Anyone who has sat through a planning board meeting or spent more than 30 seconds in any public online forum has likely seen some version of the quotes above. For developers, these comments too often foreshadow costly redesigns and excessive delays. In some cases, they can tank an entire project. 

While it’s easy to write these comments off as the mutterings of a citizenry that has become increasingly irrational and hostile to developers, it’s not that simple. Public backlash is often born from a failure to effectively communicate and foster understanding in today’s media landscape. This changing landscape has created a critical need for developers to create and execute a more proactive community relations approach than they’ve employed in the past.

The steady decline of print media over the last decade or so is no secret.  A recent study from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism illustrated how stark the decline has become. In 2023 alone, more than 130 newspapers closed or merged and over half of the counties in the United States either have one or zero local news outlets.

With the ongoing decline of traditional media, digital sources have filled the basic human need to try to understand the world around them – albeit with some major caveats. 

Recent data from Pew shows that 54% of American adults get news from social media. Traditional outlets like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) make up the bulk of sources. However, as Gen Z grows up, TikTok has emerged as an important news source. In 2020, just 3% of adults reported regularly getting news from the outlet. Today, 17% of adults find their news on the platform.

The steady decline of print media over the last decade or so is no secret.  A recent study from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism illustrated how stark the decline has become. In 2023 alone, more than 130 newspapers closed or merged and over half of the counties in the United States either have one or zero local news outlets.

With the ongoing decline of traditional media, digital sources have filled the basic human need to try to understand the world around them – albeit with some major caveats. 

Recent data from Pew shows that 54% of American adults get news from social media. Traditional outlets like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) make up the bulk of sources. However, as Gen Z grows up, TikTok has emerged as an important news source. In 2020, just 3% of adults reported regularly getting news from the outlet. Today, 17% of adults find their news on the platform.

As media becomes “democratized,” editors and journalists who once served as fact-checkers and gatekeepers are increasingly replaced by Facebook group moderators and, in many cases, AI-powered content review teams. Today, all it takes for someone to report “news” is a computer or smartphone and a little free time. More often than not, any semblance of gatekeeping, fact-checking and journalistic standards are absent from digital public forums.

Along with the lack of fact-checking, the ability to publish news to a highly targeted audience and platforms’ incentives for inflammatory and engaging content has created a new media ecosystem where hyperbole and misinformation rule.

I kicked off the article with some all-too-familiar quotes developers routinely face. Just 15 years ago, these quotes might have only been heard by those brave enough to make it to hour four of a planning board meeting or buried in the sixth paragraph of an article in the local newspaper.

Today, those quotes, or the overall sentiments can be shared in a local Facebook group to kick the proverbial hornet’s nest of public backlash to even the most basic plans. At R&J Strategic Communications, we’ve seen public backlash against projects literally form overnight as a result of a single social media post. The prospect of suddenly facing 100 angry residents and planning/zoning board members now fearing for their jobs can be enough to kill to plan entirely.

We continue to see a lag between the rapidly changing media landscape and the commercial real estate industry. Far too often, developers expect to quickly get a plan through the required approval processes without as much scrutiny as they have in the past.

Unfortunately, this is no longer the case and a proactive community relations approach should now be viewed as a required part of the approvals process. A proactive community relations approach must include the following pieces to be effective:

Gaining an understanding of the local community is vital before you say a word about your plans. Take a look at coverage of past projects.

• Were there certain questions raised or community pain points that were not addressed?
• Were there certain people or groups in the community that were highly vocal?

At this point, you should also take stock of the communication outlets in the community.

• Do they have a Patch, TapInto or another hyperlocal media outlet?
• Are there community Facebook groups that could be a platform to spread news about your plan?
• Is there a local social media influencer who could potentially help or hurt the spread of your messaging?

If you have allies in the community already, reach out to them to determine which stakeholders you should be meeting with well in advance of the project. This group should not be limited to government officials if other key stakeholders might be influential in the process — such as a local homeowner who has opposed projects in the past or a community group that has a specific need or challenge that you could potentially solve with your plan. In many cases, opposition arises for the simple reason that nobody tried to work with the community in the first place.

Once you’ve done your research, get ahead of potential issues by proactively communicating through various channels, including paid, earned, shared, and owned media. In some cases, it could be helpful to create a landing page with an FAQ about your plan answering the most common questions you expect to receive. Some developers have even built physical models of the proposed plan and invited the public to view them to dispel inaccurate information about scale and design elements.

This is also the time to align your allies and help them spread positive information about the plan. Perhaps they can attend a planning board meeting and offer positive feedback or write a letter to the editor of the hyperlocal news site. At this point, you also want to personally engage with any media who may cover the project and open up a line of communication. This will ensure you can be seen as a reliable source to provide them with accurate information and messaging about the project as it progresses.

Community relations cannot be a set-it-and-forget-it exercise. Once the process kicks off, your community relations plan should be a key component at each milestone. In a rapidly shifting media landscape, messaging or tactics that worked just a few months ago might need to be revisited. Remember to update FAQs and messaging as the process moves forward and plans evolve. Continue to check in with your allies and stakeholders to identify possible community concerns before they become bigger issues.

This should go without saying but never lie to the public about what you are trying to do. In a world where everyone is a “journalist,” attempting to hide or obscure less desirable aspects of your project will inevitably lead to an irreconcilable breakdown of trust. If there is something you are worried about, create messaging and clearly communicate the reasons why it must be done in the method you are proposing. This will go a long way to maintaining trust. 

In an era where misinformation can spread like wildfire and public sentiment can shift overnight, developers must prioritize proactive community relations as a core component of their strategies. By understanding local stakeholders, engaging openly with the community, and maintaining consistent and honest communication, developers can navigate the complexities of modern media and public perception. Ultimately, fostering genuine relationships and addressing community concerns not only mitigates backlash but also paves the way for successful developments that benefit both the community and the developers themselves. 

Does your community engagement approach need a refresh? Contact us today.