jeremygrant.com

Last year an AIA survey revealed that there are at least 850 architects – more than one percent of total membership – who are serving in an elected or appointed role. The Architects serve as Mayors, Council Members, Comissioners and Board Members. They advocate for higher living standards, the creation of a sustainable environment, quality of life, and the greater good of the public. These Architects use insight, talent, training and experience to contribute meaningfully, beyond self, to the improvement of the community and human condition.

The AIA released a bulletin on these Citizen Architects and made some visionary statements to provide for the future of civic minded Architects:

Citizen Architect Program

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) believes that society and the profession benefit from civically engaged architects, and that these members should be actively supported at all levels of service.

“The Citizen Architect uses her/his insights, talents, training and experience to contribute meaningfully, beyond self, to the improvement of the community and human condition. The Citizen Architect stays informed on local, state and federal issues, and makes time for service to the community. The Citizen Architect advocates for higher living standards, the creation of a sustainable environment, quality of life, and the greater good. The Citizen Architect seeks to advocate for the broader purposes of architecture through civic activism, writing and publishing, by gaining appointment to boards and commissions, and through elective office at all levels of government.”

Most recently in the face of global financial crisis the AIA has been advocating for policies to revive the economy and and build a foundation for a sustainable community for long term growth. It’s Rebuild and Renew Blueprint for Long-Term Prosperity outlines goals to jump start the economy without making the same tragic mistakes that resulted in the failure today :

Make Financing Available for Design and Construction Projects

*Extend the Term Asset Backed Securities Loan Facility (TALF) through 2010.
*Allow Public Private Investment Programs to Finance Sound Construction Projects.
*Eliminate Disincentives on Global Investments in U.S. Commercial Real Estate.
*Encourage the Use of SBA Lending Authority to Help Small Owners Address Equity Issues.

Provide Relief to Small Businesses

*Allow Sole Practitioners to Claim the Deduction for Qualified Architectural and Engineering Firms.
*Streamline Onerous Recovery Act Paperwork and Reporting Burdens on Small Businesses.
*Reform Retainage Rules on Architects and Engineers.
*Repeal the Three-Percent Withholding Requirement.
*Extend COBRA Benefits.
*Hire Underemployed and Unemployed Design and Construction Professionals to Help Speed Recovery Act Implementation.

Make Tax Policies Work for Recovery

*Expand and Improve the Energy Efficient Commercial Building Tax Deduction.
*Extend the First-Time Home Buyer Credit.
*Make Permanent the Shortened Cost Recovery Period for Retail & Restaurant Improvements.
*Extend and Expand the Five-Year Carryback of Net Operating Losses for Small Businesses

Rebuild our Infrastructure for the 21st Century

*Enact a Five-Year Reauthorization of the Federal Surface Transportation Program.
*Build 21st Century Green Schools.
*Invest in World-Class Labs and Classrooms at Colleges and Universities.
*Promote the Revitalization of Historic Properties.
*Reduce Delays by Streamlining Building Permitting.
*Help Communities Plan Their Futures.

Build the New Green Economy

*Create Incentives for Mixed-Use, Transit-Oriented Development.
*Promote Green Affordable Housing.
*Provide Innovative Funding Streams Funding for Green Retrofits.
*Educate the Workforce of Tomorrow in Sustainable Design.

Though I’m only an Associate AIA I’ve been committed to participating in my community and local government process to ensure that it will excel comparatively to other internationally ranked cities in the future. There is no reason for Los Angeles and it’s communities to fail when such a density of design professionals, schools and organizations exist to service outside locations. Why shape the futures of others when we need work on our own?

Some of the specific demands of the Rebuild and Renew Blueprint result in some tough battles ahead against staunch supporters of the status quo. I picked out a few that are important to me and my community:

**Despite the best efforts of many agencies, billions of dollars of Recovery Act funding has not been obligated because of the sheer size of the program. Worsening the problem is the fact that many agency contracting officers lack specialized understanding of design and construction procurement. Congress should encourage agencies to contract, on a temporary basis, with design professionals currently out of work or underemployed to help ensure that Recovery Act funding for infrastructure projects is distributed expeditiously and effectively.

**The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has released legislation, the Surface Transportation Authorization Act, that would make major strides in moving our country towards a 21st Century transportation system. Delaying action on comprehensive transportation reform traps our communities in a failed system that threatens our economic and environmental well-being. Congress needs to act now to make sure that federal transportation policy truly helps us rebuild and renew our country.

**In order to fully maximize the ability of citizens to shape their futures, Congress should require that metropolitan planning organizations and state DOTs hold interactive public design workshops facilitated by planning and design professionals as a part of their planning processes. Congress also should pass S.1619, the Livable Communities Act, to help communities of all types and sizes plan in ways that reduce congestion, promote transportation choice and ensure affordable housing.

**Slow building permitting processes unnecessarily delay projects and slow economic growth. Congress should provide incentives to communities that streamline their permitting processes, including the use of e-permitting, and allow Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant monies to be used for permit streamlining for green building projects.

**Investing in green building retrofits through innovative financing mechanisms not only improves energy independence and protects the environment; it also creates jobs. Congress should pass legislation that would allow the Department of Energy to use their existing bonding authority to back Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) bonds, municipal bonds whose proceeds are lent to commercial and residential property owners to finance energy retrofits.