The City organization is looking seriously at the cost-effectiveness of providing services to a defined urban service boundary. The arrival of the Green Line or an announcement that, in fact, we do take urban growth seriously and we are interested in protecting the quality of the environment long term. That is a local government policy not often found in the United States. There is the issue of urban conservation that you ll find throughout City Council debates. And sometimes good humor debates about monster houses but, most certainly, viable neighborhoods are at the top of everybody s list.
Housing is another place where there are strong strategies in place.
Two-thirds of that coming from the private sector and generating 8,500 new units of new housing and are on pace to develop almost 6,000 units five years from today, going forward. So, clearly our goal is not just impact housing from the newsstand point, but to affect as many as 15,000 units in the next five years from everything to painting, to maintenance, to major rehab, to new construction. Another major strategic focus is in the area of transportation. And, lastly, perhaps one of the most challenging issues in terms of environment, is that the City owns and operates, along with other municipalities, a 167 million gallon a day wastewater treatment plant. It s one of the most sophisticated wastewater treatment plants of its kind in the country.