EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF SITUATION ANALYSIS

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, gentrification is "the process of rebuilding a community accompanying the influx of middle-class and upper-class people into deteriorating areas that often displaces poorer residents." To many, gentrification is "equated with neighborhood improvement, but in reality it is a process of class transformation: it is remaking of working-class space to serve the needs of middle- and upperclass people" (Newman & Wyly, 2005). When gentrification occurs in a community, it occurs in a series of three stages. The first stage of gentrification occurs when there is a significant amount of redevelopment and new tenants inhabiting any vacant units in the area. This step can occur over a few years and does not always immediately affect the community. During the second stage, people begin to learn of the low costs within these communities and landlords begin displacing long-time residents in order to rent and sell to higher-paying tenants. The influx of new residents causes an increase in amenities that serve higher income citizens and this situation creates conflict in the community. In the third and final stage, prices increase significantly and more long-term residents are displaced (Rose, 2001). Evidence that shows the effects of gentrification in New York City include: - The New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey, NYCHVS, revealed that 176,900 renters were displaced between 1989 and 2002 (Hampson, 2005). - The 2003 American Housing Survey showed that in the previous year about 225,000 renters with income below the poverty line had moved at least once and cited cost pressures among their reasons. Of these, 96,000 were directly displaced either by private landlord or government actions (Hampson, 2005).

IDENTIFICATION OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY AUDIENCES

Primary audiences and secondary audiences will both be greatly influenced by our Public Relations Campaign. The primary audience consists of law makers and developers since these are the people who have the ability to effect gentrification. The secondary audience is the residents of the cities that are undergoing gentrification. These residents are defined as secondary audiences because they are those who are mainly affected by the changes that we are trying to implement. They are the ones who need to know what courses of action they must take in order to further their chances of staying in the neighborhoods theyve been living in for many years. These are the people who should be protected from the gentrification process.

CAMPAIGN GOALS (GENERAL)

The goal of this campaign is to get legislation passed to end gentrification and to also promote alternative methods for community development. Furthermore, we hope to decrease the number of residents who will be negatively affected by the gentrification process.

CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVE (SPECIFIC)

The objective of this campaign is to reduce the number of residents who are displaced by gentrification throughout New York City by 70%.

CAMPAIGN STRATEGIES (GENERAL)

In order to put a stop to gentrification, we first must make sure the community is educated about the gentrification process. It is essential that the campaign bring awareness of the issue, as well as inform the public of its severity. While informing the communities, the campaign also hopes to foster different methods of community restoration. By educating these

residents, we hope to instill in them a strong initiative to take action against gentrification through local legislation.

CAMPAIGN TACTICS (SPECIFIC)

Within each of the campaigns strategies, there are specific tactics used to ensure the most productive way of reaching our end goal. Below is a more in depth look at how each step will be 1) Educating the residents- Education about the issue of gentrification is the most important step because there are many who do not know what it is or have very little information about it. Also, many residents may not pay attention to the news about it because it hasnt directly affected them yet. Communities for Progress plans to implement this step by: Flyers and posters will be put up all around the city at public transportation spots and telephone poles to show the parts of New York City that have already been gentrified, and to show some areas that may be affected in the near future.
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The brochures will have more facts about gentrification and show upcoming events and informational sessions that will be held in the community, as well as a link to our website: www.StopNYCgentrification.com. They will be given out at local community centers and local churches throughout some target areas in New York City.

Communities for Progress will also be sponsoring a Community ay within one of the communities that is currently facing the problem of gentrification. We plan to renovate their local park and have the community day as an opening to the newly renovated park. Community Day will be a day where the community will come together to learn that positive development does not have to come from gentrification and to become more educated about actions they can take to prevent gentrification. At the event, there will be information tables, guest speakers, and a variety of fun activities in order to help

us market to a larger audience. The promotion of the event will be spread through direct email, news coverage on local channels, and through community center information forums. 2) Open communication with developers and legislators- As a community, the neighborhoods must keep track of future plans and ways to maintain a mixed income community that sponsors development without displacement. By providing incentives for the developers, such as tax breaks and credits, legislation could be passed to ensure affordable housing for lower-income residents. Some specific things to ask developers for are: Code enforcement policies that assist residents with home improvements Implementing rent controls Preserve federally subsidized housing programs

MESSAGES FOR AUDIENCES

Residents need to be educated about the gentrification process and how it is affecting them and others in their area. The residents also need to be informed of the severity of the issue and need to be told ways they can help put a stop to gentrification in their area. Developers must be aware that their level of involvement in the gentrification process will negatively affect their corporate image. There are alternate methods that the developers can use to renovate the areas without displacing any residents and to help maintain a mixed income community. Legislators need to be concerned with how the gentrification process is affecting their voting constituents. Many of the residents in the communities that are voting for these elected officials come from low-income households who may not vote for them if they do not plan to help people who are being displaced through gentrification.

BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS

Print Advertisement
Informative Brochures Bus Ads Protest Posters Protest Banners Total

Quantity Estimated Price Estimated Cost Breakdown

5000 20 20 10 5050 $2,000.00 $8,000.00 $400.00 $100.00 $10,500.00 Evaluation 15% Com m . Day 8% Implement -ation 14% Site 6% Media Publicity 16% Direct mail 26% Print Ad 15%

Direct Mail
Postage Envelopes Paper supplies

Quantity Estimated Price

20000 20000 20000 $8,000.00 $8,000.00 $2,000.00

Total

60000

$18,000.00

Media Publicity (other)

Website Page Commercial Influential Public Speaker Total

Quantity Estimated Price

1 5 10 16 $800.00 $5,000.00 $5,000.00 $10,800.00

Site / Equipment
Lecture Space Transportation Telephone Sound (mics) Total

Quantity Estimated Price

12 20 15 5 52 $600.00 $2,000.00 $750.00 $500.00 $3,850.00

Implementation
Contract lawyer Zoning law expert

Quantity Estimated Price

1 1 $5,000.00 $5,000.00

Total

$10,000.00

Community Day
Music Food/ Drinks Games

Quantity Estimated Price

2 200 10 $300.00 $5,000.00 $200.00

Total

212

$5,500.00

Evaluation
Survey Research teams Total

Quantity Estimated Price

2000 10 2010 $500.00 $10,000.00 $10,500.00

Total

Quantity
67342

Total Price
69,150.00

TIMETABLE
May 2012: Plan Community Day: catering, speakers, music and events Get website up and running Have all brochures, flyers, and posters printed up and posted around New York City June 2012: Host Community Day at McNair Park Set a schedule for community involvement meetings Continue to hand out flyers and brochures

July 2012 Continue to hand out gentrification information Host weekly community involvement events and meetings

August 2012 Host protests Talk to developers about gentrification in the New York City Area Continue community involvement meetings

September 2012 Talk to legislators about getting involved about the laws on gentrification Continue community involvement meetings

October 2012 Ensure a proposal has been made about addressing gentrification in New York City and follow through to see it hits the Senate floor

CAMPAIGN EVALUATION PROPOSAL

In efforts to evaluate our campaign, we must first be sure the message was heard. We would have a research team creating and administering surveys that would help us determine this. Using several focus groups that live in the neighborhoods in which we advertised, we plan to check if they had seen our advertisements or had

heard of our campaign, as well as if they understood what gentrification is and the harms it has on the community. Our second form of evaluation will be through the actual neighborhoods themselves. We must look at displacement rates within these neighborhoods to see if people are still getting evicted from their homes. In addition, we will be looking to see if the laws themselves that are set to protect the people of these communities have been passed and are being enforced.

CITATION
Gentrification (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster dictionary online. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gentrification Hampson, R. (2005, April 19). Gentrification a boost for everyone . [Electronic Version] USA Today. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-0419-gentrification_x.htm Newman, K. & Wyly, E. (2005). Gentrification and resistance in New York City. http://www.nhi.org/online/issues/142/gentrification.html Rose, K. (2001) Beyond gentrification: Tools for equitable development. Retrieved from http://www.nhi.org/online/issues/117/Rose.html