City Planning Directors' Network
American City Quality Foundation

American City Quality Foundation

The Foundation's current activities include:

• An information exchange program (e.g.; distributing city planning reports, etc.) among the nation's city planning directors and civic leaders;
• Publishing and distributing the quarterly American City Quality News;
• Sponsoring American City Quality Month every April; and
• Holding meetings among city planning directors and other public and private leaders on city quality issues.

CITY PLANNING DIRECTORS' NETWORK

Initially the Network focused on the city planning directors of the nation's 50 largest cities. However, if you are a city planning director and would like to participate , please contact the Foundation office.

AMERICAN CITY QUALITY MONTH - APRIL

April has been designated as American City Quality Month by the National League of Cities and the American City Quality Foundation to annually focus public attention on the status and future of America's cities and to promote better city planning, design, management and action to improve cities.. Billions of tax dollars have been invested in central cities. Yet for many they have become abandoned by families, business, workers and tourists. What is needed is new vision for our cities to restore their to economic vitality, safety, and beauty; make them better places to live, work and play.

New vision to preserve and improve our investment. New approaches to land use, housing, transportation, education, safety, environmental protection, finance, planning, design and management. New approaches to public/private sector partnerships, entrepreneurship, management and investment.

The annual month long program focuses on planning, design, development, management and action to improve America's cities.

City planning directors in conjunction with other public and private sector civic leaders will be conducting a variety of events to raise public awareness including:

• Holding public meetings to discuss planning and development issues;
• Sponsoring exhibits on new plans and programs for community revitalization; and
• Discussing urban issues and opportunities with local school students.

Corporations are urged to publish national advertisements describing what they are doing to help improve the quality of America's cities.

Local city planning and other civic organizations are urged to hold meetings and initiate projects to improve cities.

Schools are urged to initiate educational programs on cities and how they can be improved (e.g. build models, write essays, draw pictures, etc.).

City planning universities and other programs are urged to initiate

teach-in programs and other activities to raise public awareness.

Local and national media are urged to report and or publish or articles on the status and future of cities and how they can be improved.

Quality means consistently achieving a higher standard. City quality means consistently achieving higher standards for development, education, security, social conduct, environmental protection and other factors which influence urban life. These standards evolve from the needs and expectations of citizens. A quality city knows the needs and expectations of its citizens, sets goals and standards, then acts to achieve them. A quality city also will monitor its performance and take corrective action if it is not able to meet its standards But, what are the standards, how are they identified, set and achieved? This is a continuing process.

City planners as well as others, play a critical role in this process. They help identify needs, set vision or plans and standards, and help meet them. But this is difficult given competing and time and resource limitations. Thus, increased public awareness is needed.

American City Quality Month will spark debate about standards for our cities. Given the current condition of many cities, we need new vision, new plans, new standards and action to achieve them and increase American City Quality. This is the fundamental objective of American City Quality Month.

In April events will focus on the current and emerging city issues; provide opportunities to formulate plans for solutions and put these plans in motion.

While the concept seems simple achieving a quality city is not easy. Commitment is vital. Elected officials, government employees, business and residents must support the city's standards through thick and thin. Technical assistance and a reward or recognition program also are critical if a city is to improve.

The National League of Cities is committed and is a co-sponsor of American City Quality Month. The League is the country's oldest, largest and most representative organization serving municipal governments. Founded in 1924 as the American Municipal Association by ten state municipal leagues, today its direct members include 49 state municipal leagues and more than 1,400 communities of all sizes. Through the membership of the state municipal leagues, NLC represents more than 17,000 municipalities.

Also committed is City Innovation, Inc., a volunteer non-profit organization for America's future. Based in New York City and Chicago, City Innovation serves as a catalyst and communicator in the area of urban problems, helping cities and non-profit groups conceptualize holistic solutions to critical situations. It also, initiates innovative actions, and carries out this mission using pro -bono services of a national cadre of volunteers with significant professional experience. The Chairman and President is Otto A. Silha, former publisher of the Minneapolis Star and Tribune who has formed a distinguished national steering committee including The Honorable Walter F. Mondale, The Honorable Jack Kemp, Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., and others.

More sponsors and participants are welcome. If you are interested, please contact the Foundation's office.

Annual Themes/Activities

Planning for Quality

This theme focuses on developing a plan. Cities should agree on a few key projects which will be accomplished by the year 2000 or other date.

Action from Planning

This theme focuses on action; taking the specific steps necessary to implement the plan.

Results of Planning

This theme focuses on results; what has been accomplished to improve city quality through planning.

During each ACQ Month of the respective year, events may be planned in each participating city to focus on the theme, raise public awareness about the city, discuss current and emerging issues, formulate plans for solutions, and begin to act. The events may include: conferences, seminars, workshops, festivals, concerts, exhibits, school essay and art contests, ground breaking, project completion ceremonies and press conferences, demonstration projects and other activities.

In addition to the fundamental objective and annual themes, another objective is to demonstrate the value of city planning and planners. This can be done by linking planning and planners with identifying critical urban issues, making decisions, achieving results to make America's cities better places to live, work and play. Constantly increasing public awareness about the linkage between planning and results will show value.

Participating Cities and City Planning Director's Role

Participation in ACQM is open to any city or community and any private business or civic group. However, please register with the American City Quality Foundation to facilitate communication and coordination of activities. Initial participation has focused on the nation's fifty largest cities.

The City Planning Director is the key driver of ACQM activities. Persons interested in initiating, conducting or sponsoring ACQM activities should contact their local City Planning Director. Directors should begin now to :

1. Publicize ACQM;
2. Draft public resolutions to be adopted by the city councils designating American City Quality Month;
3. Initiate or sponsor events in your city to focus on city planning and improvement projects;
4. Conduct press briefings on current issues and opportunities;
5. Seek local corporate sponsors to help publicize the Month (urge them to focus on what they are doing to help improve the quality of America's cities); and
6. Contact local schools and urge them to have students discuss, write papers or draw pictures about city issues and their vision of future cities.

NOTE: This should not be seen as an additional work load, but a scheduled part of your department' normal public relations program.

American City Quality Foundation Support

The ACQF will support ACQM with:

1. A Planning Kit mailed to City Planning Directors, initially the fifty largest cities;
2. A Media Kit mailed to about 100 national media contacts;
3. A Corporate Sponsor Kit mailed to selected potential corporate sponsors urging them to sponsor events, run media advertisements on what they are doing to improve the quality of America's cities, and become an "official corporate sponsor of American City Quality Month;"
4. Information exchange through the American City Quality News;"
5. Networking among city planning directors;
6. A city planning agency peer evaluation program;
7. Exchange of city planning director plans and reports;
8. Follow-up meetings and conference sessions to improve professional city planning practice;
9. Cooperation with other national organizations, chapters and divisions, publications, planning schools and other organizations interested in participating in or supporting ACQM events.

Why State and Local Organization Chapters and Divisions Can Do

1. Appoint an ACQM Coordinator to help promote and share information on ACQM activities planned within your chapter's cities and communities.
2. Form committees to work with your local city planning director to promote ACQM.
3. Have your Governor issue a proclamation designating ACQM.
4. Help sponsor and organize seminars or meetings to discuss the state of your city and what can be done about it. Set an agenda and make it happen. Demonstrate that planning is valuable and can make a difference.
5. Hold media events to raise public attention about the city, plans and results.
6. Sponsor school essay contests.
7. Sponsor photo contests.

More Information and Membership

If you would like to join with other city planning directors to build a strong network to continually help improve the quality of America's cities or obtain more information about American City Quality Month or other Foundation activities, please call or write the Foundation office.

The Foundation's projects are funded by its members, although additional private sector funding is being sought. Members pay dues, but also are requested to make additional contributions if possible. All dues and contributions are tax deductible.

Dues are:
			Active Member	$100
			Big City Member Contributor	$125
			Bigger City Member Supporter	$175
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Make checks payable to: American City Quality Foundation, Inc.
Mail to: Gerald R. Mylroie, AICP
Chairman,
American City Quality Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 2808
Grand Central Station
New York, N.Y. 10163