Land use strategies for minority communities, women and seniors???

[Wollongong]

Thanks to everyone who reads and replys to this message.

I am looking for land use strategies for inclusion in our NEW Comprehensive Plan for minority communities, women and seniors. I am specifically looking for non-programatic strategies, items that would encourage greater quality of life assets for the above groups and can aid in how and where they may work, shop, recreate, live and seek critical services.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Dan]

Moderator's note - replies to this message should answer the OP's inquiry, and not be intended to stir up a debate or make an ideological statement. Let's leave the opinions to Planning Polemic or one of the other forums.

Thanks.

 

[Catrin]

Dan, I am missing your concern.

Wollongong - If I read you right, you are concerned about protecting and sustaining the groups in your community that don't always keep pace with the benefits of national and state economic growth. In other words...."how can my community plan for economic success without disenfranchising those who both hung in there when times were rough, and helped make up the community's diversity?

If this is right, I think that you have hit on the topic of this century. Can sustainable be affordable? I'm not sure. Santa Fe, New Mexico tried to bring back it's middle class 3 years ago and found that once lost, it is almost impossible to bring back. So how do we plan for success and keep our values?

A Comprehensive Plan SHOULD deal with this, but few do. Instead, today's comp plans predict future growth rather than guide it. What do YOU think would work?

 

[mike gurnee]

I am working (struggling) with the same thing. We were a rather homogeneous community until beef packing plants changed our economy and ethnic make up. Had a consultant help with the comp plan public participation...told him I was very worried about tapping into the needs and desires of recent immigrants. When he tried to convince me that citizens are citizens regardless of their ethnicity, and when you get all citizens involved that will include minorities--I voided the consultant contract. (I believe statements like that are Dan's concern.) I did translate the citizen survey he devised into Spanish, but that only gets results from those with enough interest to respond. So I am still at the very basic level of finding out the interests of the rapidly growing minority groups. I am quite interested in what others have done.

 

[Wannaplan?]

mike gurnee wrote:
...I was very worried about tapping into the needs and desires of recent immigrants.

Mike: So, are you a racist?

(I think this is the type of discussion Dan is trying to avoid. [Hee hee!] Sorry.)

 

[gkmo62u]

I can only assume Dan knew this was coming.

El Guapo has started a poll and discussion in the Housing Services/Social Services forum.

gkm

 

[mike gurnee]

To Beaner and all those who need things spelled out:
"I was worried about tapping into the needs and desires of recent immigrants..." means

I was concerned that we were not going to obtain citizen input from the Hispanic population, who recently have become 40 percent of the total population (and 55% of the school population). I wanted the comp plan to ascertain if there were any differences in the needs and desires of the minority groups--and if there should be any different approaches for soliciting their input. In all my research on this community, ethnic and cultural relations stick out as a burning issue.

We did a survey devised by the consultant. We got a 40% response, which is fantastic for a mail survey. Two persons asked for a copy en Espanol, and less than five were from recent immigrants. This does not reflect the community population.

 

[el Guapo]

Mikeeeeee...

It does however reflect that particular sub-population's sense of inclusion in the workings of Good Ol' Boy Dodge does it not?

If I remember right we had a hell of a time finding Hispanic participants. When you do find them, it seems to be the same three or four people. Good people - but they represent the long time residents - not the recent arrivals. Different agendas entirely.

It seems to me that Dodge bent over backwards to be inclusive in your comp plan survey and your offer of a handshake was left dangling, out there in the air, unshaken.

Maybe some people just want to be left alone. Maybe these immigrants of yours are libertarians or even republicans?

Remember your city's shot at being an All American City? What did you tell me that day?

 

[mike gurnee]

So...let us ignore 40 percent of our population when preparing a comprehensive plan. This is my last response to this thread. I have learned to identify dead ends when I hit the brick wall.

 

[Catrin]

Cheer up.

I thought that Wollongong was looking for Comp plan formats that addressed the issues of these groups. Although the right involvement method is needed, it doesn't do much if the issues have no place in the plan.

After giving this some thought, I wonder if it's the scale which is the issue. Regional or City comp plans are great for general land use identification, areas of growth, and resource inventories...not too interesting to the average person who doesn't own the land where the next interchange is planned.

But neighborhood plans truly are a wonderful thing. They allow leadership opportunities at a scale that many more people enjoy and they bring about change which is more visible. For historic or undeserved neighborhoods, they are grant magnets. Our city does three levels of planning (pretty typical, I think) regional (yawn), city quadrant (necessary for city functions) and neighborhood. The most diverse participation happens at this level…along with the ethnic festivals, most radical education reforms, and the most organized City Council lobbyists.

We all face some type of established "good ole boy" system. Isn't it amazing that even when one dies, there's always someone right there to replace him(as it is usually a he). Where did they come from? In my community they were once the newly settled, struggling immigrants from southern Italy. Hmmmmm.

 

[gkmo62u]

Catrin's got it right. Small scale neighborhood plans could and should get to the heart of any local nuances.

 

[Cardinal]

Maybe there's a couple different groups here. No one has touched the seniors. I guess they are the easy, non-controversial group. Just put them in a Section 42 apartment building downtown or near a school or park and forget about them.

As for ethnic minorities, Wisconsin is a pretty diverse state, with only 70% of the population being of German ethnicity....

Our part of the state has had a more recent influx of Hispanic residents. I note the same issues discussed above, they tend not to be involved in the traditional social organizations of the community, even though the goals of good employment, home ownership, etc. are the same. Perhaps those are the things planning can influence. As for social interaction (assimilation?) let that happen over time. My great-grandparents and grandparents spoke German at home. Each following generation has been more typically "American."

 

[Michele Zone]

Thanks to everyone who reads and replys to this message.

I am looking for land use strategies for inclusion in our NEW Comprehensive Plan for minority communities, women and seniors. I am specifically looking for non-programatic strategies, items that would encourage greater quality of life assets for the above groups and can aid in how and where they may work, shop, recreate, live and seek critical services.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

The City Reader has an article in it titled "What would a non-sexist city be like? Speculations on housing, urban design, and human work" At the front of this article is a list of books about women and cities (I can list them, if you really want me to).

I did some research concerning public transit. The big thing that stood out in my mind is that elderly and Hispanic populations in some communities push ridership way up. I think the inverse of that idea is that good public transit design can significantly improve quality of life and access to shopping and other services for people who are too old to drive or too poor to own a car.

This was one of my sources, if you are interested:
http://transweb.sjsu.edu/publications/transitridership2/TransitRidership_7_16.htm

Anytime I take the bus, I am often the only white person on it -- or the only white person who does not qualify for the senior citizens discount. Or, if they are white, they are young women with a small child or infant and appear to be rather poor.

The other thing that comes to mind is probably a) what you are calling 'programatic' and/or b) outside of the scope of your comprehensive plan. In short, it has to do with finding alternatives to the present financing mechanism for housing in order to make alternatives to the suburban tract house financially viable. (Long story.)

So, how is that for biting off more than I can chew and possibly also sticking both feet in my mouth?

 

[jresta]

So...let us ignore 40 percent of our population when preparing a comprehensive plan. This is my last response to this thread. I have learned to identify dead ends when I hit the brick wall.

I would say that the reason they don't show up is because either they work too much and/or getting to the meetings is too difficult because of conflicts with work or childcare. I suppose if you really wanted their input you could frequent their place of employment on their lunch break, stand outside the neighborhood grocery, etc. Si no habla el español tiene a un traductor con tigo.


I think it's rather presumptious to assume that Latinos have any intention of staying in your community for an extended period of time. A lot of people don't like it here. They're out to make a few bucks and go home. So there's a good chance the 'apathy' is directly related to their intended transience.

 

[H]

I think it's rather presumptious to assume that Latinos have any intention of staying in your community for an extended period of time. A lot of people don't like it here. They're out to make a few bucks and go home. So there's a good chance the 'apathy' is directly related to their intended transience.

I agree with this statement as far as the general psyche of many Latin first gen immigrants. I think you got it. This is what many people tell them selves over and over. That way it is easier to “get through” harsh living conditions and undesirable work. Although (and I would love to see some stats if you have em) I bet the reality is many do in fact stay. So in the big picture the apathy is very harmful.