Laying the Groundwork for Planning a Healthy Community: A Case Study of Community Engagement within the Asian Community in a Transit Oriented Development Planning Process

As the epidemic rates of chronic diseases such as asthma, obesity, and diabetes continue to increase, established research links between how a community is designed and the health of its community members have come to great prominence. In an attempt to empower and engage low-income and limited English speaking Asian community members in a planning process focused on development around a neighborhood public transit system often referred to as Transit Oriented Development, Asian Health Services (AHS), a community health center located in Oakland Chinatown, initiated a community participation campaign that would not only address equitable development strategies, but also the built environment as a determinant of health. Partnering with the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, TransFORM, and the Asian Pacific Environmental Network, AHS organized several local community town halls conducted in several Asian languages simultaneously with headset technology to highlight health perspectives on planning while educating community members about concepts related to coordinating transportation and land use, mixed-use development, and supporting a more livable and sustainable neighborhood. AHS also worked with its partners to conduct a needs assessment survey incorporating a health impact assessment approach, and created a public document articulating the community's priorities, visions, ideas for improving their neighborhood's safety, vibrancy, and overall community health. As a result, several Oakland Chinatown community members and stakeholders have continued to advocate for these neighborhood priorities at the City of Oakland's planning meetings and participated on the City's Community Advisory Committee, which provides recommendations to the City's Planning Commission and City Council.