Equitable Development Guidelines
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Equitable Development Guidelines CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance March 2018 CONTENTS 5 Introduction 7 Equitable Development Guidelines Snapshot The Guidelines 9 Planning Process 21 Employment and Procurement 31 Designated Space 39 Housing 49 Design Standards 3 Introduction Real estate development has an immense The Equitable Development Guidelines is a impact on the affordability, accessibility, and robust tool that provides developers with a economic opportunity of neighborhoods and comprehensive overview and details about cities. Equitable development is an approach the decisions, activities, and strategies that to development that recognizes this impact can make their projects more equitable. by building projects that provide commu- nity benefits, respond to local needs, and Some of the guidelines presented here are contribute to the health and wellbeing of resi- already incentivized by local government in dents and workers. Equitable development cities around the country. In addition, commu- projects can provide affordable housing, nity-based organizations and nonprofit create good jobs, and increase access to developers have been fighting for and services, all while ensuring that commu- implementing many of these guidelines for nities have a voice in shaping the future of decades. However, equitable development is their neighborhoods. far from the industry standard and need not The guidelines fall into five overall categories: Employment Planning Designated and Process Space Procurement Design Housing Standards 4 5 Equitable Development Guidelines be limited to projects that are built with public work is related to the goals of our Equality resources or subject to local regulation. All Indicators project, which measures prog- developers have the capacity and opportunity ress towards equality across six domains: to contribute in meaningful and significant economy, education, health, housing, justice, ways to equitable neighborhoods and cities, and services. Within this work, we define and these guidelines are a starting point for “equality” as follows: Equitable Development this work. Everyone has the same Guidelines Snapshot Implementing these guidelines depends on outcomes regardless of race, a complex set of factors, from construction ethnicity, disability, sexual orien- costs and financing to public incentives and tation, gender, single parenthood, Planning Process • Designate space for a local nonprofit or political will. Understanding the local context age, immigration status, criminal • Research the neighborhood and community-based organization is critical to a project’s success, and building record, place of residence, and other community • Designate space for disadvantaged equitable projects requires commitment from characteristics. • Pursue partnerships with community- business owners many different actors. This tool provides a based organizations foundation for collaboration by identifying Equal opportunities can be a first step towards • Engage the community Housing best practices that have been successful in achieving equal outcomes. The Equitable • Maximize the number of affordable units different contexts and pushing for higher Development Guidelines provide a range of Employment and Procurement • Make housing units permanently standards across the real estate industry. options designed to increase access or oppor- • Provide living wages to all project affordable tunity, with the ultimate goal of improving employees • Include deeply affordable units These guidelines are the first phase of a larger outcomes for individuals and communities. • Ensure wage equity • Provide supportive housing units project to identify, measure, and incentivize • Hire employees from diverse, local, and • Expand opportunities for homeownership best practices in real estate development that disadvantaged groups and community ownership can improve the social and economic well- • Prioritize local or disadvantaged • Reserve a percentage of units for being of individuals and communities. This businesses when procuring materials or existing disadvantaged residents of the services neighborhood • Incorporate the above practices into the • Provide protections for existing tenants of Disadvantaged groups lease agreements of commercial tenants redevelopment projects Sign and enforce a project labor Several of the guidelines refer to “disadvantaged groups.” In the Equality • agreement, labor peace agreement, or Design Standards Indicators framework for New York City, we identified a number of disadvantaged community benefits agreement Follow design standards that impact the groups based on our literature review and feedback from experts and community • groups. Our final framework includes specific measures for 12 of these groups: • Provide apprenticeship programs (in health and wellbeing of building tenants children under 18; immigrants; individuals currently in jail or on probation; partnership with labor unions) and neighborhoods, such as those found in: individuals living in poverty; individuals with a physical or intellectual disability; – Enterprise Green Communities individuals with less than a high school diploma; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, Designated Space – Active Design Guidelines and queer (LGBTQ) individuals; racial and ethnic minorities; religious minorities; • Designate space for a community asset – Universal Design seniors 65 and older; single parents; and women. However, there are many other that meets a demonstrated need – Design and Construction groups adversely affected by inequalities, and the guidelines will include practices • Designate space that is accessible, Excellence 2.0 designed to improve conditions for these and other groups where relevant. affordable, and culturally relevant – LEED 6 7 Equitable Development Guidelines Planning Process The planning process lays the groundwork for all of the decisions and strategies that contribute to equitable development; for this reason, the guidelines begin with this section. An equitable development project must be responsive to existing neighborhood conditions and people who may be affected by the project, including the occupants of the building, the people who live and work in the neighborhood around the project, and citywide groups that can potentially benefit from development decisions. Guidelines for an equitable planning process fall into three areas that correspond to three critical components of groundwork: 1) researching the neighborhood and community where development will take place; 2) pursuing partnerships with local community-based organizations; and 3) engaging the community. All of these components are designed to make a development project as inclusive of and responsive to those most affected by it as possible, with each providing another layer of depth to the process. At the end of the planning process, a developer will have identified key stakeholders, potential partners, community assets, community needs, and larger inequalities that can be addressed through the project. While comprehensive community engagement and neighborhood planning efforts are crucial components of equitable development, these processes are not always possible for every development project, especially those that are smaller in scale or are located in communities 8 9 Equitable Development Guidelines Planning Process that have already completed assessments and plans. Alternatively, in some cases, such as large-scale publicly funded projects, a full community engagement process is a requirement included in the government contract. These guidelines are not meant to serve as a substitute for these efforts; instead they are intended to work in Planning Process conjunction with them. In situations where substantial engagement Guidelines efforts are already in place (e.g., rezoning in New York City), it is the developer’s responsibility to identify ways in which a project can 1. RESEARCH THE NEIGHBORHOOD also include community-based organizations, respond to these efforts. AND COMMUNITY local government entities such as commu- nity boards and elected officials, and local Where possible, the guidelines in this section should be followed first, Most development projects already include businesses. All planning processes should as they inform the applicability and potential impact of the guidelines in some form of a market or feasibility study. start by identifying these stakeholders and other sections. An equitable development project requires considering how the project will affect them, more specific research into stakeholders both positively and negatively. Although and community assets, as well as commu- most stakeholders are place-based and will nity needs and existing inequalities. The be affected by neighborhood-level impacts type of research that developers choose will of the project, others might be affected at a THIRD depend on multiple factors (such as, timeline, larger scale, such as through a citywide work- Fully engage the resources, or investor demands). Regard- force initiative. Most of the guidelines in this community if the less of type, however, the findings from section apply to place-based stakeholders, SECOND project permits this research can guide development deci- but development decisions can also address Pursue important sions that either leverage the strengths of a inequalities faced by disadvantaged groups community community or address its needs. The research citywide. These opportunities will be high- FIRST partnerships also provides