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How to protect hillsides when the city government first wanted to implement a hillside ordinance but once the community expressed thier opinion the city dropped the plan. The idea would be to explore the public process and how the public can influence the process when the city government is supportive of the ordinance versus when it is not supportive of the ordinance. The report should evaluate whether or not the public process is truly public and what the key leverage points the public has in influencing local government.

Attachment: Pittsburg HDO Fact Sheet.doc

The Richmond Equitable Development Initiative (REDI)Collaborative has worked in Richmond for the past four years promoting policies and planning practices to ensure that the future development of Richmond benefits low income people and communities of color.

Most recently, REDI has led a General Plan campaign in Richmond to ensure that that Richmond's updated General Plan includes policy and implementation measures that support equitable development.

REDI is in the process of undergoing a strategic planning process to determine its future campaigns and project issue areas. REDI seeks a student to conduct a local environmental scan/partial community needs assessment in Richmond. The purpose of the scan/assessment is to help REDI gain a better understanding of community-based and local government efforts in various activities, including education, housing, business and industry, public safety, work force development, youth programs and the natural environment. The information obtained from the environmental scan will inform REDI on how to best utilize its resources and prioritize future campaigns and projects.

Attachment: Posting for Berkeley Planning Student Project.doc

1) Economic development issues including grocery store attraction in low income neighborhoods, artist communities and gentrification/policies to ensure artists retention as housing prices increase.
2) Site-specific sustainable community design projects with an environmental or urban design focus