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Messages to Mobilize Community Support

Journal of Housing & Community Development - May/June 2001

by Debra Stein

Community opposition is one of the more costly aspects of facility siting, and many exciting community development plans never get beyond the planning stage because of neighbors screaming, “Not in My Back Yard!” How do you persuade folks to accept a proposed development plan, and then get those supporters to publicly endorse it?

Supporters of affordable housing and more complex community development plans embrace several common values and attitudes. Community support can increase significantly by framing your arguments to respond to these beliefs. Here are 10 messages that work.

1. You care about the community. While most opponents have trouble focusing beyond their own self-interests, likely supporters see themselves as socially responsible people who also care about what’s best for the entire community.
2. You understand. Supporters care about people who are less fortunate than they are, and are able to feel sympathy or empathy. Women are substantially more likely than men to define themselves as empathetic.
3. You don’t blame people in tough circumstances. While opponents often feel that people who will benefit from community development are to blame for their own poverty or negative condition, supporters recognize that disadvantaged people are usually facing temporary external problems such as unemployment, lack of housing, or lack of social service programs.
4. Generosity feels good. Supporters like the good feelings that come from helping people in distress. Internal rewards include avoiding guilt and confirming one’s self-image as a caring person; external rewards include the respect of one’s peers and gratitude from people who will benefit from the project. Opponents of affordable housing and service facilities, on the other hand, often worry about whether they’re being tricked or they’re getting too little reward for too much sacrifice.
5. You’re an ethical person. Supporters care more about being “right” than about being part of the mainstream. Opponents, on the other hand, are often strongly influenced by the (mis)perception that “everyone” hates the proposed development plan.
6. You’re consistent. In the past, supporters have publicly committed themselves to helping those less fortunate, and support for today’s community-oriented proposal is consistent with those prior commit-ments. Past charitable contributors and volunteers, members of social justice groups, and active religious participants are examples of individuals who have made past commitments to social altruism.
7. Facilities should be fairly distributed. Supporters tend to agree that every neighborhood should bear its “fair share” of affordable housing or community-oriented service facilities - even wealthy or suburban neighborhoods.
8. The project will fit in. Spending money on good design and a detailed operations plan is a good investment. Neighbors are much more likely to support a proposed community development proposal if they believe it will be well-designed and responsibly operated.
9. Promises will be enforced. It usually isn’t enough to simply pledge that commitments made to neighbors will be fulfilled. Incorporating those promises as enforceable permit conditions or as part of a “Good Neighborhood Agreement” provides supporters the reassurance they need that the new development project will operate the way it is supposed to.
10. Don’t Reduce Size. This isn’t a message, but it’s a very important piece of advice. While you might be willing to reduce the size of your project or number of users served, it is often not possible to cut the project down enough to materially reduce opposition. Supporters, on the other hand, can actually be turned off if they think you’re compromising too much.

These headlines may be far too simplistic to be used verbatim in any outreach materials, so be sure to customize your advocacy campaign to meet the specific circumstances of your own community. Additional public opinion could also reveal effective messages and concessions unique to your proposal.

Debra Stein is the president of the San Francisco-based public affairs firm, GCA Strategies. She is the author of several books on NIMBYism and her firm specializes in controversial land use projects across the nation. For more information, e-mail Stein, call her at 415-391-4100 or visit the GCA Strategies Web site at www.gcastrategies.com.