Vibrant Communities Rise from Vacant Lands Three-Part Webinar Series
Do you have a vision for new housing, open space, or commercial development within your community? Learn how you can leverage vacant properties and funding to drive positive growth with Vacant to Vibrant, Land Renewal Webinar Series. In this three-part virtual series, you will be provided with tools, support, and potential funding sources to support your community vision while also eliminating neighborhood eyesores and liabilities through land reuse. Details of each webinar are included below.
Upcoming:
Part 3 – Wednesday, May 10th | 1 PM PDT – Looking Back to Move Forward: Land Reuse Cases to Celebrate & Study
Now that we’ve built an understanding of land renewal, in this session we’ll explore land reuse successes. We’ll hear from India Basin Equitable Development Plan Program Manager, Joshua Silver, about the India Basin Waterfront Park and their strategies for community engagement, visioning, and building partnerships to create a strong team. Brooklyn James, Environmental Engineer & Project Officer from U.S. EPA Region 9, will also discuss the LA River project and speak on overcoming political roadblocks and accessing funding. Be inspired by success and learn what to expect as you embark on your own land reuse journey.
This link will register you for all webinars. We look forward to seeing you there!
Completed:
Part 1 – Wednesday March 22nd | 1 PM PDT – Fulfill your Community Vision through Land Renewal
This webinar discussed local issues like public health, crime, contamination, and food and housing insecurity that can be addressed by reusing idle sites. We heard firsthand from community member Deacon Claude Luster on how a challenging underutilized property can be transformed into an opportunity for your community. If you didn’t get a chance to attend the first part of this series, feel free to review the slides and watch the recording below before the next webinar!
Part 2 – Wednesday, April 19th | 1 PM PDT – A Successful Start to Reviving Your Neighborhood
This interactive session helped identify who to bring into your land reuse team, how to access technical assistance, and where to start your funding search.
Speakers
Joshua Silver is a Program Manager with the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department. He is coordinating implementation of the India Basin Waterfront Park Project Equitable Development Plan – a strategic roadmap to maximize benefits of the India Basin Waterfront Park Project, a once-in-a-generation project for the benefit of the Bayview-Hunters Point community. This is the City of San Francisco’s most ambitious effort at comprehensive park investment in a historically underserved community. Joshua has more than 15 years of public sector experience in local government planning and has held key leadership roles in the delivery of cutting-edge collaborations with nonprofit and community partners, elevating community voice and equity in neighborhoods. Joshua previously worked at the Washington, DC Office of Planning where he spearheaded strategic place-based planning and public space initiatives.
