Introduction to the DLANC Sustainability Committee_2010

In the beginning…
Need Identified: A strategic, sustainable vision for Downtown and DLANC
Goal: Develop a community greening strategy (plan) and resource toolkit
Tool: Launched the Sustainability Committee in October 2008
Park[ing] Day LA 2008

Refine our mission
Establish a mission, objectives for committee
Include broad participation with diverse representation of the community
Listen to your neighbors to understand needs.
Long list of brainstormed ideas refined to a more defined group of projects for our first year
“Pilot” is critical concept; data-driven conclusions
Support other initiatives
Bilingual postcards

Foster partnership
Focus on existing resources within the neighborhood
2008 Park[ing] Day Sponsors: City Council Districts and CRA-LA, professional and volunteer groups, private sector, etc.
Leverage limited budget to accomplish community goals
Engage a broad base with relevant and timely information
NC Event Budget: $200

Park for a Day
Community Workshop
DLANC Outreach
Dog Park
Basketball
Recreation
Music
Youth Literacy
Public art

Develop reputation
Created a committee vision and mission to guide our decision-making and involvement in the neighborhood
Applied for a national grant from the American Institute of Architects – professional association which gives $15K in resources with $5K community match
Ashley Zarella, LEED AP, Assoc. AIA
Greening the DLANC Office

Our mission
The Sustainability Committee is dedicated to empoweringthe Downtown community to create a culture of sustainability.
We will work with the communityto increase accessibilityto existing programs and services through outreach and public education. We will identify and create opportunitiesfor new programming and partnershipsto meet our goals for a morelivable,affordable, and efficienturban center.

Find know-how
To develop community greening strategy, need people who understand different issues
Affordable housing
Reintroduction of parolees
Economic development
Parks and open space
Transportation and walkability
Amenities and livability
2009 SDAT Application

Talk about your work
Presented to LANCC, First-Ever LA Bioneers Beaming Conference; DLANC and Downtown stakeholders.
Community-driven change
2009 AIA SDAT

Creating visibility
Outreach through word-of-mouth, blogspot, listservs, and meeting reports (both online and flyers)
Develop skills in outreach through best practices and testing
Innovation in numbers – grew list serve through event outreach and sign-up lists (opt-in marketing)
Blogger – free website
Committee work provides content

Community Project
What do we want as a neighborhood?
Identify topics, themes, and other ways to organize ideas
Limit the total number of projects
Lesson Learned: We took on a lot of projects our first year making it difficult (and sometimes impossible) to meet goals.
Create guidelines (project and letter templates) and a structure to keep focused.
Harlem Place Project

Our approach
Education
What did we learn?
What do people want to know?
Who can help us find out more?
What is available Downtown?
Outreach
Who would like to know?
Why is it relevant?
Are there existing tools?
Advocacy
What is the problem?
Who do we talk to?
How can we solve this together?
PPS with James Rojas Workshop

Our goals
Livability
Urban beautification and living solutions
Affordability
Equity now and for the future
Efficiency
Resource efficiency and the efficient use of resources
Empowerment
Representing our community as a knowledgeable and inclusive voice
Shovel-ready

Year One Projects
Eight projects total (yes - 8)
Project 1: Rooftop Edible & Compostable Containers
Project 2: Tree Planting
Projects 3 & 4: Increase Participation in City Services (Water & Energy; Waste & Recycling)
Project 5: Online Toolkit
Project 6: SDAT & Community Greening Strategy
Project 7: Education & Event Calendar
Project 8: Green Living Program
Ground Up

(1) Urban Gardens
Rooftop gardens presented challenge – ordinances and rules unclear
Author of The Urban Homestead inspired “do-it-yourself” approach with presentation and stories
Community internship brought volunteer to help research
Committee’s Urban Garden Guide with local resources
Volunteer graphic designer

(2) Tree Planting
Consensus-building in neighborhood
Million Trees (Mayor’s office) designated “corridor project” means bigger trees
Los Angeles Conservation Corps, community partner
Surveys and survey day
Verification of surveys
Permitting
Trees, tools, and staff
Planting day
Maintenance

31 trees on S. Alameda Street

(3) Energy, Water(4) Waste & Recycling
First meeting – presentation by Bureau of Sanitation on multi-family recycling, waste assessment city programs
Maintained ongoing communication; distributed outreach materials for City; learned about resources
Looked for information that would appeal to business owners and residents

(5) Online Toolkit
Collection of information, resources, and best practices
Lessons learned for increased efficiency
Why re-create the wheel?
Under development (ongoing)
Calendar of “green” Downtown activities
downtownsustainability.com

(6) SDAT&Community Greening Strategy
Team of ten professionals from across the country
Visited neighborhood and stakeholders
3-day visit included tour of Downtown with guides
Meetings with stakeholders on community organization, walkability, affordability,
First time ever awarded to neighborhood organization
SDAT would like to come back
Preliminary Report 12/2009

(7) Education & Event Calendar
Connect people who share similar interests
Provide a resource for the community
Don’t always have to be the host
Calendar of events provides a good reason to revisit the website
Outreach kit provides easy tool for attending events
Community asset
Civic engagement

(8) Green Living Program
Researched different programs, both city-sponsored and non-profit
Sought options that were free or affordable
Collected information and contacts for future program
Generally applied to all projects
This content will be useful for the online resource toolkit.
Urban Garden Guide

Other projects
Green alley project by graduate student team from UC Santa Barbara
Adopted final document for planned (but unfunded) Fashion District program
Green Pockets – helping a Downtown Youth Center build a “green” parking lot
Understanding our options

Today
Recognition by others
2009 Planning Excellence Award for Grassroots Initiative
2009 Award of Merit for Grassroots Initiative
First Annual NC Peer Award for the Environment
Community reference for sustainability issues
SDAT plan issued with recommendations from outgoing board
Identifying opportunities for change

Tomorrow…
Board chair seat open
Volunteer for project(s)
Host office hours

Introduction to the DLANC Sustainability Committee_2010

by DLANC Sustainability Committee on Aug 22, 2010

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Introduction to the DLANC Sustainability Committee_2010 — Presentation Transcript