Community Developments

Facilitating the Strategy and Planning of Community Development Projects – working with developers, neighborhoods and city agencies to create developments that are vibrant, mutually satisfying and ecological. These projects often revolve around creating a better bridge between different stakeholder groups. The focus is on the importance of clarifying roles and how decisions are made and managing expectations that can create projects that satisfy very diverse groups of people and interests. Developmentss I have helped include Metro, New Villages Group, Urban Development Partners, City and County agencies, Neighborhood Associations and Neighborhood Main Street Development Planning.

There are lot’s of planners and facilitators you can work with, here is what is different about working with me:

An approach that is grounded in the political realities of any project and makes sure that key decision makers and resources are behind whatever plans are developed.
A belief that the only truly satisfying projects are the ones that are driven by shared visions that people are really excited about and that actually get done.
That good plans are both rigorous in visions and values but also evolve, that they are flexible and adaptable to change and new possibilities that emerge.
Good facilitation isn’t facile but provocative in that it provokes getting below the surface and continually supporting a project to be the best it can be and that it gets actually built or created.
A deep ecology approach to facilitation that supports strong relationships between all stakeholders and looks to create the most impact with in the limitations of resources available.
Comfortable being strong leader and really stretching groups to create projects that are innovative and deeply rewarding.
Depth of experience as a practitioner and teacher of facilitation, planning and design.
Successfully led many neighborhood development projects.

"Charles has an uncanny knack to see through the rhetoric and identify the underlying problems which divide people and form barriers to progress. He is able to set aside his own ego and agenda to work with people at whatever point of view they represent, moving them along gently with his own enthusiasm rather than trying to force his views on anyone Charles brings to the table a vast background of community involvement, a commitment to the highest ideals of historic preservation, green practices, and a progressive vision for the future of the city. He will be a cornerstone of any planning project, a valuable asset to any group he works with."

Carolyn Brock - Neighborhood Leader

Charles designed and implemented a "Study" pertaining to the process UDP used when working with neighbors of the Richmond Community. He did a great job of creating a meaningful questionnaire, soliciting feedback from a varied group of Stakeholders, and delivered a very helpful document that has already informed our best practices. The tool has since been formally presented to the Richmond Neighborhood Association and the Portland City Council. It lives and breathes with us as we make community-involvement decisions.'

-Neeley Wells, Neighborhood Outreach, Urban Development Partners NW, LP

'Charles is one of the most amazingly gifted people I know along the lines of mediation and use of ideas and words to inspire people.'

Dana Zia, writer and therapist

"Charles has a gift for helping one think about business challenges better than they would on their own. He asks the right questions, listens very well and then adds perspective & context. Unlike being given advice I think this approach can produce solutions that "fit" and can be put to work."

Stan Amy - co-owner New Seasons and New Villages Development Group

"I so much admire Charles ability to pull the words together, to condense down, to find the nuances and articulate them, to just expand the view ... with issues like expanding, selling, moving. Really vital, directional sorts of issues."

Lynn Hanrahan - co-owner Mirador Community Store

"Charles has an ability to keep an objective point of view as you productively move conversations forward in a positive direction while, at the same time, ensuring that small but important voices are not lost in the larger picture. I have observed you facilitate change and compromise in a variety of settings. Your ability to work at a big picture level is an invaluable tool for helping people to achieve their objectives while working toward consensus."

Josh Warner, Urban Planner