DRAFT. CoLab. Recommendations for Democratic Engagement Shared Ownership and Wealth Generation in Houston s Third Ward

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1 Recommendaions for Democraic Engagemen Shared Ownership and Wealh Generaion in Houson s Third Ward Emancipaion Economic Developmen Council MIT CoLab DRAFT 1

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3 Table of Conens Acknowledgmens 4 Forward 5 Inroducion 6 Defining he Problem 8 A Call for Change 12 A Way Forward 14 Abou This Documen 15 Timeline/wha we did 16 raegies 1. Build Poliical Power renghen Communiy Ownership Increase Housing Choice Generae Communiy Wealh 34 Zones 40 Caalys Sies 46 Appendix 50

4 INTRODUCTION Acknowledgmens The MIT Communiy Innovaors Lab Team is deeply indebed o Rick Lowe and Projec Row Houses, no only for sharing heir local experise, bu for displaying such generosiy and hospialiy during our visis o he Third Ward. We are also eernally graeful o have been able o draw from such a wealh of exising knowledge -- from neighborhood plans creaed by local insiuions and agencies o he many conversaions held wih residens, pasors, business owners, real esae developers, archiecs, non-profi leaders, ciy adminisraors, public officials and ohers invesed in he fuure of he Emancipaion Park neighborhood. The unique insighs provided by hese sources conribued immensely o our undersanding of he conex in which we were working, and ulimaely helped o shape he direcion of his documen. Above all, we are honored o have been able o winess and conribue, even in some small way, o such a poen and ransformaive momen in he hisory of his communiy. We wish he Emancipaion Economic Developmen Council and surrounding neighborhood all he bes in heir work ahead. Auhors Yan Jie Chrisina Chen, MIT Deparmen of Archiecure Kara Ellio-Orega, MIT Deparmen of Urban udies and Planning Leo Goldberg, MIT Deparmen of Urban udies and Planning Danya Sherman, MIT Deparmen of Urban udies and Planning Graphic Design Kara Ellio-Orega, MIT Deparmen of Urban udies and Planning Projec Managemen and Supervision Allegra Williams, MIT CoLab Empaheic Aesheics Program Fellow Presened by MIT Communiy Innovaors Lab Empaheic Aesheics Program Suppored by The Surdna Foundaion 4

5 INTRODUCTION Forward To some, he social inequiies enabled and perpeuaed by he enrenched forces of Houson s privae marke would seem ineviable. For he MIT Communiy Innovaors Lab (CoLab), however, hese circumsances have presened an opporuniy o bring he experiences of he local communiy o bear in exploring alernaive developmen paradigms and mehods for acivaing economic democracy. Locaed wihin MIT s Deparmen of Urban udies and Planning, CoLab bridges pracice-based knowledge and communiy-based values wih academic research. I connecs faculy and sudens wih parner organizaions a sociey s margins o ransform communiies in ways ha benefi all. This work has been made possible hrough CoLab s parnership wih MIT Mel King Fellow and Founding Direcor of Projec Row Houses, Rick Lowe. Under Rick s leadership as a communiy-engaged aris and acivis, Projec Row Houses was founded o caalyze communiy ransformaion hrough he celebraion of African American ar, hisory and culure. Remaining dedicaed o he organizaion s mission while conducing his MIT fellowship, Rick sough o idenify sraegies for local economic developmen and culural preservaion ha would no displace curren residens. Through CoLab s Empaheic Aesheics Program, which connecs ariss and urban planners around pressing social jusice concerns, a cross-disciplinary eam of sudens and recen graduaes assembled o engage wih Rick on hese issues. Drawing upon boh echnical planning experise and communiy-based mehods of inquiry over several visis o Houson, he eam helped Projec Row Houses suppor a communiy organizing and sraegic planning process for a new neighborhood commiee, he Emancipaion Economic Developmen Council. I has been an honor for MIT CoLab o parake in his muually supporive communiyuniversiy parnership, which provided he MIT eam wih a meaningful experience in equiy and advocacy planning and a hisoric neighborhood wih new ools o more democraically deermine is fuure. We hope o coninue his work ogeher, for years o come. Allegra Williams, Empaheic Aesheics Fellow 5

6 INTRODUCTION Inroducion Nearly a cenury and a half ago, shorly afer his naion s Civil War, several groups of African-Americans hroughou Texas pooled heir money o buy propery. They sough a public space where hey could celebrae June 19h Juneeenh he day in 1865 ha hey gained heir freedom. In Houson s Third Ward, Bapis miniser and former slave Reverend Jack Yaes led one of hese groups o purchase he land where Dowling and Elgin rees mee, in wha became he firs public park in Texas and remained during he era of racial segregaion one of he only municipal parks open o African-Americans. They called i Emancipaion Park. emancipaion day celebraion emancipaion park 2012 emancipaion park 2015 renovaion 6

7 INTRODUCTION Downown Houson Museum Disric Midown Emancipaion Park Neighborhood Greaer Third Ward 7

8 INTRODUCTION Defining he Problem While serving as a busling cener for African-American culure and commerce in he 1950s, a significan percenage of he Third Ward s populaion was displaced by Houson s suburbanizaion in he 1960s and 70s. Afer he neighborhood was severed by he developmen of wo major freeways in he 1980s, he following decades were characerized by bligh and disinvesmen. More recenly, however, wih he $33 million renovaion of Emancipaion Park, and proposed ligh rail service exending o he Third Ward, here are growing neighborhood concerns amongs remaining residens ha hese public improvemens and increasing privae invesmen will spur furher genrificaion and significanly aler he characer of his hisorically black neighborhood. Housing prices coninue o rise dramaically, forcing many long-ime residens ou, and radiional shogun-syle row houses in varying sages of disress are quickly replaced by high-end ownhomes. Meanwhile, many properies remain vacan and local businesses and residens sruggle o survive in he mids of his ransiion. In many ways, he changes underway mirror wha is happening in large ciies hroughou he counry; in ohers, he problem becomes paricularly acue in a place like Houson where, wih lile radiional zoning and fewer regulaions, he free marke is given free rein. As MIT Professor Noam Chomsky has wrien in Profi Over People, freedom wihou opporuniy is a devil s gif, and he refusal o provide such opporuniies is criminal When he forces of he privae enerprise, aided by public policy, push and keep poorer people ou of a genrifying neighborhood, or when hey do no invie invesmen o provide for he basic needs of people sill living here, real opporuniy is lile more han an illusion. One he assumpions cenral o he recommendaions of his documen is he belief ha genrificaion is no, in fac, an ineviable or naural occurrence, bu he resul of a complex se of decisions boh public and privae which has limied he opporuniies of lower-income African-American residens evenually and involunarily displaced. When privae corporaions and developers guide public policy, a communiy s vision for is own growh and prosperiy becomes rumped by hose ineress. This enrenched power srucure creaes significan barriers o democraic paricipaion and social equiy in he Third Ward. I raises quesions abou he very value se underpinning he curren poliical economy of he ciy, and wheher he communiy s values are adequaely refleced wihin i. 8

9 INTRODUCTION Demographics Two or More Races 8% Whie 17% Black or African American Emancipaion Park Neighborhood Toal Pop: % he number of Median Household Income residens who live AND work in he 7% $21,324 neighborhood 63.4% of households are occupied...and 36.6% are vacan 75% of hose households are reners paying an average ren of $707 /monh source: 2013 U.S. Census 9

10 Winbern INTRODUCTION Pierce In he summer of 2015, 5.7% of he propery in he Emancipaion Park Neighborhood was in he process of replaing. Mc Ilhenny Emanuel Easex Fwy Sain Emanuel Charres McIlhenny W Gray Basrop Hadley Webser Charles Pierce Live Oak C Gray Nagle Chaco Developers repla o make a bigger profi - $10,000 - $120,000 ne profi by spliing 1 parcel ino 3 Truxillo Easex Fwy Emanuel Sain Emanuel Charres Basrop Huchins Francis Drew uar Division Dennis Francis Tuam EMANCIPATION PARK PRH Charles uar McGowen Drew Dennis Ania Jones C Drew Sain Charles Dennis Dowling Rosalie Sain Charles Live Oak McIlhenny Paige Delano Overon C Nagle recen replas Brailsfor Sauer Ania Brailsfor Velasco Trulley Webser Bremond Drew Briley Burke Hadley Neleon Neleon Tierweser Neleon Gray McGowen Robers $105,000 Bremond McIlhenny Webser Webser Hadley McGowen Lucinda Edmundson McIlhenny Bremond Milby $795,000 $265,000 $265,000 $265,000 Chenever Isabella Hamilon Winbern Berry Nagle Francis Beulah Rosalie Sampson Sco Milby Dennis Leek ood uh Charres Emanuel Barbee Eagle Emanuel Souh Fwy ae Hwy 288 Basrop The characer of he buil environmen and he residens of he neighborhood is changing a a rapid pace. Isabella Charles Truxillo Alabama Holman Ennis Palmer Palmer Simmons Rose C Sauer Briley Sauer Aly Sauer Briley Berry Simmons C Burke Simmons Neleon Nalle Francis C Tierweser Sanders These developmens become luxury ownhouses ha sell for much higher prices han surrounding homes. Francis Canfield Elgin C Reeves Canfield Rugley Napoleon Adair Beulah Beulah Beulah $489,900 - Sain Emanuel. Enclave Simmons Callie Tuam Elgin Cullen Blvd Calhoun Rd S Lockwood Dr Rosewood Cleburne Barbee Blodge Ruh Briley Truxillo Aucks Canfield Napoleon Blodge Wheeler Eagle Cuney Dr Burke Neleon Truxillo Cobb Sampson E Alabama Ave Adair $418,888 - The Villas on Hadley 10

11 INTRODUCTION These changes are having an enormous effec on he neighborhood: average vacan propery values have more han doubled since 2012 Propery axes have increased drasically, wih some propery ax assessmens increasing up o 158% from 2014 and 2015 Residens are paying more and more of heir income in ren According o he U.S. Deparmen of Housing and Urban Developmen, families who pay more han 30 percen of heir income for housing are considered cos burdened. 30.8% % % 2013 Median Gross Ren as a Percenage of Household Income 11

12 INTRODUCTION A Call for Change Voices in he Third Ward seem o be searching for somehing alogeher differen ha beer represens heir values. They are searching for somehing ha provides housing for seniors and for he poor. Somehing ha ensures ha he benefis of public invesmen accrue o he enire communiy. Somehing ha preserves no only hisoric row houses, bu neighborhood relaionships. Somehing ha provides beer work opporuniies and livelihoods, wihou displacing hose in greaes need. Somehing ha invies more commerce and public life o is corridors and srees, and offers more communiy conrol over is own desiny in and ouside he corridors of power. In shor, people are seeking greaer democracy. The answer, hen, mus be o acively reasser he public ineres in Houson and he Third Ward o organize poliically around haling unwaned developmen and guiding desired developmen, o democraize he ownership and conrol of land so ha i is used jusly for he communiy s benefi, o provide a range of housing opions, o pursue sraegies for communiy wealh generaion by he many raher han convenional business aracion and reenion for he few, and o revive by design a sense of place and ceneredness wih spaces ha celebrae he neighborhood s rich culure and draw people ino he public realm. Values / Wha we heard Keep exising residens in he neighborhood, especially hose mos vulnerable o displacemen, by creaing pahways for wealh-building and communiy ownership and conrol Provide a funcional organizing body ha uilizes all communiy resources effecively and efficienly, and is a condui for bringing in exernal resources and poliical organizing Develop place-based sraegies ha ensures all new developmen balances preservaion wih developmen Preserve African American legacy of he neighborhood 12

13 INTRODUCTION A Way Forward The following recommendaions are offered as possibiliies, as ways in which hese ariculaed values migh be exercised in pracice. In ha sense, he repor is mean o serve more as a compass guiding communiy values for decision-making han as a roadmap charing a single course of acion. For example, wha kinds of housing, whom i will serve, and where i will be buil, are quesions ha mus necessarily come from a democraic visioning process. Similarly, wha specific ypes of businesses are grown, how hey are designed, and where hey are buil, are deails for residens o deermine hemselves, while he recommendaions insead poin o how hey migh be grown for greaer democraic and local ownership. Wha is mos imporan is ha hese processes are highly inclusive and paricipaory, and lead ulimaely o meeing he needs of people in he communiy. When projecs, policies or proposals are presened wheher public or privae communiy members may evaluae each wih simple ess. Does his furher he communiy s vision and he public ineres? Does everyone have a say in is approval? Does i lead o more democracy and shared ownership, more freedom and opporuniy? While members of he Third Ward can clearly see he pressures of genrificaion mouning, i can ofen seem a dauning ask o sop hem. In he face of large and complex forces changing he naure of he neighborhood a such a rapid pace, wha can anyone really do? Ye, we know he ruh Dr. King spoke ha human progress never rolls in on wheels of ineviabiliy. The hisory of he Emancipaion Park neighborhood, refleced already in he acions of he recenly formed Emancipaion Economic Developmen Council, shows ha collecive acion, guided by collecive wisdom, may creae he kind of place where freedom and opporuniy is given room o grow. 13

14 INTRODUCTION Abou This Documen The organizaion of he following recommendaions reflec he simple approach of Do wha you can, and do i ogeher. As people learn from each oher and from heir experiences, hey may find heir noion of wha can be done expanding exponenially. Neverheless we have chosen o focus on four imporan and muually supporing sraegies o begin. The firs sraegy siuaes poliical organizing as boh an immediae levee o sem he ide of genrificaion, as well as a foundaional sep oward fuure progress in developing ways of working ogeher. raegy wo discusses seps oward esablishing a Land Trus, which would remove land from he speculaive reach of privae ineress and hold i in common for he communiy s benefi. raegy hree proceeds from here o sugges he developmen of a range of affordable and mixed-use housing opions ha can help o preserve and enhance he culural characer of he Third Ward. raegy four presens new, more democraic models of generaing communiy wealh insead of subsidizing corporae profis. Finally poenial caalys projecs are idenified along he Dowling ree Corridor ha can inspire beer design guidelines neighborhood-wide and demonsrae how all of hese sraegies migh be synhesized on specific sies. Undersanding ha differen circumsances exis wihin he neighborhood, he auhors have divided he sudy area ino four zones, and aemped o furher ailor each sraegy o is mos appropriae saring poin. This is no o say ha he following sraegies are no relevan o all of he zones in he Third Ward, bu ha each may be applied in a slighly differen manner for beer resuls. Lasly, our hope is ha hese recommendaions are aken no as he upper limis of a narrow horizon, bu raher, under he communiy s guidance, he embarking poin o a wider vision beyond i. 14

15 INTRODUCTION 15

16 INTRODUCTION Timeline / Process June June 2015 July PRH brings MIT Team and sakeholders ogeher o respond o neighborhood displacemen and disinvesmen Daa Collecion & Analysis / Communiy Inpu hrough Conversaions Communiy Presenaion #1: Making he Case for Collecive Communiy Acion 16

17 INTRODUCTION July 2015 Augus Ocober 2015-Presen Neighborhood Council Forms (Emancipaion Economic Developmen Council) MIT Develops raegic Planning Recommendaions Communiy Presenaion #2: raegic Acions Proposed o Address Neighborhood Concerns Council Sub-commiees Form o Implemen Plan Final Documen and Nex eps 17

18 STRATEGIES 1. Build Poliical Power Overview Building poliical power is a foundaional sep owards realizing he kinds of changes he neighborhood hopes o see. Poliical organizing and engagemen will also play an essenial role in ensuring he success of he oher sraegies proposed in his documen, from srenghening local ownership o mainaining housing affordabiliy and generaing communiy wealh. Change of his magniude will require a criical mass of concerned, educaed and vocal sakeholders o pave a way forward. Poliical power is much more han a means o achieve specific ends, however. This sraegy is ulimaely abou disruping longsanding power srucures and ensuring ha public ineres leads privae ineress, no he oher way around. I is abou democraizing many realms of public life poliical, economic, planning and spaial design - and moving a communiy owards self-deerminaion. Acion Areas 1. Shape Curren Developmen Given he immense developmen pressure and rapid pace of genrificaion near Emancipaion Park, organizing concerned residens and oher local sakeholders o speak ou in he ineress of he Emancipaion Park communiy agains unwaned developmen may be an effecive iniial sep owards addressing mouning concerns. For more informaion on he process of speaking a Planning Commission meeings - he ciy s official forum for discussing developmen projecs - please see Appendix A, pg. 50. Economic Democracy Defined A socioeconomic philosophy proposing o shif decision-making power from privae ineress o a larger group of public sakeholders. 18

19 STRATEGIES 4. Grow he Nex Generaion of Leadership Building greaer awareness and educaion of criical communiy concerns can help o inspire a new generaion of leadership amongs he Emancipaion Park communiy, and o encourage local residens o seek posiions of poliical office. Collecively idenifying and supporing his ype of new leadership can help ensure ha specific communiy concerns are voiced and addressed by hose in a posiion o make appropriae changes. Preceden Cener for Urban Pedagogy (CUP) Toolkis for Advocacy & Educaion The Cener for Urban Pedagogy works wih graphic designers and communiy organizaions o creae educaional maerials around various social and economic issues. CUP projecs demysify he urban policy and planning issues ha impac our communiies, so ha more individuals can beer paricipae in shaping hem. These flyers help New York Ciy residens undersand how banks can inves responsibly (lef) and show residens how o advocae for capial improvemens wihin heir neighborhood park (righ). 19

20 STRATEGIES 2. Guide Fuure Policy In addiion o aemping o alleviae more immediae neighborhood concerns by speaking ou agains unwaned developmen, poliical organizing can also help wih longer-erm aspiraions and proacive approaches o shaping he fuure of he communiy. Ciywide or neighborhood planning iniiaives, such as Houson s General Planning process, provide ideal avenues for pubic inpu ha can improve he local economy, ransporaion sysem, physical design of he neighborhood, and oher issues relaed o qualiy of life. As many policy decisions are made a he local level, and many end o favor privae ineress over he public good, engaging in local and saewide elecions can also provide an avenue o gain suppor for issues of imporance o he broader neighborhood. 3. Generae Broader Awareness, Engagemen and Capaciy Creaing more democraic srucures for decision-making requires ha people undersand boh how o paricipae in poliical processes, and he value of heir conribuion. The creaion and disribuion of educaional maerials explaining how new developmen is affecing local propery values and how residens can ge involved, or providing for greaer familiariy wih he Ciy s open daa plaform and process for conesing unwaned developmen, for insance, can be effecive ways o generae broader suppor behind issues ha are imporan o he communiy as a whole. Similarly, local media campaigns can serve as an effecive means for reaching greaer numbers of people and demonsraing neighborhood solidariy while simulaneously illuminaing inappropriae behavior of privae developers or corporaions. 20

21 STRATEGIES 21

22 2. renghen Communiy Ownership Overview Despie he challenges posed by genrificaion, propery speculaion and povery, he Emancipaion Park neighborhood has considerable asses wih which o pursue communiy developmen ha honors he pas and builds on he vision of curren residens. The win forces of genrificaion and povery ha are cenral o his documen can be raced o he prevailing concep of land as a commodiy. To eradicae hese forces, herefore, land mus be hough abou in a differen way. The founders of Emancipaion Park undersood his well. Ou of he Civil Righs movemen in he 1960s, African-Americans pioneered he communiy land rus model which sough o replace privae marke logic wih he concep of democraic land ownership ha land ough o be held in common by he communiy for public benefi. Through creaion of a land rus in he Emancipaion Park neighborhood, curren residens could also ensure long-erm sewardship of land in he public ineres while preserving neighborhood affordabiliy and communiy characer. Acion Areas 1. Commi o Collecive Land Ownership An iniial sep owards creaing a land rus is having ineresed paries make a commimen o collecive ownership of and decision-making over heir land. The members comprising he Emancipaion Economic Developmen Council, who already own a significan percenage of land in he neighborhood, are in a unique posiion o impac he direcion of developmen and help ensure long-erm affordabiliy for residens by enering ino such an agreemen ogeher. Land Trus Origins The land rus model originaed during he civil righs movemen as a way o secure agriculural land for poor African American farmers. The firs urban land russ developed in he 1980s o figh bligh and preserve affordable housing. (Righ: Farming on he land rus in Albany, Georgia.) 22

23 STRATEGIES Land rural or urban is more han jus land; i s he space where social, economic, and communiy decisions are made, and i is he place of neighborhood, culure and livelihoods I s really abou engaging communiy o decide ogeher wha hey wan on heir land. Hol Giménez 2. Seek Technical Assisance and Legal Suppor There are a number of local resources for ineresed sakeholders o pursue once making he collecive commimen o share ownership and decision-making righs over heir land. The process of seeking addiional resources and knowledge abou wha possibiliies exis is essenial o making educaed decisions abou he fuure of he rus. The communiy can draw upon he significan local experise ha already exiss hrough people like Dr. Jeffrey Lowe, who has wrien widely on he subjec, and he Universiy of Texas Law School Free Legal Clinic which has assised oher land russ, including he Guadalupe Neighborhood Developmen Corporaion in Ausin, during heir iniial planning phases. The Local Iniiaives Suppor Corporaion of Greaer Houson (LISC) provides seed grans for local organizing effors and also has connecions o addiional financial resources ha could benefi a new land rus. Given ha communiy land russ are exemp from he land porion of propery ax assessmens under Texas ae Law, i would be valuable o connec wih he Harris Couny Tax Office and learn more early on abou he process of exemping land rus properies. For more informaion on sources of financing, he Guadalupe Neighborhood Developmen Corporaion Land Trus in Ausin, TX, and financial benefis of land russ, please see Appendices B-D, pg. _. 23

24 STRATEGIES How a Land Trus Works A land rus is an organizaion ha ensures he long-erm sewardship of land in he public ineres while preserving invesmens in affordable housing, open space and oher public resources. In a land rus, propery ownership is shared beween leaseholders ha own he srucures, and an organizaion ha reains ownership over he underlying land. By dividing he ownership of land and improvemens in his way, land russ faciliae he permanen affordabiliy of housing or commercial uses, and oher properies in he rus remain under communal sewardship, proeced from speculaive invesors. aus Quo Owner is responsible for full propery ax Proposed Land Trus Owner pays he srucure porion of he propery ax Trus owns he land; he land porion of propery ax is exemp 24

25 STRATEGIES 3. Deermine an Organizaional rucure Alhough a variey of differen governance models exis for land russ, and each CLT mus deermine which model is mos appropriae for heir communiy, i is imporan o ake ino consideraion how any given model will impac he collecive decision-making power of he communiy over he long-erm. One eniy in he communiy mus serve as he lead organizaion for he land rus, and i is imporan o deermine carefully who is in he bes posiion o represen local ineress. While cerain leadership models may provide financial benefis o a CLT in he shor erm, hey may limi he russ abiliy o involve he communiy in decision-making ha is ruly democraic over he longer-erm. In order o ensure ha democraic leadership and responsible decisionmaking prevail, and ha russ mainain sabiliy over he longer-erm, mos CLTs adop a model where power is spli equally beween hree consiuencies, wih one hird represening ineress of lease holders or enans of he rus, one hird represening he ineress of non-lease holders wihin he surrounding neighborhood, and one hird represening public officials. 25

26 STRATEGIES 4. Build Capaciy hrough Oureach and Educaion As discussed in he previous sraegy on Building Poliical Power, he srengh of a land rus is dependen upon a well-organized and informed communiy ha is commied o shared decision-making for he greaer good. The more land owned collecively hrough a land rus, herefore, he beer posiion i will be in boh poliically and financially. Once he organizaional srucure of he land rus is deermined, involving oher local insiuions and businesses, neighborhood reners and oher smaller propery owners would significanly deepen is reach and impac. A cerain se of properies in he neighborhood have been idenified whose owners would benefi from paricipaing in a land rus and who should be he iniial focus of oureach effors. These properies are family-owned and have no been subjec o speculaive land deals which require shor erms reurns. The srucures on hese properies are relaively old and ofen in need of repairs. Mos of hese properies are rened ou by owners who live in he Houson suburbs while some are owner occupied. Developing brochures and oher oureach maerials o explain he benefis of he land rus o hem direcly will be an imporan firs sep in increasing local involvemen. Please see Appendix, pg. for more informaion on preservaion opporuniies hrough a land rus. 26

27 STRATEGIES Preservaion Opporuniies Map This map indicaes properies ha would be suiable parners for a land rus. Propery Types Renal Propery Owner-Occupied Commercial Propery Crieria: Privaely owned Ownership has no changed since a leas 2005 No new consrucion or remodelling since a leas

28 STRATEGIES 5. Work wih Communiy Parners o Acquire Land A communiy land rus would begin wih a significan advanage in is access o land hrough like-minded and willing parners. Wih he ransfer of parcels, hey will have effecively played he informal role of a land bank, where unused or underused land is managed and laer repurposed or conveyed for fuure developmen. Indeed, he Midown TIRZ has performed his role in is pas collaboraion wih Projec Row Houses, and is well posiioned o coninue his criical link in he poenial expansion of a communiy land rus. Acing as a land bank, he TIRZ could use is auhoriy and resources o acquire blighed properies, clear land iles, and clean sies wih any environmenal issues in preparaion for heir ransfer o and evenual redevelopmen on he communiy land rus. See appendix F, pg. for more on his model in Philadelphia, which provides a sound preceden for he ineracion beween land bank and land rus. 28

29 STRATEGIES Propery Owned by Non-Profi and Communiy Organizaions This map shows all of he propery owned by he Midown TIRZ, Projec Row Houses, church communiy developmen organizaions, and he ciy of Houson. The local no-for-profi secor and he ciy of Houson own over 20% of he propery in he Emancipaion Park Neighborhood. Ea se xf wy Ch ar res Pie rce S W ay op Pie r Ba sr Sa in Em an ue l Hu ch ins Gr rs W Gr ay ce S S Ba sr Ha dle Oa ks on S Na gle Nele on Briley ro n Nele ers Rob er S Burke Tier wes on S McIlh enny Nele McG ow Brem ond en S co S Pa ige Velas r Brails fo h field Can er S ld Ada ir is Nap Sau er n Elgin Franc ley S C Briley Rug Canfie is C Franc Nele Pa lm er ons Simm Be rry Burke Br ile ys Nalle Sim m on S Sim mo ns C as Pa lm er illo Tier wes Aly C Sau er En nis W inb e rn Sa ue rs on s Ro se oleo alie Sam pson Sim m Win be bu r r De lan o Brails fo Na gle De lan o Drew Beu la De lan o Ba sr a e San de Ree rs S ves rn S 29 ne oleo n field Nap E Ala bam aa obb Ea gle Can Truxi llo S uney Dr Au cks Br ile ys Ru h es Ania Ho lm an Ala ba m Ba rb e Brem ond op ell as Fw y Web ser S So uh od ley S De lan o Be rr y Na gle Cle Blo dg e Had ow en De lan o Elg in Liv e Na gle Oa ks C W inb e rn Tru x Ro se wo Gra ys Ros Fr an cis Hw Ch ar ls ma nu e E Ru h Na gle De lan o ha rle y2 88 ss od re Ro se wo Mc G Na gle Ho lm an rs Na gle Oa ks Elg in Liv e Fr an cis Isa b Oa ks Oa ks Liv e ss ha rle PRH he nn y ns Ho lm an isio ss el S ee Tu am Ro sa lie ha rle C E man u Ba rb C Elg in u ar Be rr y Ea gle Liv e ha rle Tu am ss Ha mil W inb e rn Do wli ng op Ba sr Ov e Oa ks Liv e ow en Div Do wli ng We bs e Tru lle y Mc Il An ia ins nc is op Be rr y ins on Ch en ev e r Fr a Ba sr W inb e rn Hu ch ell as Isa b u ar C ss Mc G Sa in C Hu ch Ho lm an illo ins xf wy Ea se Trux E ma nu e ls Be rr y nc is Hu ch Sa in Em an ue l Fr a C rs Sau er ew Do wli ng Elg in Ch ac os ys ha rle ow en ss ins EMANCIPATION PARK Gr ay C We bs e Liv e Ha dle Dr Jo ne s u ar ak De lan o De nn is Hu ch Sa in Em an ue l Elg in O ss ha rle C Do wli ng Tu am he nn y ins Hu ch Dre w Ch ar res Mc Il Sa in C De nn is E ma nu e Mc G Oa ks Liv e ls Tu am Liv e ys op Do wli ng Dre w ow en Ba sr Mc G De nn is ha rle rs Na gle We bs e op ins E ma nu e he nn y Hu ch Mc Il C ys ny ls he n Do wli ng Ha dle Mc Il ss We bs e ons

30 STRATEGIES 6. Consruc and Manage rucures on Land Trus Properies Once a land rus is firmly esablished wihin he communiy, i can begin o seek financing o consruc homes and/or businesses on is land, in a process ha closely involves he communiy. In his way, a CLT can generae addiional revenue o mainain is operaions and acquire new propery o furher expand is reach. Some CLTs decide no o become acive developers of he land and insead parner wih more experienced communiy developmen corporaions o fill ha role. The following secions on Increasing Housing Choice and Generaing Communiy Wealh will furher examine he possibiliies for consrucing boh homes and businesses on land owned by a land rus. Appendix G, pg. also conains addiional informaion on Real Esae Developmen hrough Land Truss. Tax Breakdown for Delano ree Propery in Land Trus Appraised Value $52,434 $81,600 $6,600 Land Value $43,750 $75,000 $0 Improvemen Value $8,684 $6,600 $6,600 Back Taxes & Fees $3,863 $5,211 $0 Annual Taxes Due $1,348 $2,098 $170 Taxes Due (including back axes and fees) $5,211 $7,309 $170 Exempion from he land porion of propery axes would be worh over $1,900 o he owners of his Delano ree propery in Forgiveness of back ax would be worh anoher several housand. 30

31 STRATEGIES 31

32 STRATEGIES 3. Increase Housing Choice Overview As poliical power and communiy ownership are being srenghened hrough he esablishmen of a land rus and oher means, i becomes much easier o realize many of he changes he neighborhood would like o see, such as increasing access o a range of housing opions o preserve he characer and affordabiliy of he Third Ward. There is broad consensus ha affordable and mixed-use housing developmen is imporan o he revializaion of a neighborhood, and he Emancipaion Park communiy is no excepion. The consrucion of new homes on vacan and underuilized los can achieve a number of imporan objecives simulaneously, including creaing a safer environmen, providing revenue for a land rus, local CDCs and/or churches, producing opporuniies for curren residens o remain close o public ransi, jobs and oher services, and aracing new families who can suppor local businesses and conribue o he culural and civic life of he communiy. Acion Areas 1. Idenify Needs and Prioriies Deermining and building consensus around he mos pressing communiy needs, wheher i be for senior housing, co-housing, or a larger-scale mixed-use developmen, will be an essenial firs sep in any developmen process. Agreemen around prioriies can be reached hrough a variey of means, from holding a series of communiy meeings o conducing a neighborhood survey. One of he primary benefis of a land rus lies in is abiliy o direcly address local communiy needs and aspiraions hrough is model of democraic decision-making. 2. Locae Poenial Projec Sies Accouning for he curren disribuion of land uses in he area and he preferences communicaed by communiy members, i is apparen ha while opporuniies exis for smaller scale developmens o he eas and souh of Emancipaion Park, a housing developmen sraegy should focus on adding densiy o he area norh of he park. In his par of he neighborhood, here are many large adjacen vacan los owned by local organizaional sakeholders ha could provide he fooprin for 32

33 STRATEGIES Preceden: Mixed-use Developmen Meeing Local Needs Boson s Villa Vicoria mixed-use housing developmen embodies a successful implemenaion of many of he aspiraions of he Emancipaion Park communiy. Facing displacemen hrough urban renewal in he 1960 s, Boson s Puero Rican communiy mobilized o gain conrol of a large parcel of land. The resuling housing complex, compleed in 1976, included 435 low income unis as well as a credi union, an ars cener, communiy spaces and a preschool, all of which he local communiy had specifically idenified as neighborhood needs. The design of he complex was also a produc of public engagemen and advocacy, where expansive public green spaces and privae gardens conribued o a welcoming and safe environmen for residens. 33

34 STRATEGIES larger-scale developmens wihou deracing from he characer of he neighborhood. In many cases, in order o produce racs of land sufficien in size for larger-scale developmens, conversaions will need o be iniiaed and faciliaed amongs various land-owning insiuions or individual propery owners so ha land can be acquired and aggregaed by a land rus or developer. Developing oureach maerials and workshops o convince owners of vacan propery o sell or donae land, or o collaborae on a join venure may be an imporan sep in he process. The specific needs of a sie (in erms of size, proximiy o ransi, and so forh) will largely be deermined by he use of he propery and whom will be inhabiing i. 3. Develop Projec Plans wih he Communiy The success of any individual developmen projec is largely dependen upon he involvemen and suppor of he local communiy. In projecs iniiaed by a land rus, here is already an esablished level of collecive buy-in and invesmen owards developing projecs ha will serve he neighborhood as a whole. Wheher or no a projec is formally developed by a land rus, a number of facors will need o be considered, including he size, design, densiy, use-ype, income mix, amoun of landscaping/green space, parking requiremens, and managemen/mainenance srucure. 4. Secure Resources, Aain Land-Use Permissions, and Begin Consrucion There are many opporuniies ha can be explored o finance developmen projecs. Eiher a land rus or independen CDC can access a variey of local and federal funding programs. Once projec funding is in place, aaining land-use permissions should be a relaively easy final sep before beginning consrucion. In cases where parking, seback, or oher such regulaions do become a hindrance, projec parners can, wih he suppor of a vocal communiy, peiion for exempions from requiremens or advocae for local ordinance changes ha beer address local needs. For more informaion on financing sources for new developmen, see Appendix H, pg. 34

35 STRATEGIES Example of Diverse Housing Mix 4 sudios / 600f 2 9 sandard 800f 2 10 large 1200f 2 2 unis 1600f 2 4 unis of 1700f 2 800f 2 lobby 6825f 2 parking oal: 40,225f 2 Sample Housing Plans sandard couryard 35

36 STRATEGIES 4. Generae Communiy Wealh Overview In conras o he long-sanding economic sysem, which prioriizes he ineress of privae corporaions over hose of smaller businesses, a sraegy of generaing communiy wealh would encourage a healhy and self-sufficien local economy hrough he paricipaion of a broader group of residens, businesses, anchor insiuions, and oher key sakeholders. Given ha nearly 50% of hose working in he Emancipaion Park neighborhood earn $33,000 per year or less, and ha over 40% of workers mus commue a leas 20 miles per day beween home and work, exploring his alernaive approach o growing a more democraic, equiable and susainable local economy ough o be an urgen prioriy. Residens and local organizaions in he Third Ward are already beginning o suppor and incubae cooperaively-owned businesses and o benefi from increased coordinaion wih he medical, culural, and educaional secors invesed in heir local economy s success. These small wins have he poenial o muliple exponenially in ways ha boh preserve he neighborhood s unique characer and posiion i o reemerge as he vibran commercial and culural hub i once was. Acion Areas 1. Formalize Communicaion and Cooperaion Amongs Exising Businesses, Insiuions and oher Key akeholders Idenifying shared prioriies and avenues for collaboraion is an essenial sep owards generaing local wealh amongs residens, businesses, universiies, insiuions and oher key sakeholders. One poenial means by which o increase communicaion and cooperaion amongs hese groups is hrough creaion of a Local Business Associaion or a Business Improvemen Disric, which can provide a unique organizing mechanism for all hose invesed in he fuure of heir local economy. Such an organizaion could, for insance, help ensure ha he neighborhood redevelops in a way ha benefis hose mos vulnerable o displacemen by supporing businesses ha will serve local needs, ensuring ha new businesses pay is employees a living wage, and creaing a welcoming environmen for minoriy or women-owned businesses. Educaional insiuions can also develop formal parnerships wih local organizaions by direcing suden and faculy resources owards local needs and engaging hem o use he ciy as a classroom. 36

37 STRATEGIES 2. Address Local Needs hrough Developmen of Small and Cooperaively-Owned Businesses Cooperaively owned businesses, which srive o keep wealh in he neighborhood and promoe a healhy local economy, have a long hisory in African-American communiies. One prioriy would be o idenify new or exising spaces for smaller sar-ups or cooperaive businesses o share offices or oher resources while keeping coss low. A number of small and cooperaively-owned businesses are already being incubaed in he Emancipaion Park neighborhood, and could benefi from addiional resources. More of hese ypes of businesses could also be developed if local needs were idenified hrough anchor insiuions and oher sakeholders. 3. Advocae for Policies ha Suppor he Local Economy and Improve he Environmen In order o bring abou long-erm improvemens wihin a neighborhood, sound economic developmen policies ough o also benefi he local environmen. Advocaing for anchor insiuions and larger-scale Third Ward businesses o conduc a comprehensive survey of heir conracs and adop policies ha prioriize local purchasing of large amouns of goods and services -- as opposed o sourcing hem across he counry or overseas -- would reduce wase and suppor a healhier local economy. Advocaing for policies such as a Parking Managemen Disric in he Emancipaion Park neighborhood could similarly suppor he developmen of smaller businesses wihou he needless parking requiremens ha hinder such developmens, while limiing auomobile raffic in he area. Preceden: New Orleans Re-fresh Projec In an effor o revialize New Orleans Broad ree, a sruggling commercial corridor running hrough several hisorically low-income African American neighborhoods, a main srees organizaion called Broad Communiy Connecions, helped o finance he Re-Fresh Projec. Among he enans of his public-privae developmen were Tulane Universiy s Cener for Culinary Medicine, Boysown Cener for Children and Families, he Crescen Ciy Communiy Land Trus, a culinary work readiness and leadership program, an on-sie eaching farm, and he counry s firs low price poin Whole Foods, among many ohers. 37

38 STRATEGIES Preceden: Cleveland Greaer Universiy Circle Iniiaive Founded in 2005 as a grassroos effor o revialize a Norheas Ohio neighborhood, he Universiy Circle Iniiaive seeks o leverage he collecive financial, poliical, and inellecual resources of over a dozen large public, privae, and philanhropic organizaions hrough long-erm collaboraion and communiy engagemen. Thus far, he iniiaive has funded he developmen of ransporaion infrasrucure and new housing, provided suppor o local schools and youh programs, and creaed comprehensive workforce developmen programs. These workforce programs have incubaed hree new worker-owned cooperaive businesses ha were idenified as poenial buy local opporuniies from he anchor insiuions, and suppor local hiring. hp://democracycollaboraive.org/ 38

39 STRATEGIES 4. Provide Job Training and Employmen Opporuniies o he Local Workforce In a neighborhood where he unemploymen rae is high, and only a small percenage are living in close proximiy o where hey work, more job placemen and raining opporuniies are needed for curren residens. Anchor insiuions and larger-scale businesses ough o work hrough local communiy organizaions o more readily and consisenly provide informaion abou employmen opporuniies, as well as assisance wih resumes, inerview preparaion and oher relevan rainings. Over he longer erm, hese neighborhood anchors could creae a program o help he workforce anicipae which secors are growing. For insance, he medical campus could anicipae needing o increase hires of echnicians over he nex 5-10 years. In response, communiy groups could begin creaing and funneling local residens o educaional and vocaional programs o help prepare hem for hese ypes of careers. Local, Cooperaively-owned Business: NuWaers Coop 39

40 STRATEGIES 5. Suppor he Developmen of a Vibran Culural and Commercial Corridor Once a vibran commercial corridor, Dowling ree has he poenial o reinven iself as a culural hub for he neighborhood. By harnessing he power of grassroos organizing and communiy conrol hrough a land rus, ax burdens could be reduced and propery along he sree could be designaed for culural and commercial uses generaing communiy wealh. Exploring design guidelines like a form-based code and oher regulaions, such as a Parking Managemen Disric, could furher help encourage he developmen of he corridor as a pedesrian-friendly, culurally dynamic neighborhood desinaion ha could suppor a mix of businesses and housing developmens along is lengh. Rebranding he corridor by changing he name of he sree back o is original Emancipaion Avenue would also conribue o a revived neighborhood ideniy. Emancipaion Avenue Name Change Residens and communiy leaders gahered a a press conference in Ocober 2015 o speak ou in favor of changing he name of Dowling ree, which honors he legacy of a former confederae leader, o Emancipaion Avenue, which would insead honor he African-American heriage of he Emancipaion Park neighborhood. 40

41 STRATEGIES 41

42 NEIGHBORHOOD FRAMEWORK AND ZONES Neighborhood Framework and Zones This neighborhood framework conexualizes he four sraegies ino differen neighborhood zones ha are based on he propery ownership, physical scale and design, vacancy, and developmen paerns. While any of he sraegies may be applied o any of he four zones, his framework connecs policy or organizing conceps o he on-he-ground condiions while promping he quesion of how any one developmen opporuniy or vision connec o he neighborhood and surrounding conex. NORTH WEST EMANCIPATION PARK DOWLING SOUTHEAST 42

43 NEIGHBORHOOD FRAMEWORK AND ZONES STRATEGIES BY ZONE 1. Build Poliical Power 2. renhen Communiy Ownership 3. Increase Housing Choice 4. Generae Communiy Wealh 43

44 NEIGHBORHOOD FRAMEWORK AND ZONES NORTH The norhern area of he neighborhood has he mos vacan propery, wih some enire blocks vacan. There are also propery owners who own enire blocks, or pieces of blocks, so ha more coniguous parcels are under he same ownership. This means ha here are fewer roadblocks o higher densiy developmen. Combined wih he proximiy o downown, he norhern zone could house many new affordable and mixed-use housing unis, hereby increasing he purchasing power of he neighborhood. characerisics: more vacan propery, proximiy o downown opporuniies: higher densiy developmen, mixed use/mixed income, arac new residens while mainaining neighborhood characer 44

45 NEIGHBORHOOD FRAMEWORK AND ZONES WEST The wesern side of he neighborhood is dominaed by ownhouses, due o is proximiy o Midown. This is he area wih he mos compleed ownhouse developmens as well as he area wih he mos replas. This makes he wesern zone he mos immediaely conesed space in he neighborhood. characerisics: concenraed plaing/replaing, proximiy o Midown, rapid ownhouse developmen and genrificaion opporuniies: engage poliical process and building poliical power when parcels come up for pla approval, secure remaining single family homes 45

46 NEIGHBORHOOD FRAMEWORK AND ZONES SOUTHEAST The souheas houses mos of he affordable homes or aparmens in he neighborhood. Preservaion of affordabiliy, scale, and archiecure hrough srenghening of communiy ownership should be a high prioriy in his zone. A land rus would provide he organizaion required o engage muliple propery owners, residens and oher sakeholders in democraic decision-making, while offering financial relief and proecing his exising residenial area from unwaned developmen. characerisics: Exising residenial area, smaller scale, scaered vacan properies opporuniies: infill developmen, preservaion of scale and affordabiliy, adapive reuse, srenghening communiy conrol and ownership 46

47 NEIGHBORHOOD FRAMEWORK AND ZONES DOWLING STREET Dowling ree runs he lengh of he neighborhood and is a main access road wih poenial o once again serve as a vial economic, culural and commercial corridor. Scaered vacan los and propery owned by organizaions such as Projec Row Houses are opporuniies o build infill commercial or mixed use developmens ha can generae communiy wealh and suppor local business developmen. characerisics: major horoughfare, mix of vacan and occupied propery, mix of ownership some exising commercial aciviy, access o Emancipaion Park opporuniies: generaing communiy wealh, small business, cooperaive and incubaor developmen, creaion of business associaion or council, mixed use and mid densiy developmen 47

48 Caalys Sies These renderings show examples of wha i migh look like o implemen he four sraegies on caalyic sies along he Dowling ree Corridor: one focused on housing developmen, and he oher on commercial developmen

49 CATALYST SITES Example of Housing Developmen - Triniy Eas Propery (Tuam and. Charles) 1. Building up o he lo line (small seback) creaes sense of aciviy on sree 2. Single developmen sie holds a variey of housing opions and densiies 3. Design keeps archiecural and social conex in mind wih addiion of porches 4. Parking is locaed inside block, no facing he sree

50 CATALYST SITES Example of Commercial Developmen - Looking Norh a Dowling and Holman rees 1. Concenraed commercial developmen builds off of and suppors local business 2. Reduced parking requiremens and sree parking minimizes parking los 3. Small or no sebacks and windows provides vibran commercial experience 4. Windows creae ransparency and ineres along he sree

51 CATALYST SITES

52 APPENDIX Appendix A. Process for Paricipaing in Planning Commission Meeings aying up o dae wih developmen paerns and plaing requess can inform engagemen wih he planning commission and oher poliical processes. Mos informaion and daa can be found online, alhough some websies are more accessible han ohers. Ciy of Houson Pla Tracker hps://edrc.housonx.gov/edrc The Pla Tracker is a websie ha manages pla applicaions for he Planning Commission. I is also where planning commission meeing daes and agendas are posed. The Commission mees every oher week, and he agenda liss all he deails of he pla requess up for review a he upcoming meeing. The meeing agenda is a good way o find ou abou which plas are up for review, includes he following useful informaion abou each applicaion: subdivision pla name applicaion number subdivision pla ype couny, ciy, precinc, census rac number, zip code, school disric if he applicaion is wihin a TIRZ, Managemen Disric, Hisoric Disric, or Super Neighborhood land use number of los ha are par of he applicaion name of he developer and applican company phone number associaed wih he applicaion a PDF of he subdivision applicaion, which includes plans All of his informaion can be helpful he spreadshee of he agenda can be sored by locaion, in order o quickly idenify which pla applicaions are occurring in he Third Ward. An inerne search of he subdivision pla names can ofen resul in real esae aricles or websies ha conain more informaion such as renderings, propery informaion, and selling prices. Townhouse developmens ofen have websies o adverise and sell he unis - hese sies ofen conain phoos, plans, and renderings and may have links o oher properies owned by he same developer. 52

53 APPENDIX My Ciy Houson hp://myciy.housonx.gov/myciy2/ My Ciy Houson is a visual mapping ool ha can quickly show where pla applicaions are under review as well as visualize oher public ciy daa. 1. To see curren pla applicaions, zoom ino he map o view he neighborhood. 2. Click on Map Layers and selec Planning and Dev. Click Map Layers again o close he layer menu. 3. Check he box nex o Planning and Developmen and hen scroll down and check off he box nex o PlaTracker Plas o see he pla applicaions. 4. Zoom ino he map o see more deail. You can check off boxes for Propery Lines, Easemens, and Boundaries o see he changes ha he plas are requesing. In his image, he pla is urning wo parcels ino en parcels wih a driveway or easemen in he middle. 5. To find ou more informaion abou a given pla, click on he Idenify ool a he op of he page. Then click anywhere inside he boundaries of he pla. The seleced pla will be highlighed blue and he Idenify box will conain informaion abou he applicaion, including: name of he subdivision saus of he applicaion ype of applicaion applicaion ID number You can use he subdivision name o locae he applicaion in he Planning Commission agenda Oher daa resources Houson Municipal Code hps:// Chaper 42 of he Houson Municipal Code conains all of Houson s regulaory informaion around subdivision, developmens, and replaing. The informaion in he code is fairly echnical. The following are highlighs ha migh be paricularly useful. Chaper 42 Aricle II Division 1 Sec Classes of Subdivision Pla Includes Chaper 26 Aricle VIII Sec Parking Spaces for Cerain Types of Use Classificaions Includes a able describing how many parking spaces are required for differen land uses. Chaper 42 Aricle III Div 3 Building Lines Includes a Table of Minimum Building Line Requiremens describing he seback requiremens for differen kinds of srees, like Major Thoroughfares like Dowling. 53