Back in March, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the exciting Sustainable Communities partnership. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined the partnership and the three agencies offered more details about how they will move forward.

This is a very important development that will help ensure that the federal government is moving in a unified direction to address critical issues like global warming. As HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said "For the first time, the Federal government will speak with one voice on housing, environmental and transportation policy."

As part of the announcement, the agencies offered six "livability principles."

1. provide more transportation choices
2. promote equitable, affordable housing
3. enhance economic competitiveness
4. support existing communities
5. coordinate policies and leverage investment
6. value communities and neighborhoods

How are they going to accomplish these goals? They will start with several broad steps as part of this partnership:

• enhance integrated planning and investment
• provide a vision for sustainable growth
• redefine housing affordability and make it transparent
• redevelop underutilized sites
• develop livability measures and tools
• align HUD, DOT and EPA programs
• undertake joint research, data collection and outreach.

Look like great steps to me!