9978-09 Appropriating $2,463,435 from Community Development (Fund 212), defraying expenses of CED

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St. Joseph County Housing Consortium representatives from local nonprofit agencies. The third plan drew input from aii affected agencies. This fourth plan incorporates the traditional public hearing aspects of the previous three plans and consultation with local agencies, plus reflects the goals of the current comprehensive plans of South Bend (City Plan) and Mishawaka. South Bend's City Plan was adopted by the South Bend Common Council and the Area Plan Commission, a joint City-County agency, in 2006. Using an unprecedented public participation process, City Plan was developed by Staff of the Department of Community & Economic Development with the assistance of the Civic Alliance, fifty individuals representing a broad cross-section of the community. The planning process featured two educational lecture series and more than one hundred public meetings held throughout the city. The goals, objectives, and policies of City Plan have been one guide used in the development of this HCD Plan. The current Mishawaka 2000 Comprehensive Plan was established in 1986 and has since been updated twice for the redevelopment of the former Uniroyal facility, the "Rivercenter," and for the development of Capital Avenue in a joint effort with St. Joseph County. The City, in some areas, has outgrown the limits of the previous plan. The goals are outdated and in some cases are not pertinent to current trends and issues. In 2004, the City of Mishawaka began the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan to guide growth and development in the city. Members from the Redevelopment Commission, City Administration, Common Council members, citizens, and staff members attended a kick-off that year. Also, a questionnaire was distributed to all Mishawaka residents who receive utility bills, to gather much needed community input to ensure the Plan is truly reflective of the wants. and needs of our community. The goal for the Comprehensive Plan is to consult as many people as possible in the community to obtain feedback, thoughts, and concerns on where our community is headed, and to address future development challenges in a practical, economical manner. In 2005, work on the Comprehensive Plan continued, including an update of Comprehensive Plan Communities (e.g. neighborhoods) and a housing condition survey of over 3,500 homes. A draft Transportation component was added to the plan in 2006. As part of the process, a Mission Statement was created for the City. Department heads and elected officials provided a basic direction to the effort. The resulting City of Mishawaka's declared mission is: "Working together to build the "Best Hometown in America" by delivering exceptional services, promoting safe and clean neighborhoods, elevating the quality of life, and inspiring pride in our community." The City of Mishawaka anticipates that once completed, this comprehensive plan effort will have a significant impact on the consolidated plan. At a minimum it has the potential to involve more departments and organizations in some of our common needs identified herein. Police, Fire, Building, Engineering, Planning and Street Departments all play an integral role in the quality of our neighborhoods. Our problems, issues, and goals are not limited to one department or area, but have the potential to be impacted on every level by the services delivered by the City. These services will no doubt be better organized and directed following this effort. As work on the Comprehensive Plan proceeds, the City anticipates that revisions will be made to the portions pertaining to Mishawaka found in the Consolidated Plan. The City of South Bend, the City of Mishawaka and St. Joseph County joined together to form the St. Joseph County Housing Consortium to assemble the first five year Plan in 1995. Many challenges confront the St. Joseph County Housing Consortium and its member 2010-2014 Housing and Community Development Plan 7