Stories of Philanthropic Leadership in Advancing Regional and ...

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REGIONAL OPPORTUNITYsystem than suburban riders, in effect subsidizingsuburban transit;• Regressive pricing structures—Many transitagencies offer discounts for bulk purchases in theform of cost savings for customers that buymonthly or annual passes or books that containmultiple tickets. But these discounts areinequitable because they favor those who canafford the more expensive, one-time expenditure,and result in greater out-of-pocket transit costsfor low-income people;• Decisionmaking—Often, low-income and peopleof color in urban communities do not haveconsistent and meaningful opportunities toinfluence a region’s transit decisions; and• Fare increases—Many city residents do not own acar, some of out of choice, others because theycannot afford car ownership’s many expenses(purchase, maintenance, repair, insurance, gas,and parking). For these individuals, public transitis an integral part of daily life and for low-incometransit riders, form a significant part of theirmonthly budget.A focus on equity in the region was not a drivingforce for the grant decision or an impact concern forthe coalitions’ funders in any of the abovementionedcities. Yet most major metropolitanurban public transit systems connect communitiessignificantly beyond the urban center. If atransportation situation impacts the accessibility oflow-income transit riders, it can catapult the localequity issue into a regional struggle.ResultsAccording to Greenwood, the Sloan Foundationhopes that the Straphangers work will be replicatedin other places. This goal has already been met inseveral other municipalities, some where theFoundation specifically encouraged its replicationthrough grantmaking (e.g., Chicago, Philadelphia),and some where groups saw a potential local valuein Straphangers’ work (e.g., Los Angeles, Toronto).The Foundation also anticipates that theStraphangers will be able to build on its existingtrack record and by so doing have a clear impact onthe quality of the New York City Transit System.Finally, the Foundation believes that Straphangersshould institutionalize their work so that theorganization can sustain its efforts absent theFoundation’s support.The CCHD’s respective grants to the Boston andBaltimore coalitions are in their first year of a threeyeargrant cycle, so results are fairly preliminary. Eachgroup has seen initial successes in empowering transitriders to engage their region’s transit policymakersand build a more inclusive decisionmaking structure.Additionally, each coalition has developed and begunto advance specific policy proposals and has hadsuccess in minimizing the impact or extent of aproposed fair increase.Lessons LearnedAccording to the Sloan Foundation, the capacity toanalyze data and use it to inform policy andadvocacy is a key to success for transportationadvocates. But these skills are not yet widespread.Additionally, data collecting and analysis from bothtransit agencies andtransit riders is notwidely available.Demonstrating If a transportation situationmeasurable results,impacts the accessibility ofevaluating policylow-income transit riders, itimpacts,formulating can catapult the local equityalternativeissue into a regional struggle.methodologies andoptions, andsurveyingstakeholders gives advocates the tools to effectivelyparticipate in policymaking and articulate theirconstituents’ needs and demands.Field representatives from CCHD state that their mostimportant lesson is that community organizing has apersistent, proven ability to influence public policydecisions. It is the relationship-building aspect amongdifferent community organizations and constituentsthat demonstrates the potential of communityorganizing. Currently, CCHD is revising its grantapplication format and its grant reporting requirementsin order to collect more information from applicants orgrantees so as to better evaluate the impact of theirfunding and monitor the field, ultimately providing amethod to share the progress and growth of theirgrantees through the funding cycles.Though at different stages of their growth and withdifferent funders, all three community-based coalitionspursued varied strategies in order to develop theiradvocacy capacity, eliminate transit access barriers, andensure that transit policy decisions do not perpetuate99Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities
or increase poverty. Whether directly pursued or as anadditional unintended benefit, the coalitions are todayexamples of regional transit equity initiatives.Contact PeopleSusan AcetiTransportation DirectorCitizens Planning and Housing Associationsusana@cphabaltimore.org(410) 539-1369 ext. 225Ted GreenwoodProgram DirectorAlfred P. Sloan Foundationgreenwood@sloan.org(212) 649-1649Randy KeeslerField RepresentativeCatholic Campaign for Human Development(CCHD)rkeesler@usccb.org(202) 541-3369Neysa PrangerCampaign CoordinatorThe Straphangers Campaignnpranger@nypirg.org(202) 349-6460Andy SlettebakField RepresentativeCatholic Campaign for Human Development(CCHD)aslettebak@usccb.org(202) 541-3363Jodi Sugerman BrozanProgram DirectorAlternatives for Community & Environment (ACE)jodi@ace-ej.org(617) 442-3343III. C. CONNECTING TRANSIT,DEVELOPMENT, ANDCOMMUNITY: THE EASTHARLEM COMMUNITY LINKINITIATIVE AND THEFRUITVALE TRANSIT VILLAGEFunders Highlighted:Ford FoundationLocal Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)“Infrastructure investments in low-incomecommunities can connect the region to the block.”— Nicolas Ronderos, Regional PlanAssociationThe Regional Plan Association’s East HarlemCommunity Link Initiative in New York City focuseson the East Harlem community to design andimplement a strategy for maximizing the benefits of aproposed Second Avenue Subway for existingresidents and businesses. The Unity Council’sFruitvale Transit Village is a transit-oriented, mixedusedevelopment effort located in the heart ofOakland, Calif.’s, Fruitvale neighborhood at the BayArea Rapid Transit Station. This profile highlightsfunder investments in two notable transit-orienteddevelopment (TOD) projects that concern their owndiverse communities facing an opportunity forsignificant public and private investment,establishing community-based decisionmakingprocesses regarding those investments, anddeveloping specific efforts to anticipate and avoidpotential displacements.Project ProfileTransit-oriented development (TOD) is a criticalpart of the broader regional development paradigm.Characterized by higher-density, mixed-use,pedestrian-friendly projects, TOD can supportregional environmental and economic objectives.TriMet, the regional transit agency in Portland, Ore.,defines TOD as “multiple-unit housing and mixeduseprojects that support the public investment in …transit service because they preserve, enhance, orcontribute to creating active pedestrian districtsREGIONAL OPPORTUNITYPart III: Section 3: Connecting to Regional Opportunity 100
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Stories of Philanthropic Leadership
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Signs of Promise:Stories of Philant
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Funders’ Network for Smart Growth
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(II. B.)(II. C.)Turning Neighborhoo
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PART I:IntroductionThe Purpose of t
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social justice issues as they relat
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PART II:Perspectives on Advancing R
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peer work, we can reestablish a sig
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Annie E. Casey FoundationBaltimore,
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neighborhoods into healthy ones—g
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Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation
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Section 1:Promoting Equitable Publi
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I. A. BUILDING POWER AND GIVINGVOIC
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policy advocates. In 2002, Milwauke
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in Los Angeles, Ford’s Anthony no
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I. B. PROMOTING COALITIONSTO ADVANC
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Yet the interpersonal dynamics of c
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guidelines. “Many of the member o
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Funder InterestThe EPA supported th
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I. D. DEMONSTRATING THESTRUGGLE FOR
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Richmond, Calif.The second regional
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through policy reform at the local
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I. E. BUILDING COALITIONTHROUGH KNO
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organizing project, the Connecticut
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and businesses are quantified in a
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I. G. REVITALIZING WHILEASSURING DI
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In the late 1990s, the city of Albu
Page 55 and 56: I. H. A TRAVEZ DE LA FRONTERA:LAND
Page 57 and 58: The International Community Foundat
Page 59 and 60: I. I. MOBILIZING ACTION FORREGIONAL
Page 61 and 62: To meet all of these objectives, th
Page 63 and 64: efforts. And with each public plann
Page 65 and 66: pattern of disproportionate transpo
Page 67 and 68: Clinica de la Raza identify this cr
Page 69 and 70: Contact PeopleCarl AnthonyActing Di
Page 71 and 72: Section 2:Making All Neighborhoods
Page 73 and 74: II. A. REACHING BEYONDHOUSING TO IM
Page 75 and 76: A local resident receives the keys
Page 77 and 78: East Baltimore community and the Jo
Page 79 and 80: example, adjacent to the EBDI area,
Page 81 and 82: II. C. YIELDING REGIONALBENEFITS TH
Page 83 and 84: is using transit-oriented developme
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Page 87 and 88: The Row House Community Development
Page 89 and 90: II. E. COUNTERING THE PERFECTSTORM:
Page 91 and 92: funded community programs, includin
Page 93 and 94: housing developments and commercial
Page 95 and 96: owned enterprises, totaling $8.5 mi
Page 97 and 98: LOAN GUARANTEESSection 3:Connecting
Page 99 and 100: III. A. MAKING HOUSING ANOPPORTUNIT
Page 101 and 102: A new report from the National Hous
Page 103 and 104: The Straphangers Campaign was found
Page 105: Funder InterestThe Straphangers Cam
Page 109 and 110: The Regional Plan Association then
Page 111 and 112: multi-stakeholder effort composed o
Page 113 and 114: director with LISC. No one set of s
Page 115 and 116: 12 western Louisville neighborhoods
Page 117 and 118: III. E. UNITING THREE STATESFOR ONE
Page 119 and 120: increased their personal wealth by
Page 121 and 122: summary evaluation of MSDI found th
Page 123 and 124: method alone was strong enough to m
Page 125 and 126: consistent body of work. The Counci
Page 127 and 128: 3) Issues Need to be ConnectedThe f
Page 129 and 130: PART V:Glossary of TermsThe terms d
Page 131 and 132: Regional and neighborhood equity. A
Page 133 and 134: Tijuana River Reserve, California:h
Page 135 and 136: Sargent Shriver National Center on
Page 137: 1500 San Remo Avenue • Suite 249
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