Benefits and Challenges
Benefits of a Relocalization Program
Primary benefits include the following:
- Communities that position themselves wisely relevant to energy scarcity will be at a competitive advantage as compared to those who do not. You will establish resiliance to weather economic and energy fluctuations.
- Communities that encourage efficient and connected land use patterns will be prime for economic development and investment.
- Your community will attract innovative and progressive companies, organizations, and individuals and generate a critical mass.
- Compact urban layout also benefits local budgets, is more economical for developers, and is positioned better for grant funding.
- Communities that encourage and require good urban and architectural design will be in great demand for residential living and tourists.
- Older urban areas that developed prior to the auto age are well positioned for an energy scarce future. If you have this advantage, your transitional strategy will be simpler.
Challenges of a Relocalization Program
Primary challenges include the following:
- Relocalization planning is not a typical top-down government driven planning program. It is driven at the grass roots level and supported by institutions like government and business groups. This modified municipal role of support rather than control can be challenging.
- Municipalities primarily develop a supportive structure for relocalization. This structure is developed through a master planning process. Thus, a new master plan will be required.
- Relocalization is not a comfortable, time-tested concept, particularly in the U.S. Communities like Willits, CA and Portland, OR have some experience with it but it is more commonly practiced in Britain as the Transition Town movement. You may be blazing a trail rather than working with an old model.
- Traditional stakeholders will be wary. There will be skepticism among business leaders, property owners, and government officials. This is why the program is initially focused at the grass roots level so that a critical mass can be generated and leaders observe the groundswell of support it will acquire.
Want to learn more? Visit our Services page or please contact us at 617.838.9454 or info@relocalizations.com
For further information on relocalization, you may start with any one of the following websites:
- Relocalizations.net - Relocalizations dot net is a sister site that has accumulated information and resources on all aspects of relocalization planning.
- Relocalize.net - Relocalize is a subsidiary of the Post Carbon Institute and fosters organizational and connectivity action.
- Transition Culture - Rob Hopkins website with resources on the concept of Transition Towns in the UK and elsewhere. It has permacultural roots.
