complete neighborhoods: exploring holistic community planning

1Complete Neighborhoods: Exploring Holistic Community Planning | APA Northeast Regional Conference Getting Ahead of the Future

Complete Neighborhoods: Exploring Holistic Community Planning | APA Northeast Regional Conference Getting Ahead of the Future

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Image Source: Arlington Magazine, Ellen Byrne “10 Great Neighborhoods”

Complete Neighborhoods:Exploring Holistic Community Planning

June 26, 2015



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Panelists• Josh Fiala AIA AICP LEED AP, Associate, The

Cecil Group

• Dr. Justeen Hyde PhD, Director of Research and Evaluation, Institute for Community Health

• Gayle Epp, Partner, EJP Consulting Group

Session and Panelist IntroductionComplete Neighborhoods:Exploring Holistic Community Planning



This presentation will outline the Complete Neighborhoods approach to community building, provide a review of current best practices.

The learning objectives for the session include:

1. Participants will be able to define the objectives and goals of a CompleteNeighborhoods approach to community building.

2. Participants will be able to describe the existing programs and practices that are consistent with the goals of Complete Neighborhoods.

3. Participants will be able to identify the relationship between community needs and creation of a Complete Neighborhoods plan, using panelist case studies as an example.

Learning Objectives



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1. Complete Neighborhoods – What does it mean? What is the context?

2. Community Health and Complete Neighborhoods

3. Choice Neighborhoods and Public Sector Approaches

4. Complete Neighborhoods and Private Sector Approaches

5. Interactive Exercise – Building a Complete Neighborhood

6. Open Q&A and Wrap-up

Session Agenda



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Complete Neighborhoods:What does it mean? What’s the context?




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• Overcrowding and industrial revolution cause focus on space, order and landscape

• Sir Patrick Geddes, Ebenezer Howard, Garden Cities of To-morrow (1898)

• Utopian city living in harmony with nature• The origin of suburban neighborhood patterns and ideal

Evolution of Neighborhood Planning

Image Source: Wikipedia



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• Clarence Perry (1923)• Neighborhood Unit Formula• Consistent neighborhood components• Centered on the school• Radburn, New Jersey (1929)• Separate traffic by mode• Schools at neighborhood center

Image Source: Wikipedia – New York Regional Survey, 1929




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• New urbanism – traditional, compact and walkable places• Demographic and market shifts toward city neighborhoods• Connections to range of uses, housing and jobs• Choice Neighborhoods, LEED ND as examples of holistic

planning

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons




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Complete Streets

Image Source: Boston Transportation Department

• The new Boston Complete Streets approach puts pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users on equal footing with motor-vehicle drivers. The initiative aims to improve the quality of life in Boston by creating streets that are both great public spaces and sustainable transportation networks. It embraces innovation to address climate change and promote healthy living. The objective is to ensure Boston's streets are multimodal, green and smart.



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Complete Neighborhoods• Working Definition:

Complete Neighborhoods are places where all types of resident needs and business needs for work, living, gathering, recreation and health can be met within a comfortable walking distance. A complete neighborhood is diverse, healthy and prosperous and includes:

Image Source: Local Initiatives Support Corporation

• Neighborhood Center• Orientation to Transit• Walkability

• Density• Mixed-uses• Mixed-incomes



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• Portland Plan (April 2012) - Portland, Oregon• 20-Minute Neighborhoods –

“An area where residents have safe and convenient access to goods and services they need on a daily or regular basis. This includes a range of housing options, grocery stores and other neighborhood-serving commercial services; quality public schools; public open spaces and recreational facilities; and access to frequent transit. In a complete neighborhood, the network of streets and sidewalks is interconnected, which makes walking and bicycling to these places safe and relatively easy for people of all ages and abilities.” Source: Portland Plan (April 2012)

Other Examples and References

Image Source: www.buildabetterburg.org



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• Portland Plan (April 2012) – • 20-minute neighborhoods

• Gerding Edlen – 20-minute living

• AARP Livability Index• Walkscore• Blog at:

www.completeneighborhoods.org

• Articles at:• www.communitybuilders

.net • www.theatlantic.com

Image Source: www.communitybuilders.net

Other Examples and References



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Complete Neighborhoods:Community Health and Complete Neighborhoods


Justeen Hyde, Ranjani Paradise, Reann Gibson, Shirma Pierre, Michelle Keenan

Community Engagement Games: A Strategy for Expanding Local

Stakeholders in Community Health Planning Processes


Place Matters

HealthyCommunities

Livable natural & built environment

Equitable social environment

Viable economicdevelopment


Growing demand for community input

Affordable Care Act

Public Health Accreditation

Sustainable Planning


Central Challenge of Community Health Needs Assessments

Same people tapped over and over again

Same people show up for focus groupsand community meetings


An Experiment in More Inclusive Participation

Brigham and Women’s Hospital• Completed 2 prior community health needs

assessments (2012 and 2013)• Identified key issues in 5 priority

neighborhoods of Boston• Interest in improving community health

through grant-making program– Funding from a Determination of Need

process


Our Goal: Engage Residents in Process to Prioritize Community Health

NeedsCommunity mental

healthViolence prevention

Chronic disease prevention

Healthy agingImproved birth

outcomesYouth & Workforce

developmentRacial Equity

Top Priorities


Three one-week missions


Answer challenge questions to earn coins:

multiple choice



open ended



trivia


Compete to earn the most coins


Pledge coins to causes


Top three causes selected by players Win $$$


Game Players


Who Played?

24 and Under

25-54

55 and Older

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

25%

56%

19%

Gender

Female

Male

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

74%

26%

Age


Who Played?

Other

Multi-Racial

Asian

Hispanic

African American/Black

White/Caucasian

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

3%

2%

6%

15%

30%

45%


Who Played?

56%

15%

29% Priority neighborhood res-identNon-resident of priority neighborhoodsUnknown

30% Dorchester24% Jamaica Plain20% Roxbury18% Mattapan8% Mission Hill

60% reported no prior involvement in a community planning process


What is one thing about your health you would like to improve?

Physical FitnessHealthy Eating

ManageMental Health

and Stress

Manage Health

ConditionsSleep

Financial Stability


What would make your neighborhood a healthier place for you and your

family?

Economic Developm

ent

Improved Public

Transportation

Improved Safety

Opportunities for Social

Connection

Opportunities for Physical

Activity

Improvements in the Built

Environment

Access to Healthy Food


What would make the City of Boston a healthier place to live?

Improve Educational

Opportunities

Quality Affordable

Housing

Improved Public

Transportation

Community Connections

Improvements in the Built

Environment Safer Communities

Economic Opportunities


What would make the City of Boston a healthier place to live?

Investments in grassroots

organizations

Resources for Poor &

Homeless Families

Access to Healthy Foods

Improve Public

Education

Quality Affordable

HousingImproved Public

TransportationCleaner,

Safer Streets

Community Connections

More Green Space

Safer Communities

Economic Opportunities


Players’ Priority Areas

• Community mental health

• Violence prevention• Chronic disease

prevention• Health aging• Improved birth

outcomes• Youth and Workforce

development• Racial Equity

Youth and Workforce Development

Community Mental Health

Chronic Disease Prevention

RacIal

EquiTy



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Example: Chronic Disease Prevention



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Example: Mental Health


Lessons Learned - Challenges

• Time– Many collaborating partners– Many moving parts

• Game platform and structure of game play was relatively fixed

• Marketing of the game was challenging– Unusual, abstract idea until you play

• Game was not successful in engaging certain groups of people


Benefits on On-line Game Technologies

• Exciting, innovative way for gathering community input

• Attracted people who do not usually take part in community health planning processes

• Game accessible on computers, tablets, and smart phones

• Player contributions have relevance and use beyond this particular planning process

• New ability to communicate with people to keep them updated on the project


Thank you!

View the game:http://communityplanit.org/healthmatters

For additional questions:Justeen Hyde

[email protected]

http://communityplanit.org/healthmatters

http://communityplanit.org/healthmatters

mailto:[email protected]



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Choice Neighborhoods:Public Sector Approaches to Complete Neighborhoods


HUD’s Complete Neighborhoods Program:Choice Neighborhoods Initiative

Gayle Epp, EJP Consulting GroupJune 26, 2015

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A Little History: HOPE VI

• HUD has 15+ years experience developing mixed-income housing which leads to neighborhood revitalization

• Since 1996, awarded $6.3 billion to develop housing in 262 neighborhoods

• Produced 111,059 new and rehabbed units of which 50% served public housing-assisted families

• Key outcomes: – Quality, ‘green’ housing

– Residents’ quality of life improved

– Built development capacity of PHAs and their partners

– Neighborhood conditions improved


Choice Neighborhoods Initiative

• HUD initiative that focuses on the comprehensive transformation of distressed housing, residents and the surrounding neighborhood

• Key requirements: One-for-one replacement Mixed-income community Residents right of return Comprehensive network of services Improved educational outcomes for all ages Resident and community engagement Experienced partners to ensure timely and

effective implementation Goal: Long-term sustainability


CNI: 3 Core Goals• Housing: Transform distressed public and

assisted housing into energy efficient, mixed-income housing that is physically and financially viable over the long-term

• People: Support positive outcomes for families in the targeted development and neighborhood, particularly outcomes related to health, safety, employment, and education

• Neighborhoods: Transform neighborhoods of poverty into viable, mixed-income neighborhoods with access to well-functioning services, schools and education programs, public assets, public transportation and improved access to jobs


South Norwalk, CT CN Effort

2010 CN Planning Grant (2 years) • Undertake detailed needs assessments• Establish vision, goals and objectives for:

Neighborhood, Housing, People, Education• Develop strategies (research-based) and

identify partners to address prioritized needs • Prepare implementation plan: what, how,

when, partners and resources 2013 CN Implementation Grant

award (6 years)


South Norwalk Neighborhood


CN Program Components

Neighborhood Housing People/Education

Coordination (CN office for all staff) and Transparency (annual public data summit)


PEOPLE InitiativesVision for People: Create opportunities for families to increase economic self-sufficiency and thrive

• Individualized case management system coordinated with existing service providers

• Employment, training and asset building opportunities through a robust Sec 3 and other workforce programs

• Health and wellness programs• Education and developmental

programs for children from cradle to college/career



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Housing Program

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Income MixIncome Target

Unit Type No. % AMI*Public Housing 136 50% 0% - 50% AMITax Credit 67 25% 50% - 60% AMIMarket-rate units 70 25% unrestrictedTotal 273 100%*2014 Area Median Income for Norwalk is $125,100 (Family of Four)

Proposed Units

• Resource Center and Tenant Amenity Space


On- and Off-site Housing

Vacant city lots

Washington Village

S. Norwalk Train Station

SONO


South NorwalkNeighborhood

Vision for Neighborhood: Capitalize upon the assets of the neighborhood to transform it into a socially and economically diverse community of choice



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• Steering Committee • Surveys

⁻ Targeted housing residents⁻ Neighborhood residents

• Task Forces (topic specific)• Focus groups• Housing residents meetings (capacity building;

relocation)• Youth engagement (photo exhibit)• Community-wide information fairs/design

charrettes• Public hearings• Dissemination: websites, newsletters, social

media

Community Engagement Methods



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Selected NEIGHBORHOOD Outcomes Storm-resilient approaches implemented for all new

development Reduction in Part I violent crime rate per 1,000

residents Increase in percentage of residents who report

feeling safe in their neighborhood Sustainability of Neighborhood Crime Watch Increase number of affordable housing opportunities Improve unemployment rate for South Norwalk

residents Increase median family income in South Norwalk Increase in number of business permits issued Increase in value of building improvements Reduction in retail/commercial vacancy rates Increase in retail/commercial sales



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Complete Neighborhoods:Private Sector Approaches


Boston – A City of Neighborhoods

• Appropriate context for exploring the structure of neighborhoods

• Compactness and walkability is common among all neighborhoods

• Unique characteristic of Boston relative to other cities



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Fairmount Indigo Transit Corridor

• 9.2 mile MBTA Commuter Rail

• Travels through Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan and Hyde Park

• 122,000 people within ½ mile walk of stops between Newmarket and Readville

• 1/6th of the population of the City of Boston



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Newmarket Station – Open Fairmount Indigo Corridor

Image Source: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority



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Four Corners/Geneva Station – Open Fairmount Indigo Corridor




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Talbot Avenue Station – Open

Fairmount Indigo Corridor




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Fairmount Indigo Neighborhoods• An extensive and

ongoing process with many partners:• City of Boston (BRA, DND,

BTD, PWD)• Metropolitan Area Planning

Council• The Boston Foundation• The Garfield Foundation• Fairmount Indigo CDC

Collaborative• Community Development

Corporations• Choice Neighborhoods

Initiative• (6) Main Streets

Organizations• Many others ….



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CorridorCity Context Station Areas

• Guide physical and economic development

• Encourage sustainable growth and transit-oriented development (TOD)

• Limit displacement of existing residents and businesses

• Incorporate existing planning initiatives (City-led and Community-based) into one vision for the future

Fairmount Indigo Planning Initiative



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Complete Neighborhoods• Topic Areas established to plan for Complete

Neighborhoods• Prosperity• Home• Place• Getting Around• Parks and Public Space• Quality of Life

• Informed by the planning process and community involvement, origins in the idea of an “urban village”



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Land Use Connecting Transit Public Amenities




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Median Income Residential Density Open Space




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Prosperity

Image Source: Upham’s Corner Station Area Plan

• Neighborhood planning explore redevelopment opportunities

Image Source: Upham’s Corner Main Street

• Main Street districts - local-serving and neighborhood destination

• Community-led business district planning



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Prosperity

Image Source: Cropcircle Kitchen (cckpearl.squarespace.com)

• Building opportunity, wealth creation and entrepreneurship in the neighborhood

• Pearl Food Production Facility, Dorchester Bay EDC and Cropcircle Kitchen (36k SF)

• Local resident and artist participation



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Housing

Image Source: Fairmount Collaborative, CSNDC

• Infill redevelopment, community development corporations• City disposition of land – Department of Neighborhood

Development• Sustainable real estate development, LEED Neighborhood

Development (ND)• Mixed-use with affordable rental units• Housing displacement prevention



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Place

Image Source: “Do you see yourself in Upham’s Corner?” A Case Study of Belonging, Dis-Belonging and the Upham’s Corner ArtPlace Initiative

• ArtPlace – creative placemaking• Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI), The Boston

Foundation (TBF)• “Public Kitchen” brings passer-by together• Public art commission – the UpTruck



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Getting Around

Image Source: MyDorchester.org, Mattapan Food & Fitness CoalitionImage Source: Boston.com

• “Mobility Hubs” - transit connections, multi-modal considerations

• Overall Boston has a Walk Score of 80 (out of 100)• Most errands can be accomplished on foot• Walkable amenities, parks and services• Streetscape, public realm and walkability investments• City of Boston, Public Works



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Parks and Public Space

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons Image Source: City Growers, Boston.com

• Creative use of open space• Public art programs, Pop-up events and programs• Activation of vacant lots• Fairmount Greenway connections, Urban agriculture



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Quality of Life

Image Source: Metal Sales

• Services and convenience• Gathering and community space• Art and gallery space



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Station Gateways = Amenity Centers with Placemaking Components

Education/training place and programs

Health care facilities and programs

Convenient service establishments

Mobility hubs

Food choice and quality

Open space amenities

Housing choice

Quality of Life



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Quality of Life

Image Source: Boston.com, Dorchester Reporter

• Community Health Centers• Branch bank, pharmacy, health services, community

rooms, recreation centers• Public/private partnerships with many partners

Image Source: Upham’s Corner News



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Complete Neighborhoods• Connecting the

Fairmount Indigo Corridor as a series of linked neighborhoods and assets

• Representative of a continuum evolving toward becoming Complete Neighborhoods

• Understanding the consistencies and diversity of the places is critical in filling the gaps

• Not an evolution toward homogeneity



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Interactive Exercise:Building a Complete Neighborhood



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Exercise: Building a Complete Neighborhood

• Quick, small group discussion• Consider your neighborhood role• From the perspective of your role:

What would make your neighborhood more complete?



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Exercise: Building a Complete Neighborhood

• Neighborhood context:

CONTEXT 1:• Established

neighborhood• More urban

context• Some historic

homes• Some uses other

than residential

• Diverse community

CONTEXT 2:• Newer

neighborhood• Suburban

context• Relatively new

construction• Predominantly

residential• Somewhat

diverse community



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Open Discussion:Q&A and Wrap-up



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Image Source: Local Initiatives Support Corporation

Closing: Complete Neighborhoods• Working Definition:

Complete Neighborhoods are places where resident and business needs for work, living, gathering, recreation and health can be met within a comfortable walking distance. A complete neighborhood is diverse, healthy and prosperous and includes:• Neighborhood Center

• Orientation to Transit• Walkability

• Density• Mixed-uses• Mixed-incomes



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Closing: Complete Neighborhoods

Image Source: Boston.com

• Role of planning in continuing the evolution to complete neighborhoods

• Many viewpoints, dimensions and partners• Complete neighborhoods require comprehensive involvement,

activity and participation and a holistic approach• Private, public, resident, business, visitor



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Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Closing: Complete Neighborhoods• Evolution to Complete Neighborhoods is:

• Comprehensive • Incremental• Transformational

complete neighborhoods: exploring holistic community planning

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