OPDC 2025 - 2030 Strategic Plan
We are working hard to package the complete Strategic Plan document and post it to this page. In the meantime, enjoy this sneak peek.
Please join us for a special presentation of our Strategic Plan on Wednesday, January 15th. Click here for more information about the meeting, or reach out to us at questions@opdc.org.
Background
In the spring of 2022, following a 30-month public process, the City of Pittsburgh formally adopted a new Oakland Plan that included extensive re-zoning, new proposed mobility and infrastructure investment initiatives, and programs and projects meant to expand opportunities for community-building and engagement in every aspect of Oakland life. In the fall of that same year, OPDC experienced leadership changes at the staff and board levels - and took the opportunity to undertake first an executive search, then a new strategic plan process, in order to clarify the organization’s mission and priorities in the context of a new Oakland Plan.
Public Engagement
Using elements of appreciative inquiry, acknowledging that every organization has elements that are already working quite well, questions and conversations were designed to get at the heart of what those OPDC strengths and value propositions are, and how they can be built upon to drive toward new strategic directions most productively. The consulting team engaged internal and external stakeholders in multiple ways: personal interviews via video conferencing technology with an interviewer and AI notetaking, in-person one-on-one interviews, focus group discussions with OPDC tenants, surveys sent to neighborhood associations unable to participate in interviews, a general survey for residents sent electronically by OPDC to its residents’ mailing list, and a staff and board organizational survey that examined current culture and practices, including closed and open-ended questions. The team conducted a total of 53 interviews with the following types of stakeholders: past and present board and staff leadership, funders, collaborating organizations/institutions, elected officials, neighborhood associations, Oakland businesses and institutions, partner organizations/service providers, peer community development organizations in other neighborhoods, and student representatives. The consultants held two focus group conversations with 13 OPDC tenants. Questions were repeated across all interviews, and more stakeholder-type specific questions were included for each type of subject engaged. Resident surveys yielded ~50 responses. The organizational surveys included the identical questions but were segregated between staff and board responses to allow comparisons.
OPDC Strategic Goals 2025-2030
We distilled the stakeholder feedback into five strategic priorities for OPDC:
Center the needs of Oakland’s most vulnerable residents
Expand and preserve affordable, stable housing
Engage neighbors to nurture community connections that create a vibrant & inclusive neighborhood, positive residential experiences, and a healthy environment for all
Communicate clearly and consistently with residents, partners and stakeholders
Build sustainable organizational operations & governance
Action Steps Over the Next Five Years
Create comprehensive 10-15 Year OPDC Housing Strategy
Complete comprehensive OPDC Property Management Plan
Enact a sustainable Single Family Home strategy
Build organizational capacity and improve governance
Create a Fund Development Plan with clear roles for staff and board
Develop a comprehensive communications plan
Host and support community events focused on community-building and neighborhood improvement
Invest in third spaces to support community activities, events, and services
Support Oakland's residents by understanding their needs and connecting them to resources
Build partnerships and promote investments in Oakland’s resident-serving infrastructure and amenities