10-28-13 Common Council Agenda & Packet

Home Browse Search

Introduction The Near Northwest Neighborhood, Inc. has a long history of resident engagement and participation, collaboration within the neighborhood, addressing neighborhood needs, and building on the many assets of the neighborhood. In this way, the" theory of change" associated with comprehensive community development is already ingrained in the neighborhood. Every few years, though, residents and stakeholders need to come together to affirm a vision for the neighborhood and identify a strategic direction for the neighborhood over the next five years. This Quality of Life planning ensures that there is an intentional process that brings more of the neighbors into the conversation and discusses the changing context of the neighborhood in terms of assets and opportunities and then identifies an approach to the next five years that will move the neighborhood forward. In 2013, the NNN, Inc. engaged in such a comprehensive community development process, leading to the development of this Quality of Life Plan. The process began in late 2012 with organizing. Resident leaders and stakeholders in the neighborhood were trained in the comprehensive community development process and in conducting one -on -one interviews with neighborhood residents. In the early months of 2013, the resident leaders and stakeholders set out to conduct more than 130 interviews, which resulted in the Report Back document and presentation held March 91h. With relationships built and interviews conducted, the neighborhood moved into deciding the vision for the neighborhood and the work ahead of them in developing action plans. The vision was affirmed and ideas were developed around six key areas identified in the interviews: Connections and Communications, Quality Housing, Economic Opportunity & Redevelopment, Safety, Infrastructure and Connectivity, and Youth and Families. From the summit on May I I th action planning teams were formed and tasked with developing goals and action plans around the six key areas. The teams spent the summer developing those goals and action plans. As fall was setting in, the neighborhood moved toward action — finalizing the Quality of Life Plan; rolling it out to the neighborhood residents, business owners, and other stakeholders; and asking the City Council for approval of their efforts. Then the real work of implementation and evaluation begins. While much of the work identified in the action plans includes NNN, Inc. as a responsible parry, the plan is not a work plan for the organization staff. Rather NNN, Inc. should serve as the coordinating organization that brings people together, through its committees, to do the work of the plan. In some cases this may mean new committees or expanding the membership of committees to accomplish the work of the action