make specific recommendations for city policy. Mixed-income housing is one potential tool to provide affordable housing options to Brunswick residents. Several key factors in planning mixed income housing are evaluated, including the allocation of units to different income levels, proximity among income levels, density and housing type, tenure, and duration. Finally, we discuss why mixed income housing is right for Brunswick, and how planners can make it attractive to both subsidized and market rate occupants. Subsequently, we discuss state and federal opportunities for affordable housing, such as Community Development Block Grants and active grant opportunities through the Notice of Funding Opportunities. We highlight a federal program that provides funding for affordable senior housing. We also discuss how the support of nonprofit organizations is beneficial to this process. Finally, we end with final recommendations for Brunswick.
Visioning Lakeland: Restorative Justice Through Scenario Planning
(Partnership for Action Learning Sustainability (PALS), 2023-12) Abel, Paul; Anderson, Alanna; Elson, Jona; Gebru, Dominique; Hauodi, Salma; Islam, Anonnya; Islam, Maisha; Jamero, Samantha; Jones, Asia; Lee, Jihee; Ravert, Megan; Sanford, Mimi; Seyedebrahimi, Ebrahim; Tram, Judy; Walker, Emma; Woods, Kayla; Irazábal Zurita, Clara E. , Arch., M.Sc., M.Arch., Ph.D.
Lakeland is a vibrant historically African American community in College Park that has faced the lasting consequences of decades of discriminatory policies and neglect. From the era of forced segregation to the devastating impacts of urban renewal and now the pressures of gentrification, Lakelanders have been denied equitable access to resources and opportunities enjoyed by neighboring communities. Despite these challenges, generations have persevered, demonstrating unwavering resilience and determination. This studio explored the potential pathways to persist and attain restorative justice using scenario planning to envision Lakeland’s future in 2033. By investigating the opportunities and challenges that present themselves through status quo, reformist, and revolutionary scenarios, the resulting proposals and strategies give insight into the ways in which restorative justice can be achieved. By envisioning 2033 Lakeland scenarios through the lens of three primary themes—housing and land use, community infrastructure, and climate change mitigation and adaptation—this report addresses key indicators in each theme to inform the City of College Park, the Restorative Justice Commission, and other Lakeland organizations on methods and strategies to achieve each vision, or what will happen if action is not taken.