query: planning Utica

[colist-admin at comm-org.utoledo.edu]

[ed:  those of you who work with the intersections of community organizing,
community-based planning and sustainable development may be able to help
here.]

From: JFurman835 at aol.com

Utica Community Action, Inc. (UCAI), a community-based anti-poverty agency in 
Utica, NY, recently received a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency to implement a Sustainable Challenge Development Challenge Grant.  The 
goal of the Sustainable Utica project is to develop a plan for the 
revitalization of inner-city communities in the City of Utica which will 
address economic development, park/open space restoration and development, 
pollution prevention, and environmental sustainability issues.  The planning 
process will involve residents in the development of solutions to  problems 
related to inadequate economic opportunities, transportation networks that do 
not meet the needs of residents, and limited availability of food markets and 
retail business establishments.  The goal of the project will be to create 
holistic sustainable community development model which can be replicated in 
other communities.  The project will set forth specific strategies in 
connection with low-income resident self-reliance, urban park and habitat 
restoration, urban environmental education, community food security, and job 
creation through sustainable development enterprise formation. The project 
will identify  specific projects in connection with brownfields, lead 
contaminated housing, limited transportation, vacant lots and abandoned 
buildings, undermaintained parks,  urban park restoration, neighborhood 
beautification, community food security, and neighborhood-based economic 
development.  The project will result in the formation of a coordinating 
council which will implement the community needs strategy and create a 
process for implementing  demonstration sustainability projects.

The project will utilize community education vehicles such as workshops and 
media campaigns to increase public awareness of inner-city environmental 
challenges and enhance the capacity of local residents to participate in the 
planning process.  UCAI will prepare a detailed needs  environmental 
assessment that will determine the scope of environmental problems affecting 
low-income neighborhoods in Utica.  Through community planning conferences, a 
sustainabiltiy plan will be developed which will present a future vision and 
an action plan. 

Utica Community Action, Inc. is seeking technical assistance to implement 
this project.  The following are our needs:

1.  We will be conducting a media and educational outreach campaign 
consisting of TV and radio public service announcements, news releases to 
local media, articles in local community and church newsletters, flyers, and 
other information to introduce the project and the planning process.  Our 
agency is attempting to identify educational materials for our project, 
particularly fact sheets on environmental issues, TV and radio public service 
commercials, and articles for newsletters.  Instead of reinventing the wheel, 
we are interested in reusing successful educational materials.

2.  Through the Junior Green Team program (Utica Community Action, Inc.'s 
environmental conservation youth corps), we will be conduct community-based 
educational events (community theater, workshops) to build awareness and 
create dialogue on sustainability issues.  Our organization is attempting to 
locate scripts for short skits on environmental issues  as well as ideas for 
educational workshops.

3.  Our project will be  canvassing of low-income neighborhoods to organize 
residents regarding environmental issues.  We are searching for materials we 
can use in this process.

4.  We will be administering a survey to local residents to ascertain 
environmental concerns.  Samples of surveys and accompanying methodologies 
would be helpful.  

We would appreciate your assistance with our project.  Utica Community 
Action, Inc. would be pleased to keep you inform on the progress of our 
project and share materials with you.  Please contact me with any ideas 
regarding educational materials, surveys, public service commercials, 
information on community-based environmental planning, organizing low-income 
and inner-city residents, and related issues.  Thank you for your assistance.

John Furman
Program Planner
Utica Community Action, Inc.
253 Genesee Street 
Utica, NY   13501
(315) 797-7364
Fax:  (315) 792-1983
JFurman835 at aol.com