In summer 2017, I worked with Dr. Larissa Larsen of the University of Michigan and UM student Nisha Patel on a review of public outreach strategies for various cities' sustainability plans, on behalf of the City of Detroit. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan established the City's Office of Sustainability in spring 2017 to "strengthen the economic, social and environmental well-being of the city's residents, neighborhoods and businesses," and tasked the office with developing a Sustainability Plan. To ensure meaningful public input, incoming Sustainability Director Joel Howrani Heeres reached out to Dr. Larsen for a review of other cities most (and least) effective public engagement practices.

 

including a review of dozens of sustainability plans and design of the final report. When it conducted its own effort, Detroit received input from more than 6,000 residents, and the final Sustainability Action Agenda is expected to be released in summer 2019.