The Pandemic Toolkit

Faced with budget shortfalls, growing to-do lists for routine tasks delayed by the emergency, and general uncertainty about a “new normal,” how might governments address the uncertainty and respond effectively to COVID challenges? Answering that question is the goal of Placemakers' Pandemic Toolkit, which will be explored in the webinar, On the Park Bench, scheduled for Tuesday, January 19, at 12 noon.

Learn more and register here. The toolkit offers a 22-point checklist for municipal action relating to a pandemic:

1. Prioritize equity and justice.
2. Enable outdoor dining.
3. Develop outdoor café design guidelines.
4. Enable outdoor shopping, learning, and places of worship.
5. Allow in-home occupation.
6. Allow Accessory Dwelling Units.
7. Allow Accessory Commercial Units.
8. Enable pop-up bicycle lanes.
9. Expedite temporary uses.
10. Increase availability and access to nature.
11. Create open streets.
12. Implement the U.S. National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) Streets for Pandemic Response and Recovery.
13. Reconsider legacy rules on the number of unrelated persons who can live in a home or apartment.
14. Contract with community based organizations to provide early warnings of health threatening activities.
15. Develop a community engagement strategy.
16. Develop a tiny home code.
17. Implement a marketing campaign about how "gentle density" looks and how it can support a range of people during times of crisis.
18. Enable mixed use and update the zoning map.
19. Develop a pandemic preparedness plan.
20. Develop and steward a Business Innovation Grant (BIG) to support businesses transitioning to pandemic-resilient models.
21. Provide a lifeline package of broadband services.
22. Develop a data dashboard to track and monitor pandemic data.