What is RENEWLV?
Renew Lehigh Valley is committed to promoting smart growth and smart governance in order to revitalize our core communities, preserve open space, and establish an economically and environmentally sustainable foundation for our region's future growth.
Click here to find out more about the RenewLV campaign
Why RENEWLV?
Because the Lehigh Valley is at a cross-roads. Our region is rich in assets of many types: environmental, economic (local and global enterprise), educational, cultural, and historic. We must establish a pattern of development that protects and enhances those assets. The current pattern simply does not.
Yes, we are fortunate that our region is growing. However, our current pattern of development is not sustainable. The sprawling, decentralized model of development that has been the norm for the past half-century threatens the value of our local assets, value that if lost will be difficult or impossible to recover.
The development pressure driving growth in the Lehigh Valley presents a tremendous opportunity. By implementing measures consistent with the goals and principles of smart growth, we can establish a pattern of development that will protect and enhance the economic, environmental and social health of our region for many years.
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Recent Updates
- JOB OPENING: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR -- RenewLV is searching for an Executive Director to maintain current efforts and to lead the organization forward in its advocacy of smart growth and efficient governance in the Lehigh Valley.
- INFRASTRUCTURE 2008: A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE -- This report, written by the Urband Land Institue, provides a snapshot of current and planned infrastructure investment in a variety of categories across the globe, with an in-depth look at the United States, China, Japan, India and Europe. The second annual report also touches on the infrastructure needs in several of the nation's largest metropolitan areas, highlighting the consequences of inadequate federal policy and guidelines that have resulted in "a mish-mash of disconnected regional infrastructure management approaches."
- Upcoming Events:
Saving $$ - Managing Water: Regional Approaches to Water, Sewer and Stormwater Management in Pennsylvania 5.22.08 Water, sewer and stormwater issues impact public and environmental health as well as physical and economic development. While the I-35 bridge collapse highlighted the transportation infrastructure challenges facing the County and the Commonwealth, the challenges related to our water infrastructure are critically important and part of the same big picture. Click here for program and registration information.
Education 2010 Breakfast Meeting 5.29.08 A public meeting with members of the Lehigh Valley's legislation delegation, administrators, teachers, parents and students to discuss the Governor's proposed budget and support of legislative actions to address the reform of PA's system for funding public education. Successful schools are vital to the health of individuals and our communities, but the missing pieces to achieving successful schools in PA is a sound funding formula. The meeting will be held on May 29th from 8:00-9:30 a.m. at the Lehigh County Government Center, Public Hearing Room, 17 South 7th Street, Allentown. Sign-in and continental breakfast begin at 7:30am. Please RSVP no later than Friday, May 23 by emailing alison@goodschoolspa.org to confirm your attendance.
Protecting Public Drinking Water: Source Water Protection Solutions 6.4.08 The safety and quality of our drinking water is affected by numerous factors. Engineering and technology help protect our water against contamination, but both are costly and have their limits. The design and location of development and the strategic preservation of open space can provide critical protection of local drinking water sources. For additional event information and to register, visit www.drinkingwaterwise.org or contact Julie Kollar at juliekwren@verison.net or 267.468.0555.
The Summit for American Prosperity: Washington and Metropolitan Areas Working Together. 6.11-12.08 The event, hosted by the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, will take place at the Washington Hilton on Wednesday evening, June 11 and Thursday, June 12, 2008. The Summit launches the next phase of Blueprint for American Prosperity: Unleashing the Potential of a Metropolitan Nation, an ambitious, multi-year initiative to build long-term U.S. prosperity by reinvigorating the federal role in promoting the health and vitality of America's metropolitan areas. This Summit will build on the Blueprint's earlier efforts to demonstrate how the nation's assets are concentrated in our metro areas, and are the engines of the U.S. and global economy. To RSVP, please register at www.regonline.com/brookingsblueprintsummit or contact Kathleen Kruczlnicki with any questions (kkruczlnicki@brookings.edu, 202.797.6139
- Creating a Healthier Valley: Learn more about improving public health in the Lehigh Valley through a regional approach to problem solving.
- NEW Research Reports Available: An Update on Pennsylvania's Economy
- Exploring the Benefits of Rail Transit in the 21st Century: Presentation given by Robert Puentes, Brookings Institution at "RenewLV Passenger Rail Forum"
- Proving an Affordable Housing Option For Everyone: Presentation by Kevin Nelson, American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) at "Live Lehigh Valley Forum"
- Transportation Forum Coverage: [WFMZ Video Coverage]
- FYI: The State Planning Board's 2006 Report
- LIFE IN THE 'BURBS: HEAVY COST FOR FAMILIIES & CLIMATE 3.31.08 (Part I) &
ATLANTA FAMILY SLASHES CARBON FOOTPRINT (Part II) -- Read the stories, listen to the radio coverage, and look at the recent report from the Urban Land Insitute on growth patterns and climate change. ULI's report entitled Growing Cooler demonstrates that emission reductions from increased fuel efficiency will be wiped away by increases in the amount Americans must drive as a result of sprawling development patterns (Click here for Growing Cooler).
- SHIFTING GROUND: MULTI-PART PUBLIC RADIO SERIES -- Shifting Ground is a public radio series that examines the difficult choices confronting communities as the y cope with changes and try to shape a bright future.
- HOME PRICES DROP MOST IN AREAS WITH LONG COMMUTES 4.22.08 -- According to sources such as the Case-Schiller Home Price Index (a real estate industry standard), locations with long commute times and without ready access to public transit have seen markedly steeper declines in housing prices than locations closer to the city center and served by public transit have fared much better, with some even seeing increases in home prices despite the current housing and credit market troubles. Click here to read and/or listen to the coverage by NPR.
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