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Housing Development and Neighborhood Revitalization
Roanoke's Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative
NEIGHBORHOOD SELECTION
IN 2002, Roanoke City Council adopted a new policy for using federal grants received each year from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A key provision of Council's new "Policy on HUD Funds" is to achieve visible and lasting impact by concentrating much of this funding into neighborhood areas. Many areas of our city are in need of revitalization, so creating a fair and objective method for determining where the city should focus its efforts is vitally important. Organized in April 2002, the NSTF was asked to develop such a method and apply it to identifying the neighborhoods where these resources should be put to work over the next several years. Because of the rules involved with the federal grants, the areas that can be considered within neighborhoods are those where most of the families have low or moderate incomes.
What Is The Neighborhood Selection Task Force (NSTF)?
The NSTF is a body of community leaders that was formed by the Roanoke City Manager to assist city government in selecting low- and moderate-income neighborhoods for concentrated revitalization efforts.
Who Are The Members And Staff Of The Task Force?
The NSTF included 15 members from the public and private sectors, representing a broad range of community interests and expertise:
Members:
- Laura Benjamin, Chair of Task Force, Roanoke Valley Association of Realtors
- Alvin Nash, Vice-Chair of Task Force, Blue Ridge Housing Development Corp.
- John Baker, Executive Director, Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority
- Carl Cooper, Chairman, Roanoke Neighborhood Advocates
- Ted Edlich, President, Total Action Against Poverty
- Robert Fetzer, President, Building Specialists, Inc.
- Rick Hendrick, President, Hollins Road North Civic League
- Rolanda Johnson, Assistant City Manager for Community Development
- Rev. William Lee, Pastor, Loudon Avenue Christian Church
- James Lesniak, Executive Director, NW Neighborhood Environmental Organization
- Karen Mason, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity in the Roanoke Valley
- Karen Michalski-Karney, Executive Director, Blue Ridge Independent Living Center
- Paula Prince, Assistant Director, Council of Community Services
- Teresa Walker, Vice President / Community Development Officer, First Union National Bank
- V. Lee Wolfe, President, Gainsboro Neighborhood Alliance
City of Roanoke Staff:
- Mike Etienne, Director, Dept. of Neighborhood Services
- Frank Baratta, Budget Team Leader, Dept. of Management and Budget
- Dianne Morris, Housing Development Coordinator, Dept. of Neighborhood Services
- Chris Chittum, Senior Planner, Dept. of Planning, Building and Development
- Donna Thompson, Exec. Sec., Dept. of Neighborhood Services
Which Neighborhoods Include Areas That Might Be Selected?
Using U.S. Census "block group" boundaries and data from HUD on the low- and moderate-income population, the following 26 neighborhoods were found to have block group areas potentially eligible for selection.
1. Belmont
2. Cherry Hill Park NW
3. Eastgate
4. Edgewood-Summit Hills
5. Fallon SE
6. Gainsboro
7. Gilmer/NNEO
8. Harrison/NNIC
9. Hollins Road North
10. Hurt Park
11. Kenwood
12. Loudon Melrose
13. Melrose-Rugby
14. Mountain View
15. Morningside
16. Norwich
17. Old Southwest
18. Riverdale
19. Riverland
20. Round Hill
21. Villa Heights
22. Wasena
23. Washington Park
24. West End
25. Wildwood
26. Williamson Road
What Has The Task Force Accomplished So Far?
From its inception, the NSTF's main task has been to identify a set of factors that might be used to select from among the many low- and moderate-income neighborhood areas within the city that are in need of revitalization. After many meetings and intense discussions, the task force assembled a preliminary list of such factors and held a public meeting on July 30 to obtain community input. Leading up to the meeting, the task force issued a press release, established this web page, set up a call-in line and placed ads in local papers, to increase public awareness and opportunities for public comment. City Council and the Roanoke Neighborhood Partnership were provided written updates on the progress being made and the next steps that were being planned. Following the public meeting, the task force discussed and considered all public input that had been received and revised its list of factors to be used. In late September 2002, the NSTF presented its recommendations to the city manager.
What Neighborhood Selection Factors Did The Task Force Use?
There are unquestionably dozens and dozens of factors that influence the health and vitality of neighborhoods. But what the task force heard from the public was strikingly similar to what it had initially been considering. The community knows that the such concerns as the income of residents, how much housing is owner-occupied, crime rates, whether an area is high visibility, whether there is an active neighborhood organization present and many other circumstances play a role in how well a neighborhood is doing. The task force arrived at six major factors to evaluate in identifying which areas within neighborhoods should be the top priorities for concentrating our revitalization efforts:
- Demographics such as the percent of residents in poverty and the percent of residents who own their homes;
- Housing Conditions such as the prevalence of vacant lots and deteriorated buildings;
- Crime such as the number violent and property crimes committed;
- Existing Investment such as the presence of an active neighborhood organization or neighborhood watch program, whether development or other plans exist and whether a development entity is present;
- Visibility such as the proximity to the downtown area and the area's visibility/marketability; and
- Other Market Factors such as whether the area is historic, whether other public/private investment is present, and whether the area could potentially benefit from HOPE VI funds for public housing renovation.
These factors were combined into a weighted scoring method, with each of the eligible areas evaluated as objectively as possible. The areas were then ranked according to their total points.
What Happened Next?
At the October 15, 2002 City Council meeting, the City Manager formally presented the recommendations on neighborhood selection for Council's consideration and action. Interested individuals and groups also were able to address their comments on this matter to City Council during this meeting. Adopted by Council, the identified low-and moderate-income areas within the selected neighborhoods are now the primary focus of the city's HUD-assisted development activities. Coupled with other city resources, several projects are currently underway with more to be implemented sequentially over the next several years.
How Can I get Further Information On Roanoke's Neighborhood Selection Task Force And The Neighborhood Selection Process?
For further information on NSTF and the neighborhood selection process, please contact:
Dan Webb, Acting Director, Department of Neighborhood Services
Noel C. Taylor Municipal Building
215 Church Ave. S.W., Room 162
Roanoke, VA 24011
540-853-2344
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