Visioning & Planning

Investors in America Award

The Investors in America Award acknowledges groups and individuals who use enterprise, vision, and creative public/private partnerships to bring new civic assets to our nation’s cities.

David M. Schwarz is being honored for constructing some of our country’s most recognizable architectural endeavors with his company, David M. Schwarz Architects, Inc. Schwarz’s projects are always aesthetically-pleasing, suited to the clients’ needs, and above all, sustainable.

David M. Schwarz earned his Master of Architecture from Yale University and his B.A. from St. John’s College. Following work with various firms, he founded David M. Schwarz Architects, Inc. in Washington, D.C. in 1976. His portfolio consists of notable projects from across the U.S. that have been seen as major infrastructure investments in health, education, culture, and sports. His firm has been responsible for some of the country’s most prized architectural accomplishments, including the Ballpark at Arlington, the Cook Children’s Medical Center of Fort Worth, and the Schermerhorn Symphony Center of Nashville.

Schwarz has served on the boards of many prominent organizations and is a founder of the National Building Museum’s Vincent Scully Prize. As one of the country’s leading figures in architecture, he understands the importance of culture and environmental stewardship, and works to include elements of heritage and sustainability in all of his projects. Schwarz is a distinguished architect who understands the value of place-making and has designed projects investing in infrastructure of value to the American community.

Entrepreneurial American Leadership Award 

Richard C.D. Fleming is honored for his commitment to building livable and sustainable cities as a civic entrepreneur for more than 30 years while engaged in private sector and civic initiatives to revitalize cities and metropolitan communities in Atlanta, Denver, and, for the past 17 years, St. Louis.

With the year 2011 nearly upon us—a period when the first of the Baby Boomers will officially reach the age of retirement— the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) addressed the issue of a growing older population by holding the first “Safety, Mobility and Aging Drivers” forum on November 9th and 10th.  According to the Washington Post article, “The American Driver Turns to Gray,” officials from the NTSB have stated that, “the number of people aged 65 and older is expected to double in the next three decades;” a number that is expected to reach 1 in 5 by 2015 (Washington Post, November 10, 2010).

 

While the NTSB is well-known for the proactive measures the organization takes towards transportation safety, this forum was the first time in which the NTSB has shifted policy direction in order to explore possible preparations and limitations related to the aging driver and personal transportation.

We’ve all walked past a vacant storefront or an empty lot thinking, “If only that was a….”. Now, designer and urban planner Candy Chang has created a fun way to get all that wishful thinking out in the open. Chang is distributing fill-in-the-blank stickers that read “I wish this was…” for New Orleans residents to stick on forgotten places in the city. Click here to view photos of the results.

Walk Score has launched new neighborhood “heat” maps for over 2,500 cities and 6,000 neighborhoods which show graphically just how walkable they really are. Instead of the numerical scale that rates a location’s pedestrian friendliness from “Car Dependent” to “Walker’s Paradise,” Walk Score has developed a new system that incorporates heat maps showing where cities are more or less walkable. The greener the area, the easier one will find it to get from one place to another without the aid of an automobile.

These maps have potential to become powerful research tools for policy makers looking to make their regions more livable and sustainable by allowing them to see where areas are less accessible. Walkable cities are livable cities because they offer people alternative transportation options to driving from place to place. Walking and walkable neighborhoods offer many positives for improved health and community involvement all contributing to the creation of livable communities.

Eight partnerships in the Kansas City Metro Area were each awarded a "JumpStart the Conversation" grant on March 11, 2008. 

The winning projects exemplify the use of innovative ideas focused on creating livable communities for all ages and the theme of "housing for older adults." With the Kansas City metropolitan area approaching the two million population mark, these strategies help strengthen "aging in place" services and work to forge new partnerships and broaden the housing options between home and health-care facilities. Click here to view the grants below. 

The grants were provided in conjunction with a Kansas City workshop, titled Housing's Role in the Kansas City Metro Area: Developing a Livable Community for All Ages. The workshop was the fourth of six regional workshops around the country focused on creating livable communities for all ages. The workshops and grants are part of the national Aging in Place Initiative undertaken by Partners for Livable Communities (Partners) and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a), with funding provided by MetLife Foundation. The workshop took place at the Kauffman Foundation Conference Center on February 4, 2008, and was hosted by the Johnson County Area Agency on Aging, the Mid-America Regional Council, the Shepherd's Center Kansas City Central, and the Wyandotte/Leavenworth Area Agency on Aging.
    
As a result of the workshop and grant opportunities, Kansas City officials believe that the metro area will have a renewed sense of urgency to approach community livability for all. In a city approaching the two-million population mark, with more than 11 percent of the population 65 years old and over, local organizations and individuals are energized to face the challenges that accompany this time of change. 

Kansas City Jumpstart Grants: 

• Center for Practical Bioethics: to fund discounted enrollment for up to ten partners in the "Community of Practice" (COP) COP will be used to clarify issues, identify resources and models, and educate the growing list of partners.The Center for Practical Bioethics will provide facilitation through the COP model that will follow the conclusion of the three-week Aging-Friendly Communities online conference and provide ongoing support for the next six months to sustain interest, encourage participation and educate the partners and participating organizations in myriad efforts and opportunities for leadership. COP will help train participants by accessing and sharing experts from around the country, providing collaboration on successful models at work, and assisting the Center in developing common language and concepts. Archival access to presentations is a key element of this ongoing education. 
• HomeSharing and Metropolitan Community College Foundation: to create the brochure called "Aging in Place Metropolitan Kansas City Resource Guide." Organizations and resources that share the mission of helping seniors to age in place will be the partners in developing this brochure. Their contact information will be compiled, and the brochure will be updated every six months to ensure accurate information and contacts. Participating organizations will meet to develop the scope of this document. A first printing of 1,000 brochures will be delivered to all offices and organizations that agree to have it publicly available to interested persons. 
• InnerLight Ministries, Inc.: to initiate a quarterly event called the "Senior Citizen Community Information Fair." At this event, older adults can identify and locate the service(s) they need. This event will gather organizations from a vast number of services that are already available but are unknown to older adults. Emphasis is placed on services pertaining to housing options, home maintenance, finance, health care, elder care planning, transportation needs, and other support services. This service will unite the older adult community and will be of assistance to a wider range of people outside the aged community, who will eventually be in the same age group as those whom these events are targeting.
• Jewish Family Services: to develop and implement a "Good Neighbors" program for adults age 65 and older. The program is designed to bring the elements of a retirement community to the community at large. Members of the Good Neighbors program can request minor home repairs; chore services; information and referral; transportation; safety/home modifications; and health assessments. The program meets the needs of older adults who desire to remain in their own homes rather than moving to a seniors-only community. This model is a fusion of several innovative programs around the world, including the Beacon Hill Village model in Boston, MA; the Supportive Community model developed by the Association for the Planning and Development of Services for the Aged in Israel; the St. Louis NORC; and the S.A.I.L. program in Madison, Wisconsin. 
• Metropolitan Community College Longview in partnership with the Metropolitan Community College Foundation and KC MASS Services: to host a seminar on housing needs and options for older adults and inform the 50-plus population of specific, innovative housing options to enable them to "age in place." The seminar will provide an opportunity to educate professionals from the building contractor and real estate industries, and it will garner their support and active participation in this initiative. Follow-up classes and seminars will provide additional information on specific aspects of "aging in place."  MCC-Longview will offer supplementary educational and enrichment classes and workshops to enhance an independent lifestyle. With the combined resources of the Metropolitan Community College district, MCC-Longview is positioned to provide educational and support services and elicit established and prospective partnerships in the business and social sectors.
• Metro Lutheran Ministry in partnership with Ivanhoe Neighborhood Association and the City of Kansas City: to create a partnership between one of the largest neighborhood associations in Kansas City with a high number of older adults, the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Association, and the City of Kansas City, Missouri, to assist older adults with monitoring and minor home repair work necessary for overall community safety. Through the partnership a quality care system will be developed which will identify and refer older adults who need monitoring of their health and well-being. Participants will be monitored on an ongoing basis and will receive the necessary advocacy to ensure their safety. Older adults will also be referred and will receive necessary repair work on their homes.
• Thomas J. Brown, Jr. Foundation, Inc.: to provide the groundwork to recruit competent and skilled professionals with experience in minor interior and exterior home repair and lawn maintenance that will have a direct and positive impact on older adults. By developing a network of resources, tailored to the needs of seniors, and utilizing funding from local businesses, housing and government agencies, and senior assistance programs, the TJB Foundation will extend its services to a minimum of fifty octogenarians by the end of 2010. With the expansion of the Foundations resources, a wider range services can be extended to Kansas City area residents. Many octogenarians are faced with health, financial, and accessibility issues; it is the goal of the Foundation to provide a portion of relief from the everyday responsibilities of maintaining their residences to a level of dignity that can only enhance their quality of life. The Foundation has recruited companies in the following areas to provide services: HVAC, lawn service, electric, plumbing, roofing, gutter service, carpentry, and painting.
• University of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute, Inc. in partnerships with the University of Kansas Medical Center - Occupational Therapy Education, Physical Therapy Education, and Teaching and Learning Technology departments: to develop a collaborative educational tool for students to begin exploring ways to modify a home environment for facilitating "aging in place." Students will explore a two-story home in a virtual environment, assess how the home meets the needs of an aging adult, and make recommendations for changes to the home.  Students will revisit the modified virtual home and determine if their recommended changes were successful choices for supporting older adults at home. This experience allows students to try different modifications, make errors, and determine alternative solutions. The result of this educational tool will be to better prepare students as future clinicians for assessing the home environment and assisting families with "aging in place" options.

Three partnerships in the Centralina region were each awarded a "JumpStart the Conversation" grant on August 25, 2008.

The winning projects exemplify the use of innovative ideas focused on creating livable communities for all ages and theme of "land use planning and design".  These strategies are aimed at the over 11 percent of residents age 65 and over in the Centralina region, and will encourage services that strengthen "aging in place"and increase accessibility to resources and independence among older adults. 

The Jumpstart the Conversation Grants followed a workshop in the Centralina Region, titled Land Use Planning and Design: Creating a Livable Community in the Centralina Region for All Ages. As part of the Aging in Place Initiative, the City of Charlotte, North Carolina, was selected by MetLife Foundation, Partners for Livable Communities and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging to host the sixth of 12 national workshops on creating livable communities for all ages.

This workshop, co-hosted by the Centralina Council of Governments and Centralina Area Agency on Aging, was a unique opportunity for Centralina to begin looking at the region and to hear how other communities have begun to create livable communities. Participants learned how to apply for small grants given to support innovative ideas that further the concept of land use planning and design.Local leaders are calling for strategies to help strengthen "Aging in Place" services. Speakers and panelists focused on ways to address physical environment issues like housing and transportation

Centralina/Charlotte Jumpstart Grants 

• Centralina Foundation in partnership with the Centralina Council of Governments, the Town of Waxhaw Planning Department, and the Council on Aging in Union County 
  To develop a “Land Use Ordinance Best Practices Checklist” that would encourage communities to become more senior friendly.  Partnering with the Centralina Council of Governments, the Town of Waxhaw Planning Department, and the Council on Aging in Union county, the Centralina Foundation will create a Steering Committee comprised of members of each organization to assist in the development of the checklist and assessment of land use regulations in Waxhaw.  The checklist will serve as a framework to identify ordinances in need of change in order to develop an increasingly senior friendly community.
• Downtown Davidson, Inc. in partnership with the Town of Davidson 
  To offer weekly transportation services to seniors living in the town of Davidson, NC.  Using existing resources offered by the Department of Parks & Recreation, this initiative will provide seniors with the opportunity to run errands without worrying about driving or transportation arrangements.  Another goal of this project is to address the need of older adults to have more independence and freedom in planning their schedules.

• Council on Aging 
  To use Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) in Charlotte as case studies for the development of senior-friendly communities.  These studies will identify characteristics that support NORCs so that they may be disseminated for educational and advocacy programming.  The Council on Aging has already developed a task force to address housing and related issues as they pertain to the Charlotte’s aging population.  The long-term goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive housing plan for older adults through 203

Fourteen organizations and partnerships in the Wichita Region were each awarded a "JumpStart the Conversation" grant in August 2009. The winning projects exemplify the use of innovative ideas focused on creating livable communities for all ages and the theme of "Revitalizing Communities for All Generations."

As part of the Aging in Place Initiative, the Wichita Region was selected by MetLife Foundation, Partners for Livable Communities and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging to host one of a series of dynamic national workshops highlighting the opportunity to improve livability for persons of all ages. The workshop, titled Revitalizing Communities for All Generations:  Visioning a Livable Wichita Region, was held on June 23, 2009.  

Revitalizing Communities for All Generations gathered key innovators and representatives from across the region to discuss a topic of great importance to Wichita. Workshop speakers and panelists focused their discussion on key areas for Community Housing, Intergenerational Opportunities, and Neighborhood Planning. In particular, participants considered elements that contribute to the Wichita Visioneering process. 

Wichita Jumpstart Grants 

• Visioneering Older Adult Alliance and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To develop and implement a south central Kansas media initiative which will include:  an informational sheet on important statistics related to older adults and livable communities that can be used to educate, a half-hour infomercial on livable communities that can be shown on area government channels and production of timely articles on livable communities that can be inserted into newsletters, regional newsletters or posted on partner websites.
• Via Christi Senior Services in partnership with Visioneering Older Adult Alliance and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To formulate an innovative series of four, focused informational programs designed to raise awareness and start discussions that will help all “age in place” in Wichita. 
• Senior Services, Inc. and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To produce a research paper of best practices for intergenerational programming at senior centers. The paper will include working models and evidence based programs from across the country on how to facilitate community collaboration, promote an appreciation for heritage, traditions and history, apply the strength of one generation to meet the needs of another, and increase community awareness about issues that affect both populations. The findings of the paper will be presented at a statewide senior center conference.
• Visioneering Older Adult Alliance and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To recruit and train people 55 years and better in advocacy skills.  Trained advocates will be able to more effectively communicate to elected officials, planners and board members about issues that are important to livable communities and aging in place.
• Paratransit Council, Inc. in partnership with 17 other members
  To establish a program that will expand awareness of transportation resources and promote the use of those resources in the tri-county areas of Harvey, Butler, and Sedgwick, Kansas.  An informational pamphlet will be produced as part of this outreach campaign.
• Visioneering Older Adult Alliance and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To continue the conversation about Aging in Place and Livable Communities by highlighting current efforts that are meeting with success in cities in the metropolitan statistical area. A half day, best practices symposium will feature presenters with innovative housing options, successful walkability efforts, award winning intergenerational programs and issues related to community development, i.e. downtown revitalization, parks, recreation and open spaces.
• Historic Midtown Citizen’s Association (HMCA), USD 259 and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To introduce seniors to volunteer opportunities at area schools and the school children to the rich opportunities that knowing older adults can provide.
• Wichita Independent Neighborhoods, Inc. in partnership with Visioneering Older Adult Alliance and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To develop a transportation plan for seniors that would utilize existing transportation providers, provide activity calendars, and develop a membership program to bring the program to completion.
• Senior Services, Inc. in partnership with the Wichita City Council and Active Aging Publishing, Inc.
  To provide education and forums for seniors to gain valuable knowledge and dialogue about what their needs are for a livable community. Through a series of forums and community planning sessions, seniors will be given the opportunity to express their needs for transportation in the community. As a follow-up to the meetings, a simple transportation brochure will be distributed to organizations that provide services to seniors written in English, Spanish, and possibly Vietnamese.
• Visioneering Older Adult Alliance and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To plan, plant and harvest a new community garden at the Southeast Senior Center near the Planeview Area – a low-income neighborhood in the City of Wichita. Funding will be used to develop a tool kit to get the garden started, purchase planting materials and supplies, soil tests, garden tools and to educate the community on the benefits of gardening.
• Wichita Homebound Outreach (WHO) in partnership with Visioneering Older Adult Alliance and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To recruit additional volunteers and create an intergenerational component for a local outreach organization that creates building relationships and socialization activities between neighbors in low-income congregate housing facilities. Educational materials would be created to distribute to churches and organizations in order to recruit volunteers. 
• Park City Pride Committee, Inc.
  To design and distribute a community survey to help establish criteria on future community oriented goals and public buildings.
• Asbury Park, Inc.
  To conduct focus groups with individuals aged 55-70 on what type of housing they want through the next years of their lives and educate them on universal design concepts.
• Visioneering Older Adult Alliance and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To conceive and produce a 30 minute DVD to inform viewers of the concepts of Livable Communities for All Ages and Universal Design that can be aired on city television stations and utilized by citizen groups, and staff members in trainings, presentations and discussions.

Entrepreneurial Livable Community Award

For the community’s entrepreneurial spirit in its transformation to become a model for sustainable development and prosperity today.

Bridge Builders Award

For the Initiative’s innovative approach to creating sustainable cities through the cross-disciplinary engagement of scholars, community leaders, and project partners.

President of Partners for Livable Communities, Robert McNulty, was quoted in The Wall Street Journal article “Artists vs. Blight ,” discussing artist occupations of blighted homes and neighborhoods in transitioning communities such as Cleveland and Detroit.

Paducah, KY

A planning strategy that brought local artists back into a declining neighborhood, changing the face of an entire city.

Atlanta, GA

County-based partnerships committed to the creation of a better community for all ages.

Charlottesville, VA

A plan created by the Jefferson Area Board on Aging to prepare Charlottesville and the five surrounding counties for the aging community.

Fairfax County, VA

Active steps taken by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to prepare for a rapidly increasing older population.

Maryland

A program adopted by the state of Maryland as part of a Smart Growth initiative to encourage workers to move closer to their workplaces.

St. Paul, MN

A development bank and vehicle to fund the revitalization of the Lowertown area in downtown St. Paul.

Houston, TX

A neighborhood-based cultural organization with programs that combine arts education, historic preservation and community development.