Political Science – �鶹��Ƶ

Mixed-Methods Tools for Program Co-Design, Iteration, and Assessment for a Guaranteed Income Program

Ada Inman — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 22:57:28 +0000

This report is a result of the collaborative partnership between the Black Women’s Resilience Project (BWRP) and the Sage Project at San Diego State University (SDSU). The BWRP, a project sponsored by Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFSSD), is a guaranteed income (GI) program intended to uplift low-income Black women and their families out of poverty by targeting the challenges they face. Research contained in this report was conducted as part of Dr. Kristen Maher’s Fall 2024 Political Science Seminar in Foundations of Public Policy (POL S 603) class at SDSU. The POL S 603 course focused on the theory and practice of policy-making, which comprises the design, agenda setting, tools, and implementation process. Students who opted to participate were tasked with exploring, researching and evaluating methods for tracking the project’s impact. The aim was gathering participant experiences and assessing the effects of the project. This report provides an overview of mixed-methods research and assessment approaches through a Participatory Action Research (PAR) framework, including a discussion of the affordances and constraints of narrative research, Photovoice, and community mapping methods.

Rural Transportation Equity in Morrow County

Ada Inman — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 20:01:27 +0000

The Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development’s Rural Transportation Equity program is designed to address the needs of transportation-challenged populations in rural areas and improve access to services for these groups. In Morrow County, the Project Management team found that there is a general lack of awareness of the transportation options available as well as a low utilization of existing services. Under a new model with the Rural Engagement & Vitality Center and Euvalcree, a culturally specific organization, the project sought to make public engagement and planning efforts more inclusive, particularly for traditionally underserved groups.

Policy Proposals for a Sustainable and Equitable Future for San Diego

Victor Manzanilla — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:40:45 +0000

This detailed report, created as part of the Sage Project’s partnership with the San Diego Urban Sustainability Coalition, presents numerous policies with an aim towards sustainable and equitable development and life for all communities within San Diego County, with a particular focus on residents of Southeast San Diego, a community that is impacted by numerous [...]

Reviewing policing practices and policies in Waunakee

Victor Manzanilla — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:40:44 +0000

In the summer of 2021, UW-Madison’s UniverCity Alliance and the Village of Waunakeecollaborated on several projects surrounding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. One focus area wasthe Waunakee Police Department, as more equitable and progessive policing has increasinglybecome a topic relevant both on the national stage and in Waunakee. This report is the product ofthe research produced; a survey of recommendations and literature surrounding progressivepolicing in an attempt to inform decisions made about policing in upcoming years, followingpolice accreditation, an initial step in creating a progressive police department. Therecommendations to follow address some additional measures the Waunakee Police Departmentcould take to continue their commitment to serving all people with “respect, fairness, andcompassion,” per their mission statement.

UniverCity Year Contact Info: UniverCityAlliance@wisc.edu

Evaluating and improving ADA compliance in the Wausau Metro Area

Victor Manzanilla — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:40:39 +0000

The Wausau Metropolitan Area has completed a sidewalk inventory containing information on all the street’s sidewalks or lack thereof. This information was collected using aerial photos that were recently taken in Marathon County, and then this information was transferred to Google Maps. The map is organized and color-coded to communicate if the sidewalk has no complete sidewalks, a complete sidewalk on one side of the street, or complete sidewalks on both sides of the street. Now that this information has been collected, the Wausau Metropolitan Area can use this data to prioritize certain areas, add sidewalks, potentially fix sidewalks, or curb ramps, and work on receiving the funding to overall make the surrounding Wausau communities more ADA accessible. This outline will detail important opportunities for communities and public entities to follow in the footsteps of past communities by prioritizing certain areas and overall creating safer and more accessible sidewalks and curb ramps for all community members. In addition, this outline will discuss the prioritization of audible traffic signals, to create a safer environment for all individuals. Finally, it will explore funding opportunities for community projects in relation to ADA policies and infrastructure.

UniverCity Year Contact Info
Gavin Luter
Managing Director
gavin@cows.org
608-261-1141

Childcare in La Crosse County: Exploring the childcare dilemma in La Crosse County and potential solutions

Victor Manzanilla — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:40:16 +0000

La Crosse County has been struggling with childcare accessibility for its residents due to lack of viable options. The past two decades have seen significant decreases in the amount of regulated childcare businesses. In 1998, there were over 450 regulated childcare businesses in existence in La Crosse County. By 2019, the number of regulated childcare businesses was 115. According to a survey from the Parenting Place, 86% of families noted there is a lack of childcare options in La Crosse County1. Not only is there a lack of options, but the cost of childcare is also a concern. The survey also found that nearly 1 in 5 families spent 25% of their total family income on childcare expenses. The lack of affordable and accessible childcare options has hurt La Crosse in terms of recruiting new employees to the area. Multiple employers have shared that potential employees have turned down job offers in La Crosse because of the lack of childcare options.

Some businesses have tried to combat this issue themselves. Gundersen, a hospital in La Crosse, offers free childcare to employees. Their program provides care for children between ages six weeks and 12 years and has a capacity of 101 children total. However, this program is not large enough and many Gundersen employees still struggle with finding childcare. Kwik Trip, another large employer in the area, is planning to open a childcare facility for its employees. Since it hasn’t opened yet, we aren’t aware of how it will impact childcare in La Crosse.

The La Crosse School District and other school districts in the county provide free half-day preschool to 4 year olds. Although this 4k program is great to have in place, there is an issue with transportation since many parents work during the day and cannot pick up or drop off their kid halfway through the workday. Additionally, most of these kids need to be at a childcare center for the other half of their day and many centers prefer not to offer half-day care. Recently, a traveling preschool program, which will be run out of a RV, started in an attempt to reach 4 year olds in the La Crosse School District that cannot attend the regular preschool program provided by the district. If the county decides to expand pre-K to include 3 year olds, childcare centers will likely have to increase their costs. Caring for infants and toddlers is quite expensive, so childcare centers become profitable when they care for 3 and 4 year olds. Obviously, an increase in childcare costs is not ideal because childcare in La Crosse is already very expensive for many families. If pre-K is expanded, it’s important to consider how the county could support childcare centers in the area.

Based on recent census data, La Crosse County has around 5,900 kids under the age of 5. If the county decides to implement universal childcare, this is the number of kids they should account for. No matter how La Crosse decides to go about solving issues related to childcare, this is good to know for cost estimates for their projects.

UniverCity Year Contact Info
Gavin Luter
Managing Director
gavin@cows.org
608-261-1141

Addressing racial disparities in Milwaukee County: Policy and program suggestions

Victor Manzanilla — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:40:15 +0000

Since the County Executive’s declaration of racism as a public health crisis in 2019, Milwaukee County has taken steps, such as creating this project, towards understanding how the county has historically contributed to the racial disparities still persisting in the community as well as how these issues can be rectified. This document details some findings/suggestions regarding various policies and programs that can be implemented or improved upon in order to address the racial disparities currently affecting Milwaukee County.

UniverCity Year Contact Info
Gavin Luter
Managing Director
gavin@cows.org
608-261-1141

Attracting and retaining young professionalsin Adams County

Victor Manzanilla — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:40:04 +0000

Adams County is facing a scarcity of workers between the ages of 20 to 40, and has been for some time. Growing community frustration, disenfranchisement, and apathy has followed, and there is a desperate need for younger, fresher perspectives and minds to take greater control over Adams County’s future. Local business, along with the school system and county government must overhaul policies to make attracting and retaining young professionals easier. The labor market in Adams County will not be able to survive and thrive the avalanche that will come later this decade when most of the local workforce enters retirement age without adjustments. This report will attempt to find policy solutions in economic, public health, community culture, and marketing sectors, as a multifaceted approach will give local leaders more avenues and options to attack this issue.

UniverCity Year Contact Info
Gavin Luter
Managing Director
gavin@cows.org
608-261-1141

University Faculty Contact
Joel Clark
jclark24@wisc.edu

National City Strategies Aimed At Attracting the Craft Brewing Industry

Victor Manzanilla — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:39:03 +0000

National City is interested in breaking into the lucrative craft brewing industry. The objective of this project was to examine the sustainability of city services and revenues through policy analyses concentrated on attracting craft brewers. Included in this scope of analyses are policy options that may deter brewers and possible negative implications of an increased craft brewing presence. Craft brewing is integral to the economy, infusing cities with a new business stream and acting as a catalyst for revitalization efforts.

Nationally, California produces more craft beer annually than any other state, and San Diego has been crowned craft beer capital of America. While the economic downturn has affected consumer spending, craft beers are defying recessionary trends with an impressive upward trajectory. As popularity and craft beer-centric events grow, San Diego’s tourism industry has witnessed paralleled growth. Attracting tourism from outside of National City’s boundaries is important to stimulating the local economy. Additional revenues for local governments are paid through licensing and development fees, retail taxes, real estate and personal property taxes, business income taxes, excise taxes, and sales taxes.

This report is divided into four sections of recommendations that provide a range of possible strategies the City can utilize to attract this prosperous industry.

The “Building Community Buy-In” section presents the importance of creating an accepting community that buys into the idea of having craft brewery presence in the City. Stakeholders include residents, local businesses, elected officials, and bureaucrats. A key component to building acceptance is dispelling negative stereotypes associated with alcohol consumption and misuse. Highlighting the positive contributions craft brew-eries have on the economy and revitalization efforts can be helpful. Communication, education, and early engagement are the best options to develop a policy for attracting craft brewers and solidifying surrounding community buy-in.

The “Marketing to Craft Brewers” section contains information officials can use to market their city to craft brewers. On the surface, the demographics of the population residing in National City do not match the ideal demographics of craft beer consumers. However, examining projected market trends tells a different story about the expanded consumer base that lies in wait in National City. Also in this section are recommendations for an Innovative Business Committee, successful economic incentives deployed by other cities, a marketing brochure, and a how-to manual to provide prospective brewers.

The “Policy Analysis” section proposes revisions to policy language for conditional use permits and establishment of new microbrewery policies. There are recommendations on how to address nonconforming liquor stores, amend existing land use and zoning policies, and support co-existing industries. Included are policies that mitigate negative impacts associated with increased brewery presence.

Finally, the “Vision Plans” section presents existing National City resources that can be leveraged to attract craft brewers. Local business partnerships can be beneficial for establishing a distribution hub for Southern California. Different business models (malting, aquaponics, urban farming, and agritourism) can be incorporated to offer tourists a unique craft beer experience. National City also has valuable resources to help businesses identify and apply for tax credits and exemptions, wage reimbursement programs, and green business incentives.

The Sage Project Contact Info
Kristofer Patron
Program Administrator
kpatron@sdsu.edu
(619) 594-0103

University Faculty Contact
Shawn Flanigan
Public Administration

Local Government / Community Contact

Community Development

Addressing Homelessness in National City

Victor Manzanilla — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:39:03 +0000

Like many cities in the United States, National City is experiencing an increase in its homeless population. Around the city, homeless encampments have been built in areas near shopping centers, by local waterways, and in neighborhoods. This increase has prompted the city to work at addressing the issue of homelessness as both a public safety and economic issue. Based on meetings with city staff, their concerns include acquiring a more accurate count of the homeless population, quantifying the strain that this population places on the city police force, and the lack of resources in the city to address this issue. The proposals in this report reflect students’ attempts to address these concerns using both tested methods and novel approaches.

This report is comprised of summaries which detail the components of policy programs as well as the political and fiscal feasibility of each. They are grouped by policy area; these areas are: housing, prevention and partnership, mental health, and infrastructure based recommendations. While each recommendation attempts to address the city’s concerns related to homelessness, both cost and political feasibility must be taken into account. Cost is an obvious concern for a small, local government entity, and political feasibility, or the likelihood that there will be community support for the tools, is an important factor to consider. At present, it may be that only a few policy tools are feasible for the city to pursue, however other tools may become more feasible over time. This report acknowledges the challenges associated with each tool, but should the city have the means and motivation, these tools are a logical starting point.

Recommendations most feasible for National City, at the current time, are both the municipal shower program and the extension of the ARTS partnership. These tools take into account existing city resources, rely on nonprofit collaboration, and encourage the city to take an active role in addressing homelessness. The municipal shower program would incorporate public safety personnel and community volunteers in providing open shower times for homeless individuals. The program would rely heavily on community donations for shower supplies. It is a novel approach to the issue of pollution in the waterways and in providing essential or basic services to the homeless in the city. The ARTS partnership has the potential to result in both the beautification of the community and the provision of services to youth experiencing homelessness in National City.

While other tools represent higher costs, at some point in time they may become viable solutions for the city. This report can serve as a guide to a variety of potential strategies for addressing homelessness in National City.

The Sage Project Contact Info
Kristofer Patron
Program Administrator
kpatron@sdsu.edu
(619) 594-0103

University Faculty Contact
Shawn Flanigan
Public Administration

Local Government / Community Contact

Development