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South Bend Redevelopment Commission <br />Regular Meeting November 10, 2014 <br />6. NEW BUSINESS (CONT.) <br />A. Public Hearings <br />(1) continued... <br />people to jobs is through the SMART program (Supporting Manufacturers and Regional <br />Talent). SMART is a partnership between the City of South Bend, the City of Mishawaka, <br />and American Electric Power to fund scholarships for 48 residents to go through a training <br />program for jobs that we know exist, but are unfilled. Manufacturers identified unfilled jobs <br />and Work One and Ivy Tech created training programs for those specific jobs. 15 of the first <br />18 graduates of the program are now employed. Mr. Ford noted that Nello Corp., a <br />manufacturing plant from Texas, is going to be a transformative project, with 530 jobs. . <br />Mr. Ford, then, addressed planning for vibrant neighborhoods. A number of projects are <br />underway, including Ignition Park and Smart Streets. But he focused on the West Side Main <br />Streets Revitalization Plan because that is a key driver for why we are seeking to amend the <br />boundaries of the redevelopment districts. Completed in fall 2014, the West Side Main <br />Streets Plan is a living plan, to be guided by a vetting committee made up of community <br />leaders who live and work around Lincolnway West and Western Ave. The objective is to <br />create a sense of identity around key nodes along those streets and create some recreational <br />amenities, such as the west side greenways trail, expand some parks and improve the city <br />cemetery. We intend to create facade grant programs, install street trees and furniture, <br />create parallel parking, and stripe the streets. To address business assistance, we will have <br />training for startup businesses and talk with banks about targeting their Community <br />Reinvestment Act (CRA) funds in these neighborhoods. <br />Mr. Ford noted that there has already been some action toward the planning for vibrant <br />neighborhoods mission. It was announced this summer that the South Bend Mutual Homes <br />project has been funded. That project will build twenty -four new co -op homes, an <br />innovative approach to affordable housing that has a social and economic component in <br />addition to the housing. <br />Mr. Ford noted that we have just completed the city budgeting process, for which the TIF <br />reorganization is a critical piece to fund the plan. Planning for zoning revisions is underway <br />now. Improvements that can be made with approval of the TIF realignment are: <br />improvements along Western Ave. with the addition of on- street parking and street trees; <br />curbs, sidewalks and other lighting improvements; infrastructure improvements at <br />intersections on Western/Olive and Lincolnway West /Martin Luther King Drive; curbs, <br />sidewalks, water and sewer connections to support housing revitalization; bus shelters; a <br />west side multi - purpose trail; fagade matching grants; business assistance programs; support <br />for the industrial expansion along the railroads; and institution of the ambassador program. <br />Mr. Ford explained what TIF (Tax Increment Financing) is. TIF only pertains to <br />commercial development. The net assessed value of businesses in the TIF district is <br />multiplied by the tax rate. Those taxes go to the various taxing jurisdictions. However, <br />DI <br />