about CAPA

NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING WORKSHOPS

Communities often come together to brainstorm their problems and then propose solutions which can then be put into a plan of action. With the assistance of volunteer design professionals such as planners, architects, and landscape architects, CAPA organizes planning workshops in which the community's dreams and ideas for our neighborhood are put into a graphic format that is easily understood. The designers, with the help of local government agencies and neighborhood representatives, also contribute their expertise on the practicality of various proposals. Many of the identified problems of the Castro area have a physical aspect to them. Solutions to problems such as low-cost housing can be designed into a plan for the neighborhood. Improvements in street lighting, traffic flow, etc., can have indirect effects on other problems. Each workshop is a community-wide effort, seeking participation from residents, merchants, and visitors, as well as that of experts in the fields of homelessness, crime, merchandising, and other identified problem areas. Three previous planning workshops have resulted in several proposals for the future of the Castro. These are available to the public for discussion and comment. Public exhibits of the drawings and opportunities for members of the public to make further comments are planned. Special presentations are planned for neighborhood organizations and other interested groups.