The Impact of the Sustainable Communities Initiative on Engagement and Collaboration in Planning: Experiences From Four U.S. Regions
Journal Article by Meghan Z. Gough, Jason Reece
2017
Metropolitan Area Planning Council
(
Boston
)
In 2010 and 2011, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded
74 Sustainable Communities Initiative Regional Planning Grant (SCI-RPG) program
grants. The grants supported 3-year regional planning efforts that prioritized inclusive
processes and addressed the interdependent challenges of economic prosperity, social
equity, and environmental protection. This article examines the experiences of four 2010
SCI-RPG grantees, including Boston's NNIP Partner Metropolitan Area Planning Council, investigating the impact of the SCI-RPG program on public engagement
and collaboration. Using survey data, interviews, and document analysis from
these regions, we consider how SCI-RPG helped to break down silos between jurisdictions
and organizations, and how it increased representation of underserved populations
in planning decisions. We find that SCI-RPG successfully created greater awareness of
the connections between the “three Es” of sustainability, increased interjurisdictional and
cross-section collaborations, and generated more effective public engagement efforts.
However, we question the potential for plan implementation and continuation of these
outcomes. We conclude with implications for planning and policy, and we offer recommendations
for future federal large-scale planning programs.