Choice Neighborhoods Initiative East Savannah Gateway Community - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Choice Neighborhoods Initiative East Savannah Gateway Community Meeting April 17, 2012

Agenda • Welcoming Remarks – Earline Davis, Executive Director of the Housing Authority of Savannah • Self-Introductions • Overview of CNI Program & Planning Process • Role and Contributions of the Transformation Team • Questions and Answers

Overview of the Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant • HAS was awarded a Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Planning Grant by HUD • HOPE VI public housing revitalization program has evolved into CNI • CNI emphasizes community planning at the neighborhood level

Three Parts of a CNI Plan • NEIGHBORHOOD • PEOPLE  EDUCATION  COMMUNITY AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES • HOUSING

Planning Goals: Neighborhood Transform the Selected Neighborhood Through: • Good Services and Amenities • Quality Schools • Improved Public Assets • Convenient Public Transportation • Access to Jobs

Planning Goals: People • Education:  Learning from Cradle to College or Career  Better Performing Schools and Resources  Preparation for Employment through training & business development assistance • Community and Supportive Services  Health  Safety  Employment  Increased Homeownership

Planning Goals: Housing Transform “distressed” Public and Assisted Housing into Housing that is: • Energy-Efficient • Mixed-Income • Well-Designed • Financially Healthy for the Long Term • One-for-One Replacement

Illustrative Transformation along Wheaton Street Corridor

Areas of Focus for CNI • Schools: East Broad, Spencer and Shuman Elementary and Savannah High School • Housing: Fred Wessels Homes and the former Robert Hitch Village site • Additional Focus Neighborhoods --Benjamin Van Clark Park Neighborhood --Eastside Concerned Citizens --Blackshear Homes Public Housing Community

Neighborhood Context Neighborhood Planning Area --East: Pennsylvania --West--Price St./East Broad --North: E. President Street & River St. --South: E. Henry Street

Neighborhood Community Assets Context • Proximity to Downtown • Completed HOPE VI Development • Substantial Site Control • Dedicated Funding Streams • Other Planning & Development Underway (e.g., Savannah Gardens, Presidential Square, and Wheaton Street Plan) • Resident Relocation and Hitch Demolition Completed

Planning Challenges Neighborhood Context • Located in Food Desert • Poor Walkability • Under-performing Schools • Extreme Poverty • Existing Land Use Patterns • Difficult Access to Job locations • Low Property Values & Very Low Ownership Rates • High Vacancies & empty lots • Trend of De-population • Unemployment over 30% • Inadequate Health Services

Neighborhood & Housing Context: • CNI is competitive: High Poverty; High Crime; Poor-Performing Schools; High long-term Vacancy; and Severe Distress of HUD-Assisted or Public Housing • Hitch demolished--functional obsolescence, age, lack of amenities, flooding issues, poor site design, lack of defensible space, negligible parking • Wessels has similar issues, better overall conditions

Planning Process • Data Gathering and Analysis • Community Consultation • Develop Strategies for Housing, Neighborhood & People • Consolidate into Transformation Plan • Develop Implementation Plan and Funding Strategy

Owner- Occupied Housing  With some exceptions, percentage of owner- occupied housing increases away from historic core  Eastside study area ~80% rental housing  South, east: homeownership generally parallels home value  West: large neighborhoods with high homeownership NEIGHBORHOOD : Social Context

Unemploym ent Rate  Highest unemployment in neighborhood surrounding historic core  Low unemployment to south, east  Student population may skew core unemployment figures NEIGHBORHOOD : Social Context

Coordination with Other Plans • 2006 – Chatham County – Savannah Tricentennial Plan • 2006 – Downtown Market Analysis • 2007 – Downtown Master Plan • 2007 – East Downtown TAD • 2008 - 2012 – Housing and Community Development Plan • 2009 – HAS Portfolio Analysis • 2011 –Unified Zoning Ordinance • Private Developments: Presidential Square & Savannah River Landing • Future Land Use Plan • Wheaton Street Targeted Revitalization East Downtown TAD Plan

Deliverables • Neighborhood Transformation Plan • Early Start Projects—Initial Implementation • Establish Lead Agency for Long-Term Sustainability • Prepare for Implementation Grant Application and Seek additional Funding

Role of the Transformation Team’s Steering Committee • Lead and Coordinate the Development of a Choice Neighborhoods Transformation Plan • Ensure Broad Community Outreach and Participation • Ensure Partner Commitments are Kept • Monitor Completion of Milestones to Plan • Encourage Informed Communication • Build Strong Community Support

Ways to Participate • Attend Community Meetings Like this One • Volunteer for a Task Force • Help Develop Sections of the Plan • Inform us About Community Needs • Let us know about plans, data, studies, resources, or potential additional partners

Team Organization Transformation Team Steering Committee Task Forces People- People- Housing Neighborhood CSS Education

Communication Plan • Resident Training • Transformation Team and Working Group Meetings • Issues forums, workshops and charrettes • Flyers posted in local access centers • Press releases • Social media • Housing Authority website

Steer ering C g Committee ee   Savannah-Chatham Public School Central Missionary Baptist Church  Chatham Area Transit System   •Savannah Fire & Emergency Services Chatham County   •Savannah State University Chatham County Safety Net Planning  •Savannah Technical College Council   •Second Ebenezer Missionary Baptist CHSA Development, Inc.  City of Savannah Church   •Step Up Savannah, Inc. Curtis V. Cooper Primary Health Care   •Trident Sustainability Group Housing Authority of Savannah   •Union Mission, Inc. Metropolitan Planning Commission   •United Way of the Coastal Empire Purpose Built Communities   •Youth Futures Authority Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce  The Savannah Bank, N.A.  Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department EAS EAST SAVAN ANNAH H GATEW EWAY: Pr Process

Questions and Comments

Spending Potential Index  Very low retail spending potential in most of central city  Spending potential does not increase greatly on other areas  Greatest spending potential further east (Whitemarsh Island) NEIGHBORHOOD : Social Context