I came to NRDC after 8 years in city politics in Oakland, California, working first for our Mayor and then for our City Council, focusing on land use, zoning, redevelopment, and housing policy. So, I’ve experienced first hand what it takes to make development happen and the many, many interests that need to be balanced to make our cities and communities work. The good news is I’m optimistic we can build the communities NRDC strives for: convenient, enriching, energy-efficient and fun for everyone.
Before my adventures in Oakland, I worked in refugee resettlement, both here in the Bay Area and in Hungary, where I led a program assisting refugees from the civil war in Yugoslavia. I also lived in Budapest for two years prior, which was really the birthplace of my love of cities, public transportation and urbanism. Unlike most environmentalists, my favorite places are filled with buildings and people.
I live in the Rockridge neighborhood in beautiful Oakland, California, 300 feet from a BART station, surrounded by local businesses I can walk to, with a single hybrid that’s parked 99.99% of the time. My wife is an advocate for children and youth in foster care, and we have a daughter, Violet, who really likes busses.
Posted February 1, 2012 by Justin Horner in Curbing Pollution, Health and the Environment, Moving Beyond Oil
As you likely know by now, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman, John Mica (R-FL), has finally released his draft of the transportation bill (800+ pages for your reading pleasure, found here). In six words: it's worse than anyone ever...continued→
Posted November 16, 2011 by Justin Horner in Curbing Pollution, Living Sustainably, Moving Beyond Oil
At the end of August, I expressed my disappointment with the Federal Department of Transportation's failure to fund a broader range of projects in its vitally important Value Pricing Program. The VPP has supported many, many pilots of important transportation...continued→
Posted October 24, 2011 by Justin Horner in Living Sustainably, Moving Beyond Oil, Solving Global Warming
As you may know, Federal tax law allows many Americans to set-aside up to $230 a month pre-tax to pay for transit. This is a great benefit that rewards and encourages transit use. And while the maximum set-aside had been...continued→
Posted October 17, 2011 by Justin Horner in Curbing Pollution, Living Sustainably, Moving Beyond Oil
It may seem counterintuitive, but just as Americans are driving substantially less (indeed, the fewest miles since 2003), auto insurance premiums countinue to rise. Smartmoney.com reports in "Hey Flo: Where's My Insurance Discount?" that according to the Insurance Information Institute,...continued→
Posted August 25, 2011 by Justin Horner in Curbing Pollution, Health and the Environment, Moving Beyond Oil, Solving Global Warming
The Federal Highway Administration's Value Pricing Program (VPP) is a small fish of serious innovation in a wide and deep pond of roadbuilding mediocrity. Created by President George W Bush, the VPP has supported many, many pilots of important transportation...continued→
Posted July 20, 2011 by Justin Horner in Living Sustainably, Moving Beyond Oil
Earlier today, nearly 50 California-based environmental, transportation, equity, conservation, and public heatlh organizations (including, of course, NRDC) sent a letter to the all of the California Representatives who sit on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, calling for a transportation...continued→
Posted July 8, 2011 by Justin Horner in Curbing Pollution, Moving Beyond Oil
Last week, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-FL) released his proposal for reauthorization of the Federal Transportation Bill. To summarize the summary: it's a stinker. Our partners at Transportation for America have their own summary of exactly...continued→
Posted June 22, 2011 by Justin Horner in Living Sustainably, Moving Beyond Oil
For those concerned not only with the state of California’s economy, but also its environment, an article last week’s LA Times describing the newest quarterly economic outlook from UCLA's Anderson School of Business was quite good. In it we learned:...continued→
Posted February 10, 2011 by Justin Horner in Curbing Pollution, Moving Beyond Oil, Solving Global Warming
Pay As You Drive (PAYD) insurance--which ties insurance premiums to the number of miles you drive, thus incentivizing and rewarding less driving--has been picking up steam across the country. Massachusetts has included it in its climate action plan, New York...continued→
Posted December 10, 2010 by Justin Horner in Curbing Pollution, Health and the Environment, Moving Beyond Oil, Solving Global Warming
For decades, we've known that suburban sprawl enjoys a number of advantages over infill or smart growth. Many of those are related to "externalities," or those consequences of someone's economic actions that are not reflected in prices. The most common...continued→
Posted December 8, 2010 by Justin Horner in Curbing Pollution, Moving Beyond Oil, Solving Global Warming
The past week's been an exciting one in the world of pay as you drive insurance (as much as anything associated with auto insurance can be exciting, that is). First, the two largest California auto insurers--State Farm and Auto Club...continued→
Posted November 29, 2010 by Justin Horner in Curbing Pollution, Environmental Justice, Health and the Environment, Moving Beyond Oil, Solving Global Warming
New research in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives reveals the association between spread out urban form and Extreme Heat Events (EHEs). In a phrase, sprawl heats things up. In "Urban Form and Extreme Heat Events: Are Sprawling Cities More Vulnerable...continued→
Posted November 5, 2010 by Justin Horner in Curbing Pollution, Moving Beyond Oil
On Tuesday, California once again showed its commitment to the environment by defeating Proposition 23, which would have rolled back our landmark global warming legislation and set back the cause of clean energy nationwide. While some say that this election...continued→
Posted October 1, 2010 by Justin Horner in Curbing Pollution, Moving Beyond Oil
Nearly one year ago, the California Department of Insurance issued regulations meant to expand the availability of Pay As You Drive insurance, a common sense reform that rewards and encourages less driving. As Commissioner Steve Poizner said, his intention in...continued→
Posted September 27, 2010 by Justin Horner in Health and the Environment, Living Sustainably, Saving Wildlife and Wild Places
When we talk about sprawl, we frequently consider water use, driving and auto dependency, and even personal activity and obesity. A significant aspect of sprawl, however, gets less attention: the impacts of expanding urbanization on animals and their habitat. ...continued→
Switchboard is the staff blog of the Natural Resources Defense Council, the nation’s most effective environmental group. For more about our work, including in-depth policy documents, action alerts and ways you can contribute, visit NRDC.org.
