On Friday, December 5th, Vision Long Island held their 2025 Smart Growth Summit. For decades now, this organization has made a huge difference, connecting great people and generally helping all sorts of folks wrap their heads around the challenges our communities face, as well as opportunities we have to improve the quality of our built environments.
As always, the Summit was a phenomenal event, featuring over 1,000 local community, business and government, downtown revitalization and community development leaders. There were nearly 20 workshops, 100 speakers, a trade show, and a Youth Summit. The ever insightful “State of the Towns and Villages” breakfast and luncheon alone, were worth the program price.
Check out the News12 Coverage
This year, there was extensive coverage from News12’s Rich Barrabi. Here is a preview, where Executive Director Eric Alexander provided a brief overview of what Vision does, noting that – while their approach is as grounded and holistic as ever — this year affordability is an exceptionally major concern. He discussed how this event essentially engages local leaders from a diversity of interests and perspectives to learn from and work together on a myriad of solutions. Together they make a big difference.
Here is live coverage from the morning of the event, where Eric roughly outlines the depth and range of professionals who attend, and the interconnected issues they address. The entire proceeding is filmed for public access. Fruits of the various panels and other discussions will inform and guide the organization’s lobbying efforts at all levels of government, as well as its work on the ground with an exceptionally broad variety of local stakeholders.
Over the weekend, as a segment on Power & Politics: Affordability on Long Island, Barrabi interviewed a handful of the many elected officials who attended the event, including Babylon Supervisor Rich Schaffer, North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, and Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth adn Valley Stream Mayor Ed Fare.
A Wealth of Information and Insight
There is a lot touched on in those ten minutes. It’s just a taste of what was offered. This event is a great way to get an in-depth, inside scoop on a broad variety important local issues, including infrastructure, redevelopment, energy, human needs, small business, walkability, transportation and more.
Vision’s own preview may be found here. Segments of the event are already beginning to be published on their Vimeo. You can also check out in-depth interviews hosted by Eric Alexander featuring a broad range of local leaders, well as countless other important discussions they’ve hosted in the past.
It’s important stuff. Check back regularly to find out what they’re talking about now. Thanks!
