What is a NRSA?“A NRSA is a community neighborhood strategy that will designate a geographical area for the purpose of concentrating resources and undertaking activities that will make communities sustainable through provision of decent affordable housing and increased economic opportunities.”

NRSA Plan: Developed by the locality (CDBG office submits) Approved by HUD Office Results in the NRSA designation Allows locality greater flexibility in applying CDBG

regulations Intended to encourage targeted effort to revitalize a

neighborhood Wisconsin NRSA’s: Milwaukee, Waukesha, Sheboygan, Kenosha

HUD NRSA Vision

Successful NRSA’s:

1. Obtain commitment to neighborhood building.2. Make neighborhoods attractive for investments, thereby creating a market for

profits.3. Generate neighborhood participation to ensure that the benefits of economic

activity are reinvested in the neighborhood for long-term community development.4. Support the use of neighborhood intermediaries (CDCs, CDFIs, CHDOs, and religious

institutions) to bridge gaps between local government, the business community, community groups, and residents.

5. Foster the growth of resident-based initiatives to identify and address their housing, economic and human services needs. (1)

(1) Notice CPD-96-01:CDBG Neighborhood Revitalization Strategies

Benefits of the NRSA Process• Focuses efforts in a targeted neighborhood• Brings attention to issues and opportunities• Increases neighborhood consciousness • Surfaces assets • Generates enthusiasm• Moves city officials out to the street• Invites investment – public, private,

community

Benefits of the NRSA DesignationWhy do a NRSA?Substantially increased flexibility in the use of

CDBG funds in a targeted neighborhood.1. HUD accepts the LMI Area Benefit – making it easier to implement job creation,

job retention and economic development projects.2. Housing units are aggregated and treated as a single structure as long as 51%+

are occupied by LMI households.3. Public service activities, including employment services, are exempt from the

public service cap.

Greater competitiveness for local, state, and federal grants. Existence of a plan very attractive to funders.

Local Concerns about NRSA• Singling out a neighborhood for ‘special

treatment’ can be seen as unfair.• NRSA may be seen as giving political benefit to one

alderperson.• Process can raise expectations and demands of

residents and stakeholders beyond what is possible.

• Residents/stakeholders will want the NRSA to fix a lot of things – NRSA’s emphasis is economic development and employment.

Required Elements of the NRSA

1. NRSA Boundaries – contiguous area2. Demographic Criteria – 51%+ LMI3. Consultation with stakeholders4. Assessment of economic conditions and

opportunities5. Economic Empowerment Strategy:

meaningful jobs and substantial revitalization6. Performance Measures

NRSA Boundaries: Picking the Target Neighborhood

HUD requirements:Contiguous areaPopulation meets the 51% LMI standardPrimarily residential

Considerations:Natural/historic boundariesPolitical boundariesData availability – compatibility with census tract/block group boundaries

51% LMI Data Challenge

• LMI = Household income below 80% of the Area Median Income (Milwaukee County Median Income = $42,012; LMI = $33,610)

• 2000 Census, STF (Summary Tape File) 3• 2010 Census not applicable – no income data• American Community Survey (ACS) data – not accepted at

this point• 2013 ACS modification will provide new income data• HUD official: A NRSA could be approved even if 2000 census doesn’t

indicate 51% LMI if there is documentation of the neighborhood going significantly downhill since 2000. Other data can augment: eligibility for free/reduced price lunch, survey data, other sources. (Don’t try, though, unless it’s pretty close.)

Low/Moderate Income Area Population Low/Moderate # Low/Moderate %

Appleton 67,710 25,709 38.0%

Beloit 34,229 18,216 53.2%

Eau Claire 56,873 24,318 42.8%

Fond du Lac 39,600 16,084 40.6%

Green Bay 99,686 48,851 49.0%

Janesville 58,368 21,763 37.3%

Kenosha 87,733 40,930 46.7%

La Crosse 46,782 24,791 53.0%

Oshkosh 55,358 27,391 49.5%

Madison 194,727 92,128 47.3%

Milwaukee 58,0522 360,321 62.1%

Racine 79,963 42,228 52.8%

Sheboygan 49,587 22,672 45.7%

Wausau 37,112 17,508 47.2%

Consultation with StakeholdersNRSA #1 Stakeholder Committee Organizations RepresentedMayor Juan PerezBill Klein, PrincipalSue Nennig, PrincipalJohn RogersOfficer Todd PriebePaulette Enders, DirectorChad Pelishek, Economic Dev. ManagerAlderpersons: Bouck, Kittelson, Ryan, Montemayor, & MeyerChuck Adams, Assistant City AttorneyWilliam Bittner, DirectorBill Balke, City EngineerJennifer Sampson, CoordinatorAnn Wondergem, DirectorChasong Yang, Executive DirectorWendy Schmitz, Senior Ctr. SupervisorJoe Rupnik, Social Services DirectorLucio Fuentez, Executive DirectorJerry Doyle, MemberGary Dulmes, PresidentJim Johnston, OwnerJean McMurry, ConsultantJoanne Weiland, Planning & Allocations

City of SheboyganJefferson SchoolUrban Middle SchoolSheboygan Co. Chamber of CommerceSheboygan Police DepartmentDepartment of Planning & DevelopmentDepartment of Planning & DevelopmentSheboygan Common Council, Districts 2,3,4,8, & 7City Attorney’s OfficeDepartment of Public WorksDepartment of Planning & DevelopmentGateway Community OrganizationSheboygan Co. Health & Human ServicesHmong Mutual Assistance AssociationSheboygan Senior CenterSheboygan Salvation ArmyPartners for Community DevelopmentFountain Park United Methodist ChurchSheboygan Development CorporationJohnston BakeryAurora Health CareSheboygan & Plymouth Area United Way

Stakeholder Consultation

NRSA Stakeholder Committee– By invitation only – appointment by mayor– No more than 30 people– Blend of government, agency, business, resident– No formal structure

Three Stakeholder Committee meetings1. NRSA Kick-Off and identification of assets and challenges2. Review of data and development of goals and objectives3. Review and adoption of NRSA Plan

4. Meetings are agenda-driven, facilitated, task-oriented, interactive, interesting, and meaningful.

Assessment of Economic Conditions and Opportunities

• Stakeholder identification of neighborhood strengths and challenges (SWOT process)

• Analysis of housing and economic conditions:– Housing composition, condition, home ownership (census,

city building inspection, land use)– Barriers to home ownership and housing quality– Business development/employment opportunities– Employment status of residents– Barriers to fulltime employment at family-supporting wage

• Community Survey

Community Survey• Convenience sample: door to

door/street• Volunteers working in teams• Same-day survey training• HQ – TA, supplies, bilingual

dispatch• Data entry• Analysis – additional

documentation for employment and economic revitalization needs

• Critical partners – sponsoring organizations in the neighborhood, volunteers, and university

Public Safety and Neighborhood Issues

In the area within a few blocks or streets of your home, how safe do you feel alone on the streets?

Public Safety and Neighborhood Issues

Top 10 Neighborhood Problems

Employment and Education

Top 10 Employment Problems

Economic Empowerment StrategyGoals Objectives

1. Significantly improve the quality of housing through enhanced code enforcement and investment in housing maintenance and rehab.

2. Improve the economic wellbeing of the neighborhood by encouraging business development that will generate jobs for residents.

3. Improve the quality of life in the neighborhood through efforts to improve public safety and increase community involvement.

4. Continue to invest in city infrastructure within the NRSA.

1: Enhance building inspection, increased loan program use, new program of forgivable loans for residential improvements, landlord education

2: ED loan program to expand businesses, hire from the neighborhood initiative, access to job resources, entrepreneur education

3: Neighborhood association, public safety, youth assets initiative, sector approach to generate visible results

4: Upgrade streets, sidewalks, lighting, support pedestrian/bicycle paths, schools as community centers

NRSA Goal 1 Year Outcome 5 Year Outcome

1. Significantly improve the quality of housing through enhanced code enforcement and investment in housing maintenance and rehabilitation.

Increase in the number of code violations that are successfully remediated by up to 10% over 2008 level

Establishment of the residential façade/yard forgivable loan program and completion of a minimum of 5 loans in the Year 1 NRSA sector

Increase in utilization of the Owner-occupied Loan Program and the Rental Rehab Loan Program by 3 additional loans

One information meeting conducted for NRSA landlords regarding code enforcement and improvement resources

Improved housing quality as evidenced by code violation data, observation, and resident survey

45 residential façade/yard forgivable loans made and improvements completed

15 additional loans made using the Owner-occupied Loan Program and the Rental Rehab Loan Program and improvements completed

Annual informational meetings and/or other informational outreach efforts conducted with NRSA landlords

1. Improve the economic wellbeing of the neighborhood by encouraging business development that will generate jobs for residents.

2 new business start-ups and/or expansions completed resulting in a minimum of 5 new jobs

Completion of 1 entrepreneur education workshop, potentially focusing on home-based child care

1 neighborhood employment opportunities/resources fair conducted

10 new business start-ups and/or expansions completed resulting in a minimum of 25 new jobs

5 neighborhood employment events and/or outreach activities conducted

1. Improve the quality of life in the neighborhood through efforts to improve public safety and increase community involvement.

Viable Gateway Neighborhood Association established as evidenced by 2 successful community events or projects involving a minimum of 40 residents

Measurable improvement in residents’ sense of public safety as measured by community outreach and/or neighborhood survey over 2008 level

Continuation and enhancement of support for CDBG-funded public services

Sustainable Gateway Neighborhood Association

Improved quality of life as measured by neighborhood resident survey

1. Continue to invest in City infrastructure within the NRSA.

Completion of street, sidewalk, street lighting, or park improvements in one targeted NRSA sector

Completion of a project to enhance pedestrian and/or bicycle access to the central business district

Completion of improvements in each of the five NRSA sectors

Completion of 5 projects to enhance pedestrian and/or bicycle access to the central business district

Performance Measures

Submission

• Approval by Stakeholder Committee, Common Council, and Mayor

• Submitted to HUD as part of Consolidated Plan• Or as an amendment to the Consolidated Plan• HUD review, approval, issuance of designation• Annual reporting, 3 year renewal, plan

modification as necessary

What does HUD look for?Interview with Michael Martin, Senior CPD Rep,

Wisconsin HUD Office:– Neighborhood eligibility – contiguous area with 51%

LMI– Proper stakeholder involvement– “A plan that will lead you someplace.”– Logical connection between the plan,

implementation and benchmarks– Measurable benchmarks

Michael Martin, Sr. CPD Rep, WI HUD Office, 414-935-6639, michael.e.martin@hud.gov

If you are interested in pursuing a NRSA designation….

1. Talk to your CDBG office and elected officials.2. Determine whether NRSA targeting would benefit a low-

income, challenged neighborhood.3. Obtain support of chief elected official.4. Discuss the process with your HUD representative.5. Consult with core partners: city/county/community

organization/business association/university.6. Designate coordinator.7. Develop planning process budget and timeline.