One Block At a Time: The Role of Organizing in Sustainable Community Development

1. Samantha Brockfield BUP Senior Problem Synthesis August 2010 One Block At a Time:The Role of Organizing in Sustainable Community Development

2. “This is the lesson the planning community now needs to learn: it must take responsibility for its acts in a historical, unpredictable society rather than in a dream world of harmony and predetermined order. To make modern cities meet human needs, we shall have to change the way in which city planners work. Instead of planning for some abstract urban whole, planners are going to have to work for the concrete parts of the city, the different classes, ethnic groups and races it contains. And the work they do for these people cannot be laying out their future; the people will have no chance to mature unless they do that for themselves, unless they are actively involved in shaping their social lives.” • - Richard Sennett, The Uses of Disorder: Personal Identity and City Life. 1970

3. Synthesis structure • Introduction   • Site Description: Avondale’s Avenue District • Problem: Planning and Control • History • Urban and Regional Context   Literature Review and Case Studies • Existing Conditions • Analysis and Forecasting Goals and Objectives • Alternatives • Recommendations • Implementation • Summary

4. To succeed and be sustainable, neighborhood revitalization must start at the ground level with local people making the decisions that matter for their families and their community. Local residents and stakeholders should create and drive plans for developing their communities. Today’s cities need a new type of planner. Introduction

5. Site Description: Avondale’s Avenue District This area is bounded by the following Avenues: Erkenbrecher Forest Dury Burnet Because all eight streets in the district are Avenues, it is named “The Avenue District”.

6. 49 % homeownership rate, long-term owner occupancy, historic housing stock, central location. • Proximity to regional destinations and Burnet Avenue revitalization. • Deteriorating housing stock, absentee landlords, litter, congested on-street parking • High crime perception, mistrust from history of institutional expansion, economic downturn, foreclosures. Site Description: Avondale’s Avenue District

7. The traditional approach to community development aims to revitalize neighborhoods using a top-down planning process. Planning should not manipulate and control communities but rather lay foundations for vibrant and abundant community life. Today’s economic and political environment presents an opportunity for an entirely new approach to city planning. Problem Statement

8. Community Development Corporations (CDCs) Originally formed, driven and controlled by membership made up of local residents Focused on rebuilding localized economies and improving public services Today most have lost touch with original mission and membership History

9. 1980: Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Corporate and foundation dollars to CDCs Large-scale projects 1986: Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LITC) Incentive for private investment in affordable housing narrowed CDC focus and concentrated decision making History

10. Foreclosure crisis: vacancy and unemployment are swiftly accompanied by a downward spiral of blight, crime and urban decay. US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) The model post-real estate boom: Comprehensive Community development history

11. Urban and Regional Context • Avondale: • Low income African American community • Surrounded by growing institutions • Population 16,300 • 4th largest in Cincinnati • Negative public perception • Priorities: • Safety • Health • Economic Development • Education • Housing

12. Urban and Regional Context

13. LISC Sustainable Communities Program • Uptown Consortium • Place matters funding collaborative • Obstacles to progress: • Concentrated power and resources • Damaged organizational relationships • Unclear goals and values • Lack of willingness to change Urban and Regional Context

14. Traditional Methods and Alternate Approaches • Validation planning • Relational organizing and social capital • Sustainable community development Literature Review

15. Professionals as experts who generate plans Site visits to define problems Community “forums” Efforts to minimize transparency and participation for various reasons Find local representatives to demonstrate buy-in for proposed developments Validation Planning

16. Social Capital: Extent to which members of a community can work together effectively (Community Building Institute, 2010) Engaging residents in creative problem solving Creating strong social networks to help them further their objectives Bonding (internal) Bridging (external) Social Capital

17. Necessary components of community: • Commonality: Shared needs and interests • Interdependence: Shared community ownership and responsibility • Collective capacity: Support is generated locally through relationships Community Building

18. Asset Based Community Building Source: Neighborworks Place Based Training

19. Rejects the notion of poverty as pathology “The Golden Rule”: never do anything for someone that they can do for themselves. Rallies people around specific issues or problems, targets people in power develops strategy, demands and tactics for winning. Originally confrontational in style Community Organizing Models

20. Relational approach aims to build sustainable community networks The term consensus organizing is more popular with funders Focuses on both bonding and bridging capital Basis of Sustainable Communities model Community Organizing Models

21. Leaders committed to participation as top priority Intensive organizing efforts Urban planners who create common spaces as community victories Courageous funders who understand value and commit to connective strategies (Putnam, 2003) Grassroots Revitalization

22. S. Bronx • Banana Kelly Development Corporation • Comprehensive Community Revitalization Program • Chicago • LISC New Communities Program • Quality of Life Planning • Englewood Case studies

23. S. Bronx 1970 - 1990 • Devastated by urban renewal, disinvestment, arson • Community organizing fueled revitalization • 1990’s affordable housing boom Photo: Jimmy Carter’s 1977 Visit to South Bronx (Teresa Zabala / NYT)

24. Banana Kelly Corporation Economic decline as catalyst Efforts led by residents, fueled from resources inside the neighborhood Membership organization for the curved section of Kelly Street Self help / sweat equity Case Study: Lessons from the Bronx

25. Johnson’s War on Poverty programs resulted in affordable housing boom Power grab attempts Members became staff, leadership narrowed Eventually surpassed by newly formed CDCs due to competition for resources Author disapproves of CCRP’s approach, believing it treated poverty as pathology Case Study: Lessons from the Bronx

26. Neighborhood success as function of resident control • Residents of urban neighborhoods are the solution, not the problem. • To prescribe solutions for urban neighborhoods is to manipulate and enslave • To see an outcome accomplished without the requisite participation further debilitates those without power Lessons from Banana Kelly

27. Comprehensive Community Development By the 1990’s CDCs had produced 22,000 units of affordable housing Funders concerned about the limits of housing revitalization CCRP focused on developing CDC capacity Incorporated community organizing to decrease dependency Case Study: Lessons from the Bronx

28. Collaborative planning process • Community, implementers and outside experts • Develop shared vision and strategies • Task forces, workshops early action projects • 1996 APA Presidential Award • Basis for new LISC Comprehensive Community Building Institute CCRP Visioning & Planning

29. Case Study: Chicago LISC New Communities Program • CCRP - inspired • 14 neighborhoods • MacArthur Foundation • 10 year • $47 million • Six to nine month process • Led by a task force of 20 - 30 people • Five or six major meetings • Subcommittee structure • Outreach effort to the community. • Respond to physical development, transportation, education, health and jobs.

30. Published Plan: Community history Issues Work program Renderings of proposed projects Photos Maps Vision Strategies Projects Programs Case Study: Chicago LISC New Communities Program

31. State a clear vision for the future Address the neighborhood’s key problems Describe projects and programs that can be implemented Are achievable within five years Have widespread support in the community Assign responsibilities Timeframes for implementation Case Study: Chicago LISC New Communities Program

32. Case Study: Chicago LISC New Communities Program • Early action important • Intensive LISC involvement • 10 week process • Upheld by city depts.

33. Case Study: Chicago LISC New Communities Program ENGLEWOOD • 2 African American communities • 85,000 residents Vacant land Unemployment Poor schools Access to transportation Lack of retail “Englewood Seeks turnaround After Long Slide” Source: www.teamenglewood.org

34. Case Study: Chicago LISC New Communities Program Englewood: 2004 Quality of Life Plan • 500 individuals • 100 organizations • 10 strategies, 48 projects • Public spaces • Retail • Recreation • Health • Education • Youth employment • www.teamenglewood.org

35. Englewood’s Plan

36. Case Study: Chicago LISC New Communities Program Plan progress: • Crime reduction • Block clubs • Youth employment • New retail • Agricultural district Youth Job Training Program Source: www.teamenglewood.org

37. The Avenue District as a pilot Target area defined by neighborhood character: Land use, housing stock conditions, tenancy, history and demographics. Existing Conditions

41. Avondale Community Council • Center for Closing the Health Gap, Avondale do right! • Greater Cincinnati Urban League • Cincinnati Children’s Hospital • Avondale Redevelopment Corporation • The Model Group • Uptown Consortium – Burnet Avenue Revitalization • Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden • Rockdale Academy / Community Learning Center Existing Stakeholders :

42. 2009 Landscape Project • Chase Bank • LISC • ARC • Zoo • 100 volunteers • 40 yard trees • Improved streetscape • New relationships basis for block club

43. Avenue District Block Club • Residents working together to improve their neighborhood • Begun November 2009 • Monthly meetings • Quarterly report to council • Average attendance: 15 homeowners • Accomplishments • Current projects

45. Existing Conditions: 232-238 Northern Ave • 0.5 acre vacant land • Formerly housing • 2 parcels • Litter and weeds • Overgrown vegetation • Retaining wall, graffiti

46. SITE BACKGROUND

47. Visioning: Public Space

48. Northern Larona Community ParkIllustrated Vision

49. Northern Larona Community ParkEntrance (Perspective View)

50. Institutional expansion has created severe competition for on-street parking. There are also underutilized off-street parking facilities.