Strategy for Vital Neighborhoods

1. Strategy for Vital Neighborhoods Working together in the places Garland lives, works, learns, plays and shops.

2. Garland’s Neighborhood Philosophy Recognizing a strength of Garland is the character of its neighborhoods, we will work in partnership with neighborhood stakeholders and community resources to build a stronger community and keep Garland an excellent place to live and invest.

3. Envisioned Outcomes • Stabilized and improved neighborhoods • Sense of community • Increased neighborhood management capacity

4. Today’s Situation • Limited resources necessitate neighbors working in partnership to maximize return on investment. • Garland is comprised of neighborhoods of various ages, strengths, weaknesses, issues, and levels of involvement, and all merit attention to stay healthy, stabilize, and improve. • The City Council and City Administration have directed focus on Garland neighborhoods. • The proposed Neighborhood Strategy provides a framework for addressing neighborhood issues.

5. How Did We Get Here? • The Neighborhood Vitality Coordinator position was created to support neighborhood organizations and develop neighborhood capacity-building programs. • Reorganization of departments consolidated planning and neighborhood outreach functions. • A Neighborhood Planner was hired. • The Neighborhood Strategy Coordination Team developed a strategy that is designed to: • offer something to all of Garland’s neighborhoods • cultivate involvement, collaboration, and empowerment • utilize data collected through the Neighborhood Benchmarking Program but not rely solely on that data source • encourage partnerships between the City and the community • focus on programs for improvement but does not grade neighborhoods • recognize that neighborhoods are more than residential subdivisions but the businesses, offices, schools and residents of an area

6. Success is dependent on a culture change emphasizing collaboration at the neighborhood level and this message must come from the top and be marketed throughout the City and the community.

7. Neighborhood Strategy • Neighborhood Assessments • Neighborhood Grouping System • Neighborhood Program Areas • Neighborhood Toolbox • Implementation • Marketing

8. Neighborhood Assessments Resources used to study and understand the issues of specific neighborhoods. • Benchmark Analysis of resident surveys collected by ODT • Neighborhood Information System Data compares City’s targets with resident opinion surveys • Leadership and Organization Assessments by Office of Neighborhood Vitality • Windshield surveys by Neighborhood Strategy Coordination Team

9. Neighborhood Grouping System Describes four types of neighborhood project areas. • Attempts to avoid consequences associated with ranking or grading neighborhoods • Recognizes that all neighborhoods need attention or risk decline • Provides a structure for establishing project work programs • Allows for a variety of program offerings • Establishes a framework for collaboration and mentoring across neighborhoods

10. Neighborhood Program Areas Grouped by characteristics related to Infrastructure, Quality of Life, Neighborhood Appearance, Public Services • Neighborhood Strategy Area - significant infrastructure needs, low ratings for quality of life issues, significant neighborhood appearance concerns, less satisfaction with public services • Neighborhood Revitalization Area – some infrastructure needs, moderate ratings for quality of life issues, some neighborhood appearance issues • Neighborhood Enhancement Area – slight infrastructure needs, minor quality of life issues • Neighborhood Outreach Area – few infrastructure or quality of life issues, primarily newer neighborhoods

11. Neighborhood Toolbox New and existing programs that assist neighborhoods: • Office of Neighborhood Vitality programs • Management capacity-building programs • City of Garland neighborhood programs (neighborhood watch, grant programs, publications) • Neighborhood Planning programs • Neighborhood Resource Team – action-oriented working group of City employees that strategically implements programs and services to reach envisioned outcomes • Community Resource Team – task force of subject matter experts that advise staff during pilot process to develop programs

12. Neighborhood Resource Team Member Characteristics • Visionary • Results oriented • Good people skills • Community oriented • Unified commitment to envisioned outcomes • Cultivation and encouragement of different viewpoints • Team oriented

13. Community Resource Team • Comprised of 10 to 15 field experts appointed based on expertise rather than district representation. • Staff will conduct background research to develop a proposed slate of candidates. • Individual council members will suggest potential candidates during slate development process. • Slate of candidates will be presented to the City Council for approval. • Team will meet periodically for approximately 4 to 6 months.

14. Implementation • Neighborhood Strategy Coordination Team presents proposed pilot projects to City Administration and City Council • City Manager and Team presents the Strategy to Managing Directors • Directors designate candidates to the Neighborhood Resource Team • Council designates candidates to the Community Resource Team • Excitement for the program is generated with a kick-off conference to include Resource Teams and neighborhood representatives from the pilot project areas • Marketing campaign gets underway to sell and promote the Strategy’s message within the community and City’s organizational structure • Pilot projects are initiated. Note: Periodic updates to City Council will be required as pilot project scopes and timelines are finalized and as determination of future projects is decided.

15. Marketing • Work with the Public Information Officer to develop a marketing plan • Fully develop program logo and tag line: Garland neighborhood’s are where it’s @ • Create a program for viewing on Channel 15 • Utilize traditional public relations methods • Develop educational and teambuilding programs for the Neighborhood Resource Team • Hold a conference or Neighborhood Summit • Techniques for Creating Neighborhoods of Choice • Reading Neighborhoods • Breakout Sessions: Management, Image, Physical Conditions, Influence of Social Capital • What Does It Mean for Garland? • Presentation of Garland’s Neighborhood Strategy

16. Proposed Pilot Projects • Neighborhood Strategy Area • Neighborhood Revitalization Area • Neighborhood Enhancement Area • Neighborhood Outreach Area

17. Neighborhood Strategy Area: Terrace-Bellaire Characteristics • CDBG eligible • Organized, active associations • Neighborhood Watch • Established City relationship • Carver Center, proximity to downtown Opportunities • Outreach to Spanish-speaking stakeholders • Partnership with South First Street organizations

18. Neighborhood Revitalization Area: Forest Ridge-Walnut Characteristics • Police’s Apartment Manager’s Association • New recreation center • Portions CDBG eligible • Individual leaders • Large number of apartments • Some negativity among residents Opportunities • Development of new recreation center • Analyze impacts of demographic shift

19. Neighborhood Enhancement Area: Carriage House Characteristics • Homes receiving investment • Near 190 and new retail • Scheduled transportation improvements • Combination of older and newer developments • Unclear status of neighborhood organizations Opportunities • Identify leadership • Build consensus

20. Neighborhood Outreach Area: Oakridge Characteristics • Single-family residential has solid, involved organizations • Oakridge Neighborhood Association has prioritized goals • Little integration with new, adjacent development and apartment community Opportunities • Groom as a mentor organization for nearby neighborhoods • Assist with plan implementation

21. Examples of Program Activities • Leadership development • Build social capital • Physical enhancements • Improve neighborhood image • Teambuilding • Safety programs • Mentoring programs • Neighborhood planning • Project implementation • Branding neighborhoods

22. Schedule 08/06 Identify and organize NRT and CRT, set agenda for neighborhood summit, research pilot areas, coordinate publicity with PIO. 09/06 Training and teambuilding of NRT, send invitations to summit, outreach to pilot areas, test marketing, affirm CRT. 10/06 Prepare and conduct neighborhood summit. 11/06 Kick-off pilot programs, plan offerings of GNU. 12/06 Set priorities and work plan for CRT and pilots. 01/07 Coordinate NRT work plan and activities of pilots. 02/07 Initiate NRT activities, draft CRT report, GNU opens. 03/07 NRT discusses new program areas, present CRT report to Council, conduct Class 2 of GNU. 04/07 Present new program areas to Council, completion of CRT, wrap-up NOA and NEA activities, Council considers CRT recommendations and approves new NPAs, Class 3 of GNU. 05/07 Initiate work in two additional NPAs, Council provides direction to City Manager regarding program areas, Class 4 GNU. 07/07 Wrap-up NRA and NSA activities.