Rosewood Choice Neighborhoods: Planning Initiative

Concepts and Commitments

Choice Neighborhoods HACA was awarded its $300,000 Choice Neighborhoods Planning

Grant from HUD in mid-October 2012

The Choice Neighborhoods Initiative has three overarching goals:

Housing: Revitalize systems-deficient public and assisted housing with high-quality, energy-efficient mixed-income housing that is well-managed and responsive to the needs of residents.

People: Improve educational, health, safety and employment outcomes and intergenerational mobility for youth and families who live in the target development and the adjacent neighborhood.

Neighborhood: Create the conditions to attract public and private investment to a neighborhood in order to provide good schools, commercial centers, accessible public transportation, and improved access to training, jobs and employment options.

Through the grant, HACA has begun planning how to work toward these goals

A Look Back

Kicked off planning process on December 5th, 2012

Initial meetings included Resident, Service Provider and Neighborhood Association and Faith-Based Meetings (January 2013)

5 Community Meetings between February 2013 and February 2014

5 Task Force Meetings between January 2013 and April 2014 Work Group Meetings: Between October 2013 and January 2014

Self-Sufficiency (3) Health & Wellness (3) Kids & Family (3) Business & Community (3)

4 resident-led “house meetings” held in June 2014

Getting to today Listened to the community,

reassessed approach, made changes and moved forward

Initiated 1:1 meetings with a variety of stakeholders to gain a deeper understanding of experiences and interests

Requested an extension to planning grant through April 10, 2015 to continue to vet housing concepts

Core Value 1

HACA will fully replace all Public Housing Units at the Rosewood Courts site.

124 units of public housing currently exist at Rosewood Courts, and HACA will ensure that 124 units remain at the site following any preservation, rehabilitation or redevelopment.

Core Value 2

HACA will Preserve Rosewood Courts’ Unique History.

Rosewood Courts is of unique historical significance in East Austin. HACA commits to preserving this history, interpreting the Rosewood Courts site, and developing a plan to make the site’s history more accessible to the community.

Core Value 3

HACA will Guarantee the Right to Return and work to Minimize Displacement If Construction Occurs.

A comprehensive relocation plan will address relocation services, Section 8 Tenant Protection Vouchers, public housing transfer priority, relocation assistance, phased redevelopment and tenant’s right to return.

Additional Commitments

No more than 200 total rental units

Homeownership opportunities

Resident participation in the development of a temporary relocation plan and a clear written agreement to be developed with Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid and Austin Tenant’s Council to protect resident interests

Current Conditions

Current Conditions

Rosewood Courts Site Concept

Rosewood Ave. & Chicon Perspective

Rosewood Ave. & Poquito Perspective – Emancipation Park

Poquito St. looking Northbound toward Rosewood Ave. – Homeownership Opportunities

Chicon & Cornell St. looking Northbound toward Rosewood Ave.

Inner Property View from Cornell St. –Block B

Aerial view of Property & Neighborhood

Sample Unit Interiors

Sample Unit Interiors

Sample Community & Office Space

Accessibility Features

Homeownership: Overview

Choice Neighborhoods Planning Area – Average Sales Price

What does HACA propose? 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homeownership units Both single-family/standalone and townhome homeownership units 1 and 2-story units to meet a variety of accessibility needs Use of a land trust model will ensure long-term affordability

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2/1/14 – 2/1/15 (moving average)

$177,654 $172,306 $201,039 $246,638 $301,389 $305,241

Strategic Investments – Residents & Community

Choice Neighborhoods Plan must outline investments to improve education, job skills, health care, economic development and mobility, transportation, neighborhood assets, social and recreational and other outcomes.

Investments must expand resident opportunity and strengthen linkages between residents and the broader community.

Strategic Investments The following Strategic Community Investments are

proposed, with the balance of funds being reserved for further identification of critical needs:

$1.5M / $500,000 each for Blackshear Elementary, Kealing Middle & Eastside Memorial High School to fund tutoring & mentoring programs, afterschool programs & enrichment activities to support academic success.

$1M for job/skills training to include organizations such as Goodwill, Skillpoint Alliance, Austin Community College, & Workforce Solutions, focused on providing residents and the broader community with expanded training opportunities to secure living wage jobs.

Strategic Investments ~$250,000 to help support neighborhood homeowners

with property maintenance costs for necessary repairs.

$1M for a Economic Development Small Business Revolving Loan Fund.

$500,000 for expanded programs to support healthy nutrition, food availability, and improved health through Capital Area Food Bank/Sustainable Food Center & others.

$500,000 for the development of a park to commemorate & celebrate the significance of Emancipation Park and its unique place in Austin’s history.