Alex Fennell

It only takes a few: Leveraging Inside/Outside strategies to advance Racial Equity in Housing and Equitable Development at the Local Level

We will be sharing two stories of coalitions working alongside agency staff to achieve significant wins for communities facing the brunt of the housing and displacement crises. We will devote a substantial portion of the breakout to questions and an active conversation about the lessons learned in both cities. In Seattle, organizers were able to leverage the update to the City’s Comprehensive plan in 2015 to win $16 million in funding for community-led anti-displacement projects.

Speakers will share stories from the initial formation of the Equitable Development Initiative, how a few rogue planners shifted the conversation, and how a one-time allocation grew to $25 million in annual funding from progressive revenue. In NYC, organizers built power by raising awareness about racialized displacement and inequality in land use decision-making. This led to passing new land use reporting requirements and creating a comprehensive data tool. The tool analyzes changes in lived environments and demographics across time, geography, and race.

Speakers will share stories about the organizing strategy that led to the passage of Local Law 78. They will also discuss how collaboration with key members of the Departments of City Planning and Housing and Preservation resulted in a robust new data tool for building community power.