Overview:
The purpose of this project is to study and make recommendations on the implementation of a regional housing needs analysis into state and local planning programs, especially as they relate to community engagement and housing for people experiencing homelessness. Plans and policies are often highly technical and require expertise to understand. Yet these policies and plans have the opportunity to impact local communities in significant ways. Historically marginalized communities, especially communities of color, have experienced the negative effects of these outcomes repeatedly. Present day engagement practices in planning thus face the challenge of distilling and communicating the possible outcomes, positive and negative, to community members in a way that promotes trust in government and facilitates public engagement. The Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) implementation questions provide an opportunity to answer: How can implementing state, regional, and local government entities appropriately and effectively seek input from historically marginalized groups when developing and implementing technical planning policies and plans?