ABSTRACT
Neighborhood planning, where residents come together to formulate and implement a vision for their neighborhood, is, at least theoretically, an act of inclusion. In fact, some would say that the point of developing plans is to bring people together—not to create blueprints for future implementation. In the diverse neighborhoods of Chicago, inclusiveness in the planning process might require, for example, diverse representation, a multi-pronged communication strategy, cultural sensitivity, and transparent decision-making. This chapter reports on neighborhood planning in Chicago via neighborhood associations, with the aim of better understanding the scope and consequence of neighborhood-level organizing and the inclusivity of neighborhood planning generally. Representatives of neighborhood associations were interviewed to assess how neighborhood organizations view themselves and their role, and how neighborhood organizations approach neighborhood planning. Results show that neighborhood associations generally fell within one of three types, and that each type employed a different kind of approach to neighborhood planning. These can be termed servicing, protection, and promotion. In the case of servicing, planning amounts to concerns about equity over the allocation of resources. In the case of protection, planning is focused on blocking developers and changing zoning codes. In the case of promotion, planning amounts to small events and tactical urbanism mostly promoting retail corridors. Different neighborhood types have different challenges for neighborhood inclusiveness.
