07-09-18 Community Relations - Laserfiche WebLink

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�SpUTH BE�� U d �EACE a X x 1865 OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK KAREEMAH FOWLER, CITY CLERK COMMUNITY RELATIONS JULY 9, 2018 4:48 P.M. Committee Members Present: Regina Williams-Preston, Sharon L. McBride, Jake Teshka, Karen White Committee Members Absent: None Other Council Present: John Voorde, Jo M. Broden, Gavin Ferlic, Tim Scott Other Council Absent: Oliver Davis Others Present: Bianca Tirado, Graham Sparks, Bob Palmer, Casey Colvin, Gabriel Murei, David Boling, Elivet Navarro Presenters: Emmanuel Cannady, Stacy Odom Agenda: Community Survey Report- Emmanuel Cannady, University of Notre Dame Committee Chair Regina Williams-Preston called to order the Community Relations Committee meeting at 4:48 p.m. She introduced members of the Committee. She stated, To give a quick history,one(1)of the things that came up last year was this issue of investing in our neighborhoods and, most specifically, with home repair. We had a couple public meetings last ye of the Community Relations Committee where we actually had a proposal to look at what we would do with these lots. The question was how to do new construction that was actually affordable. In those meetings, we heard loud and clear from the existing residents that while new construction is important,the existing homes are falling apart. We wanted to find out how to get more assistance with home repair for existing residents. What is exciting about that is, again, South Bend is listening and we heard from Community Investment about two (2) different programs that will be addressing exactly that. One (1) of the things we pushed for last year was to actually do a survey, a community survey, going block by block through the West Side neighborhoods. Those are the neighborhoods we project would get more investment later on based on a traditional model of starting downtown and moving out. What we are saying is we can't wait in those neighborhoods. If we wait, we would end up with more vacant and abandoned homes and we have residents who are actually living in deplorable conditions. We don't really know what that looks like so the initiative was to hire neighbors to go knock on the neighbor's doors and talk to them about what is happening and what they want to see. Together with the University of Notre Dame, IUSB, Community Wellness Partners and the City of South Bend,we put together a survey that asks those very questions. It is online now and the survey complete. We have hired residents to knock on doors and to talk to people. We have invited those folks to come and speak. INTEGRITY1 SERVICES ACCESSIBILITY JENNIFER M.COFFMAN BLANCA L.T hw)o JOSEPH R MOLNAR CHIEF DEPUTY/DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS DEP[TFY/DntE=R OF POLICY ORDINANCE VIOLATION CLERK EXCELLENCE I ACCOUNTABILITY I INNOVATION I INCLUSION I EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 1 227 W.Jefferson Blvd.I South Bend,Indiana 466011 p 574.235.92211 f 574.235.9173 1 www.southbendin.gov