New report centers the Kensington community’s voice
All in for Kensington
Over the past few years, a growing number of residents, organizations, and civic groups have been joining forces to develop comprehensive, community-driven, and trauma-informed strategies for Kensington because we know that sustained improvements to health and wellbeing happen when communities come together to co-create their own future.
As a collaborative and community-led planning process, Planning Kensington Together makes room for everyone but ensures that the Kensington community is kept at the center.
What is the Kensington Planning Process?
Building on existing community organizing and plans of the past, the Kensington Planning Process is an ongoing, flexible, and participatory process that acknowledges the neighborhood’s strengths and honors the leadership of its community members.
Sustained solutions in Kensington will require bringing as many stakeholders and resources to the table to push forward community-defined priorities and strategies for transformation.
This process also recognizes that community participation doesn’t stop with planning - our goal is to continue bolstering engagement so that we can align all plans for Kensington into a comprehensive, community-driven, and trauma-informed strategy for development.
Why are we planning?
For too long, decisions about Kensington have been made without community input. A history of strategic disinvestment combined with a series of imposed failed strategies over the past several years have exacerbated the challenges that residents face - poverty, homelessness, addiction, violence, and poor health to name just a few.
But Kensington is also a neighborhood of assets: affordable real estate, solid housing stock, easy access to transportation, dedicated neighbors and civic groups, and three times more small businesses than the city average.
Finding a way forward in Kensington will mean shifting from a scarcity mindset to abundance-based strategies.
Sometimes community planning in Kensington feels like a poorly coordinated potluck, where visitors show up with nothing except their own appetites.
“
New report centers the Kensington Community’s voice
Who we are
Kensington is a neighborhood of strengths: affordable real estate, solid housing stock, easy access to transportation, dedicated neighbors and civic groups, and three times more small businesses than the city average.
How we plan
Instead of piecemeal solutions, Kensington needs a comprehensive plan that acknowledges its strengths and honors the leadership of its community members.
Next steps
This winter, we will spend time aligning what is outlined in Kensington Planning Process: History, Context, Voices with community members and other plans for Kensington. We will also continue implementation of Opioid Settlement Funds.