Use of the Planning Outreach Liaison Model in the Neighborhood Planning Process : A Case Study in Seattle's Rainier Valley Neighborhood

Our study examines a nontraditional engagement process employed by the City of Seattle during neighborhood plan updates. Adapting the trusted advocates model from the public health field, the city hired planning outreach liaisons (POLs) from 13 diverse community groups to solicit input from traditio...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Urban studies research 2011-01, Vol.2011 (2011), p.1-12
Main Authors: Oshun, Molly, Ardoin, Nicole M., Ryan, Sharon
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Community development
Neighborhoods
Planning
Public health
Social networks
Social organization
Urban planning
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Our study examines a nontraditional engagement process employed by the City of Seattle during neighborhood plan updates. Adapting the trusted advocates model from the public health field, the city hired planning outreach liaisons (POLs) from 13 diverse community groups to solicit input from traditionally underrepresented residents. To explore the efficacy of this approach, we collected data through interviews with residents, neighborhood leaders, community development firm employees, university researchers, and municipal staff; a review of planning documents; observation at planning meetings. We found that the POLs effectively engaged underrepresented groups—including more than 1,200 stakeholders—particularly those characterized as self-organized, centralized or having strong social networks and were important in the advancement of democratic principles. Greater transparency by the city about process goals and constraints, along with strategies to address power issues, may have facilitated better communication and relationship building among the city, newly enfranchised residents, and the “usual suspects.”
ISSN:2090-4185
2090-4193
DOI:10.1155/2011/687834