Acre Plan outreach and education project

Abstract

Lowell, MA is currently implementing an urban renewal project in the Acre neighborhood of the city. Commonly known as the Acre Plan, this 20-year project was created with input from residents and others in the city, as required by the terms of the Urban Renewal laws that also give the City broad power to implement change, including the power of eminent domain. This residential input will continue. Due to the transient nature of the Acre community, there is a constant risk of losing continuous representation as well as having representation that is undereducated about the intentions and problems of the Plan. The purpose of this project is to create a structure to continually educate groups of residents, and enable them to meaningfully negotiate with city officials during the full implementation period of the Plan. Since the beginning of this project, a group of residents has met regularly, familiarized themselves with the Plan, received training in areas they felt were necessary, and engaged in successful negotiation with city officials on issues important to area residents. (Author abstract)