HOMES WITHIN REACH CONFERENCE

NEIGHBORHOOD STRATEGIC PLANNING AND ANALYSIS WORKSHOP HOMES WITHIN REACH CONFERENCE NOVEMBER 17, 2015INTRODUCTIONS Brief Bios2Charles Lanier: Present, Consultant for the Office of Housing and Community Development/Hunting Park Neighborhood Advisory Committee/CDC. Retired as a General Manager for the Philadelphia Housing Authority. Served over 35 years administering public service and community economic development programs in Philadelphia and served as an Executive Board Member for the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Charles graduated with a Masters Degree in Community Economic Development from Southern New Hampshire University. Demi Kolke: Community Development Manager for Operation Better Block, Inc. (OBB) which serves the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Homewood, one of the most blighted in the entire city. Her primary responsibility is to work towards neighborhood revitalization through resident engagement, homeowner stabilization, and vacant property remediation. Demi graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from NDSU and a Masters of Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh. Taris Vrcek: Executive Director of the McKees Rocks Development Corporation (MRCDC) since its inception in 2004. In the past 11 years, MRCDC has spearheaded several large-scale strategic projects, including: development of a130 acre Brownfield anchored by the CSX intermodal facility, and the 50 acre Rocks Industrial Park. MRCDC has now shifted its attention to development of its Main Street, lower Chartiers Avenue.

Beyond bricks and mortar, Vrcek has joined with local human service provider Focus On Renewal and other leaders and residents to form a more comprehensive community development strategy that combines outreach, resident empowerment, workforce development, youth initiatives, and the arts to create a complete community.

WORKSHOP OBJECTIVE3To develop a mission that encompasses a shared vision for neighborhood planning. By maximizing community investments and engagement through a planning process that identifies goals and objectives, inclusive of neighborhood mapping, setting priorities of strategies to revitalizing the community, activities to achieve revitalization, financial requirements, and time table for implementation and necessary plans governing neighborhood economic development.

This interdisciplinary approach to community development necessitates significant data to inform, promote and document planning that meets market and economic development conditions. NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AND REVITALIZATIONUnderstanding your neighborhoodPast and presentSocial, physical, economic, political

Neighborhood visioning

Strategy development

Planning for actionMeasurable objectives and action steps

Evaluation and implementation

DEFINING THE NEIGHBORHOOD5Relatively small areas with unique, identifiable features:Social and CivicPhysical and EconomicMay consist of a few to several contiguous blocksBoundaries typically observe natural/physical featuresWaterwaysMajor roadsRailways/Transportation accessibilityFEASIBILITY/SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES ARE INTERNAL AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE EXTERNAL FACTORS6Strengths:What advantages does our organization have?What do you do better than anyone else?What unique or lowest-cost resources can you draw upon that others cant?What do people in your market see as your strengths?What is your unique selling proposition (USP)?

Weaknesses:What could you improve?What should you avoid?What are people in your market likely to see as weaknesses?What factors lose you revenue?

What the revenue trends are receiving less support?

FEASIBILITY/SWOT ANALYSIS cont. 7Opportunities:What good opportunities can you spot?What interesting trends are you aware of?What changes are the technology and markets?What are the changes in related government policy?What are the changes in social patterns, population profiles, lifestyle?Local events.

Threats:What obstacles do you face?Are quality standards or specifications for your job, products or services changing?Is changing technology threatening your position?Could any of your weaknesses seriously threaten your organization?

Promoting Community Revitalization

Consensus Building

NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE INDICATORS10DemographicsPopulation characteristicsMedian household incomesChildren participating in subsidized school lunch programsHousing MarketVacancies and code violationsOwner-occupancySales prices and rentsEconomic Development/Business & IndustryRetail rents and vacancy ratesPrivate and public sector investments (PHA)Jobs and workforce needs/characteristicsSchool performance/student performanceCommunity BuildingResident perceptionsCleanlinessSafety/securityParticipation in community events

INFORMATION & DATA SOURCES11InformationPersonal InterviewsFocus Group DiscussionsTask Force/Community Wide MeetingsField Condition SurveysData SourcesCensus BureauAmerican Community SurveyTRF Policy Map/Google MapsCity and Regional Planning StudiesUniversities/Financial IntermediariesCity, County, Township Offices (GIS)HOUSING MARKET & AFFORDABILITY 12Average Home Sale PriceMarket Reality = PerceptionNeighborhood ConditionsHomeowner ReadinessQuality of Rental unitsLandlords Assoc.

TRANSPORTATION & LAND USE13

Transportation Accessibility (all modes!)Residential, Commercial, Industrial Land UsesRecreational/Open Space, Institutional Land UseBrownfield's and Environmental Hazards

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY14

Build On Existing Assets..Commercial Corridor ProfileIndustrial Corridor ProfileRetention, Growth, Exodus PlansWorkforce Characteristics and NeedsDevelop-able SitesTo Create New Opportunities..Infill developmentRevitalized downtownUpdated zoning and design standardsUtilize your networks to select the best public and private partnersQUALITY OF LIFE15

ASSESSING FEASIBILITY16Social and Human CapitalLeadership and relationships to carry out/manage the workCDCs/NACsRCOs/CivicsSchools/ChurchesFinancial Capital (grants/loans/equity)Monies to offset program and project costsGrantsLoansEquityPolitical Capital (power/influence)Voices and organizations to advocate for policies and practices supporting the aboveCDC/Developer Alliances or CollaborativeRCOs/CivicsSchools/Churches

PLANNING PROCESS17Resident DrivenChair and serve on Steering CommitteeActively participate in plan formulationDirectly engage in visioningFully vested in action planComprehensive in ScopeCommunity health, safety and securityQuality of educationWorkforce development and employmentQuality affordable housingOpen and green spacesAccess to retail goods and servicesCapable of attracting public and private resources

PLANNING PROCESS cont.18Phase 1: Steering Committee Engagement/FormationPhase 2: Data Research and Existing ConditionsPhase 3: Visioning/Preliminary RecommendationsPhase 4: Draft/Final Plan Production and Rollout

PLANNING PROCESS cont. 19Phase 1: Steering Committee Engagement/FormationIdentify candidates to: Serve on the Steering CommitteeCanvas neighborhood to complete resident surveyIdentify assets to protect and build onPriorities that need to be addressedWho else to talk with/invite to serveBrand the plan

PLANNING PROCESS cont.20Phase 2: Research and Existing ConditionsKick-off Steering Committee MeetingCollection of Base InformationWorkshops and Resident SurveysStakeholder InterviewsPhysical Surveys and MappingLand UseBuilding ConditionsDemographicsSummary of Opportunities and ChallengesPublic ForumSteering Committee Meeting Report back

PLANNING PROCESS cont.21Phase 3: Visioning/Preliminary RecommendationsDefining a Vision for the NeighborhoodA Plan forHousingEconomic DevelopmentOpen Space/Green SpaceCirculation and InfrastructureHuman Resource DevelopmentCommunity Services and FacilitiesAct Now! A Plan for the Next YearSteering Committee RetreatPublic ForumDraft Neighborhood Plan

PLANNING PROCESS cont.22Phase 4: Plan ProductionPreliminary Implementation and Financing StrategyShort to long term goals and strategiesTimelines and budget implicationsAction plans, phasing, lead/partner agenciesSort potential strategies into implementation timeframesImmediate (1 year)Intermediate (2-3 years)Longer term ( 4-5 years)Long term (6-10 years out)Design and get consensus on ranking criteriaDraft/Final Plan Production and Rollout

IMPLEMENTING BUDGET PROJECTIONS23Financing the Development and Operations of Real Estate:Obtaining the appropriate amount and type of financing is key to the development and on-going operations of any housing/development project. It is critical to identify all funding needs at the start of a project so there are no delays or shortfalls as you move along the development process through to occupancy. The majority of public and private financing is from state and local sources. Therefore, in order to assure compliance with funding sources as well as building and zoning regulations, it is important to have the active involvement of housing development experts throughout the planning and financing process. Remember to keep is simple in the beginning; one page with a preliminary budget. Identify possible funders, shop the project to get funders and stakeholders buy-in/support. IMPLEMENTING BUDGET cont.24Predevelopment Financing:Architectural and engineering studiesAttorneys feesConsultant servicesAppraisalsTitle reportsInitial site controlEnvironmental studiesMarket studiesZoning variancesFeasibility analysesDue deligence

IMPLEMENTING BUDGET cont.25Construction/Development Financing:Actual acquisition and construction or rehabilitationGeneral contractor for all trades (electrical, plumbing, masonry, roofing, heating and ventilation)Developer short term financing, replaced with long-term permanent financing secured by the propertyCombination of the developer/sponsors equity, public and private loans and grantsYour own capital campaign fund (how much do you bring to the table)

Note: Once you have determined the square footage, construction cost may be obtained from the contractor or project cost manuals.

IMPLEMENTING BUDGET cont.26Building Operations Financing: Maintenance and repairsUtilitiesExterminatingLawn careSnow Removal

Covering Costs: Rental incomeRental SubsidiesOperating reserves

IMPLEMENTING BUDGET cont. 27Program and Services Financing:Housing that is developed for a specialized population, will need to have program support and services available to its residents. Some of these costs may be covered through rental income, and some through appropriate third-party reimbursement or the public system.

THANK YOU AND GOOD LUCK: REMEMBER PLAN WITH VISION FOR COMMUNITY BY COMMUNITY.CONTACT INFORMATION28Charles Lanier, Interim Executive Director, Hunting Park Neighborhood Advisory Committee (HPNAC), 3760 N. Delhi Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140, 215-225-5560, fax 215-225-4960, hunting.parknac@verizon.net, website: huntingparknac.org.Demi Kolke, Community Development Manager, Operation Better Block, Inc (OBB, Inc.), 801 N. Homewood Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15208, 412-731-1908, dkolke@obbinc.org, website: obbinc.org.Taris Vrcek, Executive Director, McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation, 611 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks, PA 15136, 412-608-6765, tvrcek@mckeesrocks.com, website: mckeesrocks.com. ANSWERSQUESTIONS