Neighborhood Equity: The Role of Neighborhood-Led Plans Jennifer Rangel, MCRP Planning & Community Outreach Director Inclusive Communities Project February 9, 2021
Roadmap: About ICP Approach Definitions Neighborhood Equity Case Studies Advocacy Strategies Resources 2
About ICP: The Inclusive Communities Project (ICP) is a not-forprofit organization that works for the: Creation and maintenance of thriving racially and economically inclusive communities Expansion of fair and affordable housing opportunities for low-income families Redress for policies and practices that perpetuate the harmful effects of discrimination and segregation 3
ICP’s Approach:
Neighborhood Equity
Options
• Facilitate equity in historically redlined and underserved AND ABUSED neighborhoods
• Ensure housing voucher renters are able to access housing IN SAFE, WELL-RESOURCED, LOW POVERTY AREAS outside the inequitable racially isolated neighborhoods 4
Definitions: • Neighborhood Equity: Facilitate equity in historically redlined and underserved and abused neighborhoods. (Source: ICP) • Equity: • “Equity is a principle that calls for fairness, inclusion and justice. It can be distinguished from the principle of diversity, which is primarily about variety. Equitable policies often require concrete actions and steps beyond simply making everyone “equal before the law,” and accordingly are designed to take appropriate account of historical and contemporary injustices and unequal outcomes.” (Source: RaceForward) • Racial Equity: Race can no longer be used to predict life outcomes and outcomes for all groups are improved. (Source: Government Alliance on Race & Equity)
5
Importance of Neighborhood Equity: People’s housing experiences have/are negatively impacted by public (federal, state, local) and private processes/decisions.
Racial Segregation
Disinvestment
Discrimination
Redlining
Public and Private Exclusionary Practices
Racial Restrictive Covenants
Racial Zoning Ordinances
and more
Helpful resources: • Segregated by Design: https://vimeo.com/328684375 • The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein
6
What are some of today’s inequities? • Next are several examples of data/research that have been used to inform neighborhood equity.
7
Diversity Data Kids – Child Opportunity Index: Black and Hispanic children are highly concentrated in very low- and lowopportunity neighborhoods.
CDC 2018 Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) The social vulnerability index tells you the level of resilience of communities. Resilience from things such as natural or human created-disaster or disease outbreaks.
DANIEL & BESHARA, P.C. – Industrial Zoning in Residential Areas of Dallas: “There are numerous locations of City of Dallas single-family zoning districts [in Black and Latinx neighborhoods] located next to heavy industrial zoning districts.”
Paul Quinn College – Poisoned by Zip Code: An Assessment of Dallas’ Air Pollution Burden by Neighborhood “Some neighborhoods have higher concentrations of heavy air polluters close to residential land use areas.”
8
What are others doing in response to today’s inequities? • Next are two case studies of Black and Latinx neighborhoods using a neighborhood-led grassroots approach to address neighborhood inequities. 9
Dallas Freedmen Town: Tenth Street Historic District: Social media: @TenthStreetResidentialAssociation
• “This is one of America's rare remaining Freedmen's towns, communities built by former slaves who were emancipated.” –CNN Travel • Demolitions Endangered Historic Place (Preservation Dallas & National Trust for Historic Preservation) • Lack essential neighborhood services and resources i.e. pharmacy • Dealing with pressures of gentrification
10
Floral Farms, a Dallas Neighborhood: Social media: @NeighborsUnidos
• Neighbors United/Vecinos Unidos Residential Association • People live next door to industrial activity • Where an illegal toxic Shingle Mountain resided for several years • Lack essential neighborhood services and resources i.e. pharmacy • Dealing with pressures of industrial activity
11
Meet People Where They Are: Both neighborhoods are working on their Neighborhood-Led Land Use Plan
Meet People Where They Are Communities of Color dealing with pressures of industrial activity.
Spectrum Communities of Color dealing with pressures of gentrification. 12
The Role of Neighborhood-Led Plans Zoning & Land Use
Safety & Public Health
Walkability, Street, and Sidewalks
Historic Preservation
Parks, Open Space
and more!
It is a guide (document) that should reflect a community’s vision and priorities. That vision will inform future decisions.
Curriculum:
https://southerndallasneighborhooddefense.wordpress.com/
13
Equity in Action: Urban planning as a tool to: •
Grassroots’ Neighborhood -Led Planning
Redress for policies and practices that perpetuate the harmful effects of discrimination and segregation
“The foundation of the planning profession is to create better communities, which means clean air, clean water, decent housing, open space and recreation, safe neighborhoods, transportation options, access to employment opportunities, and good schools in every neighborhood.” (Source: APA Planning for Equity Policy Guide)
14
Voices for Opportunity Advocacy Training: • Participants: community members (renters and homeowners) and fair housing allies. • Includes: • Letter writing • Speaking at public meetings • Writing opinion pieces • Public participation processes • Social media • Building allies 15
Resources: Voices for Opportunity Resources: Advocating for Equitable Zoning in Historically Segregated Dallas Neighborhoods / Recursos de Voces por Oportunidades: Abogando por una Zonificación Equitativa en Vecindarios Históricamente Segregados en Dallas 3 English and 3 Spanish Zoning 101 Animated Videos https://vimeo.com/user53337099 Zoning 101 English guide https://www.inclusivecommunities.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ICP-Beginner-Guide-to-Zoning-101-English-FINAL.pdf Zoning 101 Spanish guide https://www.inclusivecommunities.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ICP-Beginner-Guide-to-Zoning-101-Spanish-FINAL.pdf
Neighborhood Self Defense Project: English https://southerndallasneighborhooddefense.wordpress.com/ Spanish https://proyectrodeautodefensadelvecindario.wordpress.com/
Tenth Street Historic District Neighborhood Plan Kick Off (Presentation Segment) English Session https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgF0Qp6PzvQ Spanish Session https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_WozuKqG8Q
American Planning Association (APA) Planning for Equity Guide https://planning-org-uploaded-media.s3.amazonaws.com/publication/download_pdf/Planning-for-Equity-Policy-Guide-rev.pd f 16
Jennifer Rangel, MCRP Planning & Community Outreach Director Inclusive Communities Project Email: jrangel@inclusivecommunities.net
Thank you!
ICP’s website: https://www.inclusivecommunities.net/
@ICPDallas
@InclusiveCommunitiesProject
@ICPDallasTX 17