People Power: Harnessing the Grassroots

Today’s Political Context: The Public View

The other global warming

The Global Crisis in Governance

Why Americans Hate Politics

Weaker than Ever

Our democracy is…disappearing?

• Just 13% of Americans say the government can be trusted to do what is right always or most of the time. (10% say NEVER)

• Only 17% of Americans believe that big business can be trusted to do what is right always or most of the time

• 60% distrust the media

Our trust is…disappearing

No Wonder We Don’t Trust the Press

“Local leaders who need help no longer have any business traveling to Washington. The nation’s capital has become the site of photo ops, pep talks, news conferences and little else.

As Washington fades into the background, the rest of the nation is engaging in a great experiment — can a country

successfully invest in its future without the national government being a relevant player?”

– Bruce Katz, Brookings Institution

• Example: Climate Change• “Since 2009, lawmakers have proposed more than 800

pieces of legislation related to climate change. The vast majority have failed, with votes largely falling along partisan lines” (HuffPost)

politicization is a challenge

February – Providence, RI

“I wish we had a Congress that could help. We need a breakthrough.” – Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

• Global urbanization• A Housing Crisis• Rising Inequality• Climate Crisis• Global Crisis in Governance• The world needs architects. Your time is now.

Today’s issues suit you…

Every week, 1.4 million people move into cities.

Urban Design Matters more than ever

“The biggest problem is the understanding of what urban design is… the urban community has become lost in strategic planning, masterplanning, zoning and landscaping … All these have their own purposes, of course – but they don’t address the principal question, which is the relationship in a city between public space and buildable space. This is the art and science of building cities – and until we recover this basic knowledge, we will continue to make huge mistakes … Huge mistakes.” – Joan Clos, UNHABITAT

• United States National Report for Habitat III: “The United States federal system of government creates a specific context for addressing urban development and sustainability. The U.S. policy, governance and budget picture related to these issues involves every level of government; however, most planning decisions as well as the implementation of federal programs are enacted at the local and state levels… The variety of contexts and approaches provides a compelling reason to elevate voices of professionals and advocates at the local, state, and regional levels”

All Politics is Local• “If you aren’t at the table, you’re on the menu” – Mayor

Bob Buckhorn, Tampa (AIA Grassroots, 2016)• 90 percent of success is showing up• The narrow interests vs. the public interest. • P2 is an absolute gamechanger in this environment• It can easily scale upward and outward (almost every

national policy initiative begins as a local one)

Why it matters

• National League of Cities survey of U.S. Cities (2010) - 81 percent use public engagement processes "often" (60 percent) or "sometimes" (21 percent)

• American Planning Association (2012) – “More than 50 percent want to personally be involved in community planning efforts, including more than half of Democrats, Republicans, and independents as well as majorities of urban, suburban, and rural respondents.”

• Center for Public Interest Design (2013) – 75% of AIA members think that architects should advocate for underrepresented groups, engage local stakeholders in decision-making, and conserve resources.

The Data: 3 Compelling Points

What Government/Organization

s WantWhat the Public Wants

Don’t try to fool the public

Don’t Marginalize Yourself. Never Stand Alone

Rules of the Game• P2 provides a platform for you to ID your alignment with the public

interest• ID issues and develop your message by first listening

• It’s not a manipulation/persuasion game, it’s a logical extension of community aspirations

• Outcome: people want to be involved because their voice matters – you transform their role from passive consumers to advocates

• Sharing the story of good design is powerful given today’s context.

What can one person do?

Fremont Troll, Seattle

When urban democracy expands, cities flourish. The placemaking outcomes – and the impact on people – are nothing

short of remarkable.

This was a citizen idea…now it’s world famous

Grassroots gamechanger: Broadmoor

Neighborhood Call to Action

The Difference Community Makes

• 13,000 volunteers mobilized

• Revitalization Plan

• Formed CDC

• Charter School

• Education Corridor

• Passed Improvement District

• In 7 years, 85% of the 2,400 homes were rebuilt and occupied

The Difference

Community Processes Are Vehicles to Leadership

• Communities with trust issues require more intensive engagement, higher levels of involvement

Lessons Learned: Common Challenges

Myth: People are Apathetic

Truth: People are hungry for meaningful involvement

Indianapolis

Outcomes

Process Drives Advocacy

Albany, NY

“Establish a Land Bank”

1. Legislative Strategy. Determining who holds the levers of power and how you gain access to them to make your case in support of your goal.

2. Message Development and Communications. Making your case to achieve your goal.

3. Allies and Coalitions. Working with others who share similar views to achieve your goal.

4. Elections and PACs. Using the political campaign process can help you achieve your goal.

5. Organizational Growth. Planning how the campaign will help grow and strengthen your organization (i.e., the AIA).

AIA’s 5 Elements of a Campaign

The Empire State Future Coalition consists of local, regional, state, and national organizations and companies dedicated to

smart growth and sustainable development. Empire State Future and its Coalition support each other’s common missions

reciprocally; together, we are building and binding a collective effort to move smart growth ahead in New  York in leaps and

bounds.

“In an American Institute of Architects report issued for the city of

Albany by the Sustainable Design Assessment Team

in 2007, one of the primary

recommendations was creation of a land bank.”

P2 as a difference maker

Birmingham, AL - 2011

What Victory Looks Like

Strong Coalitions - Birmingham• “The coalition of communities and

organizations that have come together behind this grant is incredibly impressive. I think we all know we are working in an environment of finite resources, so from a federal standpoint it is always extraordinarily helpful to see a large commitment from the local community, the private and public sector and the region as a whole behind one project.” – Federal official

Two Year Anniversary - 2013

Public Sector Impact“A few days ago, Mayor Bell of Birmingham gave welcoming remarks at our Alabama AIA state convention, and his comments centered on this work. Wow. Mayor Bell got the message about the value of design for the public. Not only did he appreciate the outcome of the work, but he praised the impact of good design on our communities and expressed fervent appreciation of the work we architects do. We could not have written a script more complimentary. The real value of this design assistance effort is a renewed credibility of our profession and a commitment for future collaboration. These AIA dollars were a great investment.”– AIA National Board Member, 2013

Remaking Cities Congress, 2013

“Thank you and the American Institute of Architects for all you have done to help move Birmingham forward.” – Mayor William Bell

Process leads to investment• “I don’t think this is one of those

things that will sit on a shelf…this is about stimulating thought about what could happen. Above all, you have to be patient. When you see the right things coming together – and you see that in Newport – it’s cause for hope.” –Kevin Dorn, Secretary of Commerce & Community Development, State of Vermont

Endorsed by even the toughest critics

“They had ideas that we will incorporate on the waterfront and the park. We give them credit for working hard and diligently on the site. We’re going to look at it strongly and we think the job will be a tremendous success.” –Donald Trump, 1990s, following a NYC project

The citizen architect “To get to the future from where we are now, we must make room for, and nurture, what I call the “citizen architect.” What does this citizen architect look like? This person is committed to universal enfranchisement, and works to see that everyone in the community is given a meaningful stake in, and a part in directing, the future. The citizen architect is committed to seeing that, at the drafting table, the public’s hand exerts at least as much force as the developer’s or banker’s. The practice of architecture must no longer be seen as a luxury that only the wealthy can afford. The public must be a vital part of the process. Architecture is the most public of the arts. It should be collaborative.” - Ted Pappas, President of the AIA, 1988

We are…designersactivistsurbanistsvolunteers

organized by young professionalsWe are Grassroots

The Power of Citizen Architects

Urban Charrette can seem like a guerrilla movement in its

approach to influencing urban development, compared to

the usual process of meetings, hearings and deals between politicians, officials

and developers that often take place in paneled and upholstered chambers.  -83

Degrees

Creative Conversations to change the dialogue

Mobility Market

Street Design Festival

Raising the Visibility of Design

Tampa SDAT outcomes…

Bikeshare

From Parking Lots to Parks

Re-connecting to the Waterfront

Activating Public Spaces

The Value of design

Late June: Just another $820 million development

Could the next Mayor be an architect?

Imagine….What an integrated national process could do…

Through grassroots designer democracy, we have the potential to change the world from the ground up. The challenges are stark. The opportunity is clear. And it’s up to you.

A Call to Action

Thank you.joelmills@aia.org

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