Neighborhood Revitalization, Anyone Can Do It TN State Conference July 23, 2015 Carol Gregory ODC

What Does a Revitalized Neighborhood Look Like? Draw it!

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Habitat for Humanity Mission Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope.

The Future “Neighborhood Revitalization is the way of the future and is an essential element of Habitat’s work. By focusing on entire neighborhoods, we can greatly increase our impact.” Jonathan Reckford, CEO Habitat for Humanity International

NR is NOT an Isolated Program What I hear: We only get property in bad neighborhoods. Prospective homeowners don’t want to live in the neighborhood where we have property. Our Habitat neighborhood/subdivision is experiencing crime. Families want to give/sell their house back to Habitat. It is hard to raise whole-house sponsorship. The Answer: NR

We practice ABCD or Asset-Based Community Development Links to ABCD and our guide on my.habitat detail/g35d41/Asset-Based-Community- Development-ABCD

Suggestion--Set the Table Differently Betterment to Empowerment 8

Practice Putting on Asset-Based Glasses 9

Questions to Help Redefine Power and Responsibility 1)What functions can Neighborhood residents perform by themselves? 2)What functions can neighbors achieve with some additional help from institutions? (including HFH) 3)What functions must institutions perform on their own?.

© Copyright 2008 Making the Decision Status Quo Engager Catalyst Transformer Four Levels of Community Engagement

© Copyright 2008 STATUS QUO Goal: Serve Habitat families as best we can within the current goals and activities. Description: An affiliate’s main focus is on Habitat families. Any benefits to the community is as an indirect result of assistance provided to the families. An affiliate continues to serve only Habitat families through existing services.

© Copyright 2008 STATUS QUO Examples Activities building homes, service to Habitat families, etc. Risk Building in unsafe neighborhoods and families want to move. Thus, a great risk to your mortgage portfolio. Building Habitat developments that are aging and deteriorating. HFHI mission has changed from homes built to families served—Does that fulfill the mission? Reward Grateful Habitat families for services received.

© Copyright 2008 ENGAGER Goal: Serve Habitat families but also assist their communities in meeting a basic level of sustainability. Description: Affiliate focuses primarily on qualified families but also does projects that may be of benefit to the community. There is minimal community engagement. No extra resources are involved and staff is minimally engaged. Affiliate has no "skin in the game” but is still helpful.

© Copyright 2008 ENGAGER Example Community clean up Risks Minimal risks involved. Very little chance that conflict or liability will arise from beautification or education activities. Staff and donors may question work outside the mission. Rewards This role can be a beginning step in community engagement and building a relationship with residents Convening residents, providing education, acting as a resource or helping them gather resources can help build sustainable development without much investment.

© Copyright 2008 CATALYST Goal: Affiliate serves focus community by acting as a resource for them to achieve sustainability and community goals. Description: Affiliate commits to limited involvement. Agree to invest time, funds or resources. The intent is to help build sustainability; however, engagement is limited to being involved in a project or helping residents improve in at least one of the things they want to accomplish.

© Copyright 2008 CATALYST Examples Implement Critical Home Repair, Home Preservation, Weatherization, and Rehabs Convene homeowners/residents for the purpose of helping them improve their neighborhood Use contacts and resources to get other organizations, public, and private sector involved, i.e. getting a play area for children. Risks Need to be clear about what affiliate will and won’t do. Repair liability risks in a) lead paint, b) doing interiors, etc. Acting before you're ready.

© Copyright 2008 CATALYST Rewards Sponsors/Funders can afford smaller amounts for rehab resulting in more funders and possibly more funding. Usually means more potential projects and more partners for the Affiliate Earns the appreciation of the neighborhood May help stabilize mortgage portfolio Improves your quarterly report numbers with HFHI (families served)

© Copyright 2008 TRANSFORMER Goal: Affiliate primarily serves a focus community by helping them achieve empowerment and realize their full potential by implementing their vision. Description: Affiliate commits to being involved and work as a Partner with residents to realize a higher vision - something tangible and sustainable. Affiliate and other partners utilize contacts and resources to help get things done. "It's not us helping them, it’s us helping us” – Habitat of Greater Harrisburg, PA

© Copyright 2008 TRANSFORMER Examples Implement Critical Home Repair, Home Preservation, Weatherization, and Rehabs in focus neighborhood Rebuild playground Refurbished community center Help attract new partners, churches, private and public agencies to work with community Work as part of a coalition to provide other services (e.g., computer lab, literacy program, community garden, etc) Demolish crack houses, condemned garage, and blighted homes.

© Copyright 2008 Transformer Risks May need written Agreements, Memorandum of Understanding, or other written agreements with partners. Need good Construction Manager to ensure a good understanding of state construction requirements Need to ensure that you have adequate funding to complete project to avoid financial risk Risk to reputation if project(s) are left uncompleted Shifting to more rehabs and repairs with funding tailored downward, risk of not getting back to higher levels of funding May need to reassess staff requirements in order to attend multiple meetings, provide education services to the public.

© Copyright 2008 TRANSFORMER Rewards You’ve extended your family. You’ve improved the quality of life of kids, families, and residents. Mission accomplished. “The better the relations, the less the risk” – Macon It is easier to attract money for these projects Increased the number of Partners and the level of fundraising Additional opportunities for Affiliate to give to volunteers to understand more about need and poverty and to have an impact Good reason to Celebrate and Party!!!!

June 2008© Copyright 2008 Putnam County HFH, Cookeville, TN Pam Ealey, E.D

Questions for discussion 1.What do you like most about what you heard? 2.What concerns/roadblocks do you have/see? 3.What risks do you see? 4.What is needed for you affiliate to make the decision—status quo, engager, catalyst, transformer ?

Next Steps Voice your affiliate’s interest in NR Send an to or call the Support ODC assigned Work with ODC toward orienting all levels of your organization Design intensive consultancy June 2008© Copyright 2008