Hurt Park Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative

Hurt Park Revitalization

Progress
Revitalization Initiative
Planning Efforts
Neighborhood Plan
NRSA Plan

Progress

The Hurt Park "New Horizons" Intiative is well underway and has already achieved the following:

New Hurt Park Townhomes
Infrastructure Improvements surrounding Hurt Park Townhomes
Formation of the Roanoke Neighborhood Revitalization Partnership
Hurt Park May Day and Revitalization Kick-Off
Healthy Living program at Hurt Park Elementary
Promotion of Incentives to Hurt Park Businesses
Neighborhood Watch training
Two Neighborhood Clean-up Events
Oral History Project with Roanoke Public Libraries

"New Horizons" Revitalization Initiative

Planning for the Hurt Park initiative began in early 2006 and many City departments joined together to form the Hurt Park Roundtable. This interdepartmental group developed goals, many of which have already been met. The city recognizes how important the activities to be undertaken in the neighborhood are to Hurt Park residents and stakeholders, and how important it is to have the support of the residents and stakeholders for these Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)-funded activities. For this reason the Hurt Park Advisory Committee was formed in 2006 and comprised representatives from the community (both citizens, business owners and non-profits). In late 2008 this group merged with the already established Hurt Park Neighborhood Alliance, which meets monthly to discuss neighborhood issues and the progress of "New Horizons."

The first round of targeted funding for Hurt Park was made available in July 2007 and helped pave the way for the new townhomes built by the Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority. CDBG funds were used to connect streets and add curb, gutter and sidewalk along the streets surrounding the new development. Also in 2007 a unique partnership, the Roanoke Neighborhood Revitalization Partnership, was formed between Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Total Action Against Poverty, Blue Ridge Housing Development Corporation, Rebuilding Together Roanoke and Habitat for Humanity. Together these five agencies will work to improve housing and neighborhood conditions in Hurt Park.

Planning Efforts

The Roanoke Department of Planning, Building and Development worked with Hurt Park neighborhood representatives, residents, property owners, and business owners to prepare the Hurt Park/Mountain View/West End Neighborhood Plan and the Hurt Park Neighborhood Revitalizaiton Strategey Area plan .

Hurt Park/Mountain View/West End Neighborhood Plan

Through numerous work sessions, the community's issues, opportunities, and areas of greatest need were discussed. This involvement formed the basis for the plan's recommendations and assured that community interests, as well as the overall concerns of the City of Roanoke were addressed. The plan was adopted by Roanoke City Council on June 16, 2003 and it became an integral part of Roanoke's Vision 2001-2020 Comprehensive Plan.

High Priority Initiatives for Implementation:

ZONING CHANGES - Amend the zoning ordinance to ensure that new residential development is compatible with existing structures in terms of setbacks and lot coverage, and to maximize the development potential of vacant properties and structures. In addition, limit the conversion of single-family homes by special exception permit (Ordinance 1215105)
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT - Establish this plan as a framework for more specific revitalization plans, to be considered in future allocations of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME funds. Particular emphasis is being placed on infill development, the rehabilitation of substandard structures, historic tax credit opportunities and adherence to guidelines of the H-2 Neighborhood Preservation District, and initiatives to increase homeownership. In addition, insure that new grant funded housing development adheres to the design guidelines of Vision 2001-2020. Phase One of the Hurt Park Townhomes was completed in January 2009.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - Applied for the reinstatement of State Enterprise Zone One in 2004, and consider allocating CDBG funds for small business development or revitalization.
CODE ENFORCEMENT - Continue to target the neighborhood for all code violations and maintain the rental inspection program on designated properties.

The map showing the focus area of the Hurt Park Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative is available for your convenience.

The Hurt Park Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area (NRSA)

The development of the Hurt Park Neighborhood Revitalizaiton Strategy Area plan for the Hurt Park community provides a unique opportunity to promote the long-term strength and stability of an older neighborhood of Roanoke with residential, commercial, industrial and historical uses. This plan identifies strategies to revitalize Hurt Park which include increasing the homeownership rate through rehabilitation and new construction, rehabilitating owner-occupied housing, enhancing neighborhood business opportunities, and promoting employment opportunities. In coordination with the Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA), the City of Roanoke continues to forge a partnership with businesses, community groups, and residents to address community revitalization through a comprehensive strategy.

The elements of this plan include:

Boundaries – The boundaries of the designated area.
Demographic Criteria – The demographic characteristics of the area (statistics about the residents of the community).
Consultation – The consultative approach to the community stakeholders (input from the residents, business owners, nonprofit organizations, community groups and churches located in the designated area).
Assessment – An assessment of the economic conditions of the area and the opportunities for economic development.
Economic Empowerment – The plan to create meaningful jobs for low- and moderate-income persons of the area.
Performance Measurements – The plan to identify progress that is readily measurable.

Although the strategies presented in this plan will ultimately generate a number of important benefits for the community, the NRSA plan will enable the City of Roanoke to implement a mixed-income development strategy for the community while providing certain flexibility in the use of CDBG-funded business development assistance. CDBG funds for affordable housing development have traditionally benefited only low-income families. The NRSA plan will allow the City of Roanoke to reconstruct or rehabilitate and market housing in the Hurt Park Neighborhood to individuals and families of a diverse range of income levels, thereby creating a broader income base in the community.