Imagine a neighbourhood with diverse residents, including families, seniors, and young professionals. The area is facing several challenges, including higher unemployment rates for those on the margins, a lack of affordable housing, and perhaps safety concerns.
To address these issues, an impact neighbourhood strategy would adopt a holistic approach incorporating a range of synergistic initiatives and would be co-designed with a community and the key stakeholders within that community to ensure its relevance to that neighbourhood. The overall aim would be to create the right conditions for improved employment, educational and health outcomes, which in turn would impact the resilience of the neighbourhood and promote a thriving community.
The synergies the can spring from coordinated Impact neighbourhood initiatives have the potential to help change the built environment and influence urban development in several ways:
Encouraging development of affordable housing: An impact neighbourhood strategy can encourage the development of affordable housing in the neighbourhood, which can help address the issue of housing affordability and promote social equity. This can be achieved through partnerships with developers or local government agencies to create incentives for the development of affordable housing.
Promoting sustainable development: An impact neighbourhood strategy can promote sustainable development practices in the neighbourhood, such as creating green spaces, implementing energy-efficient infrastructure, and promoting alternative transportation modes. This can help reduce the neighbourhood's carbon footprint and promote environmental sustainability.
Enhancing public safety: An impact neighbourhood strategy can enhance public safety in the neighbourhood by implementing community policing programs, improving lighting and signage, and promoting public awareness and education about safety issues. This can help create a more secure and welcoming environment for residents and visitors alike.
Increasing access to amenities and services: An impact neighbourhood strategy can increase access to amenities and services in the neighbourhood, such as grocery stores, health clinics, and community centres. This can help create a more vibrant and inclusive neighbourhood that meets the needs of all residents.
Fostering economic development: An impact neighbourhood strategy can foster economic development in the neighbourhood by promoting job growth and entrepreneurship, attracting new businesses and industries, and creating new economic opportunities for local residents. This can help create a more sustainable and thriving community.
Synergies across an impact neighbourhood strategy can help build an opportunity matrix of employment, education and health which can address the social and economic challenges facing the neighbourhood and promoting sustainable, inclusive, and equitable development practices. By synchronising and coordinating efforts with local stakeholders and partners we can jointly create collaborative impact across the neighbourhood and contribute to the broader urban development goals of the city or region.
