Assignment 17: Written Proposal Draft

For this week's assignment, I drafted a written proposal for my capstone project that answered the following questions:

• What is driving your research?

• What is your current essential question? Has it changed from when you wrote it earlier in the school year? 

• Other than the required website, what other tools do you envision to best showcase your project?

• What will you do for your "real inquiry"?

Proposal Draft

I need and want to know how new concepts in city planning, namely mixed use developments, could be used to lessen the impact of gentrification. At first, I wanted to see why gentrification was affecting low income areas, but now my interest has spread to middle class areas as well. In many suburbs, new mixed developments target a more affluent class of upper-middle class residents, who have been pushing out the working class. In much of metro Atlanta, especially north of the city, there has been a demographic shift because of that reason. 
My essential is as follows:

How can up and coming planners like me design and develop mixed use communities without having to restructure existing living spaces or facilitate gentrification?

I did not tweak my essential question too much. I did replace the word “walkable” with the phrase “mixed use.” Currently, there is an emphasis on mixed use projects in the planning world, and they are also the types of developments that lead to the heaviest amount of gentrification, as they attract affluent residents who want to live in a one-stop environment. However, these communities still fall under the walkable umbrella, so my essential question is not that different from what it originally was.
I think the best way to showcase my project will be an interactive model that is digital. By using mapping software, or just simple graphics tools, I can create different overlays to highlight the relationship between mixed use developments and gentrification. Additionally, I can tape a video including candid interviews of people and their understanding or thoughts about gentrification in different concepts. I think by doing this, I can bring my essential question into a more relatable context, especially because mixed use developments and gentrification are two topics that the majority of people are likely not familiar with.
For my real inquiry, I am lucky to be working in a city that is currently undergoing a huge wave of mixed use development. I can use this resource as an advantage. I have already interview the Zoning Administrator, Brian, so I can utilize his interview in my real inquiry. Additionally, there are plenty of old site plans, land use plans, and maps available of the City of Alpharetta. Finally, the city has access to substantial GIS software, which I can use to my advantage to construct digital maps and models that display the trend of mix use developments and compare them to demographic shifts in the area.

Yasamin, 1/19

Assignment 16: Interview

For this assignment I interviewed the Zoning Administrator, Brian Borden, and produced a written reflection on each of his answers. I asked him about his job in planning, and we also discussed topics related to my Essential Question:

How can up and coming planners like me design and develop walkable communities without having to restructure existing living spaces or facilitate gentrification?

Question: What is your job and how does that specifically tie into the field of city planning/community development? How did you end up in the job you have now?

Answer: "My job is the Zoning Administrator for the city. Technically I do a lot of permitted uses and general use questions. I also get a heads up on land development, and review construction projects to make sure they meet code before and after development. So worked with transportation previously and its a very frustrating field where you do a lot of work for transit and roads that never happen and I wanted to go back to my roots in land use."

Response: Planning includes a lot of technical aspects that happen behind the scenes. Brian is just one of the 20+ people in the department that decides the outcome of all the projects in the entire city. I think it is important that there be involvement in all aspects of work with a project, and I have seen the amount of time and effort each one takes. Zoning and lot use is something a lot of people overlook when they think of planning. Additionally, there are different types of planning within the municipal context, like transportation and park planners. Together, they work with the community development team to make sure that the city is livable and appeals to all of its residents.

Q: What are some trends you have seen in your career in the field of planning (things like new development types, population specific projects, etc)?

A: "I'd say the biggest change that I have seen from when I first started is a bigger focus on mixed use developments. When I first started, everything was still very single use. When they talked about doing a mixed use project it really wasn't a mixed use product, it was pods of different types of uses and they didn't really connect well. 

R: I've noticed that the majority of developments we are working with are mixed use. We are actually currently dealing with refacing an existing development (North Point) that was set up in the pod format. It is interesting how the city is accommodating the concepts to an existing system, as opposed to building from the ground up. It is much more difficult to do that because of the associated costs, which creates an issue for suburbs that were built without a mix of uses in mind.

Q: Why do you think mixed use projects are such a big thing right now?

A: People understand what that is now, and you even have banks that won't give loans to people unless they do a mixed use project. Whereas before, banks weren't funding mixed use projects and they were having to find funds from somebody else, like a private entity or a [Real Estate Investment Trust]."

R: It is interesting how banks have completely switched sides. It goes to show that once something is proven to work, everybody wants to get behind it. It's harder for private companies to fund these types of project in my opinion, because then they are tied to a developer and a city.

Q:What do you think will be the next big thing in this field?

A: "I'd say in the future it's going to be a lot about transit oriented developments. It has been a big thing for a number of years but I think that there's going to be a much bigger focus on getting ahead of that and designing transit oriented developments before the transit has arrived."

R: Compare transit in America and the rest of the world. Even New York, where the subway system is super well known, seems archaic and outdated when compared to the efficiency of public transport in European cities like London and Stockholm. In Cologne, Germany, the entire city is built to accommodate the transit system. I to look forward the future of American cities decided by transit.

Q: Why do you think it'll be the next big thing?

A: "I think for urban areas, there's that understanding and acceptance that we can't keep building roads and making them wider. Transit has to be an option. And to do transit you have to have a critical mass of people that either live in one area or need to go to one area. The way that cities are developed is very spread out, so we have to start thinking in advance, 'This is where we want to go, let's go ahead and start 10 years in advance.' We should gear our developments to support transit stations when they do show up."

R: I read in The Geography of Nowhere by Howard Kunstler about how American cities are surrounded by "Chinese walls" of roadways. It is kind of bizarre to consider how connected roads make cities, but how much they isolate them as well. Kunstler discussed how older municipalities were never constructed with individual transport in mind, and how the suburbs were built to inefficiently support an already weak public transit system. Additionally, New York City, which could have been the precedent for public transit in American, was turned into a freeway haven by a single man, Robert Moses. I am unsure of the outcome of public transit in cities if Moses had not been present to intervene.

Q: What’s the appeal in walkable and mixed use developments?

A: "I think it's kind of the implementation of new urbanism to reintroduce that whole concept of living in an urban environment; having that shared communal space that people interact in."

R: Communal spaces to me aren't a new concept. I always remember learning about town squares and churches being the original meeting places for American colonists. I think with the implementation of new urbanism, Americans are really looking to go back to our roots in the sense of community.

Q: Is there a particular audience that new mixed use developments are targeted towards?

A: "I think it really got hold in people in my age range (30-50) so they started seeking those out. As they started seeking those out, it turned out that they had a lot of money to spend and so they were buying expensive places in those communities, they were spending money at high end retailers, and so what you saw were these demographics that basically sold the concept of a mixed use development to developers because they thought they could get more money for their product."

R: Recently, I feel like this has become common in poorer areas of big cities. Everywhere is becoming gentrified, especially places in close proximity to downtown, major business centers, and easy access to highways. I think that a focus on transit like Brian mentioned earlier could really help reduce the impact of gentrification. On the other hand, it could be beneficial to cities to start homogenizing rather than segregating due to socioeconomic class.

Q: Do you think that gentrification is a big problem in our area right now?

A: "Oh yeah, absolutely. Not specifically our city, though. For example, when I bought my house I had a crack house across the street, literally. I've seen gunshots and whatnot fired near my home. But, you move into those areas knowing that's going to be there with the hope that it's going to get better. You're putting in that money and investing, wanting to make the community better. But at the same time, you're pushing [poorer] people out... In other areas, what you see is more of an upper middle class that is getting pushed out by an "upper upper" class. So you see all these communities that have been there for fifty or so years undergoing full blown redevelopment"

R: It is surprising to see just how much gentrification can affect a specific area. I also never considered how it affects more affluent regions. You would think that a community like ours is well off, but new development is happening all around. This just hikes up housing prices even more then they already are. It's very shocking to see that houses in the area are four times what they used to be when I started living here.

Q: Do you know of anything in place currently to help lessen the effect of gentrification?

A: "Not much. It's unfortunate how the City of Atlanta and the state is all set up, because there is not a strong mechanism to keep people in their homes. In DeKalb County you have a senior homestead exemption. If they are a senior citizen, they get a nice tax break on their home. But it makes it near impossible for someone [low income] to find a home in those areas. If someone moves out, they're not getting replaced by someone who doesn't make a lot of money. They're getting replaced by someone who makes more."

R: It is really sad to think about losing your home because you can't afford to live there anymore. While subsidies are in place, they are extremely finicky  The DeKalb County example only applies to senior citizens. However, senior citizens do not make up the bulk of homebuyers or homeowners in the area. Gentrification becomes inevitable. 

Q: With regards to mixed use developments and the future of planning, do you think think this will be a proper response to the issues posed by gentrification?

A: I think where you will see the best example with something like that would be the Atlanta Belt Line. What they've done is they've set aside funds to help cover the cost of a home, and then they work with the developer to subsidize developments to get units at workforce housing prices. It's a drop in the bucket. Things like this won't serve everybody.The last time I talked to anybody about [the Belt Line] they had opened up applications for housing, and it took them two years to work through all of them. As for other places, it's not going to be a one size fits all solution, and it will take city council or someone involved with the government to push that forward."

R: I think a lot of the failures in correcting the problem have to do with the system, like Brian said. Without proper legal action, cities cannot aid the issue of gentrification. And while making areas nicer and more welcoming to live in may seem better in the long run, this is a very personal issue. Morally, forcing people out of their homes should not be something we consider necessary. I think the most important step in the fight against gentrification is finding the alternatives that can make areas homogenous and welcoming to all residents.

Yasamin, 1/13

Assignment 15: Career Field Research Project

For this assignment, I made a Google Slides on the career of a city planner.

Assignment 14: Social Intelligence

This post is based off of an article on youth in the workplace. One big issue that youth in the workplace may face is inexperience. Many young adults get their first jobs with no prior work experience, so they are left not knowing how to handle social and professional situations in an appropriate manner. Additionally, there exists a disconnect between young adults and their coworkers who are often times the same age as their parents. Finally, there exists a prejudice that is associated with younger generations that they are unskilled, cocky, and inept. This is not true, as it is a stereotype and a misconception that harms young workers who could have great potential in a professional environment. 

Social intelligence describes the proper way to react in a social setting. Often times, one's actions and their communication skills determine their capacity to work more efficiently than their college degrees do. Social intelligence is important because someone with no degree but great communication skills could be a much better worker than someone with a degree from a prestigious university. There is no point in having a great education if one cannot apply themselves. 

While the article provided some insight on the importance of social intelligence, it perpetuated the bias against young workers by framing them as lazy and inept. This bothered me very much. I think that is incorrect, as young adults are mature enough to understand the ramifications of working in a professional environment. When older generations have the prejudice that young adults are incapable, it creates an environment where they do not want to let young adults succeed. Experience is important, and young adults cannot amass it without being respected in the workplace. 

Yasamin 12/2

Assignment 13: Essential Question

My essential question:

How can up and coming planners like me design and develop walkable communities without having to restructure existing living spaces or facilitate gentrification?

I selected this essential question because it focuses heavily on topics I find relative in the field of planning right now. Currently, there has been an upsurge of making the suburban sprawl more urban by increasing the focus on walkable living spaces that incorporate office, residential and commercial uses. However, a lot of these newer mixed use developments are being created in poorer communities, driving out residents who cannot afford such drastic changes in living conditions at such a rapid pace.

I am excited about this question because it is relevant in the City of Alpharetta where I have my mentorship. Part of the community consists of low to middle class residents that have been in the area for a long time. However, the revitalization of the downtown has introduced more luxury developments into the area. Currently, there is a need for the community to come together to accommodate both ends of the spectrum. 

I feel that this question can accurately assist me in finding our more about this topic. Not only can I apply it in the correct context at my mentorship, I can apply it to any projects I work on in the future. Stopping gentrification and the need to move away from autocentric communities will be two major issues that loom on the horizon for years to come as technology and transportation improve. 

Yasamin, 11/18

Assignment 11: Partner in Your Education

My mentorship has been the greatest tool in my journey towards college and my desired career field. The City has been a partner in my education in the sense that I am learning so much more "in the field" than I could with my nose buried in a textbook. I learn and remember phrases such as "easement" and "impact fee" because I am using them in their respective contexts. Additionally, my mentorship has provided me with an outlet where I can experience every aspect of municipal government, not just city planning. I have open access to city hall, as well as all of the meetings that are held there after hours: City Council, Planning Commission, and Board of Zoning Appeals.

At my mentorship, I have come to realize that the number of goals I can set and achieve must be small. This is because I am not allowed to do any serious work, so I instead do a lot of job shadowing. While some of the time that entails going to job sites or meeting with big name developers or sitting through drama-filled City Council meetings, most of the time I have to sit and observe quietly as my mentor types of reports and fills out paperwork and emails. One of the goals I have is to sit through an entire City Council meeting. As all of them have had packed agendas so far, attending them has been difficult, as well as sitting through the whole affair. One goal that I have met is being able to use this experience to prepare me for the "real world". I very recently had an interview with one of my dream colleges, and I felt that without the information I have learned at my mentorship, or the opportunities I have had with it, I would not have been able to interview as well aw I did.

The most important thing I have done to make my mentor's life easier is invest in some planning literature. Half of the job of a city planner includes meeting with developers and companies and private landowners, as well as working with them to create desirable developments. However, the other half of a planner's job is typing up reports to present at all of the formal meetings they must attend with Council and Planning Commission. Because of that, I have a lot of downtime during my mentorship, and investing in some relevant literature has allowed me to take advantage of the time my mentor may need to do some of the less interesting aspects of his job.

Yasamin 11/11

Assignment 10: Internship Update

Working with the city has really opened my eyes to the complexity of running a municipal government. There are so many formalities one must follow to abide by city, county, and state laws when trying to make a change in the community. I also did not realize the amount of laws and code that a city planner needs to be familiar with. I like that at this internship they treat me like a member of the team, so they allow me to become familiarized with all of the jargon that is thrown around. 

The most surprising thing about my internship is how well the community development team is able to communicate and perpetuate the vision they have for the city. I am constantly in awe of the director of our department. She knows exactly what she wants and how to make sure that she and everyone she meets with are on the same page. Her attitude inspires me to be more charismatic and straightforward. 

I think the number one way I can improve myself during this internship is to be as attentive as possible. Additionally, I need to do research outside of my required hours to ensure I can be as up to date and informed as I can. Since there is usually a lot of downtime at the end of the day when I am in the office, I can take advantage of that time to read texts that are available to me on the city and planning in general. 

Yasamin 10/28