What a Block Can Teach You

READING A NEIGHBORHOOD:

WHAT A BLOCK WALK CAN TELL YOU

Course No. NR124

Presented by: Marcia Nedland

Fall Creek Consultants

NeighborWorks® Training Institute Philadelphia, PA August 18, 2010

READING A NEIGHBORHOOD: WHAT A BLOCK WALK CAN TELL YOU

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COPYRIGHT REPRINT PERMISSION

Copyright © 2008 Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation d/b/a NeighborWorks® America.

All rights reserved. Requests for permission to reproduce these course materials should be directed in writing to:

Copyright Reprint Permission

Training Division NeighborWorks® America

1325 G Street, Suite 800, Washington, DC, 20005 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 202-376-2168


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TAB 1 COURSE OVERVIEW Course Description Course Objective Core Competencies and Learning Objectives Agenda Group Participation Agreements

TAB 2 MATERIALS TAB 3 HANDOUTS TAB 4 RESOURCES

Understanding Neighborhoods Through Direct Observation: The Block Walk Technique

About the Instructor

TAB 5 ROBUST REVITALIZATION GUIDE Robust Revitalization: Connecting People, Place and

Resources for Community-Driven Neighborhood Change Robust Revitalization Process


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Part 1: COURSE OVERVIEW


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COURSE OVERVIEW

COURSE TITLE: NR124 Reading a Neighborhood: What a Block Walk Can Tell You

LENGTH OF COURSE: 1 day COURSE DESCRIPTION: Learn how to quickly analyze what’s going on in a neighborhood during a block walk. What can the housing stock and the businesses tell you? The people on the streets and the streetscape itself? Hone your observational skills and learn an organized methodology to critically examine what you see and how your assumptions can color your observations. This course includes a site visit where participants take part in a block walk, perform an analysis and discuss their findings in terms of neighborhood revitalization. Participants will take away a how-to guide for conducting a block walk in their own communities. COURSE OBJECTIVE: By the end of this course each participant will be equipped to effectively utilize the block walk technique to inform and further their neighborhood revitalization work. CORE COMPETENCIES and LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Competency 1: Participants will be equipped to identify neighborhood conditions from observable signs and analyze block walk findings.

Learning Objective 1a: By the end of the pre-walk discussion, based on small group brainstorming and class discussion, participants will understand “what a block walk can tell you”—the powerful information about a neighborhood that is available through direct observation—and will be equipped to exercise their observational skills in the class block walk.

Learning Objective 1b: By participating in the class block walk, participants will experience the block walk technique and practice their observational skills. Learning Objective 1c: By participating in the post-block walk group debriefing and discussion, participants will organize and analyze observations, feelings, perceptions, gut reactions, and preliminary conclusions from block walk participants; frame questions that need to be answered; and identify additional data needed.


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Competency 2: Participants will be equipped to explain how and why to use the block walk technique as a tool for robust revitalization and the block walk technique’s strengths and potential weaknesses.

Learning Objective 2a: By the middle of the afternoon, participants will have discussed the robust revitalization approach to neighborhoods and how and why the block walk technique can be an effective tool in the robust revitalization process. Learning Objective 2b: By the middle of the afternoon, participants will have completed an individual exercise to identify strengths and weaknesses of the block walk technique and discussed their findings in large group.

Competency 3: Participants will be equipped to organize and conduct a successful neighborhood block walk.

Learning Objective 3a: By the end of the course, through group brainstorming and discussion, participants will have identified best practices for planning a successful block walk. Learning Objective 3b: By the end of the day, working individually and then in pairs, participants will have begun to plan a block walk to inform and further their specific objectives in their revitalization work. Learning Objective 3c: By the end of the day, through group brainstorming and discussion, participants will begin to address the particular challenges of planning a successful block walk to further their revitalization work.


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AGENDA

I. Welcome and Introductions Welcome; participants’ introductions Learning objectives Agenda review and course materials review Group participation agreements

II. Understanding Neighborhoods Through Direct Observation What do you look for in a place? Framework for understanding neighborhoods Look with “fresh eyes” and an open, inquisitive mind Objectives of the block walk technique

III. Neighborhood Block Walk

Introductory discussion and instructions for block walk participants Walk itself Post-Walk debrief and discussion

IV. The Block Walk Technique as a Tool for Robust Revitalization

Robust community and neighborhood revitalization Why conduct block walks and when? Strengths and potential weaknesses

V. Organizing a Successful Block Walk: Application and Planning Step 1: Define your objective(s) for the block walk Step 2: Decide who to include Step 3: Plan the agenda and determine the format for the block walk Step 4: Pick the most informative block(s) for analysis

VI. Evaluation and Close


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GROUP PARTICIPATION AGREEMENTS

Punctuality is important to ensure that we begin and end on time. Be respectful of each others’ time and viewpoints. Please speak one at a time. Practice active listening. Agree to disagree. There are often multiple approaches to achieving the same end - no one way is

correct all the time. There is a range of ways to participate in this course. To ensure the success of this course, honesty and confidentiality MUST be

respected if a participant requests that something discussed in this room STAY in this room.

Everyone has something to contribute. We all have expertise in one area or another. We share ownership for the success of the course. Out of courtesy for everyone’s time and investment in this course, please turn

cell phones and pagers off or to the vibrate setting and take emergency calls outside of the room.

Are there any other agreements that you as a group agree should be added to assist in creating a supportive, learning atmosphere during the course? COURSE COMMITMENTS & VALUES

Be interesting. Think “outside of the box”. Actively engage in discussions. Ask questions. Seek to understand in order to be understood. Reflect on your own experiences and share them. Challenge yourself and the process. Believe that change can occur in your community.


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Part 2: MATERIALS


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Understanding Neighborhoods through Direct Observation Small Group Discussion: What do you look for in a place?


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Framework for Understanding Neighborhoods Characteristics of a Healthy Neighborhood A healthy neighborhood is

• A place where it makes economic and emotional sense for people to invest their time, money and energy, and,

• A place where neighbors successfully manage neighborhood-related issues

and neighborhood change. Five key neighborhood dynamics:

1. the neighborhood’s or community’s image

2. market forces that act on the neighborhood or community

3. the physical conditions

4. the social conditions

5. stakeholders’ ability to manage neighborhood or community issues and affairs.

The Market

Neighborhood Management

Physical

Conditions

Neighborhood

Image

Social

Conditions


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Healthy Neighborhood Outcome Areas Outcomes are a way to describe how a neighborhood looks and behaves when it is healthy. Revitalization strategies that seek to create healthy neighborhoods are focused on achieving some important outcomes in four areas. Image The neighborhood will have a positive image that attracts investment – from homebuyers, homeowners, business, and government. People will be confident in the future of the neighborhood. Market The residential and commercial real estate market will reflect this confidence. The neighborhood will make economic sense for key investors - homebuyers, homeowners, landlords, business and government – because property values will be steadily increasing. This will enable homeowners, homebuyers and landlords to carry out improvements and build assets. It will enable businesses to remain or locate in an improving neighborhood, and it will enable government to see the property value base stabilize. At the same time, the neighborhood will offer housing options for, and be attractive to, a variety of income groups. It will help neighbors who want to, stay and benefit from revitalization. Physical Conditions Physical conditions, whether residential or business, will reflect pride of ownership and a high standard of maintenance. Public infrastructure will be maintained and improved to a standard similar to neighborhoods currently viewed as better. Social Conditions Neighbors have equal access to education and other resources. Relationships among residents appear strong. People are in good health, suggesting that good nutrition, access to medical services, and regular physical activity are present. Issues of real crime and/or the perception of crime are not prevalent, suggesting that the neighborhood is stable and secure. Neighborhood Management Collective action by residents, institutions, and businesses will ensure neighborhood will compete well with other neighborhoods for resources. Residents will have the capacity to manage the day-to-day activities on their blocks. Neighbors will feel comfortable being “neighborly” – looking out for each other, getting together to work on problems, taking action to reinforce positive standards and actions, etc. Neighbors will feel safe in the neighborhood.


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Observe neighborhood “billboards”:

• People • Buildings

• Porches & Garages

• Yards & Other landscaping

• Fences

• Signage

• Mailboxes

• Recreation areas

• Streets & Sidewalks

• Alleys

• Curbs & Gutters

• Power lines

• Cars

• Bus Stops


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On these billboards, read what’s working and what’s not: • Overall look of neighborhood – aesthetically pleasing?

• Vegetation – type, amount, condition, maintenance?

• Housing stock and commercial properties – number, type, condition?

• Infrastructure (lighting, streets, sidewalks, curbs, drainage, etc.) – adequacy, condition, aesthetics?

• Parked and moving cars – number, condition, driving speeds?

• Street furniture (benches, pay phones, bus stops, etc.) – types, condition?

• Litter, trash cans, dumpsters – number, placement, condition?

• Parks, public spaces, and public institutions – types, size, condition?

• Signage – number, types, languages, condition, creative?

• Fences, security systems, bars on doors/windows – how prevalent? Are they decorative, basic, menacing?

• Adults – number, ages, gender, activities?

• Children – number, ages, gender, activities? Where can they play in the public realm?

• Animals – domestic or wild? Prevalent?

• Do I feel comfortable, safe – why or why not?

• Does it seem like residents care about the neighborhood? What makes me think that?

• What sights, smells, and noises are triggering my feelings, perceptions, gut

reactions, and preliminary conclusions? • How human-friendly is the scene? How easy to navigate is it as a pedestrian,

bicyclist, person with a disability, mother with a baby in a stroller?


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Direct observation with “fresh eyes” is key because neighborhoods reflect choices Careful observation with “fresh eyes” and an inquisitive mind is critical to understanding a neighborhood because neighborhoods literally reflect the choices of their residents and stakeholders. To understand neighborhoods you need to understand everyday dynamics. Too often we try to understand only the data, but numbers only tell part of the story and many times we don't even have the most meaningful numbers. Examples: One Midwestern neighborhood had more than fifty percent rental units, but it was almost exclusively homeowner-occupied. The duplexes not only provided quality rental options, but they also allowed the neighborhood to effectively serve extended families. Another community had three hundred rental units, but almost all were in a single housing complex. The remaining 900 households were nearly all homeowners and these homeowners were increasingly concerned about how strong new homebuyers were. To these current owners the renovation of the rental complex was desirable but not critical to the success of the community. These examples remind us that if a nonprofit or city agency intends to intervene in the dynamic system of a neighborhood, there needs to be a well-thought-out understanding of what the data really say. This goes well beyond just collecting more numbers. Indeed, one of the strongest tools for really understanding a neighborhood is direct observation. Remember that the properties (especially the houses) are often billboards describing how the neighborhood is valued. Observe with “fresh eyes” All observation is colored by the experiences, knowledge, and beliefs of the observer. Therefore, it is essential that observers do their best to look with “fresh eyes” and an open, inquisitive mind. Looking with “fresh eyes” can lead to new observations and awareness. In many ways children are the best model for this. They are always taking in information, are curious about the "why" questions, are accepting of different ways of doing things, and are open to trying new approaches. The “fresh eyes” approach asks that you step back from previous conventional ways of doing things and from long held perceptions about why things are happening in the typical neighborhood. The term “fresh eyes” is shorthand for making ourselves look at neighborhoods we have seen for years, but have stopped really looking at. Because we tend to follow the same routes year after year, we are often unaware of changes in the larger community. Since many of the well-traveled pathways are also the busiest streets and the least desirable for homeowners and stable renters, we often get a very


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distorted picture of the neighborhood. On the other hand, the process of deterioration of a group of properties can be missed if it occurs slowly over the years. Some of the best ways to practice "fresh eyes" is to select different routes of travel and different means of travel. Ask to be dropped off a few blocks from the office and walk. Take a bike to a neighborhood event and use the side streets. Park your car and walk on the sidewalk in the reverse direction to a one-way street. In all these cases, ask yourself what you are seeing. Is the picture of the neighborhood different than the one you usually hold in your mind? What makes it different? Is any of the information useful in addressing the challenges facing the neighborhood? But, people should not edit themselves either. There are no “right” or “wrong” observations. A person’s observation or preliminary conclusion about a neighborhood may turn out not to be factual. For example, a person might conclude that a neighborhood is in good condition, after observing manicured lawns and recently painted facades. But, this superficial good maintenance might camouflage many code violations. Or, a participant’s observation may be negative. But, the block walk organizer should accept all observations and conclusions, because they tell him or her how people perceive the neighborhood. Objectives of the Block Walk

The primary purpose of the block walk technique is to capture the observations, feelings, perceptions, gut reactions, and preliminary conclusions of a certain group of participants about a specific place on a specific day. Rather than thinking of the block walk as a way to learn everything about a neighborhood, we need to conceive of this tool as a methodology for framing the questions that need to be answered and identifying the data needed. Block walk organizers use this on-site process much like effective market researchers use focus groups to define questions and to clarify next steps. It’s a “focus group” on the move. Direct observation by one person is valuable, but multiple perspectives provide much more valuable results. The block walk organizer can identify clusters and patterns—areas of consensus and areas of disagreement. The organizer can identify the “facts” and conclusions where there is general consensus and the areas where participants with different perspectives have different feelings and conclusions. Shared values and standards will emerge, as well as areas where participants have different values and standards. A secondary but important objective is to provide a shared experience for participants to provide a basis for discussion, to allow for an exchange of ideas, and to facilitate community/relationship building. The block walk must be a shared experience among


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at least a few people. Block walk participants must tour the same route together—not different routes at different times.

A block walk:

• is a planned and purposeful group exercise. • involves direct observation with “fresh eyes”.

• is a shared experience that provides a basis for discussion.

• is a powerful source of primary data.


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INSTRUCTIONS FOR BLOCK WALK PARTICIPANTS

I. Logistics and Ground Rules • Walk the route marked on the map. Stay with the group. • Do not trespass. Do not enter any personal homes, even if invited. • Be discreet in recording observations; ask permission before taking photos of people.

II. Look, listen, smell—and record your observations. Put down whatever occurs to you. Possible

things to look for and consider: • Overall look of neighborhood—aesthetically pleasing? • Vegetation—type, amount, condition, maintenance • Housing stock and commercial properties—number, type, condition • Infrastructure (lighting, streets, sidewalks, curbs, drainage, etc.)—adequacy, condition,

aesthetics • Parked and moving cars—number, condition, driving speeds • Street furniture (benches, pay phones, bus stops, etc.)—types, condition • Litter, dumpsters, trash cans—number, placement, condition • Parks, public spaces, and public institutions—types, size, condition • Billboards, flyers, “For Sale” and other signs—types, languages, condition, number • Fences, security systems, bars on doors/windows—how prevalent? Decorative, basic,

menacing? • Adults—number, activities, gender, ages • Children—number, activities, ages. Where can children play in the public realm? • Animals—domestic, wild, prevalent? • How human friendly is the scene? How easy to navigate is it as a pedestrian, bicyclist,

person with a disability, parent with a baby in a stroller?

III. Record your feelings, perceptions, gut reactions, and preliminary conclusions. Questions you might want to ask yourself: • How do I feel? (Relaxed? Comfortable? Safe?) • What words would I use to describe this neighborhood to a friend? • Would I return to this neighborhood to shop and visit? • Could I envision renting or buying in the neighborhood? • Does the neighborhood seem well-maintained? • What seems to be working (and/or not working) in the neighborhood?

IV. Question your feelings, perceptions, gut reactions, and preliminary conclusions. Try to

figure out what specific sights, smells, and/or noises are causing your feelings, reactions, and conclusions. Examples: • What is it about the neighborhood that makes me feel safe/unsafe? • What signals to me that the neighborhood is well-maintained/not well-maintained? What

is my maintenance standard? • What makes me think residents care/don’t care about their neighborhood?

V. Record any questions about the neighborhood that are raised by your block walk experience. What additional data would be useful? Are there neighborhood stakeholders I would like to interview? Other information I wish I had?


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BLOCK WALK RECORDING SHEET

Observations

Feelings, Perceptions, Gut Reactions,

and Preliminary Conclusions

What other questions does what you

are seeing make you want to ask?

Other Thoughts and Notes


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Post-Walk Debrief and Discussion

Capture the full range of observations, feelings, perceptions, gut reactions, and preliminary conclusions from block walk participants. Frame questions that need to be answered. Identify data needed. Identify clusters and patterns—areas of consensus and areas of disagreement. Identify the “facts” and conclusions where there is general consensus and the areas where participants with different perspectives have different feelings and conclusions. Shared values and standards will emerge. Identify where participants have different values and standards.

Small group exercise part 1:

1. In your group, discuss your block walk experience and the questions that

occurred to group members during the walk. Using the worksheet, make a list of the questions that need to be answered and the additional data needed. Examples: “Do these residences have more code violations than the city average?” “How many residences are owner-occupied?”

2. In your group, discuss your block walk experience and make a list of direct observations and “facts” about the block walk neighborhood using the following worksheet. Examples: “Every other lot was vacant.” “Most of the houses were one-story bungalows.”

3. In your group, discuss your block walk experience and make a list of group

members’ feelings, perceptions, gut reactions, and preliminary conclusions about the block walk neighborhood, including what seems to be working and not working in that part of the neighborhood. Examples: “I felt safe.” “The park seemed to work well as a public gathering space.”

Small group exercise part 2:

1. Then, put each item from your three lists on a post-it note. Only one

fact/thought/observation to a note! (Prioritize your findings—post the most interesting, startling, and/or puzzling items first.)

2. Put each post-it note on the flipcharts, grouping the fact/thought/observation

with like items.


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Small Group Post-Walk Debrief and Discussion: List 1

In your group, discuss your block walk experience and the questions that occurred to group members during the walk. Make a list of the questions that need to be answered and the additional data needed. Examples: “Do these residences have more code violations than the city average?” “How many residences are owner-occupied?”


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In your group, discuss your block walk experience and make a list of direct observations and “facts” about the block walk neighborhood. Examples: “Every other lot was vacant.” “Most of the houses were one-story bungalows.”


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In your group, discuss your block walk experience and make a list of group members’ feelings, perceptions, gut reactions, and preliminary conclusions about the block walk neighborhood, including what seems to be working and not working in that part of the neighborhood. Examples: “I felt safe.” “The park seemed to work well as a public gathering space.”


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Full Group Discussion: “After the Walk” Analysis

• Avoid early, premature problem solving

• Identify gaps in information and data first

• Openly brainstorm and discuss potential strategies to address block walk findings

• Identify potential tools and resources to do the job Consider this: Are there predictable "next steps" that proceed from these walks and are these next steps different based on the nature of the organization, the resources, or other factors? The simple answer is that the "next steps" are hardly ever predictable. But it is also true that if the effort has been undertaken with a wide range of participants, especially partners from the larger community, the partners usually expect that appropriate programs will be tailored or created to reflect what was learned in the process. Funders are especially open to programmatic changes based on the block walk because the connection between resources, programs, and outcomes is so readily recognized.


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The Block Walk Technique as a Tool for Robust Revitalization Definition of Robust Community and Neighborhood Revitalization Robust community and neighborhood revitalization is the strategic process of transforming neighborhoods and communities that lack vitality into places of choice through collaborations of residents, organizations and other stakeholders. It flows from the recognition and understanding of the local context, and incorporates equitable principles and a comprehensive approach to foster sustainable results. These communities and neighborhoods strive to be resilient places where it makes sense for people to invest time, energy and money, where they are optimistic about their future, where they feel they have control over their surroundings and the capacity to respond to community dynamics, and where they are connected to each other and the larger region. This process addresses five key dynamics:

• the neighborhood’s or community’s image • market forces that act on the neighborhood or community • the physical conditions • the social conditions • stakeholders’ ability to manage neighborhood or community issues and

affairs.


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The Robust Revitalization Approach to Neighborhood Change [Excerpted from “Robust Revitalization: Connecting People, Place and Resources for Community-Driven Neighborhood Change,” by Katherine Bailey, AICP, Copyright©2004] Robust revitalization embodies a context-based, collaborative, comprehensive, equitable and sustainable approach to neighborhood revitalization. This approach requires broad community involvement where the success of the effort depends upon the combined investment of time, energy, creativity and resources by all the stakeholders of the neighborhood – from current residents to others who work, attend school, play, or otherwise invest in the neighborhood. The following detail describes the types of issues and dynamics at play in robust neighborhood revitalization and can be used as a framework to help anyone prepare for their own revitalization initiative or to adjust a revitalization effort in progress.

Sustainable

Collaborative

Comprehensive

Context-Based Equitable


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• Context-based:

– Neighborhood boundaries based on stakeholder consensus, history, natural and man-made features

– Revitalization best practices are used based on a series of analyses of

the neighborhood’s context

– Systems are set up to adjust the emphasis of the revitalization work, based on changes in neighborhood context

• Collaborative:

– Brings together - from the beginning - the full range of the

neighborhood’s stakeholders

– Identifies opportunities to use everyone’s talents and resources – sharing risks, work and rewards

– Ongoing community dialogue and consensus building – seeking

common ground and synergy

• Comprehensive:

– People, place, money

– Individuals, community organizations, institutions

– Public, private, nonprofit

– Neighborhood’s place in city, county, region, state, country

– Short-, mid- and long-term

– All the elements of a comp plan

• Equitable:

– Respects existing culture, values and power dynamics

– Uses democratic principles in neighborhood revitalization

– Strategies support outcome of creating a neighborhood of choice for current and future residents


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• Sustainable:

– Leadership and neighborhood management capacity-building

– Institutionalizes access and information sharing for all stakeholders

– Taps into stakeholder assets (knowledge, skills, financial/in-kind resources) on an ongoing basis

Why conduct block walks & when? • ORGANIZING & EDUCATING STAKEHOLDERS (to initiate and organize

participation; to determine initial issues; to train volunteers; to educate and recruit additional stakeholders, elected officials, funders, etc.)

• NEIGHBORHOOD UNDERSTANDING & ANALYSIS (to understand and

document existing conditions; to frame questions that need to be answered and to identify data needed)

• NEIGHBORHOOD VISIONING (to involve stakeholders in imagining “what can

be” and deciding on priorities) • OUTCOMES/GOALS (to get more information to determine desired outcomes)

• STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT (to help determine which strategies may be most

effective) • S.M.A.R.T.* OBJECTIVES (to help pinpoint which activities to program and

what measures make sense) [*Reference Douglas Smith’s book Make Success Measurable!, 1999]

• ACTION STEPS (to help determine which actions to take toward accomplishing

SMART objectives) • IMPLEMENTATION & EVALUATION (to conduct conditions surveys, to

highlight and document improvements)


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Consider this: How does on-site observation strengthen analysis if we don't know the neighborhood in advance? Rather than thinking of the block walk as a way to learn everything about a neighborhood, we need to conceive of this tool as a methodology for framing the questions that need to be answered and identifying the data needed. We live in an information age. The problem isn't finding information. The real challenge is asking the right questions and recognizing the most useful data. Most planning efforts are so sophisticated that specialized knowledge is needed and, therefore, many of our partnership board members and neighborhood residents feel alienated from the process. Moreover, large-scale data collection requires time for gathering and analyzing the information. Often the time required, coupled with the age of the data, makes the conclusions suspect in a dynamic real estate market. The on-site process attempts to address this dilemma by using a block walk much like effective market researchers use focus groups to define questions and to clarify next steps. Can a block walk effort also be used as a marketing tool by involving more people in the revitalization process? If you are serious about using a block walk as a methodology for exploring neighborhood standards, clarifying community goals and expectations, and identifying strategic options and resource needs, then this tool can be used to promote participation both by more sectors and by more individuals and could be a very powerful marketing tool. Don't confuse this process with a neighborhood tour or open house, however. This is an interactive tool which should surface new ideas and new challenges that could lead to the strengthening of the neighborhood. It could also easily expose the failure of past programs to achieve the desired outcomes. Be aware that a block walk may be more of an eye-opener to the realities – positive and negative – of the neighborhood, rather than an upbeat mobile marketing tool.


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Analysis and Critique of the Block Walk Technique: Strengths and Potential Weaknesses

Individually, think about your block walk experience today and any other block walk experiences you have had. Brainstorm and then list on flipcharts:

• Strengths of the block walk technique

• Potential weaknesses of the block walk technique


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Analysis and Critique of the Block Walk Technique: Why Block Walks Work

• Eye-opener to the realities—both positive and negative—in a neighborhood

• Inclusive—only asks for common sense and a willingness to share ideas

• Hands-on

• Visual ownership

• Change perceptions

• Develop relationships

• Help identify neighborhood’s values and standards

• Clarify individual and group perspectives

• Help individuals become aware of their assumptions about people & neighborhoods

• Identifies individual/group observations, reflections and patterns

• Allows for members of group to use imagination – “I wonder why.…”

• Helps frame questions that need to be answered and identify data needed

• Clarifies goals and expectations

• Identify strategic options and resource needs

• Can surface tensions that invite further conversation

• Group can learn more about underlying problems versus symptoms

• Good exercise (breathing and looking)


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Analysis and Critique of the Block Walk Technique: Potential Block Walk Weaknesses • Information overload

• You can’t control what’s going on in neighborhood at the time of the block walk

• You can’t always anticipate what people will focus on during and after the block

walk • Raises expectations that neighborhood improvement action will occur…and

soon • Can surface tensions that require conflict management

• People may use as evidence to solidify negative positions

• Focus on quick solutions with no/low resident or other stakeholder input

Consider this: What if the strategies that evolve from the observations discussion prove to be physically, politically or financially impossible? If this happens, thank your lucky stars that only a few blocks were involved in the process. The expectations by the participants should always be tempered by the reality that this is a test. If we were creating a neighborhood-wide strategy immediately, we would not use this methodology. But if we are open to testing ideas and challenging preconceptions, this is a great format for achieving our goal. If the resources or political will or the market place or any other factor will cause us to fail, we can hopefully avoid any similar on-going ill-conceived investments in programs in the larger neighborhood. Simply said, if an idea will fail on a typical block, why should we expect it to be an effective tool for overall revitalization of the neighborhood? Do certain kinds of neighborhoods present greater potential for pitfalls? Of course, certain neighborhoods are more complex than others. Their unique histories might be harder to discern from a block walk and the questions might be harder to identify. Many historic districts have had checkered periods of reinvestment followed by very flat real estate markets. But because many of the homeowners are passionately devoted to the cause of preservation, the ability of others to predict outcomes is limited.


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Similar passions often exist in neighborhoods that were originally built as homes for minorities, especially African-Americans. Because of a century of legal discrimination, these neighborhoods often served highly diverse economic groups. The result is that many of the current residents are investing based on a past pattern and oftentimes younger residents are following other patterns. Other obvious exceptions are neighborhoods that have had previous large-scale government interventions such as urban renewal or Model Cities programs, which profoundly distorted past investment patterns. What is important as you move from observation and analysis to visioning and strategy development is to take the neighborhood context into consideration each step of the way. Look for opportunities that are collaborative and win-win, as well as financially feasible, market-savvy, and culturally sensitive. The concepts embodied in robust revitalization can be helpful in this process.


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Organizing a Successful Block Walk: Application and Planning:

Step 1: Define your objective(s) for the block walk

A block walk is a planned and purposeful group exercise.

The block walk organizer should carefully define the objectives for the block walk and gear all decisions about the block walk to reaching those objectives.

Define your specific objectives—what are you trying to find out? From whom? About which neighborhood/sub-neighborhood? At what time? To assist in developing objectives and focusing the block walk, answer the following questions:

• Are there any decisions affecting the neighborhood that must be made soon? • Do you need general information about the neighborhood or are you especially

interested in focused observations about a particular aspect of the neighborhood (housing stock, parks and public spaces, impact of an on-going program, etc.)?

• Do you want the observations and reactions of a diverse group, or do you need

input from specific stakeholders? (You may want to hold multiple block walks.) • Do you want particular stakeholders to see for themselves what is happening in

the neighborhood? • Are there relationships that you want to foster among stakeholders?


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Organizing a Successful Block Walk: Worksheet #1—Define your objective(s) Define your specific objectives—what are you trying to find out? From whom? About which neighborhood/sub-neighborhood? At what time? To assist in developing objectives and focusing the block walk, answer the following questions:

• Are there any decisions affecting the neighborhood that must be made soon? • Do you need general information about the neighborhood or are you especially

interested in focused observations about a particular aspect of the neighborhood (housing stock, parks and public spaces, impact of an on-going program, etc.)?

• Do you want the observations and reactions of a diverse group, or do you need

input from specific stakeholders? (You may want to hold multiple block walks.) • Do you want particular stakeholders to see for themselves what is happening in

the neighborhood? • Are there relationships that you want to foster among stakeholders?

Objective(s) for my block walk:


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Step 2: Decide who to include

Participants are chosen based on the objectives for the specific block walk and the group you would like to familiarize with the neighborhood or from whom you would like to gather observations and feedback. The group could be diverse or homogeneous, depending on the objective of the block walk. Some possible block walk participants:

• Residents – adults and youth

• City or other public agency staff

• Elected and appointed officials

• Local nonprofit groups

• Potential private sector collaborators

• School officials/teachers

• Reporters

• Potential funders

One of the strengths of the block walk process is that it only asks for common sense and a willingness to share ideas. The block walk approach is freed from targeting only groups defined by income or education level and, therefore, can more easily support our democratic objectives of greater diversity and enhance our efforts to strengthen citizen participation. Block walks should be seen as inclusionary programs so that different perspectives are heard and valued. The participants should come from as many different parts of the community as possible (unless your specific objective for your walk dictates a homogeneous group). After all, all sorts of people are making choices about your neighborhood everyday. You will benefit from hearing what a diverse group of people thinks about your neighborhood. Perhaps the only limitation is on the size of the group of walkers. Generally speaking, once the group exceeds eighteen to twenty people it is too hard to include everyone's contribution. Therefore, some organizations use multiple block walks on similar but different blocks and then merge the various group responses.

Block walk objectives influence

who to include.


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Consider this: If so much of observation is about standards and behaviors, what right does any one group have to dissect the actions and values of others? In the work of neighborhood revitalization, one of the lessons we have learned repeatedly is that most of the standards and behaviors that people care deeply about (e.g., safety for our kids and ourselves, cleanliness of the yards and houses, friendliness among neighbors, responsibility to manage issues) are remarkably shared values. Of course, many of the specific ways we accomplish these things are different but the ultimate goals are shared. The block walk allows us to look at the common values, while recognizing the diverse ways we achieve the outcomes. This process helps us find appropriate and successful ways to intervene in the dynamics of the neighborhood. None of our work today is value-free, nor will any successful work be value-free in the future. How can the same block-walk presenter start as a facilitator, become a discussion leader, and transform into a teacher before again becoming a facilitator? It is a challenge, but it can be done because the group ends up directing so much of the outcomes. This process promotes the use of common sense, and thus makes possible such broad participation that the leader of the process usually will not have to take strong positions and can keep a bit of distance. Moreover, if the presenter/discussion leader/teacher is from outside the community, there is often a good deal of interest in using that person as a "devil's advocate" in surfacing new questions or making unexpected observations. The process is about ideas and accepting the viewpoints of others. As such, the individual in the front is as much a participant as anyone else.


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Organizing a Successful Block Walk: Worksheet #2—Decide who to include


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Step 3: Plan the agenda and determine the format for the block walk Generally, the basic block walk agenda should include (1) an introductory discussion, (2) the walk itself, and (3) a post-walk debriefing and discussion. 1. Introductory discussion

• Clearly and explicitly introduce the objectives of the block walk. • Clearly and succinctly explain how to read a neighborhood by observing

neighborhood “billboards” with “fresh eyes”. • Clearly explain the role of the block walk participants and what is being

asked of them. 2. The walk itself 3. Group download/debrief after the walk

• Capture full range of observations, feelings, perceptions, gut reactions, and preliminary conclusions from block walk participants.

• Identify clusters and patterns—areas of consensus and areas of disagreement. Identify the “facts” and conclusions where there is general consensus and the areas where participants with different perspectives have different feelings and conclusions. Shared values and standards will emerge. Identify where participants have different values and standards.

• Frame questions that need to be answered. • Identify data needed. • Share next steps with participants—don’t just dismiss them. Make sure

they understand that their input is valued. Possible block walk formats:

• Informal or structured • Guided or self-guided • Tools or no tools • One group or several small groups • Post walk discussion/workshop or

during walk stops/dialogue

Block walk objectives influence format.


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Possible Block walk “tools” • Camera • Video camera • Checklists • Recording forms • Sketch books • Maps • Frames • Inventory forms • List of key questions • Other?_______

Possible Block Walk Background Resources/Data • Invited experts • Maps • Guidebooks • Facts & figures • Other?_______

Consider this: How does on-site observation strengthen analysis if we don't know the neighborhood in advance? Rather than thinking of the block walk as a way to learn everything about a neighborhood, we need to conceive of this tool as a methodology for framing the questions that need to be answered and identifying the data needed. We live in an information age. The problem isn't finding information. The real challenge is asking the right questions and recognizing the most useful data. Most planning efforts are so sophisticated that specialized knowledge is needed and, therefore, many of our partnership board members and neighborhood residents feel alienated from the process. Moreover, large-scale data collection requires time for gathering and analyzing the information. Often the time required, coupled with the age of the data, makes the conclusions suspect in a dynamic real estate market. The on-site process attempts to address this dilemma by using a block walk much like effective market researchers use focus groups to define questions and to clarify next steps.

Or…

Fresh eyes only!


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What is the minimal information that makes the walk on the block more valuable? There is no hard and fast rule for the minimal information needed, but there are key pieces of information that can help the participants during and after the block walk. These pieces are:

Neighborhood homeownership rate and, if possible, location of homeownership and rental clusters and building types Ten most recent sales prices related to property types Typical costs of property improvement to homeowner standard Typical rents by unit types or monthly mortgage amounts with annual taxes Overall housing market dynamics Unique geographic features and historic characteristics of the larger neighborhood

If the real estate market is so important, shouldn't we have extensive information on competitive markets? Obviously, good information is critical for a block walk to be as effective as possible. The more we know about other neighborhoods that are competing with us for buyers and renters, the more successful we will be in delineating competitive strategies. But we need to look first at who we are and who we can be so we can better define our competitors. What a block walk can help you do is become more realistic about who and where your competition really is. For example, many of the neighborhoods we serve are quite historic, but not all historic neighborhoods were built to the same standards and, therefore, we shouldn't assume that our competition is the most elegant historic neighborhood in the city. In fact, we might have a totally different market niche among those people who are looking for an older house in a neighborhood that has extensive diversity. Is this market niche large? Probably not, but we only care if it is large enough for us to succeed in our goal of attracting enough re-investors. Similarly, some of our neighborhoods were built soon after World War II in a suburban style format. Nevertheless, these houses - often only 1100 square feet and lacking a basement - aren't really competing for suburban buyers. Rather, we will need to define a market niche among potential buyers of small (often two bedroom) houses and then determine what will "incentivize" them.


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What are some practical techniques for using the block walk effectively? During and after the walk, there are a number of techniques that can help the process work more successfully. Noted below are some of the techniques that are usually employed:

During the walk: Stream of conscious observations “How do I feel about what I see?” "Wonder why…" and other questions What’s working or not working for you? "What-if…" discussions Debrief conversation: Capturing the range of comments Identifying clusters and patterns Defining questions to be answered Determining data to be found (Note: Often there has already been some activity on the block, such as community organizing, a block project, some renovation, or the impact of a special loan. It is important to include this information to assess impact and to explore for potential leverage.)


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Organizing a Successful Block Walk: Worksheet #3—Plan the agenda and determine the format for the block walk


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Step 4: Pick the most informative block(s) for analysis The process of selecting the most informative block(s) for a block walk is far from perfect, but it can at least be understandable. A committee of neighbors and others can form a focus group to identify certain blocks in or near the neighborhood that are considered to be outstanding blocks. These are the places that people use as examples of a good place to live. The same group can also be asked to identify troubled blocks and to suggest what about those blocks makes them "at-risk" places. From this process, you should be able to begin to characterize the features of a "good" block and the weakness of a “troubled” block. With this information, it is possible to begin to define specific blocks which "represent" the typical blocks in the neighborhood. Remember, if the neighborhood has subneighborhoods, it might be necessary to select a number of blocks for the block walks. Rather than seeing this as a problem, think of it as an opportunity to also engage the leadership in recognizing the various subsets of the larger neighborhood. This should allow the organization to be able to delay serving certain areas for a while or at least to tailor specific services to different areas. Some things to consider when planning the block walk route: 1. Participants’ comfort and safety:

• Weather—Plan for the likely weather on the day of the walk. Keep the walk short if the day is likely to be hot or very cold.

• Food and drink—Make sure to bring water if the day will be hot.

• Restrooms—If the walk will be short, it is not necessary to have access to

restrooms. But, if convenient, it is nice if the route can include a public building that will be open during the walk, so that participants could use the restrooms if necessary.

• Accessibility—Make sure to accommodate those with mobility impairments

or physical limitations.

• Travel to and from the walk site—Plan for transportation for participants to and from the walk site. Bus—public or private? Car? Parking? Public transportation?

• Safety—Should police or health personnel be included?


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2. The walk should:

• be 4-8 blocks long. • take about 1/2 hour to walk—not more than an hour.

• be a loop, so that the group does not retrace any ground, so the group ends

up back at the starting location, and so people can cut back to the beginning to shorten the walk if necessary.

3. Try to include along your route:

• at least several blocks of residential neighborhood (preferably a mix of housing types and conditions).

• a block or two of retail/commercial. • a couple of significant public areas/neighborhood amenities/significant

buildings or institutions (park, community center, school, statue/public art, church/house of worship, etc.).


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Organizing a Successful Block Walk: Worksheet #4—Pick the most informative block(s) for analysis


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Part 3: HANDOUTS


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Part 4: RESOURCES


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UNDERSTANDING NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH DIRECT OBSERVATION: THE BLOCK WALK TECHNIQUE Neighborhoods are dynamic, complex systems which reflect countless decisions around household investments of all types including individual effort, household dollars and time commitment by members of the households, etc. Neighborhoods are the sum of human choices and revitalization of any neighborhood requires actions which support choices that strengthen the neighborhood. A central premise of the robust revitalization series of courses of the NeighborWorks® Training Institute is that choices - especially choices around the housing market and choices regarding personal involvement in the neighborhood - are keys to understanding and to influencing neighborhood revitalization. The primary focus is on the health of the neighborhood as a place where people want to be and want to invest their dollars and themselves. Moreover, this approach is freed from targeting only groups defined by income or education level and, therefore, can more easily support our democratic objectives of greater diversity and enhance our efforts to strengthen citizen participation. This task can seem so complex and daunting that government mandated subsidy programs can actually seem simple in comparison. But there are ways to make sense out of the complexity and most of those ways require the local leaders to focus on what is really going to make and sustain a positive difference in the community. Discerning what these actions are and putting together the necessary resources and programs is best done by outlining the broad outcomes and then testing different approaches in a step-by-step way. Each action needs to be described in terms that answer the questions "To what end are we carrying out this effort, or investing this dollar resource, or assigning this staff, or....?" Fortunately, there is a straightforward approach to answering these questions. That approach requires thoughtful development of a coherent neighborhood strategy that makes sense in the local community, in the regional marketplace, and in the resource and leadership environment. Developing such a strategy requires skill, patience, data, luck, experience, common sense, imagination, and a willingness to take chances. But how can that happen without putting the whole neighborhood and the current programs at risk? One of the best ways to do this is to imagine a strategy targeted at only one representative block. This makes the number of variables more manageable, limits the need for extensive data, allows the questions to be more easily framed, and provides a testing ground for a variety of ideas. A critical step in focused revitalization is careful observation with “fresh eyes” and an inquisitive mind. In many ways children are the best model for this. They are always taking in information, are curious about the "why" questions, are accepting of different ways of doing things, and are open to trying new approaches. “Reading a


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Neighborhood: What a Block Walk Can Tell You” asks that you step back from previous conventional ways of doing things and from long held perceptions about why things are happening in the typical neighborhood. Remarkably, this journey starts in the backyard. Examples In Our Own Backyards

In the Urban South This neighborhood is one of the poorest communities in a major historic center. Nevertheless, it exhibited a tremendous sense of self-management, such as the carefully-positioned porch furniture, the coffee can plantings, and the fences. But the story behind those fences really tells the tale.

In the Big Apple A once-middle-class neighborhood continued to attract new homebuyers but there was a general perception that something wasn't working. There was a sense that houses were being maintained as facades and not being invested in as long-term choices for the owners. The disconnect was illustrated behind nearly every house and the answer was only three clicks away.

In the Cornbelt

The large frame midwestern houses had been maintained and improved during racial transition, but something odd happened with the garages and the lilac bushes. Almost overnight a third of the neighborhood was seceded to the "bad guys." A number of sensible choices no longer made sense for the neighborhood.

To understand neighborhoods you need to understand these sorts of everyday dynamics. Too often we try to understand only the data, but numbers only tell part of the story and many times we don't even have the most meaningful numbers. Examples: One Midwestern neighborhood had more than fifty percent rental units, but it was almost exclusively homeowner-occupied. The duplexes not only provided quality rental options, but they also allowed the neighborhood to effectively serve extended families. Another community had three hundred rental units, but almost all were in a single housing complex. The remaining 900 households were nearly all homeowners and these homeowners were increasingly concerned about how strong new homebuyers were. To these current owners the renovation of the rental complex was desirable but not critical to the success of the community. These examples remind us that if a nonprofit or city agency intends to intervene in this dynamic system, there needs to be a well-thought-out understanding of what the data really say. This goes well beyond just collecting more numbers. Indeed, one of the strongest tools for really understanding a neighborhood is direct observation.


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Remember that the properties (especially the houses) are often billboards describing how the neighborhood is valued. The following are questions that surface frequently about the block walk process: The “fresh eyes” approach - what does it mean? This term is shorthand for making ourselves look at neighborhoods we have seen for years, but have stopped really looking at. Because we tend to follow the same routes year after year, we are often unaware of changes in the larger community. Since many of the well-traveled pathways are also the busiest streets and the least desirable for homeowners and stable renters, we often get a very distorted picture of the neighborhood. On the other hand, the process of deterioration of a group of properties can be missed if it occurs slowly over the years. Some of the best ways to practice "fresh eyes" is to select different routes of travel and different means of travel. Ask to be dropped off a few blocks from the office and walk. Take a bike to a neighborhood event and use the side streets. Park your car and walk on the sidewalk in the reverse direction to a one-way street. In all these cases, ask yourself what you are seeing. Is the picture of the neighborhood different than the one you usually hold in your mind? What makes it different? Is any of the information useful in addressing the challenges facing the neighborhood? But, people should not edit themselves either. There are no “right” or “wrong” observations. A person’s observation or preliminary conclusion about a neighborhood may turn out not to be factual. For example, a person might conclude that a neighborhood is in good condition, after observing manicured lawns and recently painted facades. But, this superficial good maintenance might camouflage many code violations. Or, a participant’s observation may be negative. But, the block walk organizer should accept all observations and conclusions, because they tell him or her how people perceive the neighborhood. How does on-site observation strengthen analysis if we don't know the neighborhood in advance? Rather than thinking of the block walk as a way to learn everything about a neighborhood, we need to conceive of this tool as a methodology for framing the questions that need to be answered and identifying the data needed. We live in an information age. The problem isn't finding information. The real challenge is asking the right questions and recognizing the most useful data. Most planning efforts are so sophisticated that specialized knowledge is needed and, therefore, many of our partnership board members and neighborhood residents feel alienated from the process. Moreover, large-scale data collection requires time for


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gathering and analyzing the information. Often the time required, coupled with the age of the data, makes the conclusions suspect in a dynamic real estate market. The on-site process attempts to address this dilemma by using a block walk much like effective market researchers use focus groups to define questions and to clarify next steps. What is the minimal information that makes the walk on the block more valuable? There is no hard and fast rule for the minimal information needed, but there are key pieces of information that can help the participants during and after the block walk. These pieces are:

Neighborhood homeownership rate and, if possible, location of homeownership and rental clusters and building types Ten most recent sales prices related to property types Typical costs of property improvement to homeowner standard Typical rents by unit types or monthly mortgage amounts with annual taxes Overall housing market dynamics Unique geographic features and historic characteristics of the larger neighborhood

How do you pick the most informative block for analysis? The process of selecting the most informative block(s) for a block walk is far from perfect, but it can at least be understandable. A committee of neighbors and others can form a focus group to identify certain blocks in or near the neighborhood that are considered to be outstanding blocks. These are the places that people use as examples of a good place to live. The same group can also be asked to identify troubled blocks and to suggest what about those blocks makes them "at-risk" places. From this process, you should be able to begin to characterize the features of a "good" block and the weakness of a “troubled” block. With this information, it is possible to begin to define specific blocks which "represent" the typical blocks in the neighborhood. Remember, if the neighborhood has subneighborhoods, it might be necessary to select a number of blocks for the block walks. Rather than seeing this as a problem, think of it as an opportunity to also engage the leadership in recognizing the various subsets of the larger neighborhood. This should allow the organization to be able to delay serving certain areas for a while or at least to tailor specific services to different areas.


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Who from the community should be included in the process? One of the strengths of the block walk process is that it only asks for common sense and a willingness to share ideas. The participants should come from as many different parts of the community as possible (unless your specific objective for your walk dictates a homogeneous group). After all, all sorts of people are making choices about your neighborhood everyday. You will benefit from hearing what a diverse group of people thinks about your neighborhood. Block walks should be seen as inclusionary programs so that different perspectives are heard and valued. Perhaps the only limitation is on the size of the group of walkers. Generally speaking, once the group exceeds eighteen to twenty people it is too hard to include everyone's contribution. Therefore, some organizations use multiple block walks on similar but different blocks and then merge the various group responses. If so much of observation is about standards and behaviors, what right does any one group have to dissect the actions and values of others? In the work of neighborhood revitalization, one of the lessons we have learned repeatedly is that most of the standards and behaviors that people care deeply about (e.g., safety for our kids and ourselves, cleanliness of the yards and houses, friendliness among neighbors, responsibility to manage issues) are remarkably shared values. Of course, many of the specific ways we accomplish these things are different but the ultimate goals are shared. The block walk allows us to look at the common values, while recognizing the diverse ways we achieve the outcomes. This process helps us find appropriate and successful ways to intervene in the dynamics of the neighborhood. None of our work today is value-free, nor will any successful work be value-free in the future. What are some practical techniques for using the block walk effectively? During and after the walk, there are a number of techniques that can help the process work more successfully. Noted below are some of the techniques that are usually employed:

During the walk: Stream of conscious observations “How do I feel about what I see?” "Wonder why…" and other questions What’s working or not working for you? "What-if…" discussions


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Debrief conversation: Capturing the range of comments Identifying clusters and patterns Defining questions to be answered Determining data to be found (Note: Often there has already been some activity on the block, such as community organizing, a block project, some renovation, or the impact of a special loan. It is important to include this information to assess impact and to explore for potential leverage.)

If the real estate market is so important, shouldn't we have extensive information on competitive markets? Obviously, good information is critical for a block walk to be as effective as possible. The more we know about other neighborhoods that are competing with us for buyers and renters, the more successful we will be in delineating competitive strategies. But we need to look first at who we are and who we can be so we can better define our competitors. What a block walk can help you do is become more realistic about who and where your competition really is. For example, many of the neighborhoods we serve are quite historic, but not all historic neighborhoods were built to the same standards and, therefore, we shouldn't assume that our competition is the most elegant historic neighborhood in the city. In fact, we might have a totally different market niche among those people who are looking for an older house in a neighborhood that has extensive diversity. Is this market niche large? Probably not, but we only care if it is large enough for us to succeed in our goal of attracting enough re-investors. Similarly, some of our neighborhoods were built soon after World War II in a suburban style format. Nevertheless, these houses - often only 1100 square feet and lacking a basement - aren't really competing for suburban buyers. Rather, we will need to define a market niche among potential buyers of small (often two bedroom) houses and then determine what will "incentivize" them. How can the same block-walk presenter start as a facilitator, become a discussion leader, and transform into a teacher before again becoming a facilitator? It is a challenge, but it can be done because the group ends up directing so much of the outcomes. This process promotes the use of common sense, and thus makes possible such broad participation that the leader of the process usually will not have to take strong positions and can keep a bit of distance. Moreover, if the presenter/discussion leader/teacher is from outside the community, there is often a good deal of interest in using that person as a "devil's advocate" in surfacing new


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questions or making unexpected observations. The process is about ideas and accepting the viewpoints of others. As such, the individual in the front is as much a participant as anyone else. What if the strategies that evolve from the observations discussion prove to be physically, politically or financially impossible? If this happens, thank your lucky stars that only a few blocks were involved in the process. The expectations by the participants should always be tempered by the reality that this is a test. If we were creating a neighborhood-wide strategy immediately, we would not use this methodology. But if we are open to testing ideas and challenging preconceptions, this is a great format for achieving our goal. If the resources or political will or the market place or any other factor will cause us to fail, we can hopefully avoid any similar on-going ill-conceived investments in programs in the larger neighborhood. Simply said, if an idea will fail on a typical block, why should we expect it to be an effective tool for overall revitalization of the neighborhood? Do certain kinds of neighborhoods present greater potential for pitfalls? Of course, certain neighborhoods are more complex than others. Their unique histories might be harder to discern from a block walk and the questions might be harder to identify. Many historic districts have had checkered periods of reinvestment followed by very flat real estate markets. But because many of the homeowners are passionately devoted to the cause of preservation, the ability of others to predict outcomes is limited. Similar passions often exist in neighborhoods that were originally built as homes for minorities, especially African-Americans. Because of a century of legal discrimination, these neighborhoods often served highly diverse economic groups. The result is that many of the current residents are investing based on a past pattern and oftentimes younger residents are following other patterns. Other obvious exceptions are neighborhoods that have had previous large-scale government interventions such as urban renewal or Model Cities programs, which profoundly distorted past investment patterns. What is important as you move from observation and analysis to visioning and strategy development is to take the neighborhood context into consideration each step of the way. Look for opportunities that are collaborative and win-win, as well as financially feasible, market-savvy, and culturally sensitive. The concepts embodied in robust revitalization can be helpful in this process.


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Can a block walk effort also be used as a marketing tool by involving more people in the revitalization process? If you are serious about using a block walk as a methodology for exploring neighborhood standards, clarifying community goals and expectations, and identifying strategic options and resource needs, then this tool can be used to promote participation both by more sectors and by more individuals and could be a very powerful marketing tool. Don't confuse this process with a neighborhood tour or open house, however. This is an interactive tool which should surface new ideas and new challenges that could lead to the strengthening of the neighborhood. It could also easily expose the failure of past programs to achieve the desired outcomes. Be aware that a block walk may be more of an eye-opener to the realities – positive and negative – of the neighborhood, rather than an upbeat mobile marketing tool. Are there predictable "next steps" that proceed from these walks and are these next steps different based on the nature of the organization, the resources, or other factors? The simple answer is that the "next steps" are hardly ever predictable. But it is also true that if the effort has been undertaken with a wide range of participants, especially partners from the larger community, the partners usually expect that appropriate programs will be tailored or created to reflect what was learned in the process. Funders are especially open to programmatic changes based on the block walk because the connection between resources, programs, and outcomes is so readily recognized.


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ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR Marcia Nedland, Fall Creek Consultants Ithaca, New York 607-275-3750 [email protected] Biography: Marcia is a community development consultant specializing in neighborhood stabilization and revitalization, neighborhood re-branding and marketing, and homeownership program and product development. Marcia combines her neighborhood strategy and marketing skills to help people all over the country in creating neighborhoods of choice by attracting demand from strong homebuyers, landlords, and renters to build healthy, thriving real estate markets. Current areas of interest and focus include working with communities to mitigate the impact of foreclosures on their neighborhoods, research and evaluation of neighborhood change, and working with CBOs and their partners to structure their planning, oversight and systems around market change in neighborhoods. Marcia conducts market analyses and feasibility studies and writes business and marketing plans for CBOs, designing strategies that nonprofits, local governments, Realtors®, community groups and funders can implement and evaluate. Marcia is an award-winning trainer, regularly teaches nonprofit, financial institution and government audiences, and has worked with the NeighborWorks® America Training Institute on curriculum development for home ownership and community development lending, marketing, and community planning and neighborhood revitalization. Marcia is a founding member of The Healthy Neighborhoods Group, a collaborative of consultants dedicated to repositioning neighborhoods to succeed in attracting positive investment choices by homebuyers, neighbors, business, and others.


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Part 5: ROBUST REVITALIZATION GUIDE


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ROBUST REVITALIZATION: CONNECTING PEOPLE, PLACE AND RESOURCES FOR

COMMUNITY-DRIVEN NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE

By Katherine Bailey, AICP

Copyright©2004 The Robust Revitalization Approach to Neighborhood Change Robust revitalization embodies a context-based, collaborative, comprehensive, equitable and sustainable approach to neighborhood revitalization. This approach requires broad community involvement where the success of the effort depends upon the combined investment of time, energy, creativity and resources by all the stakeholders of the neighborhood – from current residents to others who work, attend school, play, or otherwise invest in the neighborhood. The following detail describes the types of issues and dynamics at play in robust neighborhood revitalization and can be used as a framework to help anyone prepare for their own revitalization initiative or to adjust a revitalization effort in progress. Context-Based Using democratic principles in a neighborhood revitalization effort, puts residents

in charge from the beginning, to the extent of their capacity to organize and lead the effort.

If resident capacity is lacking, incorporates leadership training to cultivate a democratic, resident-led neighborhood initiative.

Flows from recognition and understanding of the history, culture and collective values of residents and other stakeholders, who have shaped the neighborhood in the past and will continue to influence neighborhood change in the future.

Defines neighborhood boundaries through consensus of residents and other stakeholders using historical accounts of the neighborhood’s development and natural and man-made features that help define its edges.

Adapts neighborhood revitalization best practices based upon a series of analyses of the specific neighborhood.

A note on context: Every community and neighborhood begins a revitalization process with the givens of their local context. Robust revitalization takes into account that each community has a unique combination of interested people, history and culture, creative energy, motivation, capacity and resources. This model provides a framework for organizing the effort and is meant to be followed to the greatest extent possible, as it makes sense within the local context.


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Collaborative Brings together - from the beginning - representatives of the broad range of

residents and other stakeholders to share ideas, identify opportunities to use everyone’s talents and resources, and encourage synergy.

Maintains a fully inclusive process through ongoing community dialogue, consensus-building and action.

Parties of a true collaboration will always seek common ground, encourage broad participation and keep the effort moving forward, while addressing objections and concerns in a respectful and effective manner.

Comprehensive Encompasses the broad categories of social (the people), physical (the place),

economic (the money), and political (the politics) issues. Includes individuals, community organizations, and institutions, which include large

businesses in the community (per Kretzmann and McKnight’s Building Communities from the Inside Out, 1993).

Includes all sectors - public, private, and nonprofit. Takes into account the neighborhood’s place in the larger geographic mix of the

city, county, region, state and country. Includes research to understand the neighborhood’s characteristics, dynamics,

assets and challenges, including but not limited to the following categories: o History o Culture and values o Demographics o Social conditions and networks o Educational experience and opportunities of residents o Land use and zoning o Housing and real estate market o Property conditions o Infrastructure conditions (streets, sidewalks, water, sewer, drainage, lighting...) o Capital improvement program (funding for infrastructure improvements) o Urban design and architecture o Historic preservation o Public buildings and community institutions (libraries, schools, hospitals...) o Transportation networks (pedestrian, bicycle, mass transit, ride sharing,

vanpools, traffic calming, automobile...) o Economic development (job training, employment opportunities, neighborhood

business activity...) o Environmental quality and resources (air, water, soil... – pollution/clean-up?) o Safety and security o Recreation and greenspace o Arts and cultural resources


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o Community assets (people skills/talents; financial, in-kind and time contributions)

o Partners analysis (current and potential) o Political environment and power analysis

Time frames for revitalization include short-term (1-2 years), mid-term (3-7 years), and long-term (8-20 years).

Equitable Includes analysis of culture, values and power dynamics of the neighborhood. Is respectful of the existing cultural fabric of the neighborhood. Takes into account the motivations of residents and other stakeholders. Institutionalizes ways to include diverse people and interests in a neighborhood

revitalization initiative - from the beginning and throughout the process. Sustainable Uses an organized approach where the community:

o Identifies all stakeholders and potential collaborators (process ongoing). o Creates a neighborhood analysis. o Builds a consensus vision. o Determines the neighborhood’s broad priorities (passions). o Identifies and cultivates existing and new resources (ongoing). o Develops outcomes/goals, neighborhood indicators for those outcomes/goals,

strategies, SMART (Specific, Measurable, Aggressive yet Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound – per Doug Smith’s Make Success Measurable, 1999) objectives, action steps, and an evaluation plan.

o Takes action. o Reviews and measures progress and impact on the neighborhood (evaluation). o Celebrates what’s working and analyzes what’s not working. o Adjusts to new information and change. o Refocuses on the vision. o Develops revised outcomes/goals, neighborhood indicators, strategies and

SMART objectives as needed. o Continues the cycle….

Taps into residents’ and other stakeholders’ motivations for becoming involved and institutionalizes opportunities for them to use their creativity, capacities and other assets.

Builds the leadership skills and technical capacity (neighborhood research, techniques, tools and best practices) of residents and other stakeholders to accomplish revitalization and ensure ongoing neighborhood self-management.

Stays focused on the vision, which will continue to generate energy for and commitment to revitalization efforts.

Helps people internalize and take ownership of the vision by including graphic representations of the vision in all revitalization presentations.


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Uses strategies that: o Ensure that it makes economic and emotional sense for people to invest time,

energy and money in the neighborhood. o Create and sustain a broad range of housing choices to attract residents with a

mix of incomes. o Include mechanisms to influence people’s investment choices, which drive both

the neighborhood and regional markets. Robust Revitalization Community Involvement Roles Listed below are six important roles that neighborhood revitalization participants assume by virtue of personality, capacity and interest. They range from most intensely involved with a high degree of responsibility in the revitalization effort to least intensely involved to stay minimally connected within a community: “Activist/Agitator”: Initiates ideas and works relentlessly to build interest and

support where there is little or none. These catalysts for change think outside the box, spark creativity in others, and challenge them to do bold things. The activist/agitator might be adored, or considered a pain in the backside, but if a community will stay open to hearing and seriously considering the ideas of this highly energized independent thinker, fresh ideas and new opportunities can emerge - sometimes through brainstorming beyond the initial concept - that benefit a neighborhood, and often, the larger community.

“Process Architect”: Takes responsibility for shepherding the entire process to fruition. Process architects are involved in the initial design, organizing and ongoing implementation of the neighborhood revitalization process (from community engagement and the consensus-building community dialogue process through neighborhood analysis, visioning, implementation and evaluation). People who gravitate toward this role are often natural leaders and this role provides additional leadership skill-building opportunity. No revitalization effort will be context-based, equitable or sustainable unless residents and other local stakeholders are meaningfully involved as process architects.

“Neighborhood Champion”: Maintains a positive and supportive attitude about the neighborhood. Regardless of the challenges to accomplishing revitalization or the audience, this individual will always be the voice for what is working in the neighborhood and what positive change is possible. The neighborhood champion is not necessarily looking for the limelight or a leadership role, but is providing that consistent, positive energy and thinking that is so important for moving revitalization efforts forward.

“Bridge Builder”: Participates regularly and/or provides leadership role in community dialogues to build relationships, trust, consensus and networks through round tables, forums, study circles, small- and large-group consensus-building


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meetings, etc. Bridge builders are invaluable for their abilities to listen, communicate well, be empathic and help others focus on the critical issues. During times of crisis these individuals, who are often the most highly-respected and trusted people in the community, are called upon to facilitate communication between factions with competing interests to help them find common ground and agree on actions that keep the revitalization momentum going.

“Neighborhood Engager”: Participates in specific neighborhood revitalization events, as well as informal exchanges with neighbors. Neighborhood engagers are vital to attaining and maintaining a high level of participation in both planned revitalization activities and impromptu neighborhood encounters. These are the folks who talk to each other on the street, across the fence, on the bus to work, etc. They are likely to take responsibility for their piece of the revitalization puzzle – as a block captain, for instance. Neighborhood engagers want to interact formally and informally; they bring the critical mass of participation to the revitalization effort. Their vital contribution helps develop and sustain the neighborhood’s institutional memory, keeps the revitalization community network strong and active, and shows policy makers, potential resource partners, and each other that the revitalization effort is broad-based and powerful.

“Connected Observer”: Completes surveys that come to residence, reads newsletters to stay informed, etc. Connected observers are interested in protecting their own investment and may want to satisfy their curiosity about what’s going on in the neighborhood, but don’t have interest in going to meetings or special events. For instance, they might agree, if asked, to be interviewed by a neighborhood association member, or they may observe what’s happening on their block, but would not necessarily call about something they saw; their input would have to be sought. Connected observers are vital to help keep a finger on the pulse of the broader neighborhood.

Each of these types of individuals is essential to the success of a neighborhood revitalization effort. Together, they bring the breadth of skills, motivation and interest needed. They also provide a balanced and holistic community involvement climate so all the steps in the revitalization process go forward with participation at every level of intensity and every step of the way. Within each of these categories it is important to have depth, as well as breadth, in numbers to make leadership development and succession planning possible. The practical challenges to ensuring this high degree of involvement are to: set up a system to seek the involvement of a large variety and number of

individuals so that all the roles are covered with depth, create ways for individuals to self-select the type of involvement that is most

comfortable and motivating to them, and build into every step of the process opportunities for individuals performing each

of these roles to participate in a meaningful way.


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While all of these people are essential to success, they will not always agree on approach or action steps; there will be optimists, pessimists and, in some cases, antagonists. At any point, individuals may take on a negative personality type: “Obstructionist”: Sometimes an obstructionist’s motivation is issue-oriented. In

those cases, the person could also be filling one of the previously-defined roles and have an agenda or point to make concerning just that issue. Occasionally, an obstructionist brings a negative spin to every discussion in which s/he participates. Regardless of topic, s/he will offer why it cannot be accomplished – a glass half-empty attitude. While it is helpful to have someone play the devil’s advocate in discussions, some obstructionists are not helpful in this regard, as you can count on a negative comment in every instance. This predictable negativity may occur because the obstructionist enjoys being contrary, is unable to shake a negative outlook, has an agenda of disruption, or lacks the ability to discern the difference between helpful critical feedback and unfocused complaining. Whatever the obstructionist’s motivation, the challenge for people working toward revitalization is to stay positively focused on the neighborhood vision and outcomes, working methodically through each obstacle in a respectful but decisive manner.

The art to robust revitalization is working with the combination of issues, personalities and interests to find common ground, encourage broad participation and keep the effort moving forward, while addressing objections and concerns in a respectful and effective manner.


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