Black Urban Planner's Seven Objectives for the Next Ten Years

These seven objectives by no means represent all Black planner’s objectives. But they do, arguably, reach the general interest of some leading African-American/Black planning practitioners and academics.

The Process

This initiative started as a response to the continuous deaths of Black men and women by law enforcement officers with impunity coupled by a weak response from the planning profession. I worked with a few other outspoken planning professionals to collectively come up with our own goals that we all can advocate and work towards in our own capacities to help undue the historic wrongs that were conceived by the Planning profession which perpetuates social justice disparities in our communities today.

I initially approached a group of 3 planners, Gisla Augustin, Kristen Jeffers, and Jermaine Ruffin to help explore a list of demands for Black Planners. We first developed a list of 10 comprehensive demands. The list of demands were then introduced to Desiree Powell’s Blck Spces’s Black Urban Planner’s Discussion via zoom. The virtual space for Black Planners was used to catalyze a broader discussion about the initial demands which became objectives. Desiree was able to pull and engage approximately 50 planner attendees with various backgrounds per each meeting. There is no doubt that Desiree’s efforts were an integral part of the process.

Through a series of conversations with various Black planners, including those mentioned in the acknowledgement section, a consensus was met where a list of notable and obtainable objectives, that we all can work towards, was preferred, as opposed to “demanding” or “asking” another entity to provide change for us and our community. This idea falls into the same principle of what blackandurban was found on: Sharing Solutions to Improve Our Spaces.

Acknowledgements

Desiree Powell, Blck Spces, Founder

Gisla Augustin , Gigi the Planner, Founder

Jermaine Ruffin. The Streets Are Planning, Founder

Fabiola Alikpokou, Beyond Urban Planning, Founder

Kristen Jeffers, The Black Urbanist, Founder

Dru Maynus, Urban Planning Life, Founder

Coretta Mondesir, Urban Money Project, Founder

Brittany Drakeford, PhD Student

Jonathan Bush, Urban Planner and Designer

Jalyn Porchay, Land Use Planner

Implementable Equity Strategies in Planning

Research shows that substandard infrastructure and materials are used in Black/African-American communities compared to white communities.

True equitable practices would ensure the same use of techniques regardless of neighborhood demographics or political boundaries.

Actively seek Engagement between Black Academics and Black Planning Practitioners

Academics and planning practitioners have the opportunity to create a thorough nexus. Our planning goals can better off be reached by creating an effective pipeline between research pertaining to Black communities and implementing projects that provide fact-based solutions.

Implement a National Ambassador/Mentorship Program

Aimed to inform BIPOC and be intentional about recruitment to the Planning profession.

Introduced by Jermaine Ruffin, Founder of The Streets Are Planning, this objective is seen as one of the most tangible within a 10 year period. It can serve as an effective way to retain Black planners in the profession.

Advocate for Social Justice and Physical Neighborhood Changes

Encourage Black/African/American Heritage Commissions in historically Black communities to influence land use and transportation decisions.

Dru Maynus, Founder of Urban Planning Life, first introduced the idea of creating a type of heritage board in Black neighborhoods that would serve as a governing body to have authority over Black cultural assets and infrastructure that affects residents and businesses under its influence. This would give control to Black residents in predominately Black neighborhoods and allow them to create their own solutions to resolve failed urban planning policies that left Black neighborhoods behind.

Advocate for local city councils to pass sweeping reforms to repair generations of discriminatory practices that has affected Black communities.

Asheville, NC’s City Council passed a resolution to provide reparations to its Black residents. The resolution is a form of restitution to correct the wrongs of racist urban planning policies and systemic racist government policies that have prohibit Black people from accumulating wealth while inhibiting their white counterparts to accumulate generational wealth.

The Town of Asheville, NC shall be used as a precedent for future bills of restitution to the American slave trade.

Encourage Black Urban Studies in Higher Education Planning Programs

Advocate for accredited colleges to include required courses focused on Black/ African-American neighborhoods and developmental patterns cities within continental Africa.

The following curricula should be a mandated throughout accredited Planning schools:

1. Coursework about African-American neighborhoods within the United States and the government’s role to perpetuate contemporary adverse physical and socio-economical neighborhood conditions due to historic and contemporary policies related to housing, transportation, zoning, gentrification and other exclusionary policies and practices. 

   For example, the curricula around this topic should be conducive to facillitate student discussions about development projects and/or plans that have created disparate impact in African-American communities, i.e. Pruitt-Igoe Apartments in St. Louis, MO and Black Wall Street/Greenwood community in Tulsa, OK.

2. The Color of Law by Richard Rothenstein should be a mandatory read.

3. African cities, their historic development patterns, and their successes and shortfalls due to western principles and native practices.

4. Other electives should take a look at racial injustice, and the social-economic and psychological impacts of racism within the built environment. 

Include prominent Black Urbanists of Historical and contemporary significance at accredited planning schools. The curricula should/must consider the following notable black planners, sociologists, and activists, as listed below from Gisla Augustin, Founder of Gigi the Planner’s recommended list:

• Ethel Lawrence, considered the Rosa Parks for affordable housing with the historic Mt. Laurel Case. 

• W.E.B. Du Bois, well renowned sociologist who studied the effects of racism on African-Americans in Philadelphia, PA.

• Benjamin Banneker

• James Baldwin

• Charles Claybourn Allen

• Reginald Griffith

• Arthur Campbell

• Harvey Gantt

• Michelle Obama

• Samuel [James] Cullers

• Hilanius L. Phillips

• Mitchell Silver 

• Curtis E. Green

• Herman Kobe

• Glady West

• W.E.B. DuBois

• Horace Clayton Jr. / St. Claire Drake

• John Hope Franklin

• Gordon Parks

• Dorothy Mae Richardson

• Rev. Dr. Calvin Butts

• William Julius Wilson

• Geoffrey Canada

• Mary Pattillo

Urbanists - Academia

• Julian Agyeman

• Robert Bullard

• Sheila Foster

• Toni Griffin

• Michael Lens

• Mary Pattillo

• June Manning Thomas

• William Julius Wilson

• Dr. Destiny Thomas

Urbanists - Community Activists

http://cornersideyard.blogspot.com/2017/11/black-urbanists-part-2-community.html 

• Christopher Alston

• Erma Henderson

• Mel King

• Teka Lark Lo

• Fannie Lewis

• Ayesha McGowan

• DeRay Mckesson

• Liz Ogbu

• Olatunji Oboi Reed

• Najari Smith

• Derrick Braziel, William Thomas, III and Allen Woods

Urbanists - Local Government Management

http://cornersideyard.blogspot.com/2017/11/black-urbanists-part-3-local-government.html  

1. Keith Benjamin

2. Kelley Britt

3. Maurice Cox

4. Kimberly Driggins

5. Aaron Foley

6. Majestic Lane

7. Justin Garrett Moore

8. Mitchel Silver

9. John Watson

Prioritize Healthy Cities

Prioritize healthy food equality, and mitigate food deserts. Utilize urban informatics to correlate health data with land use and development patterns, Integrate biophilic design to maintain a good physical and mental health.

Promote inclusive design that encourage physical activity for all users to mitigate cardiovascular and asthmatic health disparities.

Mitigate toxic air, noise nuisances, and urban heat islands while increasing fresh water and waterfront access.

This objective was introduced by Jonathan Bush, planner and urban designer. These are some objectives that should be prioritized to reverse the devastating health disparities in African-American/Black communities set forth by racist housing and transportation policies from the United State’s Federal Housing Authority and Federal Highway Administrations.

In Architecture, form is known to follow function, but so to in planning, shall our health be the motivating objective to create beautiful and sustainable neighborhoods for African-Americans to live, work and play.

Uplift, Support, and Engage with BIPOC Organizations

Black businesses generate revenue to stabilize black communities' tax-base. BIPOC social entrepreneurs focused on helping communities of color should be given preferential treatment  to help resolve the problems within our communities.

There are quite a few BIPOC organizations advocating for social and environmental change. It's imperative that we connect, collaborate, engage and foster relationships with one another.

Beyond the Count: Why is the U.S. Census a Big Deal?

Photo by Christopher Nicholas

Happy U.S. Census Year! That’s Right Folks, it is a Census Year!

And this year is more important than ever. Over $675 billion in federal funds, grants, and support to help communities is on the line. Historically, African-American households have always been under-counted in the decennial census and as a result, it has led to disadvantages for African-American families and communities. However, we have the opportunity to make this year’s census different, as there is so much on the line.

What is the U.S Census?

The census is widely known to determine the demographic makeup of the country every ten years. But, according to the U.S Census Bureau the constitutional basis to conduct the census is to reapportion the U.S. House of Representatives. Apportionment is the process of dividing the 435 memberships, or seats, in the U.S. House of Representatives among the 50 states. The census is also used to distribute federal funds for social service programs, public works and other vital programs. The amount of funding per congressional district depends on the U.S Census Bureau’s official population count.

Innovation

The impact of this year’s U.S. Census is particularly important due to the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. The global pandemic is forcing the U.S Census Bureau to be innovative and use non-conventional methods to obtain an accurate population count. In previous Census counts, the Bureau would mail leaflets and hire seasonal workers to canvass entire neighborhoods to conduct door-to-door counts. Now, the Census Bureau has added an online response feature to reach millions of Americans that will not get a mail-in form or a door-to-door count, due to the COVID-19 epidemic. 

The impact of an online response is that 90 percent of Americans, (over 312 million) use the Internet in comparison to 2010, where only 72 percent of the population (222 million) used the Internet. In a digital age, where information and access is powerful, the opportunity to make an impact is easier. This is because segments of the population that never had the ability to make their voice count, now have an opportunity to do so with the emphasis on online responses. Internet usage is at an all-time high for African-Americans (85 percent). We have a real chance of making an impact in our communities as a result of the expanding access of the U.S. Census to provide funding for education, infrastructure, public transportation, housing assistance, historically black colleges and universities (HBCU), Medicare, health care, minority-owned businesses. Mobilizing our power online and turning to impact funding for our communities.

Impact

Infrastructure in the United States is graded a D+ by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Infrastructure in the African-American community is at an F grade due to racial segregation, under-investment and under-development of infrastructure. Hurricane Katrina in 2006 was a perfect example of how climate change exacerbates problems in neighborhoods with already poor infrastructure. Sub-standard affordable housing units in low-income communities were at greater risk from severe storms, and more prone to flooding than those in wealthier neighborhoods. Adequate infrastructure and preparation could have resulted in saving more lives. That is why it is important to fill out the U.S. Census to pressure public officials to care about your community and what it needs.

Challenge

There are a few challenges. In 2013, a Pew Research Center survey showed that 34 percent of those who did not use the internet felt it was not relevant to their ives, while 32 percent of non-users said it was too difficult to use, (some believed they were too old to learn), and 19 percent noted cost was a factor, as some people could not afford internet service or owning a computer. In addition, social distancing creates additional challenges for those who rely on libraries, community centers and other public facilities. These community resource centers, which normally provide internet access, are now closed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

To overcome these challenges, I recommend that we rely on those who are most familiar with the internet - particularly the youth - to help others fill out the census. Also, it is important to note that the census survey can be taken on a mobile device.  

How Can I Take the Census?

The U.S. Census Bureau’s website has a great step-by-step tutorial on how to complete the 2020 Census online. Please review the YouTube video below:  

Please review the U.S. Census Bureau website for more information.

The census is your constitutional right, please fill out the 2020 U.S Census Survey here to better your communities.

Amazon Played Y'all Part 2

Newark, New Jersey - One of Amazon’s Top Contenders for their New Headquarters - Photo by Michael Moloney on Unsplash

Imagine a game where all the players are asked to show their best cards, and then the dealer selects who would help him take the pot. Would you play?

Cities across the countries showed their best hand and Amazon selected the one that best served their very own interest. Let's face it, Amazon can thrive in any city it chooses to be in, and it had the opportunity to be on the right side of history and make ground breaking news by choosing a city like Detroit, who has been struggling to overcome the blight of the auto industry. Or if East Coast was where it was at, Newark, NJ should have received the bid. Newark has the potential to be an anchor for a major industry and the capacity for growth, as it has the space, with unused or underdeveloped land; and the people, with reputable colleges and universities like Seton Hall and Rutgers Newark Campus.

The tech giant had a chance to be philanthropic; simply because they can afford to. Granted, they don’t have to, but surely one can remember how they managed to not only survive, but grow, back when they weren’t even making a profit. They missed a chance to pay it forward; and once they become too big for their britches, they risk Americans canceling them almost as fast as Black people canceled Kanye.

But if their sights were set on NYC, as it is the greatest city in the world; (Say otherwise to any New Yorker, and see what happens); they had the opportunity to make a great city even better. Because with greatness comes major flaws. NYC is in critical condition when it comes to poverty, lack of affordable housing, and disparaging transportation.

That’s why NYC should not have entered the contest. If Amazon wanted to choose NYC on nothing other than its greatness, it could have been a win-win for both parties. While a company like Amazon setting up a headquarters or even a large satellite location is likely to cause disruption anyway, it’s the granting of incentives that makes this deal so much worse.  

At first glance, sacrificing 1.5B in revenue for a $10 billion return sounds, well, smart. Without even calculating the multiplier effect, surely the benefits will be the gift that keeps on giving.

However, $10 billion, over the course of 20 years, in projected tax revenue is not enough . New Yorkers need solid economic policy to promote social mobility. People of color need real opportunities for advancement. Amazon should not be and would not have been the answer to all of NYC's problems, but it could have created a pathway and set the standard of philanthropic behaviors for large corporations.

What Deal(s) Should Have Been Made?

Commitment to Education

There should be a partnership with CUNY for apprenticeships to include on-the-job training. Many middle-class families cannot afford to have college students taking on post-graduate internships. An apprenticeship would allow for concurrent work and school and create a pathway for a technical trade. All apprenticeships should be combined with free-tuition assistance for participants that do not qualify for the Excelsior scholarship.

Commitment to Diversity

Amazon should not only employ, but commit to having Leadership positions for people of color and minorities. Having diverse people at the table not only grants opportunities to those that need it most, it also ensures that all points of views are considered before decisions are made. No company wants to encounter issues like H&M or Starbucks because of a lack of diversity and inclusion.

Commitment to Economic Development

Long island City is already stressed with high rises and real estate at astronomical prices; especially since the rezoning efforts under the Bloomberg Administration from manufacturing to mixed-use. This deal could have been a great opportunity to bring large companies back into suburbia, and lessen the concentration of high paying jobs being in proximity to Manhattan. Shorter commutes would mean for happier and more productive employees. Other neighborhoods to consider could have been College Point, or Jamaica, Queens; neighborhoods in East or South Brooklyn; or areas in the Bronx.      

NYC did not secure the bag

Ultimately, NYC signed up to lose $1.5B before it was even earned. $1.5 billion dollars in subsidies may very well be peanuts to a company that values at a trillion dollars. But 1.5 billion in lost revenue means the world to a city that lacks affordable housing, struggling transit, and a wide wealth gap.

How could $1.5 billion in tax revenue help NYC now?

Transit

• Circumvent or delay the planned MTA fare hike of 2019 and 2022.

• Expedite the projected $477 million repairs on the L train that will displace residents and small businesses alike.

• Fix the signal problems commuters experience daily, especially during rush hour.

Housing

• Create more affordable housing units for the hard-working New Yorkers that pay more than 40% of their income on rent, or put up with the roommate that forgets to buy toilet paper.

• Programs to assist New Yorkers through home ownership.

• Sustainable pathways to curb homelessness.

Education

• Provide free after-school for all children who attend public schools from kindergarten to 12th grade.

• Increase in pay for teachers.

• Additional funding for school supplies, so parents don’t have to buy tissues and hand sanitizers for classrooms.

Prison Reform

• Release folks held on bail for minutia dollar amounts.

Share your thoughts! How could NYC spend 1.5B?