Community Engagement in Design and Planning

Community engagement is a critical element of efforts to improve the built environment because it ensures that concerns of community residents are considered in projects and plans, strengthens local partnerships, and builds social capital. Improvements to the built environment can facilitate social connections and increase opportunities for social interaction, leading to greater community ownership, deepening opportunities for engagement, and instilling a sense of pride for physical improvements. A range of mechanisms can be employed to engage community residents or representatives of the community; the technique must fit the purpose. Disenfranchised communities must have a genuine voice in the planning and implementation of projects. Community engagement provides a mechanism for cultivating this voice and maximizing the likelihood that the outcome will reflect its input.