PPD 531 Sustainable Urban Development in City Heights

San Diego, CA

Units: 4

Spring 2018

Los Angeles Sessions

Friday 9.00 – 9.50am

RGL 308

San Diego Sessions as indicated in schedule below

Friday and Saturday 9.00am – 4.30pm

Price Philanthropies Offices,4305 University Avenue, 6th Floor,

San Diego, CA 92105.

Parking provided in the structured lot immediately south of the office tower, enter on 43rd Street.

Instructor: Donald R Spivack, AICP, FRSA

Office Hours: By appointment. RGL 107 or VKC 250

Contact Info:

Course Schedule

This class is an intensive course that will be offered on seven different days in San Diego supplemented by weekly interaction. For scheduling purposes the time slot for interaction on campus is Friday mornings at 9.00am in RGL 308.

Class Meeting Schedule, San Diego

  • Friday, 19 January9:00-4:30 City Heights - Orientation
  • Saturday, 20 January“““ “
  • Friday, 02 February9:00-4:30 City Heights – Working Sessions
  • Saturday, 03 February““““
  • Friday 09 March9:00-4:30 City Heights – Preliminary Review
  • Saturday, 10 March“City Heights – Preliminary Review follow up
  • Friday, 20 April9:00-4:30City Heights - FINAL PRESENTATIONS

Course Description

This studio course requires students to apply their theoretical studies to a real world planning scenario. The class will prepare, analyze, evaluate and recommend policy, program and development proposals for the redevelopment ofportions of the City Heights communities. Planning activities will include discussions and work sessions withlocal practitioners; interviewing members of various local constituencies including refugee-centered resource organizations; documenting existing and near-term anticipated conditions at and in the vicinity of the target area(s); creating a development program in response to documented needs; and drafting recommendations for implementation, including potential policy, land use, zoning, financing, land acquisition and development or redevelopment programs.

Goals of the redevelopment study include determining practical strategies for incorporating a diverse range of residential, community, and social service uses in this culturally diverse community and on site(s) that support the client’s mission. Among the key goals to be explored are sustainable economic development in a largely low income community of color; options for re-use of key structures of architectural, historic or cultural merit; place-making; and new construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing, with an emphasis on mechanisms to create ownership opportunities. Students will be asked to identify and analyze strategies available for property acquisition and development, as well as funding resources available in this post-redevelopment environment, and apply this knowledge in the formulation of their proposals.

Community and economic development as a social movement is a reaction against the traditions of “urban renewal” as practiced in large American cities starting in the middle of the 20th century, in which communities of color were often razed to allow for higher density residential and commercial development. In contrast, at the heart of community development practices are principles of social, environmental and economic justice. Theories of sustainability and social equity will be used as a prism through which to evaluate existing conditions and project proposals.

Sustainable economic development considers not only the quality and long-term viability of businesses and jobs--the focus of traditional economic development--but the broader context of equitable, comprehensive mixed-use urban development that serves the broadest constituencies, including those who often do not actively participate in community revitalization.

The class will be conducted as a practicum, emphasizing the kinds of team-based efforts that real-world firms and agencies engage in. Working directly with the client, the goal of studio is to assist them in understanding the needs and opportunities and to inform their decision-making with regards to future development and development opportunities.

Student participating in this intensive course may focus on a defined site or sites currently occupied by a variety of uses, or on policies, incentives and regulations through which the goal of just, sustainable development may be achieved. Students will:

  1. Conduct client and user group interviews.
  2. Conduct field surveys and engage in active field reconnaissance.
  3. Review and analyzeextant reports covering existing zoning, land uses, market conditions, and site constraints in relationship to field observations.
  4. Develop an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats and constraints affecting investment and development in City Heights.
  5. Prepare proposed plans for the re-use or redevelopment of selected site(s). Teams of students may develop different scenarios for analysis, and may carry some proposals to conceptual site plans.
  6. Prepare a conceptual pro forma or equivalent fiscal analysis and financing approach and a development plan for their selected scenarios.
  7. Present the final results to stakeholders in City Heights.

Learning Objectives:

Students in this course will learn:

  1. How to determine the programmatic needs of a client through interviews and research.
  2. How to analyze the real estatemarket in an urban neighborhood which has suffered from historical disinvestment to identify opportunities and constraints.
  3. How to assess market opportunities for development and redevelopment in economically challenged urban neighborhoods.
  4. How to evaluate the re-use value of urban land and understand the tools available for financing and assembling a site and facilitate its development or redevelopment.
  5. How to conduct an iterative planning process.
  6. How to prepare a plan and present that plan to potential clients and stakeholders.
  7. How to identify potential sources and uses of capital for community economic development.

Course Notes

The assigned project will be conducted in teams. Each team will be graded as a whole. The teams may be reformulated between phases of the project.

Technological Proficiency and Hardware/Software Required

Experience with Google Earth, Sketchup, and the Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign) and a project planning software such as Microsoft Project are all desirable. Reports will normally be prepared in Microsoft Word or equivalent, spread sheets (where needed) in Microsoft Excel and public presentations in Microsoft Power Point.

Required Readings and Supplementary Materials

No books are required for this class. All required readings are online or will be provided on Blackboard. Other reference material will be reserved in the University Library. Readings are listed below and with each class. Other resources are for reference and support to the project.

Most of these resources, and a great many more, are available at the City Heights resource Library located within the Price Center’s website :

READINGS:

  1. Pastor et. al., Linking Innovation with Inclusion: Demography, Equity, and the future of San Diego:
  2. Background on Price Charities Initiative:
  3. VIDEO, 55min. : The Price of Renewal :
  4. Robert E. Price, Sol Price: Retail Revolutionary & Social Innovator, Chapters 10 & 11
  5. Information on former City Heights Redevelopment Project Area:
  6. Mid-City Communities Plan:
  7. City Heights CHCDC Walk & Shop Report – June 2013:
  8. The Informal Economy in City Heights – August 2013:
  9. Environmental Health Coalition background on City Heights:
  10. Stephen Russell, Creating a Framework for Resilient Urban Communities (PDF provided on Blackboard.) See especially pp. 41-75.

OTHER PRIMARY RESOURCES:

  1. City of San Diego General Plan:
  2. Detail on Centerline and Boulevard Rapid Bus lines:
  1. SANDAG – Demographics & Other Data:
  2. City of San Diego Municipal Code (Zoning & development regulations):

URBAN DESIGN REFERENCES:

  1. The Urban Design Handbook
  2. Christopher Alexander, A Pattern Language

ADDITIONALRECOMMENDED READINGS:

  1. Jane Jacobs, The Death & Life of Great American Cities
  2. Emily Talen, Design for Diversity, Chapters 1-4
  3. Doug Saunders, Arrival City

Description and Assessment of Assignments

The class project will be completed in phases.

In the first phase, student orientation to the target communities will be provided, clients and their service populations will be interviewedand program reports will be prepared covering site and data analysis and evaluation, and presented by each team to their colleagues. Students will be evaluated on the depth and breadth of information collected, on their ability to analyze data and form working theories of community and economic dynamics, and on their ability to communicate their findings with stakeholders.

In the second phase, teams will be reformulated into three or four working groups. Each will pursue a separate and defined approach, to the formulation of policy or programmatic changes needed to facilitate the revitalization of the communities and overcome identified barriers to appropriate revitalization, and/or to the re-use of a subject site in response to the client’s needs, supported with site plans and other supporting graphics. In either the programmatic or site specific approach, teams should clearly articulate the goal, identify issues being addressed or resolved, analyze the economic feasibility of the proposal, and measure it against the client goals established at the outset of the project. The final results will be presented to a group of representative stakeholders. Students will be evaluated on the rigor and completeness of their analyses, the adequacy of their visual presentations for the purposes of communicating with stakeholders, and their general presentation and communication skills.

Various presentations should be prepared in power point format for presentation before colleagues, the client and community representatives, supported by appropriate written or graphic materials.

Grading Breakdown

  • Class Participation:
  • 10 Points, 10% of grade
  • Writing assignments: These will be made in class sessions or posted on Blackboard, usually by Saturday4.00pm, due by 5.00pm Thursday before the following Friday class session unless otherwise noted
  • 10 Points, 10% of grade
  • Work Plan: Assigned 20 January, due 26 January 9.00am
  • 10 Points, 10% of grade
  • Programming Document: Assigned 20 January 20, due 08 February 5.00pm
  • 15 Points, 15% of grade
  • Site Analysis/Existing Conditions: Assigned 20 January, due 22 February 5.00pm
  • 15 Points, 15% of grade
  • Preliminary Version of Final Project Proposal Assigned 09 February due 08 March noon; may be reviewed with local stakeholders in San Diego during sessions 09-10 March
  • Final Project Proposal: Assigned 09 February, draft for review due 12 April 5.00pm, final due not later than 18 April 5.00pm and presented Friday 20 April in San Diego
  • 40 Points, 40% of grade

Assignment Submission Policy

  • On-Line assignments and in class assignments will be prompted by the weekly lecture; responses of 250-500 words will be due by midnight Sunday following the assignment.
  • The Existing Conditions Study and Final Project Proposal are due as scheduled above. An electronic version of the research and presentation materials is to be submitted to the instructor by the time of the presentation.

COURSE SCHEDULE:

Schedule / Topic / Readings and Assignments
Week 1 - 12 January / Introduction and overview of class and expectations; discussion of issues related to urban growth and decline, urban renewal and redevelopment / Pastor et. al., Linking Innovation with Inclusion: Demography, Equity, and the future of San Diego
Information on former City Heights Redevelopment Project Area
Mid-City Communities Plan
Week 2 -- 19-20 January in San Diego / Introduction to City Heights and City Heights Initiative, initial briefing by client and local representatives, field tour; discussion of semester projects and team formation / Background on Price Charities Initiative
VIDEO, 55min. : The Price of Renewal
Robert E. Price, Sol Price: Retail Revolutionary & Social Innovator, Chapters 10 & 11
Week 3 -- 26 January / Sustainable economic development; development and redevelopment in already urbanized and occupied communities / City Heights CHCDC Walk & Shop Report – June 2013
Initial work plan based on San Diego readings and interviews/briefings
Week 4 - 02-03 February in San Diego / Field reconnaissance and data collection; additional local interviews with constituent organization representatives / The Informal Economy in City Heights – August 2013
Environmental Health Coalition background on City Heights
Stephen Russell, Creating a Framework for Resilient Urban Communities
Week 5 -- 09 February / Program development discussion; analytic methods; needs analysis / Programming document
Week 6 -- 16 February / Affordable housing and gentrification; working session to review work to date / Presentation of team work plans
Week 7 -- 23 February / Program development continued, market analysis, site analysis and issues; regulatory frameworks / Site analysis and existing conditions report
Week 8 -- 02 March / Working session on preliminary presentation
Week 9 --09-10 March in San Diego / Preliminary presentations of findings, issues needing to be addressed, and potential approaches and solutions / Preliminary presentations of findings, issues needing to be addressed, and potential approaches and solutions
Week 10 -- 16 March / Spring Break -- no class
Week 11 -- 23 March / Strategic interventions; catalytic project identification, selection and implementation
Week 12 -- 30 March / Working sessions with teams / Draft of final presentation for review and discussion among teams
Week 13 -- 06 April / Working sessions with teams
Week 14 -- 13 April / Working sessions with teams
Week 15 -- 20 April in San Diego / FINAL PRESENTATIONS / Final presentations to client and invited guests
Week 16 -- 27 April / No sessions due to USC Price School Comprehensives

Statement on Academic Conduct and Support Systems

Academic Conduct

Plagiarism – presenting someone else’s ideas as your own, either verbatim or recast in your own words – is a serious academic offense with serious consequences. Please familiarize yourself with the discussion of plagiarism in SCampus in Part B, Section 11, “Behavior Violating University Standards” Other forms of academic dishonesty are equally unacceptable. See additional information in SCampus and university policies on scientific misconduct,

Support Systems

Student Counseling Services (SCS) -- (213) 740-7711 -- 24/7 on call

Free and confidential mental health treatment for students, including short term psychotherapy, group counseling, stress fitness workshops and crisis intervention.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline -- 1-800-273-8255

Provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Services (RSVP) -- (213) 740-4900 -- 24/7 on call

Free and confidential therapy services, workshops and training for situations related to gender based harm.

Sexual Assault Resource Center

For more information about how to get help or help a survivor, rights, reporting options and additional resources visit the web site.

Office of Equity and Diversity (OED)/Title IX Compliance -- (213) 740-5086

Works with faculty, staff, visitors, applicants and students around issues of protected class.

Bias Assessment Response and Support

Incidents of bias, hate crimes and micro-aggressions need to be reported allowing for appropriate investigation and response.

Student Support and Advocacy -- (213) 821-4710

Assists students and families in resolving complex issues affecting their success as a student (Ex: personal, financial and academic).

Diversity at USC

Tabs for Events, Programs and Training, Task Force (including representatives for each school), Chronology, Participate, Resources for Students.

Academic Accommodations

Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to me (or to a TA) as early in the semester as possible. DSP is located in STU 301 and is open 8.30 AM to 5.00 pm Monday through Friday. Website and contact information for DSP:

(213) 740-0776 (Phone), (213) 740-6948 (TDD only), (213) 740-8216 (FAX),

Syllabus for PPD-531- Spring 2018, Page 1 of 8