Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout_NeighborWorks PresentationNeighborio"rks BADGERLAND To: City of Oshkosh City Manager Mark Rohloff and Common Council From: Shelly Reinke, Homeownership Center Manager, NeighborWorks Badgerland Date: March 6, 2012 Re: NeighborWorks Oshkosh Progress Report NeighborWorks Badgerland is pleased to submit this progress report which summarizes our organization's activities as of January 2013. We would like to extend our sincere thanks for your support as NeighborWorks Badgerland continues the pursuit of Healthy Neighborhoods of choice in Oshkosh. Community Building and Organizing In March 2012, recognition certificates were presented to resident leaders of the Stevens Park and the Middle Village Neighborhood Associations at the 2012 State of the City address (see attachment 1), These certificates acknowledge the partnership between NeighborWorks Badgerland, the City of Oshkosh, and the neighborhood associations - in pursuit of Healthy Neighborhoods. Since that time, two additional neighborhood associations — Algoma Park and Millers Bay— have officially organized and are actively working to engage residents and improve their neighborhoods. It is anticipated that a fifth named neighborhood association will officially be organized in early 2013. Resident leaders from each association attend regular meetings of the NeighborWorks Badgerland Resident Leadership Committee to discuss strategies for continuing to strengthen Oshkosh neighborhoods. Through our partnership with these neighborhood associations, five neighborhood events were held in 2012 (see attachment 2). Middle Village, Millers Bay, and Stevens Park all held clean -up events during the spring and summer. In celebration of NeighborWorks Week, the Middle Village Neighborhood Association also hosted their first annual Barbeque and Blues Slam block party. Habitat for Humanity — Oshkosh hosted a volunteer event in Middle Village in September. NeighborWorks Badgerland collaborated with Habitat - Oshkosh, the City of Oshkosh, Middle Village Neighborhood Association, Bemis Corp., and Christ Lutheran Church by providing a dumpster, permits, and liability insurance for this event. In September 2012, NeighborWorks Badgerland welcomed nationally renowned neighborhood strategist, David Boehlke, back to Oshkosh for a three day consultation with a variety of community leaders. This consultation included workshops, planning sessions, and neighborhood tours with City staff, local government leaders, other non - profits, local businesspersons, and resident leaders. Mr. Boehlke provided us with valuable tools and recommendations for rebuilding confidence in Oshkosh neighborhoods (see attachments 3 and 4). In October 2012, five resident leaders from Oshkosh participated in resident leadership training through the NeighborWorks Community Leadership Institute held in Orlando, FL. This three day training consisted of workshops, focus groups, and tours. Our team had the opportunity to meet and learn from resident leaders from other NeighborWorks organizations across the country. We also developed an action plan and received a $2,000 grant from NeighborWorks America to assist with implementation of the plan. In April 2013, our resident leaders will hold a free workshop for all interested Oshkosh residents to learn about the Healthy Neighborhoods philosophy, as well as tools and techniques for organizing a neighborhood association of their own. Homeownership Services and Promotion From May through December of 2012 NeighborWorks Badgerland implemented the Good NEIGHBOR Grant Program as a mechanism to make exterior improvements affordable for homeowners on the east side of Oshkosh. In total, 37 grants were distributed creating over $200,000.00 worth of added value in our neighborhoods (see attachment 5). The types of projects completed included the installation of new windows; porch repairs; concrete work; new roofs; new doors; new siding, exterior painting; landscaping; and much more. Also in 2012, 107 participants earned Homebuyer Education completion certificates by visiting www.ehomeamerica.org ( nwosh and completing our online Homebuyer Education course. Of those 107 participants, 43 families were able to achieve their dream of homeownership. Real Estate Development The renovation of 633 Mount Vernon got underway in the early summer of 2012 (see attachment 6). Extensive improvements have been completed on the exterior of this property, providing the neighborhood an immediate benefit from our investment. Interior work is scheduled to be contracted and commence in March 2013. In September, 2012 we acquired our second property for renovation at 667 Bowen Street. Contractor bids will be submitted in early March 2013. We anticipate work on the property to begin no later than June 2013 (see attachment 7). Resource Development and Public Relations In order to become compliant with NeighborWorks America copyright requirements, NHS of Southeast WI, Inc. and NeighborWorks Oshkosh adopted the new d /b /a of NeighborWorks Badgerland. We are currently developing marketing materials to complete the transition which has unified the three communities we serve under a common identity. In December 2012, NeighborWorks Badgerland entered into new partnerships with two local foundations. The J.J. Keller Foundation and the Kuenzl foundation have both made contributions to our Oshkosh organization in support of Healthy Neighborhoods in 2013. The staff and volunteers of NeighborWorks Badgerland are excited about these relationships and look forward to expanding our programs in 2013. NeighborWorks Badgerland continues to apply for grant funding as opportunities become available. In May 2013 we will submit funding requests to the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation and the U.S. Venture /Schmidt Family Foundation. We are also eligible to apply for a third round of expansion funding through NeighborWorks America for 2013. Fa 2013 Goals NeighborWorks Badgerland's plans and goals for 2013 include the following: • Participate meaningfully in the Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative Coalition; • Participate in the Design Standards Review Group and provide input for crafting an Architectural Standards ordinance; • Continue to look for ways to collaborate with other local non - profits and neighborhood stakeholders to add value to target neighborhoods and avoid duplication of services; • Provide 50 Oshkosh homeowners with Good NEIGHBOR Grants and create $250,000 worth of added value in target neighborhoods; • Conduct a Community Impact Survey in the Algoma Park Neighborhood followed by confidence building activities; • Host a free three hour workshop for Oshkosh residents on Creating Healthy Neighborhoods in Oshkosh on Saturday, April 13 at the Seniors Center; • Facilitate the creation of two new neighborhood associations in Oshkosh; • Provide Resident Leadership Training to five Oshkosh residents through the NeighborWorks America Community Leadership Institute; • Continue to develop local partnerships with foundations, financial institutions, and local businesses to support Healthy Neighborhood activities in Oshkosh. Respectfully submitted by: Shelly Reinke NeighborWorks" Badgerland HomeOwnership Center Manager 3 Attachment 1 Neighborhood Association Recognition Certificates A Certificate of Recognition in appreciation to Middle Village Neighborhood Association for wor king in partnership with the City of Oshkosh and NeighborWorksrg in pursuit of "Healthy Neighborhoods" State of the City, March 19, 2012 Burk Tbs r, Ltavor, City of Oshkosh V7162mtC }man,i eigh6atWarisa A Certificate of Recognition in appreciation to The Stevens Park Neighborhood Association for working in partnership with the City of Oshkosh and NeighborWorksfg in pursuit of 'Healthy Neighbor•lwods" State of the City, March 19, 2 012 .., Lbek R.Moff, City Ofoshkosh Bill ti'}nun, \eiyh6oc�['orks� Attachment 2 2012 Neighborhood Events Attachment 3 The Oshkosh Neighborhoods Workbook: A Shared Guide for All Concerned Neighbors Made possible through a Technical Assistance Grant From NeighborWorks® America David Boehlke 9/17/2012 Contents Introduction............................................................................ ............................... 3 Neighborhood Identity and Image .......................................... ..............................4 Assessing Assets and Challenges ......................................... ............................... 5 Neighborhood Marketing and Promot ion ............................... ............................... 6 Encouraging Code Compliance ............................................. ............................... 8 Developing Social Capital .l. ..................................................... ............................... 9 Encouraging High Standards of Property Maintenance ....... ............................... 10 RentalProperties ................................................................. ............................... 11 Leadingby Example ............................................................ ............................... 12 EngagingNeighbors... ... .................................................................................... 14 Addressing Bigger Issues..... ............ ...... .......... ............................................... 15 Setting and Achieving Specific Goals .................................. ............................... 16 Determining Neighborhood Priorities ..................................... .............................17 A Perspective on Successful Community Change .............. ............................... 19 N The Oshkosh Neighborhoods Workbook: A Shared Guide forAll Concerned Neighbors Introduction Oshkosh has dozens of distinct neighborhoods. Each has a unique set of desirable features and each has a number of serious challenges in today's economy. If Oshkosh is going to thrive and if it is going to compete to retain and attract strong households, concerted actions must continue in the older parts of the city. Oshkosh is a city of 66,000 and the center of a metropolitan area of nearly 160,000. This means that Oshkosh is only 40% of its metropolitan housing market. That translates into 6 households out of 10 choosing not to live in the city. That wouldn't be a problem if the city were still attracting enough stable households with the resources to own or rent quality properties. However, today Oshkosh is losing out to competitive nearby communities. These places benefit from being near the resources offered by Oshkosh, but at the same time they don't carry the burdens of housing lower income families, they don't have to face the issues of transient student rental housing, and they don't confront the challenges of an aging housing stock - some over 100 years old. Much of their retail and office space is newer, larger and easily reached. Other public facilities are relatively new in comparison with the City and in America "new" is sometimes assumed to be "better". 41 Oshkosh Wisconsin Appleton Fond du Lac Winnebago Homeownership 59.1% 69.5% 70.2% 59.2% 68.4% Rate Median Value of $118,400 $169,000 $138,300 $122,900 $140,500 Housing Median Household $42,435 $51,598 $51,275 $44,128 $50,974 Income Per Capita Income $21,768 $26,624 $26,223 $23,845 $26,383 Persons Below 16.1% 11.6% 10.8% 12.4% 10.5% Poverty Level 41 In its ability to attract solid renters and homebuyers, Oshkosh faces many serious disadvantageous and unless this competitive imbalance is dealt with Oshkosh may very well stagnate and possibly even decline. Fortunately, the city has many advantages that can help re- balance the "playing field" with other real estate markets. Certainly, the University, the government offices, the public entertainment and recreation facilities, and dozen of other competitive features define the city as well, Nevertheless, these advantages are often only a few miles from the nearby competitive cities. Therefore, it is critical that Oshkosh invest in its one attribute that no nearby competitor can match: its high quality, affordable housing in mature, diverse neighborhoods. Simply said, Oshkosh has the compelling quality of being a "real: place ". To the Residents: Do you know the role of your neighborhood in Oshkosh and how your community could be leveraged to strengthen the competitiveness of the neighborhood and of the city? To the City Leaders, City Staff, and Funders: Are you encouraging the residents, nonprofits, and other groups to make investments that make the neighborhoods and the city more competitive for stable households? Do you have a plan for using the housing stock and the neighborhoods as marketing advantages? Remember that such a plan has to think in terms of what customers actually want, not what the community would like to see happen. Neighborhood Identity and Image With an understanding of the importance of neighborhoods, how should Oshkosh's neighborhoods be described and identified to promote competitiveness? First, let's talk about neighborhood names, which are important shortcuts to quickly identifying - places. There are no successful neighborhoods in America that don't have well known identities or specific names. Identity is a powerful tool for stability. In Oshkosh many areas are labeled with general names (northside, southside, etc.). Some neighborhoods are known by specific names such as Stevens Park or Millers Bay, but many neighborhoods are just called by the names of local public schools. While this has served in the past, school boundaries have changed so much that the areas they serve don't match the neighborhood names. This produces muddled identities. Without easily recognized names, most Oshkosh neighborhoods are overlooked or lumped together in ways that don't help them. National experience tells us that you can't promote your neighborhood as a place of choice if it doesn't have a name and people can't find it. Don't try to sell toothpaste in unmarked tubes and don't expect most people to buy cereal in white boxes. Competition for good buyers and good renters means having a name that tells people who and where you are and might even give a hint to what makes the place special, Beyond names, other language creates expectations. If the focus of a community is on its crime watch, don't be surprised if people believe there is a crime problem. If an area is described in terms of its neighborliness, it is usually assumed that crime isn't a problem. Recognizing this, M many cities avoid terms such as crime watch and instead talk about their "good neighbors" programs. Therefore, in the process of neighborhood renewal in Oshkosh, it is critical that we use the names, boundaries and positive language that position the various communities as special places where people are choosing to live. To the Residents: Does your neighborhood have boundaries, a name, and a set of descriptive terms that help position the neighborhood for renewal? Have the neighbors and the neighborhood association really thought this through and considered the long -term future for the neighborhood and how it can be named and described to achieve success? Do you know the history of your neighborhood and how do you think its history is shaping the community's successes and challenges today? To the City Leaders, City Staff, and Funders: Are your programs set up to encourage communities to promote positive identities or do you focus mostly on problemsolving or grant compliance issues? Are you asking the right questions about language and confidence? Are public and philanthropic funders working together with each other and in partnership with the residents? Assessing Assets and Challenges Since it is so important for our communities to have positive images, what can we do to promote our neighborhoods as great places to live? You have already taken the first step by considering your neighborhood as a great place to live, but now you need to put on paper a realistic list of its assets and an honest list of its challenges. Notice that you should start with what is working successfully and avoid the usual pattern of focusing first on problems. Even in the most modest neighborhood, there will be wonderful examples of what is special about living there. Do people pay attention to the senior who lives alone? Does one of the neighbors always help by mowing the grass of the single parent next door? Is there a tradition of welcoming new neighbors? Do people still lend tools or even help each other on projects? In winter, do people help each other get traction on the snowy streets? All of these are examples of a neighborly neighborhood, which is one of the most sought after features when people are looking for places to live. Now let's look at the area and the properties. Does the neighborhood have small, easily managed houses? For many that is a plus. Or, does the community have well- built, large houses of architectural significance? There are many people seeking those choices. blow about large yards? Magnificent old trees? Convenient alleys? An outstanding school? Unique businesses? The list goes on. The point is that you need to create the list and remember that there are other places that don't offer those amenities, so your neighborhood has a competitive advantage. Of course, it is equally important to be honest about what is not working. Is the main through street in terrible repair? How many houses are essentially vacant or always changing tenants? on Is there a business that attracts undesirable customers? Does a local factory create noise and truck traffic? Some of these issues can be addressed or minimized; other so- called problems are just part of being part of an active community. The challenge is to minimize those negative aspects that can't be changed and to improve those that can. At the same time, all of the communities, language, messages and promotional materials must focus on why the neighborhood is a place of choice. That is perhaps the hardest step for residents to take; it is easy to spotlight what is wrong. It is just plain hard to "toot your own horn ", but in the case of competitive neighborhoods, if you don't, no one else will. To the Residents: Have the neighbors come together to catalogue the strengths and weaknesses of the neighborhood so that you can shape its transformation? To the City Leaders, City Staff, and Funders: Are you contributing to the negative approach to neighborhood change? If resident complaints are what trigger action, then they will complain. If residents propose proactive coordinated work for neighborhood change, public and philanthropic support should be strongly considered. Neighborhood Marketing and Promotion If we are willing to tell our story in positive language, how do we go about attracting good neighbors to buy or rent in our neighborhood? Look at this is two parts. First, examine how the positive message about the neighborhood can be communicated, and, second, consider more specifically how to market to your target buyers, renters and others. In both cases, we should pay attention to two different audiences: the internal audience, meaning those people who already live or work in the neighborhood and the external audience, the citizens of Oshkosh including the elected officials, funders, and just everyday people that might know a little but not much about the neighborhood. Once the neighborhood has determined what sort of message, themes, words, and branding should be communicated, it will be necessary to present those ideas to a larger audience, perhaps elsewhere in the neighborhood or in Oshkosh or even in the region. An additional goal might be to educate and influence political leaders, lenders, developers or funders. It takes a well thought -out strategy to communicate the key ideas to the specific audiences. Good public communication and outreach first considers the messages to be conveyed in the neighborhood. Although they can be tailored to specific internal audiences, the total plan should cross lines of age, race, ethnicity, income, language, etc. The messages should present consistent images of sociability, fun, and neighborliness. The forums could include: ■ Meetings to link blocks and tie the neighborhood together ■ Local communication mechanisms and sites, like signs in the corner store or a regular neighborhood flyer ■ Banners, placards, yard signs, and other tools with specific messages ■ Presentations to community groups, churches, and schools and in other local public forums 0 In terms of the external audience, there should be clarity about the specific groups or individuals that should hear the message and what is expected from the communication plan. Again the images and language should be positive and upbeat, but this audience usually is much less well informed about your particular neighborhood so the presentation formats are usually more formal. They include: • Press tours and information programs • Specific programs for supporters and government officials • Ad campaigns • Broadcast "talk" shows ■ Joint presentations with partner neighborhoods Once these broader messages are being presented within the neighborhood and to the larger community, it is important to then focus on more specific actions. It is especially critical to speak to homeowners, homebuyers, and renters, since it is their decisions that demonstrate confidence in the neighborhood. The primary group that must be reached is your neighbors — owners, renters, local business leaders, teachers, etc. In this world of constant communication, don't undervalue the impact of word -of- mouth. When people speak highly of a place — a store, restaurant, school, etc. — we listen and usually give credence to the statements. And if we hear negative descriptions from those most informed, we tend to believe those words. So, once we start marketing our neighborhoods as good choices, others will tend to mimic those same words and phrases. "Oh, it is neighborly. Or, it is probably the best housing value in town. It has beautiful houses and such magnificent trees!" When our neighbors begin to talk about their homes and their neighborhoods with phrases like this, our marketing task is much easier. And if the neighbors speak more highly of the neighborhood, it is likely that property owners will be more willing to invest in repairs to properties. When homeowners and landlords improve their properties, the positive message internally and externally is reinforced. From this process of communicating with neighbors, your marketing messages to others will become clearer. Ask yourself, do you need to focus on a specific part of the neighborhood or a particular kind of house? Or how do you reach those buyers or renters able to fix up older units or those households able to pay extra for quality houses and apartments? Our neighborhood, especially its residents and its houses, are the product we have to market, so our job is to match our product to the target customers. When we see an obstacle, such as the wrong kind of loan packages or too few renovated houses, we can negotiate with the city, with lenders, and with developers to make it easier for people to choose your neighborhood. To the Residents: Do you have a communication plan for your neighborhood? Is the plan focused both on current residents and on people from Greater Oshkosh? Are current residents willing to invest to show their confidence? Have you determined which specific properties are most important to market? Do you know what it will take to increase sales to homebuyers and to well- qualified investors? Do you have plans to attract stronger renters? 7 To the City Leaders, City Staff and Funders: If neighborhoods develop marketing plans, are the city systems and staff set up to reinforce those efforts? Can the city quickly demolish a key abandoned property? Is the city able to institute a targeted exterior code compliance effort? To reinforce neighborhood promotional efforts, will the city government make available its communication systems to assist in neighborhood promotions? As fenders, will the philanthropic community help install neighborhood entry signs, assist in negotiating and funding better loan packages, or provide professional services to support quality marketing? Encouraging Code Compliance What should be the role of code enforcement houses in Oshkosh? Even if there is a concerted effort to be proactive about the neighborhoods, the language used, their identities and how people work together, the reality is that Oshkosh is still an at -risk housing market in many neighborhoods due to poor original construction or high levels of rental properties or concentrations of rental by students. Oshkosh has enough houses to serve its population but too many of those really shouldn't be used in their current condition. They were usually built to low standards of energy efficiency, are often structurally unsound, might have lead and asbestos contamination, have inconvenient floor plans, and just cost too much to ever compete with the many quality houses that regularly are available for purchase in the Oshkosh area. Over the next decade Oshkosh will need to address substandard or poorly managed houses and apartments. Unfortunately, the resources to complete this work are very limited and might not always be available. While the city government will continue to work aggressively to raise more resources and to bill responsible parties whenever possible, the reality is that too little money and too many houses means there must be a plan for determining a realistic code enforcement plan. Substandard and poorly managed buildings inflict an enormous cost on nearby property owners. Home values are further depressed, there is often a reduced sense of safety, and there is a significant impact on the confidence needed for reinvestment. In almost every case, a visibly distressed property disheartens the people who must live near it and it disappoints people from around Oshkosh who see a constant reminder that the city isn't what they what it to be. Distressed houses have both a financial impact and an emotional cost. Of course, the code enforcement is complicated and costly, so not every house can be addressed immediately. Oshkosh city government has done an excellent job of responding to complaints, but there are still resource limits. Therefore, the city government needs to set its priorities and consult with local residents regarding particular properties. The process should be open and fair, but it must happen as often as possible, especially on highly visible streets and on blocks where the property owners are keeping their houses in good repair. To the Residents: Have your neighbors come together around a coordinated code compliance strategy? Have you identified what outcomes you want in terms of maintenance and resident behaviors? Have you discussed what can be done to deal with both issues? Are you partnering with the city to get to the goals you want to achieve? 0 To the City Leaders, City Staff, and Funders: Have you established a clear set of code compliance priorities and linked those priorities to re- building social and financial equity in the city? Would you consider establishing more aggressive criteria? And have you worked with residents to understand what can be done and how they can be part of the solution to this fun damento[ problem facing Oshkosh? Developing Social Capital With everyone so busy, how can neighbors be encouraged to come together for a better neighborhood? Americans work hard and this is especially true for the residents of Oshkosh. In the current economy earning a living often means working two jobs for very modest wages. It is hard to be an involved neighbor when both time and energy are so limited. Moreover, much of the work of being a committed neighbor isn't easy. It involves helping a senior re -plant a garden or assisting a new neighbor in cutting back overgrown bushes or overseeing the neighborhood children on a hot summer afternoon. Further, neighborhoods have transformed dramatically over the last few years. In the past some blocks never saw a single change in who lived there for years in a row. Now many blocks experience repeated changes. It is easy to know your neighbors only by sight or not even know them at all. When that happens, we are no longer neighbors; we are just residents of the same neighborhood. Limited time and energy and fewer strong relationships make it much harder for neighbors to come together to solve problems. Even minor issues like a missing street sign or a bad pothole don't get quickly resolved because no one takes responsibility to report the problem. And everyday disagreements about noise or parking are dealt with through the police instead through conversation. All of this makes living in the same place less safe and less comfortable. Fortunately, there is an answer that doesn't require more meetings or work projects. indeed, the first step to building good neighborly relations is to have fun together. The list of neighborhood -based activities in Oshkosh has grown significantly over the last few years and should be encouraged. It would be a good investment to learn what is being done in Wisconsin and around the country that might work in Oshkosh. In one place there was a small fund of money so that whenever someone moved into the neighborhood, lemonade and brownies could be provided as a way to say welcome to our neighborhood. In another place, awards are given out for the best decorations at holidays. Another neighborhood does the same for the most attractive yards and most improved houses. In every case the gifts and awards are there to acknowledge and encourage the efforts of good neighbors but they are also there to give all the neighbors an excuse to meet each other and to build a sense of community. This isn't done by accident; there has to be a conscious decision that knowing each other is the first step in creating a safer and more desirable community. Celebrations and awards are just ways to achieve this, but they certainly are some of the most enjoyable. E To the Residents: Do you have an informal or formal system for neighbors to get to know each other? Does it work well or do you need to take more steps? Do you have the resources to reach out to people as just neighbors and not as volunteers for a project? Does your neighborhood honor those that are making a special effort? To the City Leaders, City Staff, and Funders: City government and funders tend to see their tasks as "solving problems', but we all know there are too many problems and too few resources. What percentage of the city and philanthropic resources are directed at helping people re- engage with their neighbors? Encouraging High Standards of Property Maintenance Money is tight, so how can we expect neighbors to set high standards for repair and maintenance of their houses? Oshkosh has blocks and houses that could easily be picture postcards for great neighborhoods in America. And this doesn't just mean beautiful, higher- priced neighborhoods or historic areas. Every neighborhood in Oshkosh has houses and groups of houses that are outstanding quality homes that are maintained with real pride of ownership. Unfortunately, too often we pay attention only to the troubled houses. We urge the government to use code enforcement as a way to get people to do a better job of property upkeep. While this can be a useful strategy, just fixing the most troubled properties won't significantly change the neighborhood. And fixing properties to a minimum standard just reinforces a second choice status. We have to move beyond just removing a negative condition and instead replace the image with a positive change. What we remember about a place isn't that a problem got fixed, but that something special has happened. A newly landscaped yard, a three -color paint job on a porch, welcoming porch lights, and seasonal flags are all positive images that we use when we remember and describe a place. We talk about the standards that prevail in a neighborhood; the more we see people doing something special, the more we have a positive image of the place. Therefore, if neighborhoods in Oshkosh are to strengthen their image, it is critical that the residents pay attention to the standards that are being set. In stable neighborhoods, it is expected that yards are raked and bushes are trimmed and that trashcans are set out on the right pick -up days and removed quickly. But residents of some neighborhoods just stop seeing the low standards because they have been in place for years. Therefore, it is recommended that three or four neighbors and perhaps two or three people from other neighborhoods come together and walk on a variety of blocks. As the walk proceeds, the participants should mention what looks positive and what is undermining the neighborhood. One community in Hartford, CT decided that the old fences had become eyesores and the residents got together and hired one firm to remove all the rusty chain link and metal fence posts. Neighbors in one New York City community decided the same type of fences looked shabby, but they hired a firm to straighten the bent posts and the neighbors 10 together rented the equipment to spray paint all of the fences black. In each case they had long overlooked a glaring negative feature, but one walk made the low standards obvious. Now to answer the underlying question about high costs: standards aren't really based on money. Keeping the yard clean, planting a packet of seeds for annual flowers, hosing the dirt off of the vinyl siding, tidying the front porch, and even painting the front door can all be done for only a few dollars or just a little personal effort. What we have learned around the country is that those people who make these sorts of efforts are the same people that go further and make the other extraordinary improvements that set the standards for a successful neighborhood. To the Residents: Take a hike around your neighborhood. Act like you have never been there and record what you see. Are there small changes that could make your neighborhood more attractive? How can you motivate people to act on the changes? Do you need incentive funds or a volunteer corps? And are you willing to address a problem even if some neighbors aren't willing to join you? To the City Leaders, City Staff, and Funders: If neighbors identify manageable problems with neighborhood standards, do you have a plan to help? For the city, would you make small changes in trash pick -up or minor changes to the housing code or even the use of special funds like CDBG grants? As for funders, do you have a system for supporting self -help among neighbors not just through grants but also through training, workshops, and staff assistance? And have you carefully looked at the work of all funded nonprofits to make sure they are acting as standard - setters? Rental Properties If we encourage homeowners to upgrade their homes, they will still have poorly - maintained investment properties nearby. Why should anyone improve a home if landlords are given a free ride? This is a tough question that involves a number of different issues and each deserves attention. First, let's remember who loses if housing declines. Everyone does. Why should homeowners lose even more equity in their homes because others aren't carrying their fair share? Should we only invest if everyone else does? With that reasoning, we would all move to the lowest standard of upkeep. Do people really want to cede that much power to others? Keeping your home is good condition is a matter of pride as much as economics, so house -proud owners need to accept that they will lead the process. Second, landlords shouldn't get a free ride and they shouldn't ask for one. The reason is that declining housing values impact them in two ways. They lose the equity worth of their properties and they aren't able to attract good tenants if the neighborhood is failing. Third, the answers are never found in absolutes. The current real estate and rental markets make it difficult for even the best landlords to maintain every property in an excellent condition. Nevertheless, everyone — investors and homeowners - can keep their properties in good repair and can especially give much greater attention to the exteriors of the houses. 11 In many cities, the code compliance programs are set up to deal with any houses when the property is transferred or when there is a change in tenants. This is fine, but it doesn't really speak to what troubles so many residents. It is what they see day -to -day that tells them where their neighborhood is heading and too often they don't like what they see. In those cases, some cities have set up programs where trained neighbors do an annual survey of the exterior of the properties -- both homeowner and investor -- to identify the exterior code violations. Everyone is sent these informal observations well in advance of a neighborhood -wide inspection by city staff. Most people are able to make the necessary repairs without getting a legal notice from the city government and those people with economic or physical limitations have time to seek help before being cited. All of this planning lowers the tension involved in code compliance, but it also assures everyone that no one is exempt from maintaining at least the exteriors of the properties in good repair. To the Residents: Are the great majority of property owners maintaining the housing stock? Are particular investors or even homeowners under - maintaining their properties? Is this discouraging others? Do you have a plan to establish a clear set of exterior standards to keep the housing is good condition? Are the city government, volunteers, and funders part of this process? Would you consider instituting a neighborhood -wide code compliance program if you had the right resources? To the City Leaders, City Staff, and Funders: Investment property is a major element in many at -risk neighborhoods in Oshkosh. Do you have a set of standards and requirements that at least establish good exterior upkeep? As the city government, are you willing to involve neighbors in this process? As funders, are you willing to offer the planning support and training to make this work? Leading by Example What is often being said in this workbook is that people pay attention to what others are doing, but does that really happen? Most of us want to be good neighbors and we want to trust that our neighbors will take care of their houses so our community is stable and well maintained. We might not say it, but we do notice that houses need painting or roof repairs or overgrown bushes removed, If we see too many of these problems, we question whether it makes sense for us to make our own investments of time, effort and money. A patched roof instead of a replacement shows a lack of confidence. Installation of pressure treated wood railings instead of attractive, historic porch rails makes a community look shabby. Not improving the old family house shows that the next generation doesn't think the neighborhood is a good investment. Paying attention to these sorts of neighborhood details happens in many different ways. Of course, we see the houses next door and down the street often, so we know more about the decisions people are making. But we also learn about the larger neighborhood from our cars as we move back and forth to schools, jobs, shopping, etc. This means that much of what we know happens unconsciously as we travel at 25 miles per hour, so it is easy to not really notice until we are stopped due to traffic and see that the neighborhood isn't as well maintained and attractive as it once was. That has real implications when a property owner considers a major repair or improvement. Should only the leaking part of the roof be fixed or a new roof installed? 12 That can be a very different cost, so we look at what others are doing. How about the aluminum siding? Paint on metal siding oxidizes over the years. Should the house be painted or should nothing be done, since no one else is investing? And when we cut down the old tree, is the stump just left to rot or is it removed and a new tree planted? These decisions are shaped by what we think others are doing. If we all cooperate and make good investments, then the values of all the houses are stabilized. If we decide to wait to see what our neighbor does, and he waits to see what his neighbor does, then the whole neighborhood will stagnate and begin to lose value. Once we see housing prices go down, we are vindicated that we made a good decision not to invest. Of course, once values go down, the best answer is to do no more improving and the neighborhood undergoes subtle but significant disinvestment. Can this cycle be broken? If disinvestment is already in place, are there still effective answers? As Americans we are proud of our homes and investments. We appreciate that government requirements are relatively few compared to other major countries. We like the ability to express ourselves through our homes and investment properties. And frankly Americans love competition and hate to think that others are doing a better job. To kick -start an investment cycle, it usually only requires an owner or a group of owners making a first investment. Fortunately, that investment doesn't have to be large. As has been noted, this can just mean new house numbers, seasonal flags, new landscape plantings, fresh paint on the front door: the list of small actions is extensive and affordable. These actions make a real difference because they show that people are making a commitment of their time and effort, even if the dollar investment is modest. Once we see others taking those steps, it makes it much easier for us to make an even more sizable one. That builds confidence by others and the process of investment is put into play. At that point it is also important to reach out to others to make sure they know about resources so they can participate. Can someone help an elderly owner get the gutters cleaned and reattached? Which roofer has done a great job at a reasonable price? Which city programs can help a low - income owner or a landlord improve a property? And how else can the city and the neighborhood association help in the process? We do pay attention to what is changing around us and we can influence those transformations to improve the homes and the neighborhood. But this won't occur by accident; neighbors must take the lead in managing change. To the Residents: What is happening in terms of the appearance of your neighborhood? Are there actions that you and the neighborhood association could take to encourage better upkeep and improve property investment? How can the city government, volunteers, and funders help in the process? Getting as many households to participate as possible means that housing values will be stabilized and equity in your homes will increase. How do you plan to accomplish this? 13 To the City Leaders, City Staff, and Funders: Have you considered creating a fund with local banks so that relatively small loans at lower interest rates can encourage more investment in all neighborhoods? Are there special resources like providing professional technical help to property owners wishing to get bids for home improvement? Can a nonprofit be engaged to create and maintain a contractor referral system to help inexperienced homeowners? Confidence is the bedrock for the future of Oshkosh. An action taken to increase confidence is the best investment in community -wide growth. Engaging Neighbors If involvement of residents is so critical to the health of a neighborhood, how can we engage as many as possible in the process of change? We live in an age of constant information. Television, email, text messages, newspaper articles, advertisements, radio announcements, bulletins and all the other ways of getting our attention mean that we tend to pick and choose what we pay attention to and in most cases flyers about a neighborhood event are fairly low on the list. We know one method still works: a personal invitation. If someone calls you or stops by your home to invite you to an event, you give special weight to that request. You know that someone went out of the way to ask for your presence, so in most cases you respond by trying to attend. So the first step to engaging residents is to reach out to them as neighbors and friends. The second step is equally important: make sure the invitation is to some event that residents want to attend. Of course, if there is a serious neighborhood problem, many people might want to come to express their concerns, but most of the time, people need to come together about everyday issues and in these cases the message is very important. It makes no difference if we are in Oshkosh, Azusa, or Kalamazoo, the term "neighborhood meeting" doesn't cause people to promptly put it on their calendars; whereas, the terms "picnic ", "party ", and "celebration" increase the chance that people will be there and it creates a memorable activity that people think about when they describe their neighborhood. If residents are asked to bring a folding chair for an evening get - together with strawberry shortcake, attendance would probably be much higher than if they were asked to attend a neighborhood meeting at the nearby middle school. Once people are in attendance some minor business can be discussed, but the primary purpose is so the neighbors can meet each other and see the potential for positive community change. This has been called the "Ice Cream Social Approach" to resident participation. It works because it targets the central goal of all neighborhood involvement efforts: building relationships among the neighbors. Too often we bring residents together to do a project or back a proposal, but we forget that none of this has real value unless the neighbors know and trust each other. Remember in the long run you can paint houses, clean up a park, or cut back bushes, but new paint will be needed once more, litter will reappear, and overgrowth will happen again. It is the willingness of neighbors to work together that must be sustained. This happens by building solid trust and confidence among residents, sa that they can be the long -term managers that every neighborhood needs. That is the fundamental basis of any sustainable, thriving community. 14 To the Reader: Have you or your neighborhood association focused on building improved relationships among your neighbors? What concrete steps can you take to focus on this core issue? To the City Leaders, City Staff, and Funders: For years, elected officials, city staff, nonprofit leaders, and funders have attended neighborhood meetings to hear the concerns of the residents. Would you be willing to invest some of that time meeting with people about what is working well in the neighborhood and how that can be expanded? Are you asking for those opportunities? Addressing Bigger Issues But we have some real problems and need to do more than just get together, so how can we do that? What happens if the neighborhood association or a local nonprofit decides to focus on other topics? Let's start with the second question first. Some very effective nonprofits and associations have targeted specific themes, such as homelessness, traffic congestion or youth problems, and that is fine. Other clubs and associations are primarily social groups and that is fine. Still others have created a long list of issues from sidewalks to bad rentals to overflowing dumpsters and that is their choice. lust remember these points. • it never hurts to have more ways to improve the neighborhood; this isn't a zero sum game. We all benefit from more involvement in the long run. • It is better to see all groups — associations, nonprofits, churches, schools, clubs, etc. — as partners than as competitors. • It is more effective to pay attention to what is working in the neighborhood and less attention to always trying to solve problems. No one in Oshkosh has enough resources to solve all the problems; everyone in Oshkosh has the ability to contribute to making it a better place. Therefore, whether through the association, another group, or as individuals, it is best to focus on your neighborhood's strengths as the initial step to recovery. Once you have started the process of knowing the residents as neighbors and friends, you will see that some neighbors want to do more to improve their community. When the interest begins to emerge, you need to take some basic steps. First, convene your neighbors for an honest conversation to evaluate where the neighborhood is and to decide what needs to happen. Don't worry if your initial group is small; when you are effective, it will grow over time. Second, determine what the residents, investors and local businesses can do and what needs to be done by the city government, the school board, or another responsible agency or group. Third, set reasonable goals. For example, this year the neighborhood needs all the sidewalks in the front of the elementary school repaired and the city should address four troubled rental houses on a specific block. The residents will commit to assisting three elderly homeowners and will host one neighborhood -wide clean -up day. The local businesses will jointly sponsor a "kids' 15 day" for the night before school starts; and an investor will work with the neighbors on a Saturday event to trim back all overgrown bushes as part of a safety campaign. Fourth, track your progress and ask more residents and other stakeholders to join. Your camera is the best way to show the energy of the "before- during -after" that make projects so special. Get fresh ideas about how to solve problems. Re -visit your priorities to assure that what is being done is making the neighborhood a better place. Fifth, make sure that you have as much fun as possible. This is said time and time again in this workbook, but awards, celebrations, and good times can be the glue in a changing neighborhood. To the Residents: No nonprofit or neighborhood association or city council member can fundamentally change your neighborhood; your neighbors have to be the agents of change. All of the other players are only partners, but as partners you can all achieve much more. Have you listed all of your partners and engaged them in the redevelopment process? And have you made sure that as many neighbors as possible are involved and encouraged to stay involved? Are you taking risks, like engaging students as part of the solution? To the City Leaders, City Staff, and Funders: Are you encouraging neighbors and groups to work together? Are you involving others as equal partners? Have you built into project budgets the resources to do the extra impact activities and to support and encourage a broad range of resident involvement? Setting and Achieving Specific Goals Some of these grand ideas are fine, but what if we just need to accomplish a specific project like a neighborhood clean up? No one wants to hear this, but someone one needs to take leadership and that usually means the person asking the question. Have you noted how often that is you? Regardless, once any one or more individuals or the neighborhood association members decide to undertake a specific project, there are a few basic steps to assure that the effort succeeds. Make sure there is agreement; just because you might think a clean up is the right project now, remember that others might want to do landscaping or to install seasonal flags. Decide on the real goals of the project. Remember that the primary goal usually isn't a cleaner neighborhood; rather, it is encouraging the residents to know each other and to jointly commit to a better community long term. Create a plan that is realistic in terms of resources and resident capacity, so that the project is a guaranteed success. There is nothing as sweet as a successful project. Be inclusive by thinking through every way that people can be involved, such as homeowners pledging the tools in advance, seniors providing lemonade during the work, and young people committing to loading the dumpster. 16 Find the resources that make the job succeed, such as trash bags, rakes and shovels, yard signs to celebrate the work, and food for the picnic after the dean up. Plan for fun since no one really wants to spend a Saturday loading a dumpster, but if you add a great barbeque, it makes the work seem less onerous. Build in opportunities to socialize, since a major part of being good neighbors requires relating to each other. Time spent having fun is a great way to build solid, productive relationships. Make sure you leverage outcomes, such as providing daffodil bulbs to all participating households or free paint for the front doors of the houses. Since litter will reappear, it is always best to have something beautiful to distract the eye for months to come. Tell your story to the larger community, so that people in the neighborhood and in Oshkosh learn that your neighborhood is taking responsibility for its upkeep and for its future. Celebrate the success by using yard signs, banners, awards, and other branding opportunities to promote your neighborhood as a community of choice. To the Residents: This same message has been repeated time after time, but it is important. Do you accept the argument that residents being good neighbors is a more important outcome than a clean lot? Are you committed to not grousing about low attendance or about apathetic neighbors or irresponsible students? Are you focused instead on renewal based on proactive, positive actions to recreate the social fabric of the community? To the City Leaders, City Staff, and Funders: Have you looked at all of your programs, services, and grants to make sure that they encourage residents to take personal responsibility, to succeed, and to celebrate every gain no matter how small? Do you help them do that? Determining Neighborhood Priorities How can a neighborhood determine its priorities when it faces so many problems at once? Because of limited resources, the weak economy, and the declining population base, there are just too many community problems for the city government to solve directly. City officials need to be clear that just being the "squeakiest wheel" is not a reason for funding a particular project or activity. Residents need to be expected to set priorities and to negotiate for successful outcomes. If neighbors want to play an important part in the future of Oshkosh, they need to set achievable goals. That means determining what is working well and what isn't succeeding in the neighborhood. Is the image of the area a fundamental problem? How critical are changes in the real estate market and in ownership patterns? Are certain physical conditions like sidewalks or troubled rentals the most important issues? What is the level of involvement of residents and others in revitalizing the community? 17 Of course, there isn't a single answer to these questions and no one action will fundamentally change a community, but it is critical to evaluate which problems and opportunities are most important. Once that has been determined, the residents need to have an action plan in which they state what should be done and who should be responsible. It is especially vital to determine the ways that residents can make change happen through their own efforts. if an elderly neighbor has a collapsing wooden fence, could student renters help dismantle it? if a vacant lot is consistently littered, could local volunteers each monitor the lot for a set period every year? Such activities aren't complicated, but when neighbors are collectively taking responsibility for certain problems, it puts the neighbors in a stronger position when asking for assistance from others - especially the city government. An active group of motivated neighbors will garner more support than a group that simply grouses about problems. This is a reasonable expectation from elected officials and city staff. The residents - especially the active, involved neighbors - should decide what to ask for first. It doesn't make sense to ask for all the sidewalks to be repaired, because there are simply too many needing work. Should it be the sidewalks on the most common ways to the neighborhood store or should it be the sidewalks with the most uneven surfaces? it is critical that the neighborhood residents identify the specific sites and create a list that is both limited and achievable. Government can't be held responsible that the course of action doesn't meet local wants, if the desired actions aren't clear. The same pattern should be used when considering street repairs or code enforcement. The residents must take responsibility to decide what is most important and then trim the list to what is do -able. Once that is done, it is fair to periodically review progress with agency and elected officials. The focus must always be on achievable goals and a willingness by residents to carry their share of the effort. Residents seeking outside support need to commit to; • Meeting funding guidelines • Recognizing political and fairness considerations • Being transparent and open • Seeking consensus among neighbors • Negotiating partner responsibilities • Demonstrating leveraged impact of actions • Showing the links to realistic neighborhood outcomes • Being timely and accountable • Establishing clear next steps • Creating a sustainable positive result • Serving a larger mission in renewing Oshkosh • Bringing new resources to the neighborhoods Not all of these will happen in every successful instance. Of course, all priority actions should meet all funding guidelines, be responsive to reasonable political concerns and fairness considerations, and be open and transparent. Follow the rules, deal with issues of balance and political realities and make sure every decision is done openly and with efforts to avoid favoritism. These are basic to any community work, but beyond that there needs to be an evaluation of each of the other nine considerations when putting a plan together. W To the Reader: Have your neighbors and your elected officials discussed reasonable, achievable priorities? Is there a process in place to negotiate for improvements and to create benchmarks to make sure that work is proceeding as agreed? Are the neighbors keeping up with their part of the bargain by building on the work done by the partners? If you don't set priorities and meet your part, other places with clear plans and good follow- through will come first. To the City Leaders, City Staff, and hunders: Are you willing to give extra attention and resources to those neighborhoods that set realistic priorities? Do you accept that this negotiation is tough because there will always be another place with serious problems? Does funding have to be tied to need or can it be linked to effective outcomes? The questions sound self - evident, but the practice isn't so obvious. A Perspective on Successful Community Change Even if the Oshkosh city government, the funders, and the nonprofits had much greater resources, conditions would be much the same. There is no free lunch; if any neighborhood wants to be part of the renewal process, the residents need to be informed, involved, and responsible. Of course, not every resident has the time or the inclination, but if no one accepts the neighborhood's share of the change, then no amount of change will make a difference. Therefore, as organizations and individuals commit to the recovery of Oshkosh, there are certain basic common sense concepts that should be part of instituting any workplan or funding any local endeavor. Some of these concepts are as follows: ✓ Effective investments build on the strengths in the neighborhoods. ✓ Residents need to commit to their role for others to commit to theirs. ✓ Direct involvement of residents leads to sustainable change. ✓ Subsidies are tools for change and are not the goal of change. ✓ The best investments are those that make long -term economic sense. ✓ Many small activities usually produce more impact that one large action. ✓ Resident pride is a powerful force for stability and greater housing equity. ✓ People tire of just criticizing and want to work together for a shared positive outcome, so listen to the proactive voices not just the complaints. As residents, you need to decide if you are willing to convene your neighbors around these principles. The principles don't deal with what others haven't done or what hasn't worked in the past. The principles focus on the future. Taking this positive approach can sometimes be very hard to do, but it is the best approach to neighborhood recovery. You must act for results to happen. As city leaders, you need to ask yourselves if you agree with these principles. If so, can you build into council meetings time to celebrate neighborhoods or can you make this approach part of the grant process? If the neighbors are willing to step back from complaint- driven shifting of responsibility, are you willing to reward them with more tools for positive change? And can the city government do this with the current staffing? Oshkosh has a staff that works hard to just fulfill the requirements of the various funding sources and laws. Where is the person that can 19 facilitate the type of actions recommended here? Committing to change without investing in the plans and personnel to succeed is simply avoiding the whole issue. Oshkosh has the potential for great change, but that won't happen in the current format. Action is required. As funders, you need to determine your roles in building the civic culture of Oshkosh. The neighborhoods haven't just lost population or wealth; they have also lost social fabric. It is the interconnections and relationships that make urban life viable. Without resident engagement and without neighbor -to- neighbor communication, Oshkosh's neighborhoods will not move forward. Communities work only if people work together and over the long -run, people will do this only if there is a payoff. In this case the payoff is a thriving, prideful neighborhood. How you target your grants, your support for leadership training, and your Investment in outreach initiatives will determine if this critical outcome can be achieved. Again the response must be action. Oshkosh is over 150 years old and many of those years have seen dynamic change. This on- going process will not succeed if attention is only given to addressing problems; there are too many and the costs of managing all of them are too high unless there is broad proactive buy -in. This kind of broad -based community involvement is the real basis for success and it's been discussed repeatedly in this workbook and in the various neighborhood plans. It is up to everyone to decide whether or not to take this approach to community change. If there is agreement on the process, Oshkosh can surely achieve whatever it sets out to do. 20 Attachment 4 To: The Residents and Leadership of Oshkosh From: Dave Boehlke Re: Neighborhood Revitalization by NeighborWorks Oshkosh Twenty -two months ago I had the opportunity to visit Oshkosh and to meet with many of you about the potential for neighborhood revitalization in Oshkosh. At the time I was impressed both by the conditions in the neighborhoods and the commitment shown by the residents and community leaders. Now after my second visit, my initial impressions have been strongly reinforced. The successes are many. Your affiliation with NeighborWorks Badgerland has been secured and you are well represented on their board. You are working with three neighborhood associations and it is likely that many more local groups will emerge. You have undertaken nearly four -dozen "curb appeal" projects with individual homeowners and have helped residents make their blocks more attractive. The organization has acquired two houses for rehab - and -sale and continues to search for additional signature properties. Most importantly, you have partnered with the city government and with other nonprofits to achieve many of these results. You deserve congratulations. This early success gives us an opportunity to review the original three themes from the first discussion memo, which focused on goals, activities and resources. What follows are comments on those three topics in today's context. Goals NeighborWorks Oshkosh has created a clear and consistent core mission making Oshkosh's older neighborhoods healthier and more thriving. You took on this challenge while the nation confronted a massive economic collapse and during an unparalleled foreclosure crisis. It would have been easy to stray from your stated outcomes. Many similar groups spend their energies dealing almost exclusively with troubled housing and complex Federal programs. Instead, you recognize that Oshkosh's neighborhoods will not become more stable without re- igniting the confidence that these places can fully compete for households that have the energy and resources to invest in the homes and in the community. This focus on rebuilding confidence is right on target and should continue to drive NeighborWorks Oshkosh. Until good houses on good blocks sell quickly to qualified buyers, the leadership can't rest. During my visit, I saw organizational opportunities and potential pitfalls. Let's look at just one marketing example. The renovation of the house on Mount Vernon and an additional house on Bowen can absorb lots of effort, but it should be remembered that these houses are actually not all that important in the scheme of things. They are just two houses out of hundreds. What is critical is Attachment 4 how they are used to change confidence Do you have a plan to market the houses that creates a "buzz" among the neighbors and excitement in the larger community? Are the real estate agents selling nearby houses encouraged to join in a coordinated marketing activity? Can there be an open house at a half -dozen for sale houses with NeighborWorks Oshkosh providing the fall and Halloween decorations to make the day special? Will there be a brochure that describes what is happening in the neighborhoods? There are dozens of recently improved houses and scores of pleased residents. Is this story being made part of the larger conversation about the future of the neighborhoods? It is almost always true that a project isn't the outcome; a project provides a reason for promoting the neighborhood as a place of choice, which is the fundamental outcome. Such "storytelling" is a key role of your organization. Indeed, communicating the work of NeighborWorks Oshkosh is vital to its success. City, civic, and corporate leaders who have supported your work should hear from homeowners who have completed curb appeal improvements and from neighbors who have sponsored a community event and from residents that have formed an association. Residents of the blocks should learn from their neighbors about what is changing right next door and the media should explain what is happening to the whole of Oshkosh. And your message shouldn't be muddled. You are not a low- income housing effort and you are not a government repair program. Nevertheless, it is easy for people to confuse you with other groups that work in the same areas. You must constantly repeat your messag : NeighborWorks Oshkosh is a unique public - private partnership to re -build confidence in older neighborhoods. As this message is reiterated and as your organization expands its track record, there will be the challenge of providing assistance to more areas. This can be a tremendous mistake if you don't keep your focus on building confidence. This can be an unparalleled success if you keep that focus while also significantly increasing your activities and resources. In reality, the older neighborhoods will not achieve the status they deserve until much more of Oshkosh is seen as a great choice for qualified buyers and renters. Overall, the larger community is underperforming based on its potential. Even if your work continues to be highly targeted, it will be critical to keep open your relationships with city officials and staff and with other groups working on citywide promotional efforts, especially those promoting urban living. My Observations: NeighborWorks Oshkosh has done an outstanding job in crafting a concise goal and in carrying out some initial work. The organization needs to use its projects to better engage the neighbors and to reinforce the message that these are neighborhoods of choice. This will require a much - expanded effort to communicate to the residents and to the citizens of Oshkosh. Further, NeighborWorks Oshkosh should reach out to more neighborhoods like the recent work in Algoma Park and should be partnering with citywide groups to promote all of Oshkosh as a city that is a great choice. 2 Attachment 4 Activities You have already successfully accomplished many projects that will change the way people think about your neighborhoods, so it is a bit difficult for an outsider to suggest how you should do more or do activities differently. Therefore, what I am offering are ideas meant to spur staff and leaders to think consciously about each action undertaken by NeighborWorks Oshkosh. The first comments relate to the projects cited above. You are doing a great job of using relatively few dollars to trigger significant investment. This needs to keep happening, but it isn't as clear that there has been a sufficient investment in leveraging the impact of the work. Ribbon cuttings, awards, celebrations, open houses, garden tours, etc. are all tools of the trade if you want your projects to overcome years of slow decline. Older neighborhoods don't become troubled in just a few years; the roots of the problems are literally decades in the making. Therefore, every time any investment is made or any owner upgrades a yard or a house sells to a strong buyer, these achievements need to be identified and announced. A few months after a property is upgraded, it is easy to forget the previous conditions. Track every neighborhood improvement and promote it. This approach is even more important when you are dealing with coordinated projects. For example, there is a real possibility that you will work with the city government and with one or more other nonprofits to improve a neighborhood, such as the effort planned for Middle Village. There are at least three critical lessons you should follow: 1) be aggressive about the need to improve the neighborhoods and not just the housing, 2) invest in the neighbors as much as in upgrading the physical conditions, and 3) promote the improvements as part of a broader message to the property owners and to the larger Oshkosh community. Your mission and your unique strategies set you apart. Bring those two ideas to challenges such Middle Village. Rethink the outreach to property owners and to renters, especially to student renters. Consider new ways to retain and attract homeowners through marketing and even incentives. Build bridges with nearby institutions and other neighborhoods. Simply said, focus on your outcomes and you will create a sustainable community transformation. For most of your work, partners are critical for continuing success. It is easy to think about the city government, Habitat, and ADVOCAP as allies, but don't forget to think about other partners. It is in the self- interest of the local Board of Realtors to see housing values go up. The local schools want to see more students come from households that tend to move less. Owners of businesses know that a clean and neighborly community makes their business grow. And churches want to retain and grow their congregations and a more attractive and stable neighborhood can make that happen. It is critical for you to achieve the goals of healthier neighborhoods with partners. Partnership is more effective and those partners will have a long -term commitment to the neighborhood. Investing in new partners will be work and it will be worth the effort. 3 Attachment 4 Further, in terms of activities it is important to remember that a significant portion of the units in older neighborhoods are rental housing. This can be an advantage if we think of these units as a plus. Standards and expectations should be set high for improvements and upkeep. Renters should be seen as integral members of the community, who want to live in a good neighborhood. Indeed, quality rental units can be a staging ground for future homeowners moving up the housing ladder. My experience as a landlord to students convinces me that they are willing to be part of a neighborhood, if they are encouraged to know and work with other residents. It is also true that a few troublesome tenants and a small number of poorly maintained units can sour everyone to neighborhood rentals. Therefore, there should be an effort at creating a rental strategy with city leaders, committed property owners, and other interested parties. Such an investment by NeighborWorks Oshkosh can pay off for neighborhoods throughout the city. My Observations: NeighborWorks Oshkosh has done a great job in its first few months, but now the organization should greatly expand the promotion of every neighborhood improvement, not just your efforts. When you partner with other organizations, make your biases and skills clear. A real partnership doesn't mean that everyone does the same thing; rather, every group does what they do best in a coordinated manner. Don't shy away from the really tough challenges like improving rental housing. There are many such ways that NeighborWorks Oshkosh can help set the citywide agenda in critical areas. Take risks on these changes. Resources NeighborWorks Oshkosh has done well with very few resources. This truly can't continue. You have made commitments to neighborhood groups, to individual property owners and to volunteers. You need to be actively involved for the long haul. Right now, your resource dollars are too few and too restricted. Further, your in -kind and volunteer resources are meager compared to their potential in a city like Oshkosh. These resource issues are everywhere in America, but they are much more critical in Oshkosh because of the core goal of your organization. Re- building confidence in the housing market is not linked to any one single income group. Rather, it is vital to reach out to all market niches, especially those people with greater capacity to own and upgrade properties. Stronger households expect more services and more options. They can choose to invest in your neighborhoods or invest elsewhere. You don't have a captive audience even among long -term owners who can easily decide to limit their re- investments in their homes. To reach these people and to provide the levels of service desired, you need to be adequately staffed and you must have a range of products. Right now, your resources are far too limited to achieve your goals. Attachment 4 How can this be addressed? There won't be one answer. Part of the solution is to work with your city partner to maximize flexibility. r=ind ways to re- program their restricted funds to increase the availability of flexible funds. The city council and city staff members need to explore ways to do this. Other cities have used CDBG funds for certain public improvements and invested the freed -up capital in groups like yours. Creative thinking is necessary to allow public funds to be used for this unique public purpose and it should be done if possible. The second approach requires reaching out to corporations, small businesses, service organizations, and even individuals. Remember your goal is not to fix housing or help any single group. Your goal is to change the way people choose to invest their time, effort and money in Oshkosh. Your city is far too special to be thought of as a series of problems; it is a cluster of opportunities that are being woefully underutilized. This situation can only change if you have the dollars you need to administer the necessary activities. We are talking about protecting millions and millions of dollars in equity in Oshkosh. It only makes sense to ask the broader community for significant support. The third resource that must be sought is human resources: the people of Oshkosh. NeighborWorks needs to expand through more residents, more volunteers and service club members, and more members of groups like the Winnebago Apartment Association, Habitat, ADVOCAP, and the Board of Realtors. The greatest resource in Oshkosh is the incredible pool of talented, committed and optimistic people. Currently, these people haven't been brought into the renewal process, but they will be powerful forces for change. Of course, this will mean more staffing to coordinate and leverage the participants and more resources for their activities. The return on this investment will be immeasurable for Oshkosh. With all of this said about resources, let me comment on what you don't face. Additional capital dollars probably won't be a problem for your program. You are fortunate that your real estate market is strong enough for investment to be recovered through sales. Too many older American cities have proceeded through the disinvestment process fully and are now facing a downward spiral in equity values. Oshkosh is not yet at the point, so you have the opportunity to turn the trends around before market conditions have fully deteriorated. Use this window to make the critical decisions that will keep Oshkosh competitive. My Observations: NeighborWorks Oshkosh is resource deficient, both in terms of amounts and flexibility. You need to add more dollars, especially dollars with fewer restrictions. You need to engage the broader community in the recovery of the older neighborhoods and in the re- positioning of Oshkosh as a place of choice. And you need to find the partners and the individuals that share this vision and are willing to invest in the long -term actions that are necessary. And with financial resources, focus on the powerful force of Oshkosh volunteers. 5 Attachment 4 Next Steps Oshkosh is one of America's great small cities and NeighborWorks Oshkosh should be a leading partner in positioning your city for its future. The central message must be that Oshkosh is a great choice for people to invest their resources and themselves. Shaping that message will be critical. Oshkosh isn't just a series of events or a place with students or the historic remains of an earlier place. Oshkosh is full of life; it has great neighborhoods and diversity; it offers housing stock that is second to none; it is located on a premier waterfront site; it offers great housing values and livable, walkable neighborhoods. I am sure that I could add to this list for pages. The challenge for the leadership of the city is to hone the message to create the change you want. By setting your goal on building confidence in the neighborhoods, you have taken an important first step. Now you need to keep that goal central to all your current work and to the new projects and neighborhoods you take on. Next you need to build your reputation by role modeling how activities can reinforce that message with your partners and with the people of Oshkosh. Finally, you should build the resources that will allow you to succeed and to grow NeighborWorks Oshkosh as a sustainable, long -term player in the city's transformation. Always remember that resources aren't just dollars; the citizens of Oshkosh are an incredible pool of talent and energy that can dramatically impact your goals and all of the city. As you can tell, I remain excited by your work and even more optimistic about your future and the future of Oshkosh. If there is anything that I can do to help you achieve your mission, please feel free to contact me. M Attachment 5 Rag Neighbor Torks® Good NEIGHBOR Grant Program NeighborWorks Exterior Improvement Grants to Homeowners for the Benefit of Revitalization Executive Summary , iii Neighbor NeighborWorW 111 N Main St Suite 407 Oshkosh, WI 54901 Ph: 920 - 230.6766 Email: nwoshkosh @nhswi.org 1 Attachment 5 Contents FY2012Program Summary .............................................................................................. ..............................3 Distributionof Grants .......................... ............................... ......................................... ..............................4 RecipientDemographics ................................................................................................. ..............................5 Impact Analysis by Funding Source ................................................................................. ..............................6 ImpactAnalysis by Neighborhood ................................................................................... ..............................8 Broad /Bay Neighborhood ........................................................................................... ..............................8 MiddleVillage Neighborhood ..................................................................................... ..............................8 NearEast Neighborhood ............................................................................................. ..............................9 StevensPark Neighborhood ........................................................................................ ..............................9 OtherNeighborhoods ................................................................................................ .............................10 AdditionalOutcomes ...................................................................................................... .............................12 2013 Good NEIGHBOR Grant Program ........................................................................... .............................12 is Attachment 5 FY2012 Program Summary According to the results of our 2011 Resident Confidence in the Community survey, residents of Oshkosh's eastside like their neighborhoods and are willing to invest in their homes, if it's affordable. In 2012, NeighborWorks Badgerland developed the Good NEIGHBOR Grant Program as a mechanism to: • Make exterior home improvements affordable for homeowners; • Increase resident confidence in their neighborhoods and willingness to invest in their homes; • Increase resident involvement in neighborhood revitalization; • Stabilize home values and protect homeowner equity; and • Develop strong relationships among neighborhood stakeholders. In 2012, thirty six grant recipients completed 46 projects, including: • 4 new primary and /or storm doors installed (9% of projects); • Concrete repairs completed on 5 homes (11% of projects); • New windows installed at 11 homes (24% of projects); • 8 porches repaired (17% of projects) • 1 exterior lighting (2% of projects) • Garage doors replaced on 2 homes (4.3% of projects); • 2 exterior paint projects (4.3% of projects); • 2 chimneys repaired (4.3% of projects); • 3 roofs replaced (6.5% of projects); • 3 homes sided (6.5% of projects); • Gutters installed on 1 home (2.1% of projects); • 3 landscape projects (6.5% of projects); and • 1 fence repaired (2.1% of projects). NeighborWorks Badgerland partnered with the City of Oshkosh, the Stevens Park Neighborhood Association, the Middle Village Neighborhood Association, Lowe's, and Habitat for Humanity — Oshkosh to make the 2012 Good NEIGHBOR Grant Program an overwhelming success. In total, 37 Good NEIGHBOR Grant projects were approved, for a total of $42,600.00. Thirty six of those projects were completed and $34,574.75 in grant funds was dispersed; creating $200,732.76 of added value in our neighborhoods - over 5.8 times our initial financial investment. The remaining project is anticipated to be completed in spring of 2013. 3 Legend Streets NeighborWorks Neighborhood Water Grant Locations ., -V r 4 Attachment 5 Distribution of Grants s � i i r` NeighborWorks Oshkosh !' Good NEIGHBOR Grant EtlRlai i Locations 2M 1 1 A R- .- -x Y.s.. �s0.iiQF Legend Streets NeighborWorks Neighborhood Water Grant Locations ., -V r 4 Attachment 5 Distribution of Grants Attachment 5 Recipient Demographics Recipient income structure: • 13 grant recipients (35 %) were income qualified by family size; • 3 grant recipients (8 %) were income qualified by area; • 16 grant recipients (43 %) were not income qualified by family size or by area; • 5 grant recipients (14 %) were income qualified, but were unable to use CDBG funding due to project type. Recipient age, disability, and familial status: • 20 grant recipients (54 %) were young families; • 11 grant recipients (30 %) were elderly; • 2 grant recipients (5 %) were disabled; • 2 grant recipients (5 %) were single females; • 2 grant recipients (5 %) were single mothers. * Young Families Elderly -<# Disabled Single Female ti Single Mother The average household income for our 2012 Good NEIGHBOR Grant recipients was $48,209.68 and the average household size was three. In other words, the average Good NEIGHBOR Grant recipient in 2012 earned approximately 86% of Area Median income (AMI) for family size. 5 Attachment 5 Impact Analysis by Funding Source A combination of CDBG and non -CDBG public funding was used to finance the 2012 Good NEIGHBOR Grant Program. Good NEIGHBOR Grant Funding Sources— Project Funds Approved CDBG $21,000.00 Non -CDBG $21,600.00 The chart below shows the dollar amounts approved through each funding source, compared to the amount of funds dispersed through the program. Comparison of Project Funds Approved vs. Funds Dispersed, by Funding Source i1C;lt9it110 CDBG Dispersed Approved CDBG Approved $21,000-00 Dispersed $13,617.55 Nan -CDBG $21,600.00 $20,957.20 $0.00 $5,000.00610, 000 .0015,000.01320,000.0625,000.00 Note: * One household was approved for a $5,000 CDBG grant. Project was postponed until 2013. *Several households did not use the entire $1,000.00 grant award for their project. 9 Attachment 5 The following chart illustrates the amount of added value the Good NEIGHBOR Grant projects brought to our eastside Oshkosh neighborhoods. These amounts are further broken down to reflect the financial impact of each funding source. Comparison of Added Value by Funding Source $160,000 $140,000 $120,000 $100,000 $80,000 $60,000 $40,000 $ 20,000 $0 Dispersed M Added Value CDBG NON -CDBG Dispersed $13,618 $20,357.20 Added Value $50,024.31 $150,708.42 Note. Added values were calculated by determining the actual financial investment for each project (including additional funds contributed by the homeowner) and using a standard multiplier of three to estimate the combined value of time, effort, and money invested in each project. Added value also reflects — in dollars — the social capital brought to the neighborhoods through the Good NEIGHBOR Grant Program. 7 CDBG NON -CDBG Attachment 5 Impact Analysis by Neighborhood Broad /Bay Neighborhood Four Good NEIGHBOR Grants were approved in the Broad /Bay Neighborhood, with all four projects completed and the grant funds dispersed. These projects included concrete repairs, replacement of a worn awning and porch railings, tear off and replacement of a roof, and exterior paint. 1 have lived in my home on Otter Avenue for over 32 years and feel my neighborhood has improved over the past 10 -15 years by becoming a more family friendly place to live. Many young families have moved to the Otter - Ceape- Waugoo Ave area and have made improvements to their homes, planted gardens, and shown an interest in becoming a neighborhood to be proud of. I'd like to thank NeighborWorks for helping myself and my eastside neighbors realize our dreams and improve our homes." — Kathy Webb Middle Village Neighborhood Four Good NEIGHBOR Grants were approved in the Middle Village neighborhood, with all four projects completed and the grant funds dispersed. These projects included exterior trim paint, a new brick service walk, landscaping, and removal of problem trees. 622 Frederick street "Several neighbors stopped by during the process and we are very happy to hear that they may try and spruce up their yard, put in a patio, etc. I think people need to see a result before they get inspired, it is easy to live in your bubble and tell yourself that something is impossible, but when you see it happen in front of you, it is easier to believe that you can make something great, no matter how small or how big, if you just put some time and effort into it." — Christina Crook E3 707 Washington Avenue Attachment 5 Near East Neighborhood Two Good NEIGHBOR Grants were approved in the Near East neighborhood, with both of the projects completed and the grant funds dispersed. The completed projects involved the installation of gutters and the reconstruction of a front porch. 306 Dale Ave "Our family has gotten to meet several friendly neighbors since we've lived in this neighborhood - neighbors who will take the time to help remove debris after a storm or return a dog who has escaped his yard. We enjoy the family atmosphere here - watching families spending time together in their front yards and kids playing football in the streets." — Stephanie Crane Stevens Park Neighborhood Twenty one Good NEIGHBOR Grants were approved in the Stevens Park neighborhood, with all of the projects completed and the grant funds dispersed. Completed projects include new windows, porch repairs, new roofs, concrete work, landscaping, new garage doors, new siding, chimney tuck pointing, and new primary and storm doors. 1003 Ceape Avenue "My wife and I appreciate that our neighborhood is quiet and family oriented. Our neighbors are friendly and we all look out for one another. We especially like living so close to some of our favorite places such as lake Winnebago, Menominee Park, and Jansen's Restaurant." — Zack Pattison Attachment 5 Other Neighborhoods Six Good NEIGHBOR Grants were approved in other un -named eastside Oshkosh neighborhoods, with five of the projects completed and the grant funds dispersed. Completed projects include new windows and replacement of lattice fencing. Incomplete projects include concrete work and front porch repairs. The remaining project is scheduled to be completed in spring 2013. 758 Monroe St "I must first say thank you for the opportunity to replace some windows that were in much need of updating. These windows will be great help with energy efficiency in our home. These windows will also help make the house look nicer for all those who drive by and my surrounding neighbors. This neighborhood is relatively quiet. My neighbors for the majority are considerate and thoughtful. My next door neighbors I probably know the best, they have been helpful many times and I have returned the favor. It's the mutual respect and helpfulness of this neighborhood and community that makes it a great place to live. I hope and pray this neighborhood continues to attract people of good character that I and my fellow neighbors can live and work alongside to make this neighborhood even better than it already is. Thank you again for the opportunity to be a part of this project. I hope that one day I will be able to help someone as you have helped me and my family." — Nathan Sturtz 10 Attachment 5 The following chart depicts how the Good NEIGHBOR Grant funds were allocated in each neighborhood, by funding source. The second chart depicts the added value created in each neighborhood, by funding source. Allocation of Funds by Neighborhood and Funding Source $16,000.00 $14,000.00 CDBG Non -CDBG $12,000.00 3 $10,400.00 -- —�- -a Middle Village $2,000.00 $4,000.00 58,000.00 _ Broad / Bay $3,000.00 $1,000.00 $6,000.00 $4,000.00 - CDBG Near East $2,000.00 0 52,000.00 ' Stevens Park $6,000.00 $14,600.00 $0.00 • ._ _.____ _ T �_ No» -CDBG Other $8,000.00 $2,000.00 a°*� �aA Added Value by Neighborhood and Funding Source $120,000.00 - - -- $100,000.00 - -- - CDBG NON -CDBG 580,000.00 - - -- - - - -- - ? Middle Village $3,094.44 $16,250.25 $60,000.00 -- .- -- -- - Broad Bay $12,115.17 $15,792 $40,000.00 - - -- - - -- - - - - -- CDBG Near East $5,874 $0 $20,000.00 - - -- - - -- Stevens Park $32,731.30 $101,920.53 NON -CDBG ; $0.00 -- Other $6,700.65 $6,254.67 1 2 A e� J�� a a��a yQ a Owe 3 5 11 Attachment 5 Additional Outcomes A final noteworthy result of the 2012 Good NEIGHBOR Grant Program is the development of Oshkosh's fifth named neighborhood association. Residents in the Broad / Bay area have met with NeighborWorks Badgerland staff and Resident Leadership Committee members to plan an initial neighborhood meeting and to develop the materials necessary to become an officially recognized neighborhood association by the City of Oshkosh. 2013 Good NEIGHBOR Grant Program On behalf of the staff, committee members, and volunteers of NeighborWorks Badgerland, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to the City of Oshkosh for their financial and staff support during the 2012 program year. The Good NEIGHBOR Grant Program continues to generate interest and to date we have 14 families on a waiting list for 2013. We look forward to continuing our community investment partnership with the City of Oshkosh and to moving forward with our shared vision of creating Healthy Neighborhood of Choice in Oshkosh. 12 Attachment 6 633 Mount Vernon Street Attachment 7 667 Bowen Street 2013 Work Plan Mission Statement: The purpose of NeighborWorks Badgeriand is to renew pride, restore confidence, promote reinvestment, and revitalize the Oshkosh neighborhoods through the efforts of local residents acting in concert with financial institutions, corporate enterprise and the business community, foundations, and local government. Community Building and Organizing Community Level Goal 1: Objective: Actions: Responsible Timeframe: Outcome (CLO) 1; Committee /Staff: Create healthy, Increase Oshkosh's Establish a unique Determine a Resident Ongoing sustainable competitiveness in identity and consistent message, Leadership neighborhoods of the residential real marketing plan for themes, words, and Committee choice in Oshkosh. estate market. two branding to be neighborhoods, communicated to a positioning larger audience. Oshkosh as a community of choice. Develop a realistic Resident October, 2013 list of assets and Leadership challenges for each Committee /Staff neighborhood. Utilize neighborhood All Ongoing names, boundaries, committees /staff and positive language that identify our neighborhoods as special places where people are choosing to live. Identify local Resident Ongoing communication Leadership mechanisms such as Committee /Staff websites, signs in local businesses, and regular neighborhood flyers. Promote our neighborhoods through other community groups, churches, schools, and public forums. Goal: 2: Objective: Actions: Responsible Timeframe: Committee /Staff: Develop high Increase the Provide resident Resident Ongoing standards of design competitiveness education to Leadership and property of Oshkosh promote an Committee/ Staff maintenance in the neighborhoods in understanding of real neighborhood. the residential real estate markets and estate market. competition. Increase Partner with the City Resident Ongoing neighborhood to ensure that Leadership confidence and resident led goals are Committee /Staff pride of achieved. Support ownership. the City's implementation of Residential Design and Infill standards. Develop a home Resident May, 2013 maintenance award Leadership program. Committee / Staff Identify block level Resident Ongoing improvement Leadership projects through an Committee /Staff ongoing dialogue with neighborhood residents. Goal 3: Objective: Actions: Responsible Timeframe: Committee /Staff: Encourage Develop the social Sponsor a minimum Resident December, 2013 neighbors to come capital of the of five community Leadership together for a neighborhood. events which provide Committee /Staff better opportunities for neighborhood. residents to meet, talk, and have fun together. Promote Develop a plan to Steering June, 2013 neighborhood welcome new Committee /Real pride. residents to the Estate Committee/ neighborhood. Staff Provide Community Resident Ongoing Leadership training Leadership opportunities Committee/ Staff identify city and Residents / Ongoing private resources Resident directed at helping Leadership residents re- engage Committee / Staff with their neighbors. Goal a: Objective: Actions: Responsible Timeframe: Committee / Staff: Facilitate the Increase resident Host a Creating CLI Action Plan April, 2013 creation of two involvement in the Healthy Oshkosh Work Group / new neighborhood neighborhood and Neighborhoods Resident associations in develop resident workshop for Leadership Oshkosh. leadership. Oshkosh residents. Committee / Staff Provide education on the Healthy Neighborhoods approach and resources for starting a neighborhood association. Goal 5: Objective: Actions: Responsible Timeframe: Committee / Staff: Conduct a Expand our Work closely with Algoma Park October, 2013 Community Impact services to include neighborhood Neighborhood data collection a more stable association members Association / Staff effort in the neighborhood that to obtain 265 survey Algoma Park is showing fewer responses and neighborhood. signs of distress. analyze the physical conditions of a minimum of 100 properties in the Algoma Park neighborhood. Homeowner Services and Promotion CLO 2: Goal 1: Objective: Actions: Responsible Timeframe: Committee /Staff: Stabilize home Create a Increase property Provide $50,000 of Steering values and protect community of maintenance Good NEIGHBOR Committee / homeowner equity. financially secure standards in the Grants to Staff homeowners. neighborhood. homeowners. Provide service to Promote the Oshkosh All Ongoing 100 families eHome America Committees /Staff through our website for eHome online homebuyer education homebuyer at education course. www.ehomeamerica. org/nwosh. Assist two Provide the education Steering December, 2013 families in and resources Committee / Staff becoming necessary to make homeowners in homeownership target affordable for two neighborhoods. families in Oshkosh. Goal 2: Objective: Actions: Responsible Timeframe: Committee /Staff: Develop four new Develop Schedule one Resource Ongoing partnerships with NeighborWorks fundraising meeting Development real estate full cycle lending per month. Committee /Staff professionals and in Oshkosh. financial institutions to promote homeownership in our neighborhoods. Goal 3: Objective: Actions: Responsible Timeframe: Committee /Staff Attract new Increase rates of Assist in marketing Resident Ongoing homeowners to homeownership homes for sale in Leadership our target areas. in the community. partner Committee /Staff neighborhoods. Real Estate Development CLO 3: Goal 1: Objective: Actions: Responsible Timeframe: Committee /Staff Increase wealth Increase resident Provide quality Identify and Steering Completed and asset building confidence in the affordable implement strategic committee through neighborhood and housing in our real estate acquisition appreciation of willingness to target and rehabilitation home values. invest in their neighborhoods. methods. Responsible Timeframe: homes. Committee / Staff: Identify potential Catalyze strategic Develop and utilize Steering Ongoing corporate reinvestment in partnerships to Committee /Real sponsors. Develop our target areas. encourage investment Estate partnerships with in partner Committee /Staff local financial neighborhoods. institutions. Identify potential Residents / Staff Ongoing Goal 3: Objective: buyers for rehab Responsible Timeframe: properties. Committee / Staff: Develop Compile a directory of Real Estate Ongoing partnership qualified local Committee / Staff relationships with contractors. Committee / Staff Resource Development and Public Relations CLO 4: Goal 1: Objective: Actions: Responsible Timeframe: Committee / Staff: Increase the level Obtain financial insure continued Create a resource Steering May, 2013 of private resources. funding for all development Committee /Staff investment in our programs. Committee. neighborhoods. Goal 2: Objective: Actions: Responsible Timeframe: Committee / Staff: Identify potential Raise $100,000 in Schedule monthly Resource Ongoing corporate private funding fundraising meetings Development sponsors. Develop support in 2013. with local partners. Committee / Staff partnerships with local financial institutions. Goal 3: Objective: Actions: Responsible Timeframe: Committee / Staff: Develop Continue to identify Resource Ongoing partnership and apply for Development relationships with foundation grant Committee / Staff local foundations. opportunities as they become available. Goal 4: Objective: Actions: Responsible Timeframe: Committee / Staff: Promote the Market our Develop a public All NeighborWorks Ongoing NeighborWorks services and communication and Committees / Staff brand throughout neighborhoods to outreach plan that the greater target home crosses lines of age, Oshkosh area. buyers within a race, ethnicity, and larger audience. income. 3/7/2013 Neighbor arks° BA©GERLAND 3/7/2013 .� -.. \ \ -- ^<� [ � } /��`��« «• -- �� /�`�/ 3/7/2013