Helpful Hints

During Outreach and Implementation

• Anticipate logistical concerns. Public participation can be impeded by language barriers, transportation, meeting times, and child care. Minimize these barriers by anticipating these issues in advance. Plan to address as many concerns as possible. For example:
  • Plan some meetings in the evenings and/or on weekends.
  • Provide childcare.
  • Plan the meetings in locations accessible by public transit or assist in transportation.
  • Provide translation/interpreter services.
• Seek input to the housing element early in the development, implementation, and oversight stages.
• Follow up after each event. After holding a public forum or activity, establish a procedure to follow up with concrete action to address the community’s concerns. Be sure that all information relevant to the process is made available, either at regular meetings or by posting to a website. This will help to establish and maintain the jurisdiction’s credibility.

Facilitate Meaningful Participation

• Develop a public participation infrastructure that includes the following resources to promote sustainable community involvement:
  • A contact person who is available to the public to answer questions, respond to concerns, and provide information about resources.
  • An interactive website where stakeholders can access information and voice ideas and concerns.
  • Annual meetings where stakeholders can gather to celebrate successes in housing development, learn about local land-use and development issues, voice concerns, and develop a vision for future housing development.
• Conduct effective meetings and establish rapport early. Build consensus among stakeholders, the public, professionals, and local decision-makers. Help the group move from decision-making based on personal experience alone toward decision-making that is in the interest of the whole community. Effective meetings with the public will:
  • Maintain integrity by demonstrating willingness to follow up on concerns and incorporating input.
  • Develop rules for engagement. Every participant should agree to the same set of rules and protocols.
  • Respect community values and concerns. Acknowledge the sincerity of expressed views.
  • Bring directly affected stakeholders into the process as soon as possible. This facilitates the creation of teamwork earlier on and communicates that the process is inclusive.
  • Focus on listening. Being patient and listening to all viewpoints, especially when the process breaks down, is valuable to restart the process and gain credibility with the participants.
  • Demonstrate willingness to consider and incorporate stakeholder input. The public participation process should not be used to “rubber stamp” a predetermined objective or policy.
  • Present all information and data in a format that is easily understood. Take time to ensure the public understands critical information. Encourage questions.