Putting People at the Center of Built Environments: Initial Learnings and Opportunities
We’re coming to the end of year one of the cityEQ initiative and we’ve just wrapped up week nine of our current project on urban development and community engagement. As part of our initial phase of research, we traveled from our home in New York City to Louisville and Cincinnati to get to know the cities, begin to build our network, and recruit research participants. We spoke to city government, real estate developers, architecture and design firms, urban planners, community engagement specialists, and community representatives.
There’s more research to be done in the new year, but in the meantime we have a few takeaways that stuck with us:
Equitable development doesn’t just feel good — it’s good business.
In addition to the social benefit, the value of doing inclusive community engagement is equally financial. It insures against costly delays in the development process, and boosts the developer’s reputation and future prospects.
- “The key risk is neighborhood opposition that tanks your project.” — R, Senior Vice President of a global real estate research and education organization
- “The risks a developer can face are financial, the time it takes to get permits, and your reputation as a developer.” — J, urban planner
- “The biggest thing is a tool for anyone who develops to be able to calculate the risk of not doing this well. It would change the culture of developers.” — D, Founder of a community engagement consultancy
Equity is about ownership, not just access.
Physical and cultural displacement and decreased access to opportunity are central concerns in gentrifying neighborhoods. Creating ways for existing residents to own more property and influence decisions about what is built in the neighborhood is key for the equitable revitalization of disinvested communities.
- “You have to enable the community to have more ownership, make sure people can actually enjoy what happens.” —D, Director of an urban development program at a global foundation
- “The development should happen with people and not to people.”
— N, Chief Equity Officer of a policy-driven racial justice nonprofit - “To me housing is most important… not because of housing per se, but opportunity for ownership. To me the only way to avoid gentrification is for people to own stuff.” — D, Director of an urban development program at a global foundation
Development is not a four-letter word
It is a myth that all communities are completely opposed to development. Development is welcomed when it doesn’t recreate historical dynamics of disparity and displacement. People want to be able to stick around and enjoy the new opportunities, goods and services in their neighborhood.
- “We’re not going to stop the flow of capital — and we don’t want to. We just want it to be held accountable.” — J, Director of Redevelopment Strategies for an urban municipality
- “The investment ecosystem plays a role in helping to create a new community or revitalize a community.” — N, Chief Equity Officer of a policy-driven racial justice nonprofit
- “I used to be a public supporter of the project but no longer, due to unanswered questions.” — S, Community Board District Manager for an urban municipality
How might we… Create lasting relationships between existing residents and developers?
For some, development is not just about making a profit—it’s about making a positive impact.
While real estate is a business—and the economics of any development are critical to its success—there are developers and community leaders who are equally motivated by the positive change development can bring to a neighborhood, like increased economic opportunity, more affordable housing options, healthier and safer communities, and greater mobility.
- “Good real estate developers are committed to softer goals, making better communities.” — D, real estate developer, theorist, and professor
- “It was important for us not only to invest in the infrastructure but invest in the people who were going to be impacted and other developments that are coming into the community.” —V, Equitable Development Manager of a leading urban infrastructure project
- “We strive for gentrification with justice.” —L, Owner of a nonprofit social enterprise and restaurant
How might we… Appeal to developer motivations beyond money? Create shared metrics of success for both communities and developers?
Making small but visible changes sparks larger transformation in communities used to being overlooked.
Visible changes in a neglected neighborhood get developers looking where they might not have, and get communities to believe in change they might not have thought was possible. Strategically timed (and placed) development can attract new investors. Early neighborhood beautification can both attract investment and improve the quality of life for residents, laying the groundwork for revitalization.
- “Development helps us tell a new narrative about West Louisville that gets people thinking about relocating their businesses or developing new kinds of housing.” — J, Director of Redevelopment Strategies for an urban municipality
- “The Action Activities grant spurred development because potential investors could begin to see visible improvements: cleaned-up vacant lots, neighborhood beautification.” — G, Director of an urban municipality’s economic development department
- “We focus on River and Main Streets to have visual effect and show residents that something is happening.” — S, Managing Director of a neighborhood real estate development and investment group
How might we… Use visible change to turn feelings of stagnation into feelings of hope?
Sustainable development is built on a solid understanding of the past.
While developers see land as a future market opportunity, for communities land also carries a shared social and cultural history. A deep understanding of both historical context and future possibilities is critical in order for development to provide real and lasting value to the people around it.
- “[That developer] is a hero in some regard, but he’s a colonizer in a lot of ways. He doesn’t understand the dynamic that he’s recreating.” — J, Director of Redevelopment Strategies for an urban municipality
- “Change moves at the speed of trust.” — N, Chief Equity Officer of a policy-driven racial justice nonprofit
- “The west side [of Louisville] would be skeptical of anything you have to offer. There’s a lot of baggage there.” — A, Principal of an architecture and urban design firm
How might we… Inspire developers to understand the historical context of communities? Empower communities to invest in their own real estate market?
When community engagement only listens for positive input, it misses critical expertise.
In the name of efficiency, community engagement is often used to validate ideas rather than encourage critical feedback. By filtering for positive affirmations, developers risk missing out on important insights. Just like architects are experts on design, and urban planners are experts on policy, communities are experts on the neighborhood and the value it has.
- “The problem with existing public processes, like town halls, are that they don’t get the right people to show up and they are not an effective means to exchange ideas.” — D, Founder of a community engagement consultancy
- “We had to find creative ways to extract positive criticism to help the design.” —A, Principal of an architecture and urban design firm
- “If you’re not making things awkward, you’re not pushing hard enough.” — D, Founder of a community engagement consultancy
How might we… Define the role of communities as indispensable experts on a development project?
For neighborhoods to truly revitalize, the who matters more than the how and the why.
A lot of revitalization efforts are being undertaken by developers incentivized by policy, or a visionary developer with money. But without community representation and an inclusive vision, even the best-laid plans can lead to gentrification and displacement. When this happens, it doesn’t feel like real revitalization or progress.
- “The same tools are at work to gentrify that are used to revitalize.” — J, Director of Redevelopment Strategies for an urban municipality
- “Our public meetings were moderated by someone who worked in the community. He was a very important part of getting public support.” — I, Deputy Director of a leading urban development project
- “If the developers have ties to the community then it kind of mitigates gentrification. You’re not gonna kick your grandmother or aunt out.” — J, Director of Redevelopment Strategies for an urban municipality
In the new year we’ll pick it up from here — continuing our next round of research in New York City, Louisville and Cincinnati to understand urban development and design tools for better community engagement. Follow this page to get updates from our journey.
