Camiros, Ltd. recently donated 2,200 planning books and reports to the UIUC Funk Library which holds its City Planning and Landscape Architecture collection. Originally assembled by the firm as a resource for its staff and clients, the library represents a major portion of the firm’s forty year collection of city plans and other documents addressing transportation, urban design, preservation, zoning, economic development, social welfare, and housing.

Melody Allison, Information Services Librarian and Liaison to the Departments of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning noted that “this gift will substantially add unique titles to our extensive collection of urban and regional plans and make an invaluable contribution to resources for scholarship for planning scholars and community planners.”

(Image: Funk Library, UIUC, Source: https://nicolehelregel.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/aces.jpg)

Firm Principal, Arista Strungys, recently authored her fifth issue of Zoning Practice. The July 2016 article, entitled “Zoning for Small Business,” addresses how municipalities can encourage small and local businesses to establish themselves and grow in communities with the proper development regulations. View the article at the American Planning Association website, www.planning.org. (A subscription to Zoning Practice is required.)

Camiros Senior Associate Adam Rosa was recently honored to be chosen to be a part of the 2016 class of Lambda Alpha International (LAI) – Ely Chapter for his work in neighborhood revitalization. LAI is a global land economics society with a membership that includes outstanding individuals from many parts of the world who have distinguished themselves in all of the various disciplines and activities that relate to the use and re-use of land. These individuals include not only those who are involved in the ownership, management, regulation and conservation of land, but also those who are involved in its development, redevelopment and preservation.

Lambda Alpha International (LAI) has designated five major purposes:

• To recognize and honor men and women in all parts of the world whose achievements have contributed, directly or indirectly, to the advancement of the science of land economics, to a better understanding of the principles of land economics, or to the practical application of such principles in the preservation, development or better utilization of the world’s and resources;
• To encourage and support the study of land economics and support the highest ideals of scholarship and integrity for all fields — professional, business, governmental and academic — in which land economics is studied or practiced;
• To expand the world’s knowledge and understanding of the principles of land economics and encourage and support the application of such principles to both public policy and private endeavor;
• To take those actions and support those ideas, individually and collectively, which contribute to the enrichment of our urban and rural environment and benefit the quality of human life; and
• To advance a close working bond and mutual understanding among men and women engaged in all disciplines and activities related to land economics.

Adam joins Camiros colleagues Les Pollock, Arista Strungys, Bill James and Jeanne Lindwall in receiving this honorary membership. For more information about Lambda Alpha International – Ely Chapter, please click here: http://ely-chicago.org/

The City of Shreveport was recently awarded a $1M Choice Neighborhoods Action Activity grant by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help local neighborhoods lacking affordable housing. Shreveport was one of 64 applications submitted for the grant and one of ten cities across the nation that will receive the grants totaling $8 million.

Read more here:
“Shreveport gets mega money for affordable housing”

Camiros is proud to have served the City of Shreveport as grant writer for this application, as well as the City’s application for a 2016 CNI Implementation Grant. This collaboration is one of many examples of Camiros’ involvement in Choice Neighborhoods planning. Learn more about our Choice Neighborhoods work HERE.

Brownsville, Texas is one of ten communities to receive a Choice Neighborhoods (CN) Planning grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Camiros is proud to have served the Housing Authority of the City of Brownsville (HACB) as grant writer and will be continuing as Planning Coordinator for the CN process. We are looking forward to collaborating with local residents, HACB, and other stakeholders in creating community connections while improving the Buena Vida neighborhood.

Read more: “HACB lands major grant, eyes $34 million in possible funds”

The target site for the planning grant is the Buena Vida Development, located within the larger Buena Vida community, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Brownsville. The Buena Vida Development is severely distressed and requires significant rehabilitation. As with all CN plans, this issue is one of many that will be addressed through the planning process. Building off of previous planning efforts, the CN Plan will outline initiatives that improve the quality of the Buena Vida neighborhood and lives of its residents.

This project is one of many examples of Camiros’ involvement in Choice Neighborhoods planning. Learn more about our Choice Neighborhoods work HERE.