The park's non-profit developer has engaged in a years-long community outreach process and invested over $60 million in community initiatives.

Community activists hope that a new Washington D.C. park, slated to open in 2023, will have positive impacts on the surrounding community and prevent the displacement that traditionally occurs around similar projects. According to Lauri Mazur in NextCity, the 11th Street Bridge Park, situated on an abandoned bridge across the Anacostia River, "will link upscale Capitol Hill with Anacostia – a historically African-American, predominantly low-income neighborhood east of the river." The park promises a slew of amenities including "playgrounds, gardens, performance spaces, an environmental education center, public art and a boat launch."
The park is a project of the non-profit Building Bridges across the River, which aims to create projects that leverage resources to support local communities and help legacy residents and businesses stay in their neighborhood. "The strategies used by Building Bridges and its partners – engaging the community, building trust, backstopping existing residents and businesses – offer a model for the Biden administration and others working to rebuild from the wreckage of the last year."
Although many residents were at first wary of the $30 million project, the organization's comprehensive outreach strategy sought to get meaningful feedback from local stakeholders and address concerns about displacement and gentrification. The 11th Street Bridge Park project centers equitable development in its plans, having invested more than $60 million in community development efforts so far. It helped launch the Douglass Community Land Trust, which maintains 200 affordable properties, and collaborated with another non-profit to start a "home-buyers' club" to help prospective buyers "navigate the complexity of purchasing a home."
Building Bridges Across the River acknowledges that neighborhood change is inevitable. "Inevitably, the bridge park will bring new visitors and resources to the neighborhoods east of the river. Building Bridges Across the River and its partners are working to position existing residents and businesses to benefit from that influx of investment — and avoid getting pushed out."
FULL STORY: Can a Park Prevent Gentrification?

The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.

America’s Best New Bike Lanes
PeopleForBikes highlights some of the most exciting new bike infrastructure projects completed in 2022.

Early Sharrow Booster: ‘I Was Wrong’
The lane marking was meant to raise awareness and instill shared respect among drivers and cyclists. But their inefficiency has led supporters to denounce sharrows, pushing instead for more robust bike infrastructure that truly protects riders.

L.A. County Towns Clash Over Homelessness Policies
Local governments often come to different conclusions about how to address homelessness within their respective borders, but varying approaches only exacerbate the problem.

A Mixed-Use Vision for Houston Landfill Site
A local nonprofit is urging the city to consider adding mixed-use development to the site, which city officials plan to turn into a stormwater detention facility.

Milwaukee County Makes Substantial Progress on Homelessness
In 2022, the county’s point-in-time count of unhoused people reflected just 18 individuals, the lowest in the country.
Town of Palm Beach
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
York County Government
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Fitchburg, WI
City of Culver City
Sonoma County Transportation Authority
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.