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Livable Communities Newsletter
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Welcome to Our Spring 2020 Livable Communities Newsletter!
What we define as "livable" has now changed, of necessity, but what does this hold for the future? In our first article, Kerry Roscoe takes a moment to think about the positives and negatives ahead of us.
Our next article takes a new look at the Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY) movement. Each of us may have our own definition of what we think a NIMBY is or is not, but I would bet that few, if any, would define a NYMBY as Alan Durning has in his February 2020 article entitled KNOW THINE NIMBY. Because the negative impact of NIMBY entrenchment is so strong, housing advocates need to better understand who we are addressing during debates regarding new housing.
New York is the most densely populated city in the United States, and the number of COVID-19 cases in New York is the worst in the country. On the surface, this is the making of a case that density is a dangerous tool for modern urban planning. In our final piece, Stacy Roscoe explores whether or not this is really true.
Please read and engage, and
let us know what you think by contacting us at: info@CivicAlliance.org
Thanks,
Stacy Roscoe
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What is "Livable" in a Pandemic?
by Kerry Roscoe
A few months ago, some of the adjustments we have had to make to our daily lives would have been unthinkable. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed all that. What we define as "livable" has now changed, of necessity, but what does this hold for the future?
It is said that every cloud has a silver lining and while this cloud is incredibly dark- economically, emotionally and physically-there may be the faintest glimmer of a silver lining. The stay-at-home mandates have drastically reduced the numbers of cars on the road. Save for the trucks delivering food, packages, medical supplies and essentials to us from across the country, the freeways seem eerily empty. In lieu of commuting to jobs, many people are tele-commuting. Whole industries have shifted how they conduct business. Have you noticed how much bluer the sky looks without all those carbon emissions? According toYifang Zhu, a professor at UCLA's Fielding School of Public Health, in the month since the March 16 stay-at-home order the Los Angeles region has experienced about a 20% improvement in its EPA Air Quality Index, and recorded the longest stretch of "good" air quality in March seen since at least 1995. It has been noted that if everyone who commutes just stayed home one day a week and tele-commuted, the air quality here would have a marked reduction in emissions. Meetings are now held on ZOOM and other sites. Just think how it would affect our carbon footprint if driving to LA or flying cross country for corporate meetings was replaced with those methods!
Driving through Ventura, we've noticed that we've never seen so many people out during the day: families pushing stollers, siblings biking, folks walking their dogs. In our suburban area there is room to do that. In denser, urban areas this is not as easy. An adjustment brought about by physical distancing has surfaced in some large cities. Now in order to keep people safely spaced when they leave their urban enclaves for exercise and a bit of fresh air, cities have looked at walk-ability. Too many urban streets are wide and the sidewalks narrow, forcing people closer than recommended. In order to create a pedestrian-friendly, more open space for walking, Oakland took the step in several neighborhoods to close off a number of streets (74 miles in all) to through traffic for all but emergency vehicles and residents going to and from work. People could walk on the road or sidewalks with plenty of room. Minneapolis and St. Paul did the same to enlarge the walkable space around parks. Beverly, MA, another city with narrow sidewalks where people walking in opposite direction would be forced to pass face to face, decided to designate one-way directions on either side of the street with people walking facing the oncoming traffic. Other major U.S. cities and Toronto are considering street changes as well. By the end of April, New York City had announced that by the end of May 40 miles of city streets would be open to only pedestrians and cyclists, with the ultimate goal of 100 miles in the coming months in anticipation of greater need as the weather warmed in summer. On May 13, the City of Ventura announced a similar Shared Streets pilot program for five streets across the town, and has invited community input. This includes Olive Street, San Nicholas Street, Preble Avenue, Mound Avenue, and Darling Road.
Ironically, the Chinese word for crisis is made up of two characters, one meaning danger and the other, opportunity. This pandemic has brought incredible danger to us, personally and economically, but it has also provided an opportunity for change. As cities, states and our country recover, we have the chance to keep or extend those adjustments we made to make that crisis situation more livable, lessening our impact on the environment and improving our quality of life. If only we have the courage. Carpe diem.
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Do You Really Know the NIMBY Next Door?
by Stacy Roscoe
Whenever housing advocates get together to discuss how to build more housing, the one topic always at the top of the list of issues is the proverbial NIMBY. Each of us may have our own definition of what we think a NIMBY is or is not, but I would bet that few, if any, would define a NYMBY as Alan Durning has in his February 2020 article entitled KNOW THINE NIMBY.
If pushed to summarize my picture of the classic NIMBY, I would start with a conservative ideology. I would expect a person who is rural space loving and anti-big government. I would expect to find a card carrying advocate for a number of personal rights protected by constitutional amendments and for an unregulated economy with little overt interest in racial and social equity.
This is why I am so fascinated by Alan Durning's picture of strong leftward leaning, urban loving, home owning, neighborhood council advocating block of people who consistently make up the largest percent of voters in each election.
So, how can we have the bluest of the blue (urban) people of our country, who typically espouse human rights and strong environmental principles so passionately, leading obstruction efforts when the subject is new housing? Durning's answer is a combination of financial self interest and deep distrust for anyone getting rich while furthering what this group believes is a basic human right: housing. Durning makes the case that for many the advocacy of social housing free from market speculation is a way to align "self-interest and conscience" which is keeping "housing in lockdown."
I strongly suggest that you read Druning's full article and give deep thought to his definition of a NIMBY. If he is correct, our approach to the development of housing might change significantly.
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Has COVID-19 Shown Why Density Should Not Be Promoted by Urban Planners?
New York is the most densely populated city in the United States, and the number of COVID-19 cases in New York is the worst in the country. On the surface, this is the making of a case that density is a dangerous tool for modern urban planning.
However, San Francisco has the second most dense population in the country, and it has experienced less than 1% of the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases seen in New York. Data also shows that major Asian cities with extremely dense populations also have seen only a small percentage of the number of cases experienced in New York.
What is the difference here? It could be that San Francisco took action with a shelter-in-place order a week earlier than New York did. It could also be that we are seeing, in a dramatic way, the need for overall better health care for the poor and underserved so that they are less susceptible to viruses like COVID-19. It is also possible that differences in the interconnectivity with the rest of the world may cause a higher or lower rate of virus infections as a result of sick people traveling from one part of the world to another.
Data is starting to show that virus spread is worse in areas of overcrowding, meaning areas where more people are living in housing not designed for the number of people living there. This condition transcends urban planning, and also leads back to the link to poverty and ongoing health issues that allow the virus to have more impact.
For decades in California, urban planners have been trying to overcome resistance from major segments of the population in order to use higher density as the primary means of stopping urban sprawl. Does this virus concern with density mean that California's goals for climate change and clean air can no longer be met? As of now, the answer is no.
First, some degree of sprawl is not all bad. California has a more natural ability to maintain distance in the suburbs as a defense against the passing of contagion.
Secondly, despite current policies regarding density, our recent experience managing the spread of COVID-19 may point to new ways to reduce miles driven. Climate change and environmental goals may be met, at least in part, through application of our learnings regarding the feasibility and benefits of working and shopping from home. Instituting regular days for working and shopping from home can be a way of reducing traffic without having to go to traditional high density mass transit.
In the meantime, as we get more testing results to make sure that we are using accurate data in evaluating the real impact of density on the spread of viruses like COVID-19, we will be able to put the density issue into true perspective. The future may be quite different than the past!
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A Special Thank You Goes to Our State of the Region Report Sponsors:
Research Sponsor -
Ventura County Community Foundation
Presenting Sponsor -
Ventura County Community College District
Domain Sponsors -
AERA
AT&T
California Lutheran University
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Center for Economics of Social Issues
California State University Channel Islands
County of Ventura
Haas Automation Inc.
Limoneira
Montecito Bank & Trust
Supporting Sponsors -
Gold Coast Transit
The Port of Hueneme
United Staffing Associates
Ventura County Coastal Association of Realtors
VCDSA - Ventura County Deputy Sheriff's Association
Ventura County Office of Education
Ventura County P-20 Council
Contributing Sponsors -
California Lutheran University Center for Nonprofit Leadership
SESPE Consulting Inc.
Ventura County Credit Union
Ventura County Transportation Commission
Friend Sponsors -
Dyer Sheehan Group, Inc.
David Maron
Ferguson Case Orr Paterson LLP
Kate McLean
Slover Memorial Fund
Stacy and Kerry Roscoe
Terri & Mark Lisigor
United Way of Ventura County
Media Sponsor -
Pacific Coast Business Times
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