We plan to concentrate on Richmond's Regional Equity Demonstration Projects' (RED) goals regarding increased access to affordable housing and economic development strategies. We will help RED to focus some of its activities in strategic ways that can assure implementation, and to bridge relationships with other institutional partners including UC Berkeley's satellite campus in Richmond, the Richmond Redevelopment Agency and other local community based organizations who are not already part of the RED collaborative.

The two problems to be addressed are the need for more affordable housing that is attainable and accessible to people who currently live in Richmond, and the need for strategic economic development that can benefit from affordable housing development in Richmond and take advantage of regional trends. The specific activities can be described as Outreach and Research. Outreach includes: reaching out to complementary partners who can contribute to the planning for or facilitate the implementation of plans; reconnecting existing revitalization efforts for the RED zone or directly relevant larger areas with the general and specific efforts; hosting a workshop to convey best practices and manage gentrification for RED Partners and the Redevelopment Agency; attending important meetings of partners and convening meetings about specific topics as appropriate; placing two to three graduate students and CalCorps undergraduate students with Richmond organizations to provide technical assistance on a semester-by-semester basis; encouraging 2003-5 and (potentially 2004-6) HUD Community Development Work Study Fellows from city planning to work, when appropriate, with local organizations. Research includes: conducting a land use inventory to identify vacant and/or catalyst sites in the Equitable Development Zone; assessing existing plans and processes that are barriers to positive development proposals; conducting tandem design and development City Planning studios in the area with RED partners and the Redevelopment Agency as joint clients; conducting a market study of home-buying power of the local residents; conducting a design/financial feasibility development City Planning studio for mixed use or housing catalyst sites; analyzing a workforce survey and developing next steps and recommendations, particularly as relevant to economic development plans.

Principal Researchers:
Karen Chapple
David Dowall

Funded By:
U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development - COPC