Social Impact

Community revitalization is hard to get right. See how it can succeed.

EconLearnerBy 144 Comments8 Mins Read
Community Revitalization Is Hard To Get Right. See How It

The goals of these initiatives are usually quite clear: affordable housing, good education, public safety, commercial development and sustainable development. The challenge is how to achieve those goals without displacing residents or compromising a neighborhood’s traditional identity — a challenge shared by city officials, real estate developers and community organizers.

“It’s always a balance,” he says William Townsadjunct professor of social impact at Kellogg and President of the National Market for Community Revitalization and Public Housing for Gorman & Company, a national development firm focused on community revitalization.

Towns works with city housing authorities, community leaders and city officials to develop plans to redevelop communities using innovative financing tools such as “Opportunity Zones”, where companies have a tax incentive to expand commercial activities and programs, including the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Rental Assistance Demonstration program, which is designed to address the issue of aging public housing infrastructure.

But redeveloping a community is easier said than done, he says.

“One of the biggest challenges I’ve noticed is a community’s fear of gentrification,” Towns says. “People rightly want better housing stock, improved schools, new retail amenities, safer neighborhoods and stronger public transport links, but they don’t want anyone else to know.”

Towns identifies three tips to make these initiatives more successful.

Listen to the community

Community reinvestment works best when new projects actually respond to the wishes of the community itself. This means engaging them in a transparent dialogue even before the formal planning process begins.

“The basic amenities that people want are pretty universal, but each community has its own priorities and ideals for how those amenities should be provided, so the process has to be collaborative,” says Towns. “It’s never top-down. You rarely tell the community anything they don’t already know, so dictating what should happen is often seen as insulting and—at best—a waste of time. If the community doesn’t feel like they’re part of the process, they’ll reject even a necessary amenity.”

Ultimately, it is the people who live in the neighborhood who decide what amenities and services they are interested in and what kinds of businesses to support. Without community support, businesses or homes will fail.

So the job of anyone facilitating investment—whether they’re a city official, developer, or community organizer—is to translate community priorities into the language of development and policy. Part of this translation requires addressing and mediating between different interest groups.

Take the redevelopment of Grove Parc Plaza. Originally built in the late 1960s to serve low-income residents of Chicago’s Woodlawn community, by the turn of the century, the development was in such poor shape that HUD considered closing it before the Preservation of Affordable Housing, a non non-profit organization based in Boston. was selected to redesign the project. The development had design flaws and concentrated poverty and was seen as a barrier to investment in the neighborhood, which created a spiral of disinvestment and an increase in crime.

Through a long series of community listening sessions, which did not start smoothly, Grove Parc was able to begin its transformation to incorporate new and renovated mixed-income housing, as well as the community’s first new full-service grocery store in 40 years. This has contributed to the development of a healthier mixed-use and mixed-income community.

“If they listen carefully, take notes, and remain empathetic, community developers and policymakers will be able to understand the underlying issues and desires,” says Towns. “For some projects, these conversations can come across as a lot of anger, frustration and confusion. But in all this, there are bits of truth. The challenge is to cut through it all and help the community refine the message. Because it has to come from them.”

Respect the ecosystem

Too often, well-intentioned organizations and city officials try to jump-start development by focusing efforts too narrowly on one aspect of a community. But when organizations plan reconfiguration items in relative isolation, the item itself may succeed, but the community may see little change from the current situation.

If, for example, an initiative invests heavily in the development of affordable housing in a community suffering from high crime, poorly prepared schools, and a lack of amenities, without a plan to address these issues, the housing initiative will not revitalize the community.

“You have to be able to see the entire ecosystem as you design,” says Towns.

The challenge for community leaders, of course, is to balance a holistic approach, which addresses the entire ecosystem, with the reality of limited resources and competing priorities.

“The key here is to understand that even a lack of resources—or competing priorities—do not prevent you from showing the market that there is a clear and thoughtful plan to address the other areas of concern,” says Towns. “Residents, investors, business owners and future community members need to be able to see how ecosystem issues are addressed, because people rarely decide where to live based on one thing.”

Thinking holistically about revitalization also involves addressing the displacement caused by rapid gentrification. In Pilsen, Chicago’s first Latino community, property taxes rose as wealthier residents moved in, making it difficult for owners and renters to stay long-term. Or consider West Philadelphia. When the The University of Pennsylvania invested in public secondary schools in that neighborhood—after working with local authorities to assess community needs—the area became so popular that it honored the legacy residents who had sought out the schools in the first place.

“The community needs to understand that we live in real time and that these things are fluid,” says Towns. “The goal is to come up with plans combined with policies that enhance community goals while mitigating the unintended consequences of necessary investments.”

There are many tools that have been developed to help deal with the unintended consequences of the intentional act of community regeneration. One such tool is the Anti-Displacement and Gentrification Toolkit Project developed by the Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning at Portland State University. The primary goal of the project is to create a pool of resources for use by local governments to mitigate the effects of gentrification and displacement.

Another popular solution to the displacement problem is to use community land trusts. These non-profit organizations own land on behalf of the community, often subsidizing home purchase prices in exchange for limiting future sales prices of the same homes as a way of discouraging speculative buyers. Trusts can also act as managers of community gardens, civic buildings and other public spaces. The Chicago Housingfor example, it works with city planners, community groups and private developers to provide long-term affordable housing options to all residents.

“Whatever mitigation strategies a community ultimately lands on should be incorporated into the overall planning process,” says Towns.

Keep the momentum going

Public and private sector developments that include retail corridors generally exist in distressed markets. This makes it vital that planners, investors and residents see the project as having the potential to succeed – and work to keep the momentum going.

A single initiative to develop new housing or safe roads is rarely enough to spur much additional investment.

“It’s not just one problem,” Towns says. “It’s great when the prodigal returns to a community and gives back to the neighborhood. But how can this investment be leveraged with other existing initiatives—or should we create new ones—to take advantage of the current situation? An announcement is not the end but merely the beginning.”

This is one reason why large institutions tend to play a large role in building trust for neighborhood revitalization projects. If, for example, a large company or university decides to expand into a disinvested community, others are more inclined to follow, helping the project achieve critical mass.

“Larger institutions tend to create clustering effects that can foster new growth and send a strong message to the market,” says Towns. The Obama Presidential Center is a recent example of this in Chicago. “Given the historic nature of the Obama presidency, the center has the potential to attract a global audience of hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, spurring the need for new restaurants, gift shops and tour companies in the community, as well as new purchase rates and affordable housing.” .

But it’s also important to ensure that a development’s new businesses stay open. Ultimately, this means community members must patronize the new shops and restaurants.

“I often say to community groups, ‘If you say these are the amenities you want, then it’s imperative that you support them,'” says Towns. “In an established neighborhood, a storefront might change every six months, as the demand for retail space is high. But in disinvested neighborhoods, when a store closes, it can be ten years before another business comes back.”

That, in turn, reinforces Towns’ original point about investors doing their homework to ensure they’re creating amenities the community wants to support. Getting this part wrong can torpedo the entire resuscitation effort.

“There’s no bigger setback to an underinvested community than a new business going out of business,” Towns says. “The market looks at these signals and may decide, ‘This is an area that cannot support a business.’

nguyenthomas2708

Related Posts

View 144 Comments

144 Comments

  4. Mike Erickson
    Mike Erickson on

    This service is perfect for boosting your local business’ visibility on the map in a specific location.

    We provide Google Maps listing management, optimization, and promotion services that cover everything needed to rank in the Google 3-Pack.

    More info:
    https://www.speed-seo.net/ranking-in-the-maps-means-sales/

    Thanks and Regards
    Mike Erickson

    PS: Want a ONE-TIME comprehensive local plan that covers everything?
    https://www.speed-seo.net/product/local-seo-bundle/

    Reply
  5. Mike Oldridge
    Mike Oldridge on

    Hi there,

    I have reviewed your domain in MOZ and have observed that you may benefit from an increase in authority.

    Our solution guarantees you a high-quality domain authority score within a period of three months. This will increase your organic visibility and strengthen your website authority, thus making it stronger against Google updates.

    Check out our deals for more details.
    https://www.monkeydigital.co/domain-authority-plan/

    NEW: Ahrefs Domain Rating
    https://www.monkeydigital.co/ahrefs-seo/

    Thanks and regards
    Mike Oldridge

    Reply
  7. 3D_xiel
    3D_xiel on

    Инновационные решения для вашего бизнеса
    Изготовление прототипов с помощью 3D печати металлом на заказ в Москве
    3D печать металлом на заказ в Москве https://www.3d-pechtmet.ru .

    Reply
  15. Avtoservis_uqkl
    Avtoservis_uqkl on

    Топовый автосервис для японских автомобилей в Москве, где профессионалы знают свое дело.
    Профессиональный ремонт Toyota в столице, подходит для всех моделей и годов выпуска.
    Toyota в Москве: лучший сервис по доступным ценам, ваш автомобиль заслуживает только лучшего.
    Экспресс-обслуживание Toyota в столице, комфорт и уверенность в каждой поездке.
    Индивидуальный подход к каждому клиенту в автосервисе, где ваш автомобиль находится в надежных руках.
    Профессиональный ремонт Toyota в столице, подтвержденный репутацией и довольными клиентами.
    Идеальный выбор для японских автомобилей в столице, гарантированное качество и надежность.
    Сайт Тойота центр http://www.toyota-remont.ru .

    Reply
  17. botoks_sbmr
    botoks_sbmr on

    Какие существуют аналоги ботокса? Существуют другие препараты на основе ботулотоксина, такие как Диспорт и Ксеомин, которые могут использоваться для аналогичных целей
    брови мефистофеля ботокс http://botox.b-tox.ru/ .

    Reply
  19. 3d_dxOt
    3d_dxOt on

    Потрясающий функционал 3D принтера Picaso Designer X S2, для самых требовательных пользователей.
    Современный дизайн и инновационные технологии в 3D принтере Picaso Designer X S2, который изменит ваш взгляд на создание моделей.
    Эффективный инструмент для прототипирования: 3D принтер Picaso Designer X S2, которое подарит вам новые возможности и перспективы.
    Мощный инструмент для прототипирования и дизайна: 3D принтер Picaso Designer X S2, который станет вашим незаменимым помощником в работе.
    Современное решение для быстрой и точной печати: 3D принтер Picaso Designer X S2, который поразит вас своей эффективностью и надежностью.
    Почувствуйте мощь технологии с 3D принтером Picaso Designer X S2, который отличается высоким качеством печати и точностью деталей.
    Превосходное качество и надежность с 3D принтером Picaso Designer X S2, который поможет вам воплотить ваши идеи в жизнь.
    Инновационное оборудование для прототипирования: 3D принтер Picaso Designer X S2, которое подарит вам новый уровень ваших проектов.
    Создавайте собственные шедевры с помощью 3D принтера Picaso Designer X S2, которое обеспечит вас всем необходимым для воплощения идей.
    Продуктивное решение для дизайнеров: 3D принтер Picaso Designer X S2, который не оставит вас равнодушными.
    Оптимальное решение для моделирования: 3D принтер Picaso Designer X S2, который поможет вам реализовать любые проекты.
    Превосходное качество печати и скорость работы: 3D принтер Picaso Designer X S2, которое подарит вам новый взгляд на создание моделей.
    Лучшее оборудование для моделирования: 3D принтер Picaso Designer X S2, который поможет вам воплотить свои идеи в реальность.
    Невероятные возможности для создания моделей с 3D принтером Picaso Designer X S2, который превзойдет ваши ожидания.
    Современное оборудование для дизайнеров: 3D принтер Picaso Designer X S2, которое станет вашим верным помощником в работе.
    Современное оборудование для моделирования и дизайна: 3D принтер Picaso Designer X S2, который поможет вам воплотить ваши идеи в жизнь.
    Оптимальное оборудование для прототипирования:
    picaso 3d designer x s2 https://www.aso-design2.ru .

    Reply
  20. 3d_lqSr
    3d_lqSr on

    Уникальный 3D сканер Revopoint: оценка возможностей, сравнение 3D сканеров Revopoint и других брендов, почему 3D сканер Revopoint лучше конкурентов, использование 3D сканера Revopoint в различных отраслях, новинка на рынке 3D сканеров: Revopoint Tanso S1, практические советы по использованию 3D сканера Revopoint в дизайне интерьера, 3D сканер Revopoint для профессионалов: особенности использования, популярные модели 3D сканеров от Revopoint, как быстро овладеть навыками работы с 3D сканером Revopoint, 3D сканер Revopoint: новые возможности для архитекторов, как выбрать подходящий 3D сканер для медицинских целей, новые возможности для креативных проектов благодаря 3D сканеру Revopoint, как повысить эффективность работы на стройке с 3D сканером Revopoint, 3D сканер Revopoint для промышленности: особенности применения, новые возможности для хобби и творчества с 3D сканером от Revopoint, 3D сканер Revopoint: быстро, качественно, удобно, как использовать 3D сканер для создания виртуальных миросред, как улучшить детализацию моделей с помощью 3D сканера Revopoint.
    revopoint https://vop-rewoint4.ru .

    Reply
  23. binance
    binance on

    I don’t think the title of your article matches the content lol. Just kidding, mainly because I had some doubts after reading the article.

    Reply
  24. 1win_pnKr
    1win_pnKr on

    1win – популярная онлайн казино платформа — известная платформа для азартных игр в интернете. Она предлагает широкий выбор видеослотов, настольных игр и пари на спорт в удобном интерфейсе. Бонусы за регистрацию и постоянные акции делают игровой процесс прибыльной и интересной. Безупречная работа сайта и мгновенные выплаты делают 1win оптимальным выбором для игроков. Всегда актуальное рабочее зеркало в телеграм канале – https://t.me/s/zerkalo_1win_rabochee_nasegodnya.

    Reply
  25. Chistka_vzEr
    Chistka_vzEr on

    Секреты успешной чистки кожаных изделий, для долговечности и красоты кожаной мебели.
    Чистка кожаной мебели на дому в Москве предлагает профессиональные услуги по уходу за вашей мебелью без необходимости транспортировки: https://ximchistka-kozhanoj-mebeli.ru/ .

    Reply
  26. akne_peea
    akne_peea on

    Может ли стресс вызвать акне? – Да, стресс может вызвать или усугубить акне, увеличивая производство кортизола, который стимулирует выделение кожного сала.
    Can stress cause acne? – Yes, stress can trigger or worsen acne by increasing the production of cortisol, which stimulates oil production.
    крем против акне и покраснений https://almedinfo.ru/ .

    Reply
  27. 3d_chsa
    3d_chsa on

    Ювелирный 3D принтер по выгодной цене, Выбирайте лучшие модели 3D принтеров для ювелиров, Новейшие технологии 3D печати для ювелирных мастерских, Суперпредложение: 3D печать для ювелиров, Идеальный ювелирный 3D принтер: только лучшие модели, Выбор профессионалов: 3D печать для ювелиров, Ювелирные 3D принтеры с бесплатной доставкой, Лучшие цены на ювелирные 3D принтеры, Успейте купить качественный 3D принтер для ювелиров по акции, Скидки на 3D принтеры для производства украшений, Где купить качественный 3D принтер для ювелирных изделий по выгодной цене, Новинки 3D печати для ювелиров, 3D принтеры для создания украшений: лучшие предложения, Технологии 3D печати для ювелиров: только проверенные модели, Эксклюзивные 3D принтеры для ювелиров: скидки и акции, Только у нас: ювелирные 3D принтеры по лучшим ценам, Лучшие модели 3D принтеров для ювелиров по акции.
    3д принтер ювелирный цена https://www.printerddd-yuvelirnyj3.ru/ .

    Reply
  28. 3d_zgmt
    3d_zgmt on

    3д принтеры российского производства – идеальный выбор для вас, на всю линейку.
    Доставляем 3д принтеры из России прямо к вам домой, со скоростью молнии.
    Выберите надежный 3д принтер российского производства, признано экспертами.
    Заказывайте 3д принтеры производства России без переплат, самые выгодные условия.
    Преимущества 3д принтеров отечественного производства, доказанные факты.
    3д принтеры, рекомендованные экспертами, наши рекомендации.
    Выбирайте качественные 3д принтеры российского производства, с гарантией качества.
    3д принтеры российского производства – новая эра технологий, в нашем магазине.
    3д принтеры российского производства – лучший выбор для вашего бизнеса, продукция отечественных производителей.
    3д принтер российского производства купить http://rsu-dd3print.ru .

    Reply
  38. CharlesMooro
    CharlesMooro on

    Какие виды акне существуют? – Существуют разные виды акне, включая комедоны (черные и белые угри), папулы, пустулы, узлы и кисты.
    What types of acne exist? – Different types of acne include comedones (blackheads and whiteheads), papules, pustules, nodules, and cysts.
    лечение акне на лице препараты http://www.allmedweb.ru/ .

    Reply
  40. James Seaman
    James Seaman on

    Hello!!
    My name is James Seaman, I work as the Research and Procurement Pharmacist in a pharmaceutical company. I am writing to extend a business request to you. I am looking for a trustworthy entrepreneur/individual to represent my company in sourcing some of Herbal oil basic raw materials used in the manufacturing of high-quality antiviral vaccines, cancer treatment, and other life-saving treatments. I am assuring you that good profits will be earned from the commission that will be paid to middle-person(s).
    I will provide exclusive details to you upon your acceptance.
    Contact WhatsApp: +1 (229) 443-9134
    contact by email only when you don’t have WhatsApp: jamesseaman@chemist.com
    I await your response to provide further details to you.
    Regards
    James Seaman

    Reply
  52. Adolfokar
    Adolfokar on

    Какие причины вызывают акне? – Основные причины акне включают избыточное производство кожного сала, закупорку волосяных фолликулов, бактерии и воспаление.
    What causes acne? – The main causes of acne include excess oil production, clogged hair follicles, bacteria, and inflammation.
    лечение акне при беременности https://allmed-info.ru/ .

    Reply
  73. bezopasnay_fvpa
    bezopasnay_fvpa on

    Полезные советы по безопасной химчистке мебели, которые необходимо учесть.
    Как выбрать безопасные средства для химчистки мебели, которые безопасны для здоровья.
    Экспертный подход к безопасной химчистке мебели, который гарантирует качественный результат.
    Чего следует избегать при самостоятельной химчистке, как оградить себя от неприятностей.
    Инновационные методы безопасной химчистки натуральной мебели, подкрепленные результатами исследований.
    Безопасная химчистка мебели – safe-clean-mebel.ru .

    Reply
  101. Kompaniya_llpt
    Kompaniya_llpt on

    Строительная экспертиза vs технический осмотр: в чем разница, преимущества профессиональной строительной экспертизы.
    Агентство строительной экспертизы – http://www.rabotest.ru/ .

    Reply
  136. Saffet Erdogan
    Saffet Erdogan on

    Hello friend ,

    Hope you are doing well, I am reaching out to you for assistance .

    I am facing a political witch hunt in Turkey and urgently need your help. The government has confiscated my assets and blocked my bank accounts in Turkey. However, I have €45,000,000 in my account in Germany that I need to keep safe from the Turkish government.

    I want you to assist me in safeguarding these funds until I can retrieve them after my ordeal in Turkey. In return for your help, I am willing to give you 10% of the €45,000,000 as a token of appreciation.

    If you are interested in discussing this further, please reply to my email : esaffet81@gmail.com and I will provide you with more details and instructions on how we can proceed.

    Thank you for considering my request, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

    Kind regards,

    Mr. Saffet Erdogan

    Reply

Leave A Reply