Albany 2030 Comprehensive Plan - Albany, New York

Website

http://albany2030.org

PlaceMatters is partnering with Wallace, Roberts, and Todd to create Albany’s first Comprehensive Plan. We are providing the public engagement and decision-support for a comprehensive plan that will reflect the entire community’s vision.

Tools and Methods

PlaceMatters is providing an engaging, informative public engagement process and interactive website.  We have held three Community Forums, the first focusing on Albany’s strengths, challenges, and vision for the future.  The second Forum asked participants to provide strategies and actions to achieve the vision. In these first Forums, PlaceMatters used its tool, Brainstorm Anywhere, to gather the lists of ideas brainstormed in small groups.  These lists were then synthesized, and the entire room prioritized the ideas submitted using keypad polling. The third Forum asked participants to prioritize, using keypad polling and a mock budget exercise, the plan Systems that had emerged from previous Forums. This dynamic planning process with feedback loops helps the public understand how their input is used, and maintains transparency

In addition to the face-to-face meetings, PlaceMatters has designed an interactive website with more information, surveys, and a “Citizen Journal” for submitting photos, text and video. We have employed text messaging campaigns, and Albany 2030 Facebook and LinkedIn pages.  PlaceMatters is working with the City to meet participants where they are, first by working with a citizen Comprehensive Plan Board, tasked with outreach to existing networks and hard to reach populations.  In addition, the City is conducting ongoing “stoop surveys” to collect feedback by going door to door in underrepresented neighborhoods.

Outcomes

PlaceMatters’ work in Albany is an integrated approach that highlights our expertise in supporting a tailored face-to-face process with a well-designed online and multi-media campaign.  In particular, we are focusing on hard-to-reach populations and maintaining trust and transparency.

Media Coverage of Albany 2030:

For more information

Contact Jocelyn Hittle