Community Planning: Engagement + Documentation

Location: Hidalgo + Cameron Counties, Texas

partnership: bcWORKSHOP + CDCB

project role: 

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The Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) is home to the largest concentration of colonias (1,128) in Texas, which far surpasses any other state in the nation.  Although colonias themselves differ in many ways (scale, longevity, density), distinctive similarities among them demonstrate a prolonged and inequitable distribution of investment in public infrastructure compared to areas of higher income and within cities.  

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In response to the lack of concentrated planning for the region’s colonias, a triad policy shapers, community organizers, and planners was formed in 2011 as a component of the Equal Voice Network (EVN) Housing Coalition to document and work within colonias. Despite legislation to ban these developments, the LRGV continues to see the rapid increase of sprawling, isolated residential subdivisions with little to no infrastructure or regulation. 

I worked as a community planner for 2 years, working in 8 pilot colonias, to establish community road maps for internal work on civic/participatory education and implementation.  The coalition continues to work in these areas, focusing on early establishes priorities such as safety, transportation, flooding, and education.

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The information here represents a small portion of ongoing work in South Texas, including new housing and policy partnerships.