Phase 2 Recap and Moving to Phase 3

Thanks to everyone who joined us for Phase 2 of the consensus process. A report on what we learned is now available in the documents section of this project!

Phase II brought people with different relationships to the project together to learn from one another, understand differing perspectives, and identify the conditions necessary for a credible, workable, and trusted path forward. Participants moved beyond positions and increasingly focused on shared values, aspirations, concerns, and conditions for success.

Several major themes emerged:

• There is significant agreement regarding the purpose of the project: creating permanently affordable middle-income homeownership opportunities.
• The conversation started to center around durable, quality homes.
• Trust, transparency, and ongoing communication remain essential.
• Community members want to participate in shaping design alternatives and understanding tradeoffs.
• High-quality design, neighborhood integration, safety, affordability, and long-term community benefit matter deeply.
• Participants identified the need for a variety of housing options and livability features that respond to differing household needs and preferences.
• Staying local is a high priority for design exploration.

Participants also specifically recommended moving toward a consensus-based collaborative design process, such as a design charrette, supported by both technical experts and community representatives. The Fowler Neighborhood engagement process was intentionally designed as a multi-phase process, with each phase building upon the learning, relationships, and understanding developed during earlier phases. The purpose of the next phase is not to begin the conversation again or replace the work already completed by community members. Rather, Phase III will build upon what has already been learned and move the process from conversation to co-creation.

Additional consultants with expertise in architecture, housing development, engineering, finance, and collaborative design processes will join the project team during Phase III, which will involve the following:

• Translating community values and priorities into physical design alternatives.
• Exploring tradeoffs among affordability, density, parking, green space, housing variety, safety, and neighborhood compatibility.
• Using technical expertise to evaluate feasibility, infrastructure, transportation, financing, and implementation considerations.
• Continuing meaningful opportunities for public input and refinement.
• Identifying where there is agreement, where tradeoffs exist, and where additional discussion is needed.

In the coming days, we'll be reaching out to past participants to join us on August 10 and 11 for the final phase of consensus. Don't hesitate to reach out to us with any questions in the meantime.