DRAFT USER PERSONAS
Jasmin, 35
Lucille, 65
Henry, 45
Victoria, 56
Neighborhood: Tremont Education: Grad. Degree Occupation: Greenspace Development Specialist
Neighborhood: Mt. Pleasant Education: High School Occupation: Retired
BIO: Grew up in Cleveland suburbs, interested in environmentalism and wants to improve the urban ecosystem while addressing systemic inequities. Wants to bring green infrastructure ideas from major cities (SF, NYC, etc) to Cleveland.
BIO: Lived in Cleveland for 40+ years and owns her own house. Raised a family who moved away and now lives alone. Wants to buy side yard in order to take care of it and cushion her property values, but apprehensive to do so because the land is in bad shape (overgrown trees, sunken basement).
Technology Vacant Land Experience
Non-Profit
CLEVLOT
City Staffperson
Darius, 19
Activist/Resident
Tiana, 28
Neighborhood: Edgewater Education: Bachelor Degree Occupation: Real Estate Development
Neighborhood: Old Brooklyn Education: Associate Degree Occupation: Clerk for Councilperson
Neighborhood: Central Education: Tri-C Student Occupation: Rec Center
BIO: Wants to do mixed-used development that includes market rate and affordable housing, preferably near transit line. From out of state originally, but has lived in the region for a decade, looking to turn cheap land into profit.
BIO: Lives in an inner ring suburb of Cleveland. Has worked at the City for more than 20 years. Goes along with the day to day on multiple tasks. Has to field many inquiries from others about status of vacant land application and availability of vacant parcels.
BIO: Grew up in neighborhood, ambitious communityoriented individual. Wants future of the neighborhood to be better. Notices a lack of spaces for young kids to play. Neighborhood has lost a number of parks and has seen more vacant lots and houses where used to be full of families.
Neighborhood: Buckeye Education: Bachelor Degree Occupation: Development Program Manager
Technology
Technology
Technology
Technology
Technology
Vacant Land Experience
Vacant Land Experience
Vacant Land Experience
Vacant Land Experience
Vacant Land Experience
Resident
Developer
CDC Staff
BIO: Search property inventories for potential parcels to buy and develop into housing, parks, etc. Contacted often by developers and residents about various projects that require vacant land. Try to tee up different property for development.
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Report Back
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Tiana, 28 CDC Staff
Neighborhood: Buckeye Education: Bachelor Degree Occupation: Development Program Manager
Technology Vacant Land Experience
Stages of Journey
Actions
Planning
Making contiguous connections for vacant land
Call Drew @ Cleveland Neighborhood Progress
BIO
GOALS
She often searches property inventories for potential parcels to buy and develop into housing, parks or other community needs. Contacted often by developers and residents about various projects that require vacant land. Her aim is to tee up different properties for development within the CDC’s service area.
• • • •
Fundraising
Looking for grant opportunities $$$
Identify vacant parcels with mapping Help residents Bring development income to community Think of potential uses prioritizing resident expressed interests
Engagement
Research owners of parcels
Meet with planning partners for tech support & planning
Organizing
Doorknocking Social media Flyering @ n’hood hubs
Construction
Create plan w/ timelines & images for engagement
Letters of support from Councilperson, res, biz, orgs
Who will manage + maintain long-term?
We need to select contractor(s)
Craft engagement plan / strategy
Programming Reach out to City Planner for input & guidance on permitting & other
Identify exist. resident project leader to support for inputs & eval
Evaluation
SWOT
Support policy resident land ownership - live on the street
Submit application for parcels
Motivated to create impactful project
Hoping to support comm. goals & get buy-in
Concept development
Intent on making change for the better for community
Let’s engage orgs + partners for programming
Thoughts
Feelings
Scope big/ small
Very Happy Satisfied Unhappy
Insights
CLEVLOT
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Lucille, 65 Resident
Neighborhood: Mount Pleasant Education: High School Degree Occupation: Retired
Technology Vacant Land Experience
Stages of Journey
BIO
GOALS
Lived in Cleveland for 40+ years and owns her own house. Raised a family who moved away and now lives alone. Wants to buy side yard in order to take care of it and cushion her property values, but apprehensive to do so because the land is in bad shape (overgrown trees, sunken basement).
• To increase land value • Gardening
Discovery
Look into soil
Communicate with neighbor?
Application Process for Land
Determine ownership (my place)
Actions
Is this land a brownfield? *soil samples*
Big task. Complicated, not intuitive.
Thoughts
Feelings
What’s the foundation made out of?
Frustration.
Side Yard Application Garden/ greenspace design
Will they deny me?
Permission: CDC, Councilperson, Planners
Waiting...
Are there any funds to build a garden, fence or plant trees?
Where can I find $?
What’s the liability?
Where is my application?
Research Looking for help to understand all that needs to be done to space & how to afford it
Ownership
Parcel application approved
Excited to own side-lot
Maintenance on her new lot.
Soil test for heavy metals & nutrients
Who can help me?
How can I access resources for testing & remediation, if needed?
Very Happy Satisfied Unhappy
Insights
CLEVLOT
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Jasmin, 35 Non-Profit
Neighborhood: Tremont Education: Graduate Degree Occupation: Greenspace Development Specialist
Technology Vacant Land Experience
Stages of Journey
Discovery
BIO
GOALS
Grew up in Cleveland suburbs, interested in environmentalism and wants to improve the urban ecosystem while addressing systemic inequities. Wants to bring green infrastructure ideas from major cities (SF, NYC, etc) to Cleveland.
• Buy vacant lots for recreational activities
Research
Figure out permits, zoning, process... research
Build connections
Door to door
Look / drive around
Be steadfast
Discover selfinterests of those in area
Survey residents about needs beyond green space
What is that used for?
What a huge project to tackle!
Proud + connected
I’m a winner not a quitter
Stand on faith...
Be the connecting factor
I’m determined
Find spaces
Actions
Fundraising
Match opportunities to org. values
Connect with other organizations & community members
Vacant Land Application
Talk to someone with experience
Submit application to own???
Bother people at City Hall (whoever you know)
Receive application response
Go in person and talk to people last minute
I’m overwhelmed
10 different applications?
Should we buy? Lease?
Be patient!
Declined permits can be frustrating and cause delays
Feelings
Thoughts Discouraged
Very Happy Satisfied Unhappy
Insights
CLEVLOT
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Henry, 45 Developer
Neighborhood: Edgewater Education: Bachelor Degree Occupation: Real Estate Development
Technology Vacant Land Experience
Stages of Journey
GOALS
From out of state originally, but has lived in the region for a decade. Financial ambition is to find cheap land and turn it into profit. Wants to assemble property for mixed-used development that includes market rate and affordable housing, preferably near transit line.
• • • •
Outreach to City
Trying to get adjacent lots Big Dev!
Actions
BIO
Research
Meet with Development Team
Biz Plan
Need to coordinate my trips to CLE w/ my project in Detroit
What’s my upfront investment?
Big ROI! Infiltrate the min market “visibility” Make a difference in the community Develop townhomes near W. 65th rapid station
Financials
Community Engagement
Receive TIF/Tax Abatement
Call CDC
Meet w/ neighbors to understand the need for type of development
Review Process
Submit Land Bank Application
Submit Plan for Redevelopment
Wants a “specific” type of tenant
Missed other opportunities
Design Review Process (through the City)
Marketing
Planning Commission approval
Marketing Plan to attract businesses & tenants
Call Councilperson
What’s my potential for volume?
Can I get a Tax Abatement?
# of touchpoints
# of opinions
Need assistance to reach potential tenants / businesses
How long / soon before we can install “coming soon” sign?
Thoughts
Feelings
Time is money.
Very Happy Satisfied Unhappy
Insights
CLEVLOT
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Darius, 19
Activist / Resident Neighborhood: Central Education: Tri-C Student Occupation: Intern at Rec Center
Technology Vacant Land Experience
Stages of Journey
BIO
GOALS
Grew up in neighborhood, ambitious community-oriented individual. Wants future of the neighborhood to be better. Notices a lack of spaces for young kids to play. Neighborhood has lost a number of parks and has seen more vacant lots and houses where used to be full of families.
• • • • •
Discovery
Programming
Research
Knows people
Survey the community
Place for children (like he had) How to bring people back to the neighborhood? Clean neighborhood w/ a lot of community care Career goals & resume builder Get community involved in the planning process so everyone is invested
Access to child power
Reach out to Tri-C Sustainability Director
Uses social media GoFundMe
Survey people w/ tech to see what people have done
Host games before final design
Actions
What level of recreation equipment? B-ball or playground
Optimistic
What are kids interested in today?
Feelings
Thoughts
Might not see barriers
Available resources in neighborhood
Becomes student at CSU
Gets frustrated & decides to lead change from the inside & join Bibb’s team
Future Leadership
Advocates enough to have formal playground built, but it is ultimately built by the City
Frustrated with the online process
Ask for forgiveness not permission?
Dir. of rec center -> Councilperson
Runs for City Council @ 25 (elected @ 35)
Brings rec center programming to the site
Access to resources i.e. SOCF
What do vacant lots look like? (dumping, debris)
Hotspot
Career Development
Impatience with how long things take
Could be happy with the outcomes
People will assume his intentions are temporary in nature
Very Happy Satisfied Unhappy
Insights
CLEVLOT
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Victoria, 56
City Staffperson Neighborhood: Old Brooklyn Education: Associate Degree Occupation: Executive Assistant for Councilperson
Technology Vacant Land Experience
Stages of Journey
Actions
BIO
GOALS
Lives in an inner ring suburb of Cleveland, but her work focuses on the Old Brooklyn neighborhood. Has worked at the City for more than 20 years. Goes along with the day to day on multiple tasks. Has to field many inquiries from others about status of vacant land application and availability of vacant parcels.
• • • •
Establish Guidelines Establish guideline priorities for VL ie: greenspace, dev., other
Inventory: Mine vs. parcels managed by my coworker
Keep spirits up Keep flow of work moving Maintain/build resident relationships Fulfill neighborhood / ward plans as determind by Council office
RESEARCH Determine if VL is for purchase or a partner project w/ City
Connect with resources available
Vacant Land Application
Research community grant opportunities
Submit to Community Development
CD reviews application for com(sp?) & if applicant taxes are current Send 1,000,000 emails Wait for replys
How can we filter my calls to maximize my time?
Steady communication
Submit application Very happy
Thoughts
Feelings
Optimistic
How to streamline process/ push to ease burden of work?
Route application to Planning, Council, CDC. 45 day review
After 45 days application is sent to Land Bank disposition commmittee
Explain possible delays at the City
# of different departments who review
Evaluation
If application is approved:
Design Review
Type of use (which application)
(For development projects only)
Automatic transfer of parcel
Process is burdensome Frustrated!
Unhappy neighbors
Lot is transfered if approved
Document & archive records & processes
Don’t discourage ideas, show applicants reality of process
Project is thriving 5-10 years later
Project successfully installed!
Can the process flow chart be on the City website?
How will my performance be measured? Resident service vs. disposition?
Very Happy Satisfied Unhappy
Insights
CLEVLOT
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