Infinite Earth Radio – weekly conversations with leaders building smarter, more sustainable, and equitable communities

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**Infinite Earth Radio – weekly conversations with leaders building smarter, more sustainable, and equitable communities**

Infinite Earth Radio is a weekly podcast produced by Skeo and the Local Government Commission and hosted by Mike Hancox and Vernice Miller-Travis. Each week they interview visionary leaders, dedicated government officials, savvy businesses and forward thinking individuals who are working to build smarter, more equitable, sustainable, and prosperous communities through social and economic inclusion that values the contribution of all citizens and seeks meaningful lives for everyone.
You will discover new leading edge strategies for lifting up and building great 21st century communities, along with cutting edge strategies for revitalizing under resourced communities and empowering excluded populations. Smart Growth, Prosperity and Sustainability are not possible without social, civic, and economic inclusion for people of all economic, social, and racial backgrounds.

Latest Episodes:

The History and Power of the Built Environment Mar 08, 2018

Show notes

Topic:

Urban revitalization and land regeneration

Guest & Organization:

Dekonti Mends-Cole serves as the Director of Policy for the Center for Community Progress. Prior to joining Center for Community Progress in September 2015, Dekonti worked in Detroit as the Deputy Director of Dispositions for the Detroit Land Bank Authority overseeing disposition, property management and compliance programs. In addition, she served as a fellow with the White House Strong Cities, Strong Communities Initiative embedded in the City of Detroit’s Law Department.

Dekonti brings international experience and best practice having previously worked on local economic development projects in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa including infrastructure investment strategies in Iraq and Zambia for the United Nations and community development projects tied to the 2012 London Olympics. She holds an MSc from London School of Economics in Urban Regeneration and Affordable Housing, a Juris Doctor from Georgetown Law Center, and a BA from University of Miami in International Studies and Economics.

Founded in 2010, the Center for Community Progress is the only national nonprofit specifically dedicated to building a future in which vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties no longer exist.

Resources:

Center for Community Progress

Dekonti Mends-Cole on Memory Banking and the City

Root Shock: How Tearing Up City Neighborhoods Hurts America and What We Can Do About It

Local Government Commission

Tax Policy and Urban Form Mar 01, 2018

Show notes

Topic:

The relationship between tax and land use policies

Guest & Organization:

Joe Minicozzi is an urban planner imagining new ways to think about and visualize land use, urban design and economics. Joe founded Urban3 to break down and visualize the market dynamics created by tax and land use policies. Urban3’s work is establishing new conversations across multiple sectors, policy makers, and the public to creatively address the challenges of urbanization. Urban3’s extensive studies have ranged geographically from over 30 states, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Joe holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Miami and Master of Architecture and Urban Design from Harvard University. In 2017, Joe was recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential Urbanists of all time.

Resources:

Urban3

Local Government Commission

New Partners for Smart Growth Conference

Puerto Rico and Disaster Capitalism Feb 22, 2018

Show notes

Topic:

Post-disaster relief efforts to rebuild and revitalize Puerto Rico

Guest & Organization:

Elizabeth Yeampierre is an internationally recognized Puerto Rican attorney and environmental and climate justice leader of African and Indigenous ancestry born and raised in New York City. A national leader in climate justice movement, Elizabeth is the co-chair of the Climate Justice Alliance. She is Executive Director of UPROSE, Brooklyn’s oldest Latino community based organization. Prior to assuming the Executive Director position at UPROSE, Ms. Yeampierre was the Director of Legal Education and Training at the Puerto Rican Legal Defense Fund, Director of Legal Services for the American Indian law Alliance and Dean of Puerto Rican Student Affairs at Yale University.

Resources:

UPROSE

Here’s how environmental justice leaders are pushing forward in the Trump era

Imagine a Puerto Rico Recovery Designed by Puerto Ricans

Resilience Matters: Transformative Thinking in a Year of Crisis (Free e-book download!)

Island Press Urban Resilience Project

Download the Island Press APP! Learn more about the APP here, and find it on Google Play and Apple App Store!

Realtors Promoting Smart Growth Feb 15, 2018

Show notes

Topic:

Smart growth and the real estate industry

Guest & Organization:

Hugh Morris has practiced urban planning for twenty-five years with a focus on transportation issues. After graduating from UCLA with a Masters in Planning, he spent five years with a transportation consulting firm working on transit plans, travel demand forecasting models, and travel surveys. He spent the next two years working for an energy efficiency think tank where he focused on transportation issues, including investigating the real cost of our transportation system. The next ten years were spent working with the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy helping communities convert abandoned railroad corridors into hiking/biking trails. His principle area of focus was urban trails that were used for trip making as well as recreation. He has spent the last twelve years with the Smart Growth Program at the National Association of Realtors where he helps local Realtor associations around the country to become advocates for smart growth style development in their communities.

He has had two papers presented at and published by the National Academy of Science’s Transportation Research Board. Additionally, he has contributed to the American Planning Association’s publication titled “Planning and Urban Design Standards” as well as “Trails for the 21st Century: a planning, design, and management manual” published by Island Press.

Resources:

On Common Ground – smart growth magazine from the National Association of Realtors

How to Become a Small-Scale Developer – by Meg White

Local Government Commission

Funding Climate Adaptation Feb 08, 2018

Show notes

Topic:

Holistic Approaches to Climate Challenges

Guest & Organization:

Senator Bob Wieckowski represents the 10th Senate District in the California State Legislature. The district stretches from southern Alameda County into Santa Clara County and shares the member’s focus on job creation, clean technologies, protecting our environment and reducing unnecessary regulations.

Mr. Wieckowski chairs the Environmental Quality Committee and Budget Subcommittee 2 on Resources, Environmental Protection, Energy and Transportation. He is also a member of the Senate committees on Judiciary; Budget and Fiscal Review; Transportation and Housing; and Ethics. He was appointed by Senate President Pro Tem to serve on the Energy and Environment Committee of the Council of State Governments West and in 2017 became the first Californian to chair the committee. The Senator is a state leader in advocating for climate adaptation programs and has participated on state and regional panels examining green infrastructure investments.

A strong voice in the Legislature for consumers and low-income earners, he received the “Champion of Justice” Award from the East Bay Community Law Center for fighting against abusive debt collectors and oppressive wage garnishments. Statewide organizations have selected him Legislator of the Year and the California Judges Association gave him its “Scales of Justice Award” for his steadfast support for increased court funding. Tech America also named him “Legislator of the Year.”

Mr. Wieckowski is a small business owner and a bankruptcy attorney. He has helped hundreds of families and seniors persevere through economic hardship, keep their homes and live with dignity. He received his B.A. from the University of California and his J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law. Senator Wieckowski lives in Fremont with his wife, Sue.

Resources:

California Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Quality

California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research – Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP)

California’s Climate Adaptation Strategy – January 2018 – Safeguarding California Plan

Local Government Commission

**Recovering from Wildfire in Northern California** Feb 01, 2018
Show notes

Topic:
Wildfire recovery in wine country
Guest & Organization:
Chris Coursey grew up in a military family, and by the time he graduated from college had never lived in any city for more than three years. He came to Santa Rosa in 1980 to take a job that he thought would be a brief stop in his rising journalism career. Instead, he found a community that has sustained him for 37 years, and a city that has become his home town. He worked for the Santa Rosa Press Democrat for 27 years, covering a variety of subjects and writing a column sharing his personal thoughts on a wide range of community issues. In 2007, he was hired by the SMART rail district to manage communications and community outreach in advance of the successful 2008 sales tax election. He left SMART in 2011 to establish a consulting business focusing on freelance writing and public relations.
He was elected to the Santa Rosa City Council in 2014. In December 2016, he was selected by his fellow Council members to serve as Mayor. His term expires in December 2018.
Tennis Wick has served as Sonoma County’s Permit & Resource Management Department Director since November 2013. The agency balances environmental protection and sustainable development of Sonoma County’s natural resources through the agency’s planning, engineering, building, well and septic, code enforcement and customer service authority.
Before joining the County of Sonoma, Wick worked as a principal at Berg Holdings responsible for government affairs, site acquisition, design and entitlement. Previously, Tennis practiced as a partner at the engineering and planning consulting firm CSW/Stuber-Stroeh Engineering Group, Inc. He began his career with the County of Marin where he led current planning as Development Chief.
Wick is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (10447) and the American Planning Association. Tennis Wick holds a Juris Doctor degree from Golden Gate University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a Public Service Emphasis from the University of California, Santa Barbara. A long-time Petaluma resident, Tennis Wick has been civically active twice serving as a City Planning Commissioner and as Board President of the Friends of the Petaluma River, Petaluma Peoples Service Center and the Petaluma Area Chamber of Commerce. Wick is also a member of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau and the Sonoma County Alliance. Tennis is part owner of Hen House Brewing Co. He and his wife Holly have four grown daughters and are active in endurance sports, cooking and gardening.
Resources:
Santa Rosa and Sonoma County Fire Recovery
Local Government Commission
2018 New Partners for Smart Growth Conference– February 1-3, 2018

Watersheds and Homelessness – Part 2 Jan 18, 2018

Show notes

Topic:

Homelessness and water resource protection

Guest & Organization:

Mike Antos is a Senior Watershed Manager for the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority, facilitating the One Water One Watershed program and leading engagement with members of disadvantaged communities for collaborative watershed management. Mike holds a PhD in Geography from UCLA where he remains a member of the Water Resources Group of the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. He is on the advisory board of the Loyola-Marymount University Center for Urban Resilience, a founding board member of the Mediterranean Cities Climate Change Consortium, and is a Fellow of the Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation. Mike serves as co-chair of the American Water Resources Association Integrated Water Resources Management technical committee, and sits on the Technical Advisory Council of California’s Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resilience Program.

Resources:

Infinite Earth Radio Episode 106: Water and Homelessness with Mike Antos

One Water One Watershed

Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA)

Local Government Commission

2018 New Partners for Smart Growth Conference– February 1-3, 2018

Watersheds and Homelessness Jan 11, 2018

Show notes

Topic:

The intersection of homelessness and water management

Guest & Organization:

Mike Antos is a Senior Watershed Manager for the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority, facilitating the One Water One Watershed program and leading engagement with members of disadvantaged communities for collaborative watershed management. Mike holds a PhD in Geography from UCLA where he remains a member of the Water Resources Group of the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. He is on the advisory board of the Loyola-Marymount University Center for Urban Resilience, a founding board member of the Mediterranean Cities Climate Change Consortium, and is a Fellow of the Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation. Mike serves as co-chair of the American Water Resources Association Integrated Water Resources Management technical committee, and sits on the Technical Advisory Council of California’s Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resilience Program.