🍉Summer is upon us and with that WestCOG’s seasonal staff! Also this month learn about WestCOG’s Water Testing Program and see the commuting patterns of the region on full visual display. All within this month’s newsletter!
June 2021 Newsletter
Category Archives: News
Housing Trends in the Region and State
Housing productions varies substantially by region in Connecticut. WestCOG has produced maps and charts of recent trends in housing, including home building (total and multi-family) in the state’s regions, sizes and sales prices nationwide; and housing, household, and population statistics.
Relative Population Growth in Connecticut
Over the last fifty years, Connecticut has increased in population. However, this macro-level trend conceals substantial variation across time and space, with some regions and municipalities gaining people, some losing people, and some doing both (albeit in different decades). Population trends have an impact on housing: in areas that are growing, home values tend to rise, and new homes are built; in areas that are shrinking, home values tend to fall, and properties may deteriorate.
To highlight these patterns, WestCOG has produced maps comparing growth in the state’s municipalities to the overall rate of growth at the state level (relative growth).
Federal Register Notice for County Equivalency
At the request of the State of Connecticut, the Census Bureau has published a notice in the Federal Register regarding the treatment of Connecticut’s Planning Regions, which correspond to the state’s Councils of Governments (COGs), as geographic units equivalent to counties for Census statistical purposes. This change, which as also supported by all nine COGs and the Connecticut Data Collaborative would result in:
- The Census Bureau tabulating data by Planning Region from the year 2023, and
- COGs becoming eligible to participate in federal programs (such as grants) that are open to counties and county equivalents.
It is important to note that county equivalency is a statistical term of art and that application of this term to Planning Regions in Connecticut is not intended to and will not change government structure or authority in Connecticut. More information on county equivalency can be found in:
- Press release from the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management announcing the proposal (ct.gov)
- Frequently Asked Questions: Census Bureau County Equivalency Status for Connecticut’s Planning Regions (ct.gov)
Detail on the proposal, including how to submit comments during the 60-day comment period (which begins December 14, 2020) can be found in the Federal Register notice.
Residential Patterns and Trends by Race in the Northeast and the Nation
Recent events have driven a push to examine patterns and trends in household location. WestCOG is supporting this conversation with data, looking beyond the borders of Connecticut to compare the state and region to the Northeast and to metropolitan areas throughout the United States. WestCOG’s presentation draws on Census data and primarily quantitative methods.
Public Notice for the 2020 Annual MAP Forum
The Metropolitan Area Planning (MAP) Forum announces its 2020 Annual Meeting. Due to the current public health emergency, this meeting will be held as a webinar.
Register for the MAP Forum Webinar
Friday December 4, 2020 at 10:00 am – 12:15 PM
Meeting Agenda (printable version)
- Welcome and Introductions (10:00 am – 10:05 am) – Mary D. Ameen, North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority
- Regional Issue: The Future of Work (10:05 am – 10:45 am)
- The Future of the Office — Oliver Schaper and Wendy Andrew-Doele, Gensler
- The Future of Commutation – Kaan Ozbay, C2SMART Center, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University
- Emerging Trends (10:45 am – 11:15 am)
- 2055 Socio Economic and Demographic Forecasts – Debra Nelson, New York Metropolitan Transportation Council and Tina Lund, Urbanomics
- Emerging Trends from the Pandemic and Vaccine Distribution – Anne Strauss-Wieder, North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority
- Emerging Resiliency Initiatives – Meghan Sloan, Connecticut Metropolitan Council of Governments and Jennifer Fogliano, North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority
- Lightning Round on Long Range Plans by MAP Forum Members (11:15 am – 11:45 am)
- Public Participation (11:45 am – 12:00 pm) (Reserved for registered participants on a first come, first served basis by contacting njtpa@njtpa.org by 9:30 am on the meeting day. Remarks will be limited to no more than three minutes. Total time available for public participation is 15 minutes.)
- Closing Remarks & Adjourn (no later than 12:15 pm) – Mary D. Ameen
The MAP Forum is a consortium of ten metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and councils of government (COGs) in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania that have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the coordination of planning activities in the multi-state metropolitan region.
The MAP Forum complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and federal Limited English Proficiency guidelines. If you need special accommodations to participate in this meeting, or translation services, please contact njtpa@njtpa.org no later than 72 hours prior to the meeting.
HVNEMBA hosts Trail school
The Housatonic Valley Chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association is hosting Trail School on April 26th from 8:30AM to 3:00PM! More information and registration instructions are under the cut.
Continue reading HVNEMBA hosts Trail school
The february newsletter has arrived
Our monthly publication has news, project updates, grant opportunities, and events for the Region. In this month’s issue we have some exciting news about Newtown’s Al’s Trail, WestCOG’s new Regional Map Viewer, a Land Conservation conference, and more!
Continue reading The february newsletter has arrived