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This study looks at the demographic, urban form and transit service characteristics that influence ridership in a college community. It acknowledges both the internal (those that a transit operator has control over) and external (variables that the transit operator cannot control) factors that influence ridership. A literature review shows that income, unemployment levels, densities, age, urban form, headway and coverage correlated to ridership. The study area used is the Five-College community that is serviced by UMass Transit, the dominant operator in the area. To perform analysis census data is collated at the block and block group levels regarding income, unemployment, vehicle ownership, population, density, college age population and housing age. Additional data about urban form and transit service characteristics is obtained. Exploratory data for all variables support the literatures finding except unemployment and land use diversity. Modeling is done in three stages using different scales of census data. A final model, combining scales is created. The highest indicators of ridership are found to be direction of travel, level of service, the percent of college age students and population density.

The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of how community gardens can catalyze positive change in an urban environment, to determine and catalog the impacts, and to learn about their importance to small-scale agricultural production. The study surveyed neighbors of the two umbrella organizations community gardens, The Nuestras Raices of Holyoke and Growing the Community of Springfield, who strive to ensure that local families gets enough food to feed their families on a daily basis.

Public transportation ridership levels have decreased since the end of World War II. Transit systems in small cities struggle to maintain ridership levels high enough to continue receiving local subsidies. Individuals with refugee status, and those with limited English proficiency (LEP), represent an opportunity to increase ridership. The bus system increases mobility for people without a car or driver’s license, including many refugees and LEP people, thereby increasing their accessibility to work and education. This thesis places the local bus system in Manchester, New Hampshire in a historical context and identifies some barriers and potentials for increasing refugee and LEP ridership. In addition to increasing headways and hours of operation, recommendations point to improved publicity, including distributing route maps and schedules more widely, using clearer bus stop signs, and providing bus passes for refugees in the first few months after arrival. It should be noted that language did not arise as a barrier to transit ridership in this study.

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As energy cost and climate change become increasingly prevalent concerns in the planning world, more and more jurisdictions are creating energy efficiency and climate action plans. As of 2011, over 120 cities and counties around the United States had already completed climate action plans (Boswell, Greve, & Seale, 2012, p. 24). A major factor in reducing energy use, and subsequently greenhouse gas emissions, is in making buildings more energy efficient. According to the EPA, buildings account for 36 percent of overall energy use in the United States (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2013). Although many of these plans set target energy reduction levels for buildings, the process for actually meeting these goal levels is often disorganized, cost-prohibited, and behind schedule. In order to meet energy reduction goals, a jurisdiction must first establish a system for tracking and monitoring energy use, pinpointing areas in needs of improvements, and sharing this information with decision makers. Energy Star’s Portfolio Manager benchmarking system provides a tool for public workers and building managers to meet these needs. The County of San Luis Obispo’s climate action and energy reduction plan, titled the EnergyWise Plan (2011), sets a goal for the County’s municipal buildings to reduce their energy use by 20 percent from 2006 levels by the year 2020 (pg. 171). This report uses the Portfolio Manager Tool to analyze the current energy use of the County’s municipal buildings, pinpointing the areas most in need of further examination in order to meet the EnergyWise Plan’s goal. The report concludes with an audit and retrofit implementation plan for the County’s top energy users, as well as a set of recommendations to improve the County’s overall energy use which include: 1. Organization and collaboration between departments should be encouraged, in order to more efficiently share data. 2. Yearly reports should be produced as a measure of progress towards meeting 2020 reduction levels. 3. Efforts should be focused on audits and retrofits of the twelve selected buildings first, followed by analysis and audits in the remaining County buildings. 4. The Public Protection Department’s energy use levels should be monitored and improved when feasible. 5. Those buildings that are Energy Star qualified should apply for certification. 6. The County should continue to seek funding sources for implementing audits and retrofits.

Although tabernacles do not hold the sacred meaning of Mormon temples, they are symbolic landmarks of the culture of the early Mormon Saints. Tabernacles were once an integral part of each community in which they were located. They were often the main buildings in the community, reflecting the coherent, orderly nature of a Mormon town. Today, many of the original tabernacles have been torn down and others are under the threat of destruction.The first tabernacles built in the Mormon Culture Region were constructed in the 1850s. They were large meetinghouses built for the purpose of holding large general meetings. They were preacher centered houses of worship with few classrooms or recreational facilities. Over time the tabernacles became larger and often more ornate. Because of the growth of the Church, change in Church programs and technological advancement tabernacles are no longer built. Those remaining are threatened with destruction because of high maintenance costs, and low practicality.

This Master’s Project is separated into two parts: the introduction and background informing an affordable senior housing market study, and a market study prepared for People’s Self Help Housing (PSHH). The introduction begins by providing current and future trends for seniors at the national and state levels. This includes discussion of the “Baby Boomer” age cohort and their rapid growth and potential impact to the housing market. The introduction then describes challenges facing developers of affordable senior housing. These challenges include the type, location, and funding sources for future senior housing projects. All federal funding sources for affordable senior housing projects are then briefly presented and their applicability to the proposed project is explained. The introduction sets the stage for a market study created to determine the feasibility of an affordable senior housing project in the Santa Maria/Orcutt market area.

ABSTRACT Specific Plans: An Implementation Tool for Downtown Revitalization A Specific Plan Proposal for Downtown Delano, California Emily Suzanne Henderson This study builds off the assumption that downtowns are socially and economically important to cities and the people who live, work, and visit them. For these reasons, many suffering downtowns are pursuing revitalization strategies. The strategies summarized in this paper represent mainstream revitalization techniques currently practiced by cities, planners, and developers. The strategies and techniques presented in this paper are supported by two case study specific plans. The case studies serve as model specific plans that were able to successfully utilize multiple of the proposed revitalization strategies. This paper demonstrates the potential for specific plans to be used as an implementation tool for downtown revitalization. These comprehensive documents are able to combine multiple regulatory processes in order to achieve the overarching goals of a city’s general plan and the detailed community goals generated through public outreach and participation. The case studies exhibit how cities have been able to complete revitalization projects in their downtowns through the use of specific plans. The proposed strategies and case study findings were used in the creation of a Specific Plan Proposal for Downtown Delano, California. In early 2008 the City of Delano underwent a community participation planning process to improve their downtown. The resulting Downtown Delano Concept Plan urged the City of Delano and the Community Development Department to produce a Downtown Specific Plan as soon as possible. The Downtown Delano Specific Plan Proposal contains a summary of the Concept Plan’s findings and recommendations. The plan begins with a vision statement and a set of goals created from community input received during public meetings. The plan includes proposed land uses for the downtown project area. A circulation concept is presented for the major downtown streets and thoroughfares. Form Based Codes include design guidelines for new development and redevelopment projects. The proposal concludes with project cost estimates and suggested financing mechanisms. The attached Downtown Delano Specific Plan Proposal is a guide for the future completion of a Specific Plan for Downtown Delano.