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Two talks for urban wonks: Scott Bernstein on location efficiency and economic development through infrastructure investment

February 14th, 2012 · 1 Comment

The SFU Urban Studies program presents two public talks by Scott Bernstein, President, Center for Neighborhood Technology, and our Visiting Fellow in Urban Sustainable Development. Details of these talks are noted below and in the posters attached.

“If Not Now, When? How Making Economic Progress Count Accelerates Public and Private Infrastructure Investment in Cities and Regions”
Monday, March 19, 2012, 7:00pm
Room 5280, SFU Surrey
13450  102 Avenue, Surrey
(just south of the Surrey Central SkyTrain station)
Reservations are required: http://www.sfu.ca/reserve

It’s said that a good idea, unlike fine wine, doesn’t get better the longer it sits on the shelf. Long infrastructure investment timelines put cities at risk—transportation projects can run 10-20 years, while elected officials typically serve four-year terms. An increasingly volatile economy, with 2+ recessions per decade, increases borrowing cost and risks of project cancellation. Current policies don’t reward better or faster public investing results, and slow delivery delays economic benefits. Regulations get blamed, but most project delay isn’t caused by rules; rather, project sponsors lack a culture that rewards speed, in turn lowering expectations among consultants, investors and the public. But where regions exhibit collective efficacy, “better and faster” outcomes result. This lecture reviews what we’ve learned from efforts to innovate for “better and faster” economic development from infrastructure investing in cities around the world.

“Progress Lost, Progress Redefined, Progress Regained – How Location Efficiency Performance Measures Are Being Used to Achieve Economic Security”
Thursday, March 22, 2012, 7:00pm
Room 1700, SFU Vancouver (Harbour Centre)
515 W. Hastings Street, Vancouver
Reservations are required: http://www.sfu.ca/reserve

The US, still reeling from a devastating recession, is far from recovery. Several economic performance measures, including a new index of combined affordability of housing + transportation, which costs households at least half their available income, are being tested with encouraging results. This lecture will review the state of knowledge of the value of location efficient communities and regions and suggest a strategy for getting beyond flying blind in the pursuit of sustainable economies.

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