REGION 8 NOTES
March/April 2006
Planning and Community Development-Related Websites
The March/April 2006 edition of Region 8 Notes is a summary of five articles that were written by the WMRPC for inclusion in United Growth for Kent County’s newsletter. The articles review several websites related to community development – so consider this newsletter a paper "link" to a variety of websites.
American Planning Association – www.planning.org
This site provides research opportunities, summaries of national legislation and policies, access to publications produced by APA (from the broad Planning to the detail oriented Journal of the American Planning Association), a description of APA, news, jobs, and conference schedules. The site provides possibilities for continuing education such as AICP (national certification). The site also links to all of the state chapters of APA, including the Michigan Association of Planning – which provides additional links to information more specific to Michigan. Membership is stressed throughout the site.
Michigan Association of Planning – www.planningmi.org
Moving from the APA’s web site to the Michigan Association of Planning’s website is a serious leap in the quantity of information presented. A complete review of MAP’s information takes only a few minutes – but there is a lot of good information available that is very applicable to planning in Michigan.
Michigan State Housing Development Authority – www.michigan.gov/mshda
This web site has a variety of information for anyone interested in housing – which should include everybody. The site’s "Quick Links" has information such as MSHDA’s E-Newsletter that began in December 2004. The section also contains copies of MSHDA’s plans that contain the work of many people and weeks worth of reading. The Legislative Watch had not been updated in a while but the News Releases are very current and contain a good archive section that goes back several years.
While there are a lot of facts for housing consumers, there is also assistance for housing providers. Nonprofits and Local Governments are provided details about grant and loan opportunities, technical assistance, neighborhood preservation, and many related links. Developers and Contractors can learn about standards and design, financial incentives, and other information including a variety of links describing environmental assessments, radon, wetlands, lead, and asbestos. Landlords are also provided with steps related to property improvement programs and loans, compliance monitoring, and Section 8 subsidies. Landlords can also link to HUD and safety sites.
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality – www.michigan.gov/deq
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) maintains a very comprehensive website that demonstrates the breadth of responsibilities covered by the DEQ. Since the website is located within Michigan’s overall website, it is very easy to visit other related departments to find information.
From the DEQ home page users can access a listing of online services that include dozens of options. A sample of such services include air quality forecasts, requesting speakers, permits, a list of leaking underground storage tank sites, or a list of Michigan plants – so you can learn not to linger in a patch of Toxicondendron radicans.
The home page also provides a quick reference to current announcements and upcoming workshops, lists current issues, provides an environmental assistance contact, guides people to help for reporting pollution emergencies, offers opportunities to subscribe to environmental Listservs, and provides a complete list of contact information. To address the large number of programs, the site divides programs into four categories: Air, Land, Waste, and Water. Each of the divisions has spotlight issues, announcements, and featured online services, but each is tailored to guide users to more specific information.
Funding Opportunities
There is no "one" website that Michigan’s communities can use to address the financial challenges they are currently facing. Since this section of the newsletter focuses on the ongoing financial difficulties facing many communities, it describes some funding opportunities that are listed on a variety of sites. However, most of the listed resources provide funding for one-time projects.
Michigan’s Cool Cities Initiative may not be for every community, but the program’s website has the 2005 Resource Toolbox that identifies 145 sources of funding for communities. The site can be accessed at www.coolcities.com.
The West Michigan Regional Planning Commission updated its Grant and Loan Opportunities for Local Community Development report in May 2005. The publication is available by contacting the WMRPC or it can be accessed at www.wmrpc.org.
Another source that communities may consider is a foundation. Search for your nearest community foundation or try one of the community-based private foundations such as the Frey Foundation (www.freyfdn.org), Steelcase Foundation (www.steelcase.org), W. K. Kellogg Foundation (www.wkkf.org), C. S. Mott Foundation (www.mott.org), or others. A nonprofit directory of organizations in West Michigan can be found at the Grand Rapids Community Foundation (www.grfoundation.org) or there are also subscription services to foundations such as www.fconline.fdncenter.org.
Upcoming Event
Rural Partners of Michigan 2006 Conference – April 25-27 at Crystal Mountain. Visit www.ruralmich.org for registration information.
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