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inCommon is the Participatory Governance Blog of the Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership at the Pepperdine University School of Public Policy. Here you will find information about the latest resources, studies, programs and discussions about Civic Engagement in California, throughout the nation and around the world. We hope that the case studies and technological innovations discussed here will spark new reflection and conversation regarding both what legitimate civic engagement looks like and why it is important for good governance, particularly at the local level.

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Crowd Sourcing and Government

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Davenport Institute

Simon Burall is the Director of Involve, a UK-based group of experts working on issues relating to public engagement, participation and dialogue.  He recently spoke on Crowd Sourcing Policy for Institute for Government.  You can read a series of articles he wrote as a follow-up to his talk, and also view the youtube of the lecture here.

Posted in Conference/Seminar, International | Leave a comment

Value of Earlier Engagement?

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Davenport Institute

Sometimes local government and the community do not play well together. In the city of Martinez, the city council marina subcommittee plans on digging up the entrance to the docks as well as docks A and B while rebuilding part of dock C.

Two long time residents, with engineering and construction qualifications, asked the council about structural issues ignored in the initial construction of the marina as well as the council’s disregard for using local talent to make improvements in the conditions of the marina.  They suggest a lot of time and money could have been saved – and with a more long-term sustainable outcome- if council had worked better with residents:

“I can get you the soil engineering for nothing,” said Blaine Bonacci, a retired civil engineer. “You keep trying to handle this in house. Why don’t you ever ask for help?”

He said there were a number of people in the community with long-time knowledge of the marina and its issues who would be glad to step up and help keep the facility open.

“It’s the one thing this city has,” Bonacci said. “It’s the only thing that’s going to bring it back. We’ll never be a city of storefronts like back in the 1940s.”

You can read more here.

Posted in City, Planning/Land Use | Leave a comment

LA Times On Calabasas Engagement

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Davenport Institute

Last week the LA Times noted the change in the city of Calabasas’ septic ordinance as an example of compromise and dialogue between the city and its residents.  The Times recognized that the Davenport Institute played a role in the proceedings, but described our role as research support rather than public engagement facilitation (remember the story we posted a few weeks ago here?):

Citing widespread financial and emotional grief, City Councilmembers say they will vote Wednesday to rescind rules that targeted owners of hillside houses with backyard septic systems. The city will instead abide by new and simpler state rules that are due to be adopted this summer.

You can read more here.

Posted in California, City, Planning/Land Use | Leave a comment