Sustainable Seattle

Creating Healthy Neighborhoods: Creating Healthy Neighborhoods: Building Blocks for Vibrant Cities Building Blocks for Vibrant Cities

and Beyondand Beyond

Presenters:Presenters:Deborah Kuznitz, Sustainable Urban Deborah Kuznitz, Sustainable Urban Neighborhoods Initiative (SUNI) Neighborhoods Initiative (SUNI) Program ManagerProgram Manager

Nubia Lopez,Nubia Lopez, Sustainable Urban Sustainable Urban Neighborhoods Initiative (SUNI)Neighborhoods Initiative (SUNI)Program AssociateProgram Associate

Sustainable Seattle

ObjectivesObjectives Present strategies from a sustainability perspective.Present strategies from a sustainability perspective.

Importance and benefits of an asset-based approach to Importance and benefits of an asset-based approach to community building.community building.

Ways to reach underrepresented community stakeholders Ways to reach underrepresented community stakeholders through the use of technology and community relevant through the use of technology and community relevant (and community collected) data.(and community collected) data.

To gain a better understanding of the importance of To gain a better understanding of the importance of neighborhood-scale sustainability measures and the neighborhood-scale sustainability measures and the connection to global (sustainability) goals.connection to global (sustainability) goals.

Sustainable Seattle

What I appreciate about my What I appreciate about my neighborhood/community is .....neighborhood/community is .....

What I think could use improvement in my What I think could use improvement in my neighborhood/community is ……neighborhood/community is ……

Ice Breaker

Sustainable Seattle

Sustainable SeattleSustainable Seattle

Advances an Advances an integrated vision of integrated vision of sustainability sustainability through:through: Measuring Measuring

ProgressProgress Building Diverse Building Diverse

CoalitionsCoalitions Undertaking Key Undertaking Key

InitiativesInitiatives

Vision

Indicators

Action

Sustainable Seattle

Sustainable Urban Sustainable Urban Neighborhoods InitiativeNeighborhoods Initiative

Brings People TogetherBrings People Together

Researching Researching Conditions and Conditions and Collecting DataCollecting Data

Supporting Action and Supporting Action and ChangeChange

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Participating Neighborhoods

• East Ballard• Chinatown-

International District• Greenwood &

Phinney RidgeW E

N

S

Sustainable Seattle

Street-Level Surveys: ComNETSM

• A comprehensive program A comprehensive program using specially programmed using specially programmed handheld computers to track handheld computers to track street-level deficits (problems) street-level deficits (problems) & assets (strengths) & assets (strengths)

• Conditions found are linked to Conditions found are linked to either the affiliated-either the affiliated-responsible City agency or responsible City agency or community organizationcommunity organization

• Reports and pictures are Reports and pictures are produced easilyproduced easily

• Community representatives Community representatives can establish a baseline and can establish a baseline and track how conditions change track how conditions change over timeover time

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Citizens

Observe conditions

Track conditions using indicators

Communicate priorities & findings

Citizens & government act to address concerns

Identify priorities

Positively impact Neighborhoods

Street-Level Surveys

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East Ballard: VisioningEast Ballard: Visioning• Joined SUNI

partnership in 2nd Year

• Unique: No commercial district, subset of larger neighborhood, challenging mixed use/transportation challenges

• Objective: To inventory/document attributes and deficits

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East Ballard’s 14East Ballard’s 14thth Avenue Avenue Visioning ProjectVisioning Project

• Community Goal: To collaborate with community and businesses, to create a vision for 14th Avenue.

• Outcomes: Create more pedestrian and bicycle friendly atmosphere, more open space, sustainable water filtration for runoff to canal, slow down traffic, preserve industry.

• Partnership highlighted problems (sidewalk problems, litter, illegal dumping, overnight parking) and potential attributes.

http://www.14avenw.org/index.html

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Planning: Chinatown-International District

• Partnership with the International District Housing Alliance

• Population: 2,702• 50% or more API• 50% live below poverty

line • Urban Center, located

between two federal highways, next to two large sports stadiums, elderly population

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Community Perspectives Project & EPA CARE I

Goals: Collect built environment assets and deficits and toxic related data

Accomplishments: Data collection activities (years 2003-2007); Trend analysis, helped community establish priorities and get attention from City

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Action: Greenwood & Phinney Action: Greenwood & Phinney RidgeRidge

• Two Neighborhoods- Residential Urban Center

• Population 2,308• Median Income:

$46,621• 18.8% non-white;

7.4% Hispanic/Latino

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Applying Indicators to Action: Free the Trees/Save our Roots

Indicator: # of trees overgrowing tree pits;

• Used to establish priority, attention from city, grant proposal.

Improvement Strategy:• Fix tree pits and damaged

sidewalks along Greenwood-Phinney Ridge Business District

Sustainability Improvement Outcome:

• Over 80 Trees Saved

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Successes and Challenges

Successes:Successes:• Partnering with well Partnering with well

connected groups (e.g. connected groups (e.g. language capability, cultural language capability, cultural knowledge, neighborhoods knowledge, neighborhoods history, and committed staff)history, and committed staff)

• Building strong relationships Building strong relationships with key city staffwith key city staff

• Modifying data/survey tools Modifying data/survey tools to fit needs of communitiesto fit needs of communities

• Flexibility: Including new Flexibility: Including new techniques for community techniques for community building (e.g. Asset-based building (e.g. Asset-based approach to community-approach to community-buildingbuilding)

Challenges:Challenges:• Retaining commitment of Retaining commitment of

volunteers & over long termvolunteers & over long term• Different outcomes & Different outcomes &

expectations between expectations between stakeholdersstakeholders

• Language & cultural Language & cultural differences between differences between stakeholdersstakeholders

• Complicated city processes Complicated city processes • Reaching out to Reaching out to

underrepresented groups underrepresented groups with limited Internet accesswith limited Internet access

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ActivityActivity

Purpose: Self-organize in small groups to discuss topics of interest to you.

How It Works The Output: Improvement

Strategies and Supporting Indicators

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Framing QuestionsFraming Questionsfor Activity/Strategy Developmentfor Activity/Strategy Development

What one thing would make (your community) more livable/improve the quality of life/sustainable?

How can you make that happen? What indicators will support one

strategy?

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Local Actions, Global Sustainability

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing

that ever has."Margaret Mead

Visioning Planning Actions

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Questions?Questions?

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Thank you for coming!

Contact Information:

www.sustainableseattle.org/Programs/SUNI• Deborah Kuznitz (206) 357-5433, deborah@sustainableseattle.org• Nubia Lopez (206) 622-3522, nubia@sustainableseattle.org

Resources Information:

• 14th Avenue Visioning Project: http://www.14avenw.org/index.html

• International District Housing Alliance: http://www.apialliance.org/idha/

• The Fund for the City of New York/Center for Municipal Government Performance: http://www.fcny.org/portal.php/govt/cmgp/comnetsm/

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