Action Tank: Empowering Civic Engagement in Cincinnati
City Hall Experience
Community Engagement Attitude
Action Tank was co-founded by Cincinnati native, Ioanna Paraskevopoulos. After
graduating from Columbia University, Ioanna returned home for law school before
heading back east to work in Congressional Affairs for the U.S. State Department. In
2016, Ioanna returned to Cincinnati to work as Chief of Staff for a former Congress
Member and Cincinnati Mayor elected to serve as a Cincinnati City Council Member
and Vice Mayor.
Since 2020, Cincinnati has endured three City Council Member indictments for
corruption by the FBI, and it is clear that Cincinnati needs extra civic infrastructure to
re-engage residents who are quickly losing faith in their government. Across the
nation, people are craving ways to exercise power in our political system. The rise of
radicalism is a symptom of the needs and failures of existing approaches, but not a
solution to root problems.
Through arts and smart policy research, Action Tank meets people where they are
and gives them tools to breathe new life into our democracy.
Action Tank
Action Tank is a think tank that partners with artists
to research and promote new public policy solutions
at the local government level.
Action Tank’s Story
●
A little about us.
●
Cincinnati needed some extra civic infrastructure.
●
Action Tank is a vehicle that allow us to provide free policy research
and technical assistance to residents, policy-makers, community
groups, and nonprofits or businesses navigating city systems.
●
Why partner with artists?
Community Benefits Agreement Toolkit!
●
Why we did this project.
●
The basics
○
A Community Benefits Agreement is a contract between a developer and
a developer and a coalition of residents.
○
Appropriate when developer seeking tax incentives to finance the project.
○
Developer agrees to provide the negotiated benefits.
○
Community agrees to support, or at least not oppose the development.
●
Designed for Residents, useful for Developers +
Policymakers
○
LISC National + City of Nashville Mayor’s Office both feature on their
websites
○
Have consulted with local neighborhoods (Northside, Madisonville, OTR,
Kennedy Heights) and groups in Kansas City and Tennessee.
CBA Toolkit
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P
a
r
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e
r
s
○
Wave Pool Gallery
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PolicyLink
○
V+V
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A
r
t
i
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t
s
○
Courttney Cooper
○
Karen Boyhan
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C
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t
s
○
Manual
○
Map
○
Activity Cards
CBA Toolkit - The Process
●
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:
○
Illustrated Manual - sections for each process step
○
Map you can color in or write on
○
Activity Cards for key steps
C
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-
C
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1
0
1
●
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C
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○
CBA is a contract
○
So ANYTHING can be in it based on the specific needs of the
neighborhood and character of the project.
○
Examples:
■
Inclusive hiring - WEBB Partners in Uptown
■
Green space
■
Retailers (type or size or local)
■
Affordable housing
■
Traffic and parking considerations
■
Program or nonprofit funding
CBA Toolkit - CBAs 101 Getting There
●
Has anyone been involved in a CBA negotiation? Or any negotiation with a developer or
as a developer? What was your experience?
●
H
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broad and representative of the community where the development is
■
Including residents, churches, affinity groups, community councils, civic
groups, labor unions, etc
○
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CBA Toolkit - Other Notes
●
C
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/
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m
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t
R
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○
Leverage
○
Might advise on feasibility of certain contract provisions (traffic patterns, zoning, etc)
○
Typically NOT a signatory
○
Likely will not have a direct interest in enforcing, especially as political leadership changes.
○
CBA outlasts political whims
●
D
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○
Contract so helpful to have an attorney
○
Developer can pay for attorney as part of CBA. Should not be able to select residents’ attorney.
●
E
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.
●
Q
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s
t
i
o
n
s
?
Thank you!
ioanna.para@gmail.com
Action Tank, co-founded by Ioanna Paraskevopoulos, aims to re-engage residents of Cincinnati through arts and policy research. With a focus on community empowerment, they provide free policy research and technical assistance, partnering with artists to promote new public policy solutions at the local government level. One of their initiatives includes the Community Benefits Agreement Toolkit, offering a guide for developers and residents to collaborate on projects while ensuring community support and benefits.
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City Hall Experience Community Engagement Attitude Action Tank was co-founded by Cincinnati native, Ioanna Paraskevopoulos. After graduating from Columbia University, Ioanna returned home for law school before heading back east to work in Congressional Affairs for the U.S. State Department. In 2016, Ioanna returned to Cincinnati to work as Chief of Staff for a former Congress Member and Cincinnati Mayor elected to serve as a Cincinnati City Council Member and Vice Mayor. Since 2020, Cincinnati has endured three City Council Member indictments for corruption by the FBI, and it is clear that Cincinnati needs extra civic infrastructure to re-engage residents who are quickly losing faith in their government. Across the nation, people are craving ways to exercise power in our political system. The rise of radicalism is a symptom of the needs and failures of existing approaches, but not a solution to root problems. Through arts and smart policy research, Action Tank meets people where they are
Action Tank Action Tank is a think tank that partners with artists to research and promote new public policy solutions at the local government level. www.actiontankusa.org
Action Tanks Story A little about us. Cincinnati needed some extra civic infrastructure. Action Tank is a vehicle that allow us to provide free policy research and technical assistance to residents, policy-makers, community groups, and nonprofits or businesses navigating city systems. Why partner with artists?
Community Benefits Agreement Toolkit! Why we did this project. The basics A Community Benefits Agreement is a contract between a developer and a developer and a coalition of residents. Appropriate when developer seeking tax incentives to finance the project. Developer agrees to provide the negotiated benefits. Community agrees to support, or at least not oppose the development. Designed for Residents, useful for Developers + Policymakers LISC National + City of Nashville Mayor s Office both feature on their websites Have consulted with local neighborhoods (Northside, Madisonville, OTR, Kennedy Heights) and groups in Kansas City and Tennessee.
CBA Toolkit Partners Artists Components Manual Map Activity Cards Wave Pool Gallery PolicyLink V+V Courttney Cooper Karen Boyhan
CBA Toolkit - The Process Listening Sessions in Rapidly Changing Neighborhoods: Madisonville, Walnut Hills, Northside, Camp Washington Review Dense Policy Material on CBA Best Practices Translate into engaging, user-friendly format Result: Illustrated Manual - sections for each process step Map you can color in or write on Activity Cards for key steps
CBA Toolkit - CBAs 101 Why we LOVE CBAs CBA is a contract So ANYTHING can be in it based on the specific needs of the neighborhood and character of the project. Examples: Inclusive hiring - WEBB Partners in Uptown Green space Retailers (type or size or local) Affordable housing Traffic and parking considerations Program or nonprofit funding
CBA Toolkit - CBAs 101 Getting There Has anyone been involved in a CBA negotiation? Or any negotiation with a developer or as a developer? What was your experience? How do you get to a final CBA? Assemble coalition: people open to the project if certain circumstances are met broad and representative of the community where the development is Including residents, churches, affinity groups, community councils, civic groups, labor unions, etc Coalition Tips Important: hang together in public, disagree and resolve issues in private. have to all be on board with priorities and support each others' priorities. Developer will try to break up coalition Political Leverage: if developer isn't open to CBA, getting support from electeds helps bring them to the table Media Leverage: Sunshine, shame, or GOOD press
CBA Toolkit - Other Notes City / Government Role Leverage Might advise on feasibility of certain contract provisions (traffic patterns, zoning, etc) Typically NOT a signatory Likely will not have a direct interest in enforcing, especially as political leadership changes. CBA outlasts political whims Drafting / Negotiating Contract so helpful to have an attorney Developer can pay for attorney as part of CBA. Should not be able to select residents attorney. Enforcement: hasn't been a need to enforce in court. Send lawyer letter. Questions?
Thank you! ioanna.para@gmail.com
