Urban Priority for a President Obama
by Tony Chavira
Lo and behold, Barack Obama is the new president-elect! For Southern California's smart planning goals, density decisions and transportation future, there cannot be a better choice.
Taken right from his website, Obama outlined a series of goals including points that have previously been downplayed by former presidents:
- A focus on improving the liveability of cities;
- Increasing funds in metropolitan regions through better financial coordination and providing an urban green work sector;
(and my personal favorite)
- A focus on the development and investment of affordable housing for everyone.
More importantly than any of the above points, a President Obama appears to understand the importance of local initiative: that regions like those in Southern California can work together to plan our communities for the betterment of all our citizens.
Mighty exciting stuff! Remember though, the best way to keep your politicians honest is to get involved in local politics and stay sharp. We all want improvements, and there's always a compromise that everyone can agree to... when you know your neighbors and your neighborhood, it's much easier to come together for the common good.
Anyway, that's enough optimism from me. Back to forcing skepticism!
