Speakers say there’s money in smart growth

Mixed-use developments in walkable communities are possible, even in the current financing climate, although locals shouldn’t expect big federal subsidies, says Chris Leinberger, a visiting fellow with the Brookings Institution and president of Locus: Responsible Real Estate Developers and Investors. Leinberger was a featured speaker at a developers’ forum hosted today by the Center for Planning Excellence and U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu at Baton Rouge Area Foundation headquarters. In communities where amenities can be reached on foot, property values are higher, he says. “That’s the market telling us something,” Leinberger says. “Plan for your walkable urban future, and economic growth will follow.” He says Baton Rouge needs to figure out where its urban, transit-ready communities will be. The population can support four or five; right now downtown is the only one. Leinberger says Baton Rouge is being left behind by other cities—even conservative cities like Dallas—in the area of rail travel. Many communities have passed local sales tax measures to support rail even in an anti-tax political environment. He also suggests developers could support rail development in exchange for the higher property values rail brings. When the United States had the world’s best rail system a century ago, 90% of it was paid for by developers, he says. Leinberger urged attendees to consider supporting a federal act that seeks to “jump-start” transit-oriented development. “We really have to get with the program,” Landrieu says. —David Jacobs