A few things to know this week: September 18, 2020
Happy Friday, friends! Every week we collect some of the best things that members of our Verdunity team read, watched, or listened to over the course of the week—plus anything new from us.
This week on the Go Cultivate! podcast:
In this episode, Kevin and his guests discuss Smart Growth America's fiscal sustainability research and its implications for communities of all sizes, as well as some things the group would like to see all levels of government doing differently to build a stronger foundation for the communities of tomorrow.
This week’s things to know:
The myth of pedestrian infrastructure in a world of cars (City Observatory)
“One of the biggest lies in transportation planning is calling something ‘multi-modal.’ When somebody tells you a project is ‘multi-modal,’ you can safely bet that it's really for cars and trucks with some decorative frills appended for bikes and pedestrians.” Joe Cortright doesn’t waste any time getting to his point in this short piece. And it’s a point that rings sadly true across the continent. “In a place that’s hospitable to people and walking pedestrians don’t need separate ‘infrastructure’—they can use the streets as a place to walk.” Instead, “real pedestrian infrastructure is about a dense, mixed-use area that shuns or at least slows private automobiles.” – Jordan
Book: The Art of Community: Seven Principles for Belonging
I'm not entirely sure whether it was Charles Vogl's eloquence in describing a "hunger for connection and community" during the single most isolating time I've experienced in my life thus far due to COVID, or my desire to continue to uncover why so-called "engagement" fails so frequently, that led me to purchase this book. Either way, I blew through it in two nights. The idea of how to create belonging made for a fascinating read and caused me to think much more about what may be missing in our traditional approaches. Perhaps an understanding of those dynamics can make us better communicators and listeners when we're working in neighborhoods. Vogl's seven principles for belonging, and the worksheets he provides, are invaluable. As he writes, "Mature and strong communities give members opportunities to learn how to succeed in some way." How are we giving opportunities to residents so that they can learn how to succeed? It made me think of the Eleanor Roosevelt quote, "For our own success to be real, it must contribute to the success of others." Here’s a link to Vogl's talk at Google, if you'd rather have a condensed version. – AJ
Why Do Low-Income Residents Oppose Development Even When Displacement Risk Is Low? (Shelterforce)
Do you enjoy these weekly roundups? (Why wouldn’t you?) You can get them sent straight to your email inbox every Friday, if you’re into that.
This article is an excellent addition to the broader discussion on gentrification, taking a closer look at how residents are excluded from new development in ways that go above and beyond displacement. This view is perfectly summed up by one Camden resident’s commentary: “They’re not building it for us.” Traditional gentrification narratives center on displacement due to increased cost of living. This piece centers the discussion on a different (though not unrelated) problem: excluding residents from participating in what happens in their own community. “Residents internalize the signals that development is not for them.” But recognizing that development decisions can create and reinforce what Elijah Anderson terms “white space” should also equip us with the consciousness and practical means to address community concerns about development in neighborhoods. There is no reason municipal leaders, planners, and developers can’t “intentionally include residents through design, choice of business, and choice of facilities.” – Jordan
What makes a child-friendly city? Redesigning safer and healthier urban spaces for young people (Child in the City)
How to design stimulating cities for children (Rethinking the Future)
How often do we focus on the issues and cities we are leaving for future generations to manage? Not often enough. If you're looking for a way to tie a "today" decision to their future, this piece by CityFix provides lots of food for thought. It's rare to not see a shift in someone's perspective when we transition from talking about what projects to fund, to talking about what practices create better cities for future generations, a very personal and emotional perspective. The accompanying read provides plenty of ways to involved children in the process of tackling design issues and making decisions about streets. My favorite tip emphasizes the differences in eye level and cognitive abilities between children and adults - both of which we should be creating communities for. – AJ
Creative Placemaking through 'Yarnbombing' with Charmel Lester (Re:Form Shreveport)
This week on the ReForm Shreveport blog, I had a chance to share a video about a grassroots creative placemaking project going on in Shreveport. Charmel Lester, a lab technician, has taken her crocheting hobby public through 'yarnbombing', where she crochets around trees, parking meters, and signs in Shreveport. It's a great example of how every citizen can be involved in cultivating better communities, even in a small way; city leaders should be doing everything they can to support and celebrate these cultivators in their community. – Tim
Whose Public? Questions of Spatial Justice in a Time of Public Breaking (MAPC)
A great three-part resource from the Boston area on the pursuit of spatial justice and the practical role of planners, municipal staff, artists, activists, and others in changing the ways we approach public space—to make it truly public. “At times like this, the slow work of building connections and trust feels both vital and incommensurate. Ideas of “placemaking” sound quaint in the face of such aggressive place-breaking.” – Jordan
Here's the standard disclaimer: We always encourage our team members to freely share their thoughts and opinions, both in these newsletters and elsewhere. Given that, opinions expressed by any one member do not necessarily represent the views of the company as a whole.
Don’t miss out on our upcoming (virtual) events!
TML Annual Conference (October 14–16)
Kevin, AJ, and Monte Anderson will be presenting on "Cultivating Vibrant Communities and Local Economies with the Resources You Have."
APA Virtual Cross-Chapter Collaborative (October 5–9)
Kevin presenting with Tom Yantis (Asst. City Manager & Director of Development Services at City of Taylor, TX) on "The Economics of Land Use."
AJ will cohost a discussion titled “Taking Action to Minimize Unconscious Bias” and will be a panelist on the “Brainstorming Public Engagement – Diversity & Inclusion” interactive session.
Texas Downtown Association Conference (November 9–12)
Kevin will be presenting on "Bridging the Resource Gap: Cultivating Strong Communities with the Resources You Have."
Want to learn more about how fiscal analysis can help you make your city stronger financially?
We created a new sister website showcasing how we use math, maps, and money to help cities communicate your resource gap and explore ways to increase tax revenue and improve service efficiency without necessarily raising taxes.
