Transcript Recommending a Strategy

Strategy for
Vital Neighborhoods
Working together in the places
Garland lives, works, learns,
plays and shops.
Garland’s Neighborhood
Philosophy
Recognizing a strength of Garland is the
character of its neighborhoods, we will
work in partnership with neighborhood
stakeholders and community resources to
build a stronger community and keep
Garland an excellent place to live and
invest.
Envisioned Outcomes
 Stabilized
and improved neighborhoods
 Sense of community
 Increased neighborhood management
capacity
Today’s Situation
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Limited resources necessitate neighbors working
in partnership to maximize return on investment.
Garland is comprised of neighborhoods of various
ages, strengths, weaknesses, issues, and levels of
involvement, and all merit attention to stay healthy,
stabilize, and improve.
The City Council and City Administration have
directed focus on Garland neighborhoods.
The proposed Neighborhood Strategy provides a
framework for addressing neighborhood issues.
How Did We Get Here?
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The Neighborhood Vitality Coordinator position was created to
support neighborhood organizations and develop neighborhood
capacity-building programs.
Reorganization of departments consolidated planning and
neighborhood outreach functions.
A Neighborhood Planner was hired.
The Neighborhood Strategy Coordination Team developed a
strategy that is designed to:
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offer something to all of Garland’s neighborhoods
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cultivate involvement, collaboration, and empowerment
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utilize data collected through the Neighborhood Benchmarking
Program but not rely solely on that data source
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encourage partnerships between the City and the community
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focus on programs for improvement but does not grade
neighborhoods
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recognize that neighborhoods are more than residential
subdivisions but the businesses, offices, schools and residents
of an area
Success is dependent on a culture
change emphasizing collaboration at
the neighborhood level and this
message must come from the top
and be marketed throughout the City
and the community.
Neighborhood Strategy
 Neighborhood Assessments
 Neighborhood
Grouping System
 Neighborhood Program Areas
 Neighborhood Toolbox
 Implementation
 Marketing
Neighborhood Assessments
Resources used to study and understand
the issues of specific neighborhoods.
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Benchmark Analysis of resident surveys
collected by ODT
Neighborhood Information System Data
compares City’s targets with resident opinion
surveys
Leadership and Organization Assessments by
Office of Neighborhood Vitality
Windshield surveys by Neighborhood
Strategy Coordination Team
Neighborhood Grouping System
Describes four types of neighborhood project
areas.
 Attempts to avoid consequences associated with
ranking or grading neighborhoods
 Recognizes that all neighborhoods need
attention or risk decline
 Provides a structure for establishing project work
programs
 Allows for a variety of program offerings
 Establishes a framework for collaboration and
mentoring across neighborhoods
Neighborhood Program Areas
Grouped by characteristics related to
Infrastructure, Quality of Life, Neighborhood
Appearance, Public Services
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Neighborhood Strategy Area - significant
infrastructure needs, low ratings for quality of life
issues, significant neighborhood appearance
concerns, less satisfaction with public services
Neighborhood Revitalization Area – some
infrastructure needs, moderate ratings for quality of
life issues, some neighborhood appearance issues
Neighborhood Enhancement Area – slight
infrastructure needs, minor quality of life issues
Neighborhood Outreach Area – few infrastructure or
quality of life issues, primarily newer neighborhoods
Neighborhood Toolbox
New and existing programs that assist neighborhoods:
 Office of Neighborhood Vitality programs
 Management capacity-building programs
 City of Garland neighborhood programs
(neighborhood watch, grant programs, publications)
 Neighborhood Planning programs
 Neighborhood Resource Team – action-oriented
working group of City employees that strategically
implements programs and services to reach
envisioned outcomes
 Community Resource Team – task force of subject
matter experts that advise staff during pilot process
to develop programs
Neighborhood Resource Team
Member Characteristics
 Visionary
 Results
oriented
 Good people skills
 Community oriented
 Unified commitment to envisioned
outcomes
 Cultivation and encouragement of
different viewpoints
 Team oriented
Community Resource Team
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Comprised of 10 to 15 field experts appointed
based on expertise rather than district
representation.
Staff will conduct background research to
develop a proposed slate of candidates.
Individual council members will suggest potential
candidates during slate development process.
Slate of candidates will be presented to the City
Council for approval.
Team will meet periodically for approximately 4
to 6 months.
Implementation
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Neighborhood Strategy Coordination Team presents proposed pilot
projects to City Administration and City Council
City Manager and Team presents the Strategy to Managing Directors
Directors designate candidates to the Neighborhood Resource Team
Council designates candidates to the Community Resource Team
Excitement for the program is generated with a kick-off conference to
include Resource Teams and neighborhood representatives from the
pilot project areas
Marketing campaign gets underway to sell and promote the Strategy’s
message within the community and City’s organizational structure
Pilot projects are initiated.
Note: Periodic updates to City Council will be required as pilot project scopes
and timelines are finalized and as determination of future projects is decided.
Marketing
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Work with the Public Information Officer to develop a
marketing plan
Fully develop program logo and tag line: Garland
neighborhood’s are where it’s @
Create a program for viewing on Channel 15
Utilize traditional public relations methods
Develop educational and teambuilding programs for the
Neighborhood Resource Team
Hold a conference or Neighborhood Summit
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Techniques for Creating Neighborhoods of Choice
Reading Neighborhoods
Breakout Sessions: Management, Image, Physical Conditions,
Influence of Social Capital
What Does It Mean for Garland?
Presentation of Garland’s Neighborhood Strategy
Proposed Pilot Projects
 Neighborhood
Strategy Area
 Neighborhood
Revitalization
Area
 Neighborhood
Enhancement
Area
 Neighborhood
Outreach Area
Neighborhood Strategy Area:
Terrace-Bellaire
Characteristics
 CDBG eligible
 Organized, active associations
 Neighborhood Watch
 Established City relationship
 Carver Center, proximity to
downtown
Opportunities
 Outreach to Spanish-speaking
stakeholders
 Partnership with South First
Street organizations
Neighborhood Revitalization
Area: Forest Ridge-Walnut
Characteristics
 Police’s Apartment
Manager’s Association
 New recreation center
 Portions CDBG eligible
 Individual leaders
 Large number of
apartments
 Some negativity among
residents
Opportunities
 Development of new
recreation center
 Analyze impacts of
demographic shift
Neighborhood Enhancement
Area: Carriage House
Characteristics
 Homes receiving
investment
 Near 190 and new retail
 Scheduled transportation
improvements
 Combination of older and
newer developments
 Unclear status of
neighborhood
organizations
Opportunities
 Identify leadership
 Build consensus
Neighborhood Outreach Area:
Oakridge
Characteristics
 Single-family residential has
solid, involved organizations
 Oakridge Neighborhood
Association has prioritized
goals
 Little integration with new,
adjacent development and
apartment community
Opportunities
 Groom as a mentor
organization for nearby
neighborhoods
 Assist with plan
implementation
Examples of Program Activities
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Leadership development
Build social capital
Physical enhancements
Improve neighborhood image
Teambuilding
Safety programs
Mentoring programs
Neighborhood planning
Project implementation
Branding neighborhoods
Schedule
08/06
09/06
10/06
11/06
12/06
01/07
02/07
03/07
04/07
05/07
07/07
Identify and organize NRT and CRT, set agenda for neighborhood
summit, research pilot areas, coordinate publicity with PIO.
Training and teambuilding of NRT, send invitations to summit,
outreach to pilot areas, test marketing, affirm CRT.
Prepare and conduct neighborhood summit.
Kick-off pilot programs, plan offerings of GNU.
Set priorities and work plan for CRT and pilots.
Coordinate NRT work plan and activities of pilots.
Initiate NRT activities, draft CRT report, GNU opens.
NRT discusses new program areas, present CRT report to Council,
conduct Class 2 of GNU.
Present new program areas to Council, completion of CRT, wrap-up
NOA and NEA activities, Council considers CRT recommendations
and approves new NPAs, Class 3 of GNU.
Initiate work in two additional NPAs, Council provides direction to
City Manager regarding program areas, Class 4 GNU.
Wrap-up NRA and NSA activities.