Making Sense of Place – Cleveland: Confronting Decline in an American City

FAQ

What is the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy?
Why was the film made?
What do you hope to achieve with the film?
When was the film made?
Will there be a follow-up film?
What is your agenda?
To whom are you showing the film?
Are you showing the film in academic settings?
Will the film be shown to elected officials and candidates?
What is the Lincoln Institute doing locally to help people make collective decisions?
What can the public do to impact growth and change?

Q: What is the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy?
A: The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy is a nonprofit and tax-exempt educational institution established in 1974 to study and teach land policy, including land economics and land taxation. By supporting multidisciplinary education, research and publications programs, the Institute brings together diverse points of view to improve the quality of debate and expand the body of useful knowledge in Planning and Urban Form; Community and Economic Development; Valuation and Taxation; and in its international program, on China and Latin America. The Lincoln Institute, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was founded through the foundation established in 1947 by John C. Lincoln, a Cleveland industrialist who drew inspiration from the ideas of Henry George, the nineteenth-century American Political economist and social philosopher.

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Q: Why was the film made?
A: Historically, through a variety of educational offerings, the Lincoln Institute has primarily focused on being a source for research, data and materials for public policymakers related to land use and land taxation policy. Yet, the Institute recognizes that the issues it studies affect us all as citizens of a rapidly changing world. Making Sense of Place is a first effort to reach a broader constituency of interested individuals.

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Q: What do you hope to achieve with the film?
A: We hope that the film will serve as a catalyst for discussion about the complex and sometimes contradictory issues that face cities - and the areas that surround them - as they move into the twenty-first century. While a primary goal was to provide the citizens of Greater Cleveland a vehicle for their discussions of these important issues, we believe that these topics are of similar concern to many other metro areas and hope that the film will inspire dialogue across the United States.

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Q: When was the film made?
A: Making Sense of Place – Cleveland: Confronting the Decline of an American City was shot on location in 2004 and 2005. The film includes both original photography by Northern Light Productions and historical and archival footage. The producers conducted in-depth interviews with citizens who live and work in the region, local officials, and experts in land use and urban planning.

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Q: Will there be a follow-up film?
A: Making Sense of Place – Cleveland: Confronting the Decline of an American City was intended to spark interest and discussion about the issues that face not only Greater Cleveland, but cities like it around the country. Many industrial cities like Cleveland are facing the process of reinventing themselves to ensure their future success. Similarly, the lessons from the first film in the series, Phoenix: The Urban Desert apply to many booming metropolitan areas in the South, Southwest and West. The next film in the series will examine other issues relating to growth and development in yet another part of the country.

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Q: What is your agenda?
A: The film had no specific agenda. We wished only to offer it as an educational and thought-provoking tool for communities to use as they engage in discussion about the obstacles they have overcome and those they will face in the future.

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Q: To whom are you showing the film?
A: The film is being shown in Ohio first on WVIZ, the public television station in Cleveland, Sept. 28, 2006 and again Oct. 1, 2006. Screenings, panel discussions and other events will follow, drawing in interested citizens, community organizations, civic groups, and city, county and state agencies. Meanwhile, the film is set to be aired on public television stations in cities across the country in the months ahead.

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Q: Are you showing the film in academic settings?
A: The outreach effort will include the higher education community to make the film available to staff and students. It will also be available to middle schools, high schools and community colleges.

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Q: Will the film be shown to elected officials and candidates?
A: In addition to the airing on public television, the film will be made available to state and local elected and public officials including candidates for governor and U.S Senate. It is also being made available to other governmental officials who are in the position to shape policy on these important issues.

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Q: What is the Lincoln Institute doing locally to help people make collective decisions?
A: The film is just a first step in increasing people's awareness of the issues that face the Greater Cleveland area. As part of its outreach program, the Lincoln Institute is collaborating with a variety of community organizations, civic groups and other institutions to create a better understanding of the planning process. Through a series of screenings the Lincoln Institute and its existing and future partners seek to further the discussion on how to better plan and design for Greater Cleveland’s future.

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Q: What can the public do to impact growth and change?
A: Learn about land use, urban revitalization and suburban growth by attending a screening and following up with local civic organizations. Identify the people and organizations in your city that have influence over decisions that affect how land is used. Become involved in your community by volunteering with organizations that focus on those issues that concern you most.

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