Will foundations start funding transit?

Ford Foundation is first

Steve Hawley, May 20, 10.

The Ford Foundation is launching a five-year, $200 million effort to help metropolitan areas integrate housing, transportation, and land use, according to a press release.

The Foundation says the money will “help transform the way cities, suburbs and surrounding communities grow and plan for the future.”

It continues:

The goal is to expand opportunity among all people in any given metro region—from many different communities and income levels—by ensuring that metropolitan communities plan together and collaborate on such common challenges as affordable housing, infrastructure investments, education and job creation.
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Ford will make strategic investments in key metropolitan areas to expand the most promising initiatives and develop models for other regions throughout the nation.

The first projects to be funded include “the M1 rail in Detroit, the redevelopment of the Claiborne corridor in New Orleans, and the construction of 25 transit villages along BART in San Francisco’s Bay Area.”

Next American City says that the initiative could help trigger other similar projects nationwide:

Other struggling cities could see a similar mix of grants as an impetus to improve cooperation between governments and private organizations. Yet the Foundation’s investments aren’t guaranteed to pay off. Detroit’s transit project isn’t even in the construction phase yet; whether it will improve the city’s situation couldn’t be less clear.

(Photo credit: M-1 RAIL)

Comments

Mark Smith said:

Years ago I remember BART was in the process of completing their above ground rail. From the beginning BART had its problems, but as it turned around it became profitable. The collation between our two industries is job creation and promoting less traffic. Our plan is to build inner city farming, not by traditional means, but by unique growing methods designed to maximize production by utilizing non toxic organic fertilization and harvesting methods. Our ability to grow food will be 20x more efficient and all done with-in control environments. Every city in America and around the world may adapt to our system, should they, energy and carbon will significantly be reduced. Should anyone have an interest in our proposal bringing jobs and fresh food closer to the your city or cities around the world, please feel free to email me direct.

Posted on May 27, 10 at 4:59 pm

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