Predicting the Future: Sustainable Support for TransitRail~Volution 2014Saint Paul, MN

Our PresentersJENNIFER HARMENING THIEDETransit for Livable Communities

REPA MEKHANexus Community Partners

ANDREW AUSTINTransportation Choices

DIANE GOODWINTriMet

Session OverviewBuilding community engagement, political will, and agency action

Twin Cities Region

HUDSustainable

Communities Regional

Planning Grant

LIVING CITIESIntegration Initiative

Corridors of Opportunity

Partnership for Regional Opportunity

Transition

2014

Transition

2015

Corridors of Opportunity Policy Board: state, regional & local government, business groups, non-profits, foundations

Purpose: to develop targeted strategies that engage underrepresented communities in planning, decision-making, and implementation processes on and around transit-oriented corridors.

Creating Common Ground

A Community Engagement Team (CET)Advises the Policy Board on community engagement best practices

A: to provide funding and technical support to community based organizations

B: Influence decision-making structures

To ensure underrepresented communities are a powerful voice in creating an equitable regional transit system. We will work with

community stakeholders & policy makers to:

Set regional standards for community engagement

Ensure underrepresented communities can leverage community benefits

Secure equitable development from public investments in our regional transit-ways

Expand resources to build the capacity of community groups to influence transit-way planning

Advise CET team, policymakers and COO Policy Board on regional community engagement issues

Building a New Inclusion ModelCommunity Engagement Steering Committee Purpose

Building New Inclusion Models

Develop grant award guidelines & applications Establish opportunity framework Review and score proposals, conduct site visits, make

grant recommendations to CET $750,000 in grant awards to

community based organizations

Community Engagement Grant Review Committee Purpose:

Bridging & Relationship Building

O Met CouncilO CountiesO City Corridor ManagersO Policy BoardO Cross-sector Community Learning Forums

Early ImpactO Grantees $750,000 in federal funds and $250,000 in

philanthropy and technical support Bridging relationships with city, county, and Met Council

staff Cross-corridor Community Engagement Steering

Committee working directly with Met Council

Entrepreneurship Training

Early ImpactO Policy & Systems Change Definition of Equitable Development/Equitable

Development Principle MC Equity Criteria: Livable Communities Act–TOD $32

million & Local Implementation Capacity Grants $953K Fair Housing Equity Assessment HUD requirement Thrive MSP 2040 engagement practice & policy Community Advisory Committee

Early Impact

O Developing & Sharing Knowledge National Conferences Living Cities Integration Initiative Learning Session HUD Presentation Model Replication

EvaluationO Wilder Research Grantee outcomes & impact

Systems/policy impact

CET model

O Works Progress Documentary

O Policylink Case Study Twin Cities case study

“The stone that the builder refused, will always be the

head cornerstone.”Bob Marley

Building Transit’s Political Power

Andrew Austin@TransitdudePolicy Director

Transportation ChoicesAndrew@transportationchoices.org

Who we are

• Transportation Choices is a non-profit advocacy organization based in Washington State that works to expand and save public transit across the state and promote smart transportation policy ideas

• Staff of 6• Education, politics, advocacy, and policy• Transportationchoices.org

Transit is a #2, #3, or #4 issue for many

But a #1 issue for very fewCultivating our friends: Building relationships with business, labor, social-justice partners to

win on transit.

Strength in AlliesTransit advocates only as powerful as their closest

friends!Business, agencies, unions, riders, advocates can’t win

alone Together we can succeed,

when coalitions are diverse and relationships are strong.

Identifying Self-InterestMeeting people where THEY are at.

Important Coalition Partners1. The Transit Agency!2. Transit Advocacy & Rider Organizing groups3. ATU and the Broader Labor Community4. Social justice & environmental justice orgs.5. Environmental, cycling and walking, smart

growth (transit nerds)6. Social Service providers & low-wealth advocates7. Local Chamber of Commerce & businesses

Triangle of Influence State and Local Levels

Smart Policy Ideas & Funding

State and local Elected officials

Agency, biz., labor and

community partners

Ultimately to achieve our goals

We have to MOVE State and local Elected officials:

Either by electing die hard champions or Convincing swing legislators

What’s Aren’t we doing

Electoral work officially as an organization to:• Elect transit champions on the local and state

level• Strengthen relationships with candidates and

elected officials• Ultimately expand our political power to

achieve our organizational policy goals.

State and local Elected officials

Why do we need this a stronger political voice?

Because we aren’t winning on our good ideas alone

In Summary1.Make friends as transit’s power often

relies on the strength of our friends, allies, coalition partners.

2.Expand our reach directly into the political arena (501c4s, PACs, Electoral work)

Together build transit (and its riders) political power.

Sustainable Support for Transit

Diane GoodwinTriMet Manager of Public Affairs

Portland’s Evolving Landscape

New Approach: Engage Riders1. Build network of

supporters (data!)2. Educate & engage

network3. Mobilize

Online Engagement: Riders Club, Social Media

Offline Engagement: Build Personal Relationships

Preview New Public Art with Artist

Coffees with General Manager, Board Members

Offline Engagement: Build Personal Relationships

Offline Engagement: Build Personal Relationships

Behind the Scenes Tours

Contest to Drive A TriMet Bus

Offline Engagement: Build Personal Relationships

Rider Blogs: Tell us Your StoryContest for a Monthly Pass

Engage Employers, Small Business

Engage Employers, Small Business

Tilikum Crossing Tours

Profiles of Small Businesses

• Riders Club membership• Participation in events• Support in Salem (Gearing up for 2015)• Rider and Opinion Surveys • Support for new revenue, new transit

Measuring Our Success

DiscussionAsk questions and shareyour experience