Using Resident Formulated Multi-Dimensional Indicators to Assess Urban Communities ’ Progress Toward Meeting Sustainability Goals

For the past seven years the authors have, in partnership with communities throughout the state of Ohio in the U.S.A., designed and implemented long range urban planning initiatives based on principles of sustainability, linking the social, economic and environmental sectors of community. These programs have all involved inclusionary processes for visioning, goal setting, and long-range plan development in the creation of resident-initiated and supported sustainability goals. For sustainability to be pursued, we have found that a balance among these complex and often competing social, economic and environmental interests in each urban area must be achieved and effective tools must be used to assure that goals remain in balance through continual monitoring and assessment. The assessment technique used is the development of multidimensional indicators which measure how close the community is to reaching its goals and that they remain in balance. We have formulated an approach to the establishment of multi-dimensional indicators that involves both residents and professionals in their development and on-going monitoring. Such stakeholder involvement helps to insures that the indicators will be relevant, politically supportable, usable and that they matter to the community. These qualities maximize their legitimacy in the eyes of local leaders and increase the likelihood of their usage in community decision-making processes. Our paper will outline the assessment processes that we have developed, their impact on the decision making in urban communities, and how these approaches can be effectively replicated in other communities