A Record of Accomplishments
Over 30 years in elected and appointed public office, and as a civic activist.
Al Eisenberg has delivered on his promises and values as a Democrat and Virginian.
- As Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy at the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), I chaired the Clinton Administration's 20-agency Mississippi Delta Region Initiative Task Force. The organization produced: a new Delta Regional Authority; major policy recommendations for the Delta; the first national conference on the region; substantial infrastructure resources; a seven-state regional tourism forum; and the East Arkansas "Circuit Rider" program for coordinated Federal technical aid for localities.
- Chaired USDOT's Global Climate Change Center. Created a multi-faceted team from all of the Department's operating administrations to undertake the Department's most significant exploration ever of transportation effects on greenhouse gas emissions and of global warming effects on transportation infrastructure in order to promote reduced emissions.
- Leadership on the Arlington, VA, County Board, in making the County a national model for transit-oriented development, for affordable housing solutions and economic development strategies. Balanced 15 County budgets, the last one reaching over $600 million, maintained one of the few AAAaaa bond ratings in the country. Recipient of the Washington metropolitan region's highest award for public service.
- Led U.S. Senate Housing and Urban Affairs Subcommittee staff to achieve among the highest levels of legislative production of any such House and Senate subcommittee since then. Key products include the Congregate Housing Services Act, the Urban Development Action Grant Program, and Community Development Block Grant reauthorizations.
- For the American Institute of Architects, led one of most successful legislative programs, developing key provisions of the ADA and of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act; creating the National Park Service's Center for Preservation Technology and Training, and devising community revitalization incentives. Also, played a leading role in crafting HUD's Consolidated Planning Process to foster a more strategic approach to use of HUD formula programs and to reduce duplicative paperwork.
- For the National Parks and Conservation Association, created an environmental award-winning coalition to enact the 1996 Omnibus National Parks bill; led the coalition's successful defense of the President's authority to create national monuments; and devised and helped enact the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act.
- Won four at large elections and two primaries for Member of the Arlington, VA, County Board, the governing body of this urban community. I always led my ticket, and was endorsed for every election by The Washington Post
- Co-founded the Northern Virginia Housing Coalition. Key role in gaining two major State housing aid funds--the Virginia Housing Fund and the Virginia Housing Partnership Fund.
- Sponsored the initiative that produced the first regional land use map to display the pattern of planned growth in the region; a tool essential to effective land use planning; created the Land Use Subcommittee at the Northern Virginia Regional Commission and the annual land use conferences.
- Co-chaired the Alexandria/Arlington task force that devised the respective recycling programs for those two communities.
- Chaired, served on more than 25 official government commissions, task forces, and committees on such matters as regional transportation and land use, housing and community development, and the environment.