planning – Kelwin's Big Ideas

American Planning Association “People Behind the Plans” Podcast 11/14/2019

Originally published by the American Planning Association 11/14/2019 Certain concepts in the planning sphere can be hard to make tangible for residents, but property taxes is not one of them. Kelwin Harris knows this reality well. As the director of outreach and engagement for the Office of the Cook County Assessor — which is responsibleContinue reading “American Planning Association “People Behind the Plans” Podcast 11/14/2019″

Public Engagement Tips for a New Era

Below are a few helpful tips and best practices for public engagement. They can be used at the start of planning efforts with community groups, elected officials, or any initiative where influencing stakeholders is important. My hope is that these tips will be useful for planners in navigating the sometimes troubled waters of community outreachContinue reading “Public Engagement Tips for a New Era”

My “South Side”: Reflections on Natalie Moore’s memoir and the nearby neighborhood I grew up in.

I recently read Natalie Moore’s The South Side and found some striking similarities in our upbringing and experiences. I grew up in Chicago in between St. Leo High School and St. Sabina in Auburn-Gresham: a virtually all-black neighborhood on the South side of Chicago – about three miles west of where Natalie Moore lived in Chatham. We actuallyContinue reading “My “South Side”: Reflections on Natalie Moore’s memoir and the nearby neighborhood I grew up in.”