Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 12/06/2014 - SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE: STAFF: December 6, 2014 Beth Sowder, Interim Director of Social Sustainability Bruce Hendee, Chief Sustainability Officer WORK SESSION ITEM City Council SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION Social Sustainability Department Strategic Plan Update. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this work session item is to provide City Council with an update on the development of the Social Sustainability Department Strategic Plan, as well as to receive input from City Council on the work done to date. Based on feedback received including a need to simplify, the plan is still in the early stages of refinement. It engages a prioritized alignment with the City’s Strategic Plan, deeper integration with the triple bottom line, and clearer alignment with the role of the Social Sustainability Department. It strives to address emerging challenges, including physical and mental health, increased housing costs and poverty, and increased homelessness. The City has assumed the role of funder, facilitator, and convener without entering into direct provision of services. GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED 1. Does City Council support the four themes as presented? 2. Are there any themes missing that Council feels the Social Sustainability Department should consider? 3. Are there any strategies or actions in which the City should not be involved? BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION The City’s commitment to sustainability is seen through:  Continued expression of the community’s resolve to act sustainably: to systematically, creatively, and thoughtfully utilize environmental, social, and economic resources to meet present needs and those of future generations without compromising the ecosystems on which we depend  Policies and actions that are not developed and implemented in isolation from one another; rather, the focus is on integration  Encouraging systems thinking to recognize and emphasize interrelationships among all aspects of City operations  Recognition of the interdependent economic, social, and environmental implications of policies, decisions, and outcomes  Recognition of the benefits and tradeoffs across all three of these topic areas Social Sustainability is the practice of creating a diverse and equitable society that successfully meets the basic needs of all residents. This is done through programs, policies, and partnerships that provide equity and opportunities for all. The Department of Social Sustainability was formed in early 2012 by splitting the Advance Planning Department and moving the Affordable Housing function and City Competitive Process into the new department. While those functions already existed, it was generally recognized that this new department had more potential to impact and inform the City’s focus on the triple bottom line approach. In an effort to better define the role of the Social Sustainability Department (SSD), a Gaps Analysis was conducted in late 2013. Additionally, the SSD engaged in an extensive Housing Affordability Study, which is still in progress. December 6, 2014 Page 2 The Social Sustainability Department presented a draft strategic plan to City Council at the July 22, 2014 work session (Attachment 1). With transitions in the department this fall, staff recognized the need to re-examine the work done to date. Staff took a fresh look in an effort to have a more expressed and clearly prioritized alignment with the City’s Strategic Plan, which includes a strategic objective to “develop clear goals, strategic definition and description of the City’s social sustainability role within the community.” Additionally, as Economic Health and Environmental Services are developing departmental strategic plans as well, there are more opportunities for increased alignment among the strategic plans in the Service Area. There will be deliberate alignment with vision, goals, and actions. The core role of SSD has been and continues to be: 1. Funding, policy, and partnerships for community human service agencies 2. Funding, policy, and partnerships for affordable housing 3. Funding, policy, and partnerships for poverty and homelessness reduction/mitigation 4. Collaborate and influence internal City departments as well as external agencies/partners The overall structure of the plan is proposed to include four themes:  Community Wellness  Diversity  Shared Prosperity  Housing Each theme will include:  Vision  Alignment to the City’s Strategic Plan  Roles  Goals with strategies and metrics In each theme area, the focus includes both the past and current role of SSD, as well as the vision for future roles. Emphasis was strategically placed on areas the department can impact. In many areas, SSD focuses on ensuring that specific groups (i.e. children under six, seniors, low-income persons) are reached by serving as the organizational voice for underrepresented populations. This version does not include “mobility” as a stand-alone theme because it is not the focus or lead work of the Department or Service Area. Rather, the appropriate action items were folded into the other themes. Regarding mobility, the role of Social Sustainability includes consulting, collaborating, and advocating for inclusion of varied and often vulnerable populations in the City’s transportation work. Diversity was added as a theme. Promoting and celebrating diversity is a key activity within this theme area. It is one of the lead charges for the Social Sustainability Department, as well as collaborative work with other departments. However, no other City department is leading in this area where there is very clear alignment with the City’s Strategic Plan. Lastly, the former theme of “Income Disparity” was changed to “Shared Prosperity.” The Sustainability Service Area is taking a holistic approach on prosperity, defining it as more abundant resources, choices, connections, and opportunities while continuing to recognize the important consideration of environmental impacts. There is understanding that not everything is equal, but opportunity is available and accessible. Community Wellness The vision for this theme area is “Access to opportunities for optimal physical and mental health for all community members.” December 6, 2014 Page 3 Alignment to the City’s Strategic Plan - Promote health and wellness within the community:  Active and healthy lifestyles  Access to mental health services  Access to locally grown and healthy food  Preservation and provision of responsible access to nature  Engage citizens in ways that educate and change behavior toward more sustainable living practices  Improve safety and accessibility of all modes of travel including vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycles for all segments of our population; there is opportunity for collaboration between the Social Sustainability and Transportation Departments  Improve community involvement, education, and regional partnerships to make our community safer and stronger Diversity The vision for this theme area is “A welcoming, inclusive community where all residents and visitors feel valued, safe, and connected.” Alignment to the City’s Strategic Plan - Expand organizational and community knowledge about diversity and embrace cultural differences:  Improve low and moderate income citizen access to, and participation in, City programs and facilities  In collaboration with others, work towards age-friendly travel options  Promote events and programs that recognize and celebrate social, cultural, and human diversity There is opportunity to expand the overall definition and understanding of diversity. Shared Prosperity The vision for this theme area is “Access and opportunity for all community members to have resources for stability and self-sufficiency.” The SSD role is to provide funding and policies for programs that meet individual basic needs and in turn, provide a safety net that fosters stability. Another departmental role is to provide funding and policies for programs that provide opportunities for individuals to become self-sufficient. As community needs are met through programming, policies, and partnerships, the individual is then able to experience the stability necessary to gain self-sufficiency and eventually, upward mobility. Alignment to the City’s Strategic Plan - Address the impact of increasing poverty and homelessness: Prosperity is seen as maintaining more abundant resources, choices, connections, and opportunities. It is strengths-focused, and includes the philosophical questions of Social Sustainability researchers and experts:  Can this generation pass on a high quality of life to the following generations?  Can this generation provide a high quality of life to everyone in the community? Housing The vision for this theme area is “All citizens have access to quality affordable housing that meets their needs.” Alignment to the City’s Strategic Plan - Improve access to a broad range of quality housing that is safe, accessible, and affordable:  Implement indoor air quality improvement initiatives  Opportunities for redevelopment, revitalization, and growth in targeted areas December 6, 2014 Page 4 Next Steps Utilizing a similar process as the Economic Health Strategic Plan, the Social Sustainability Strategic Plan will have developed action items and performance metrics to align with the themes. Engagement with the public, non-profit and other agencies, City departments, and appropriate Boards and Commissions will provide valuable feedback that will be incorporated into the draft plan. The draft plan will be refined based on Council and public feedback. The plan will be finalized by incorporating infographics, easy to follow layout, and meaningful images. Staff will seek City Council approval in spring 2015. ATTACHMENTS 1. Work session summary, July 22, 2014 (PDF) 2. Powerpoint Presentation (PDF) Social Sustainability 321 Maple Street PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 970.221.6758 MEMORANDUM DA: July 23, 2014 TO: Mayor and Councilmembers TH: Darin Atteberry, City Manager Jeff Mihelich, Deputy City Manager Bruce Hendee, Assistant City Manager FR: Mary Atchison, Social Sustainability Department RE: Work Session Summary—July 22, 2014 re: Social Sustainability Strategic Plan Draft On July 22, 2014 Social Sustainability Director Mary Atchison, Assistant City Manager Bruce Hendee, and Ben Herman from Clarion Associates presented a draft of the Social Sustainability Strategic Plan to Council. Councilmembers present included Mayor Karen Weitkunat, Mayor Pro Tem Gerry Horak, Ross Cunniff, Wade Troxell, Gino Campana, Lisa Poppaw and Bob Overbeck. City Manager Darin Atteberry was also present. Mary Atchison provided an overview of the draft Strategic Plan and asked for Council input. Major Discussion Points included the following:  A need to focus the plan was expressed by more than one Councilmember.  Include strategies in the Health and Wellness section about encouraging physical exercise.  Frame clearly what the City’s role is in these issues.  The City has the opportunity to provide analyses of our social systems and work toward system integration.  There is a need to ensure that we do not include students in our poverty statistics.  Clearly define our terms, such as poverty and seniors.  Remove mentions of specific organizations.  Rephrase any references to ‘funding’ programs.  Include the concept of Environmental Justice. Follow Up Items: None ATTACHMENT 1 Social Sustainability Strategic Plan Social Sustainability Strategic Plan Beth Sowder, Interim Director of Social Sustainability ATTACHMENT 2 Direction Sought • Does City Council support the four themes as presented? • Are there any themes missing that Council feels the Social Sustainability Department should consider? • Are there any strategies or actions in which the City should not be involved? 2 A Commitment to Social Sustainability 3 Focus of Sustainability Services Social, Environmental, Economic 4 • Climate • Housing • Income Opportunity • Sense of Place & Community • Health and Well Being • Resource Conservation Purpose of SSD Strategic Plan 5 • Ensure alignment with City’s Strategic Plan • Deeper integration with Triple Bottom Line • Define role of Social Sustainability Department • Address emerging challenges: Ø Physical and mental health Ø Increased housing costs & poverty Ø Increased homelessness Municipal Focus Social Sustainability Department is strategic: • In funding • In focus areas Programs and priorities are based on: • Community data • Community Gaps Analysis • Emerging social sustainability research 6 SSD Core Role The core role of SSD has been funding, policy, & partnerships for: • Community human service agencies • Affordable housing • Poverty and homelessness reduction/mitigation Increasing efforts in: • Collaborate and influence internal City departments as well as external agencies/partners 7 Municipal Role 8 THE GOAL? Build resources by contributing to access and opportunities for: STABILITY Safety Net SELF-SUFFICIENCY Ladder Early Childhood Example City Strategies City Actions Others Involved Programs Funding. Childcare scholarships through: • B.A.S.E. Camp • Boys & Girls Club • Family Center/La Familia • Teaching Tree • Respite Care WomenGive, foundations, private and corporate donors, parent pay Policies Advocate for CCAP changes LC Early Childhood Council, United Way, PSD, CSU, State Representatives Partnerships Participate in United Way’s BeReady Campaign United Way and 40 other entities 9 Social Sustainability Strategic Plan Themes 10 • Community Wellness • Diversity • Shared Prosperity • Housing Community Wellness 11 Access to opportunities for optimal physical and mental health for all community members • Active and healthy lifestyles • Access to locally grown and healthy food Diversity 12 Welcoming, inclusive community where all residents feel valued, safe, and connected. • Promote and maintain a welcoming, inclusive community • Encourage expansion of affordable transportation options Redtail Ponds 13 Shared Prosperity Access and opportunity for all community members to have resources for stability and self-sufficiency • Close skills gap and increase career pathways Housing 14 All citizens have access to quality affordable housing • Meets their needs • Broad range of quality housing Ø Safe Ø Accessible Ø Affordable Ø Options Next Steps • Develop actions and performance metrics • Public Engagement • Refine the Plan based on Council and Board and Commission Input • Finalize the plan – including infographics, layout, and images • Seek City Council approval 15 Direction Sought • Does City Council support the four themes as presented? • Are there any themes missing that Council feels the Social Sustainability Department should consider? • Are there any strategies or actions in which the City should not be involved? 16