Indiana Stellar Communities - PowerPoint Presentation

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Indiana Stellar Communities

Matt Crouch Project ManagerKathleen WeissenbergerState CDBG Director

Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs

2014 Regional ConferenceSlide2

Indiana’s Stellar Communities

A first of its kind collaboration between:Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA)Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA)

Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT)Office of Community and Rural Affairs

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INOCRAconfSlide3

Program Overview

Stellar Communities embodies collaborative government partnerships to successfully leverage state and federal funding from multiple agencies to undertake large-scale comprehensive community vitality projectsThis is a flexible program designed to assist prepared communities with their vision for community and economic developmentDesignated communities will have the benefit of non-competitive funds.

Please note that a community cannot participate in regular competitive programs during the stellar cycle

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide4

Program Goals

Foster regional investments Improve quality of life through comprehensive and transformative investments Encourage sustainability and capacity buildingHighlight effective and strong civic leadership and community support

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide5

Program Requirements

Open to incorporated Indiana communities of any size that are not entitled to direct CDBG funding through U.S. HUDMust have a recent comprehensive plan ( 7-yrs)Must have documented and demonstrated capacity to complete proposed activities—including the ability to submit a response to a request for proposal

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide6

Program Requirements cont.

Must be in good standing with partner agenciesThe letter of interest must be signed by the chief elected officialMust submit the Stellar Communities information sheet, and project matrix with the letter of interest

Must not be included in the urbanized area of an MPO

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide7

Office of Community and Rural Affairs

Agency Programs

2014 Finalists

2011-2014 Designees

Indianapolis

Housing & Community

Economic Development

Indiana Statewide Conference

Stellar Communities Designees and Finalists

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Reported Program Outcomes

Heightened the Level of Recognition RegionallyDesignees have noted an increase in awareness and interest about their cities as a result of Stellar designation. For example, respondents in all four cities stated an increase in interest from potential business owners, visitors, and other surrounding cities and towns.

Designees indicated that as a result of Stellar, “people are talking more about what will work and attract people.”

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide9

Reported Program Outcomes

Heightened the Level of Recognition RegionallyDesignees noted as a result of Stellar they are receiving more attention from larger cities throughout the state.

“The overall value is it’s a catalyst for the growth of the community....What the Stellar grant allowed us to do was to make that big jump and ramp up that aesthetic quality. So now we’ll have a base there that will be appealing for people to invest in our housing market and our commercial real estate .....”  

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide10

Reported Program Outcomes

Encouraged Business and Population Retention and AttractionIn all four communities, respondents indicated that Stellar created a window of opportunity for increased business and population attraction and retention. Respondents noted the Stellar program has created a renewed sense of pride.

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide11

Reported Program Outcomes

Encouraged Business and Population Retention and Attraction“…But the improvement that Stellar had provided there is immeasurable. It’s incredible.”  

“…Winning Stellar really was a boost in pride for the community.  You still small improvements where property owners are taking a little more pride in their home or in their business.”“…That feeling of pride.  For all the people, who live here.  Not just the county, but the region.”

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide12

Reported Program Outcomes

Turning Piecemeal Ideas Into Transformative InvestmentsOverall, respondents stated that the program added value by providing a mechanism for consolidation of resources in a single community in an accelerated period of time.

For some communities, this was viewed as the difference between the continued “life or death” of their community.According to respondents, providing a large sum of funding to one community in a short timeframe allowed an economic boost in the local economy. This boost permitted a shift in communities, thereby creating a turning point of decline to growth.

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide13

Reported Program Outcomes

Building Strategic Relationships and Enhancing Program Delivery and ImpactIn all four communities, respondents identified the program as

a mechanism to leverage opportunities, obtain other investments, and increased community capacity to complete a large amount of projects in a short time span through the development of partnerships.

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide14

Reported Program Outcomes

Building Strategic Relationships cont.

Nurturing Partnerships = Increased Community Capital and Leveraging of Resources.Increased Communication

between State Agencies, and among State Agencies and PartnerIncreased Community Capacity.

Challenge to State Agencies to Expand their Roles.

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide15

Reported Program Outcomes

Building Strategic Relationships cont.

The illustrations demonstrate the role and function of social capital in the ISCP-designated communities is that of

change agent and a catalyst for action and sharing of resources among community members, local officials, public agencies, private institutions, and non-profit organizations.

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide16

Reported Program Outcomes

Finalist Non-DesigneesSIP provides communities political clout and allows them to influence public policy and public funding priorities. SIP allows communities to leverages both public and private dollars for projects

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide17

Reported Program Outcomes

Finalist Non-DesigneesSIP allows communities to measure accomplishments and demonstrate impact.SIP builds relationships within the city, among community-based organizations, and with private organizations and institutions

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide18

Program Activities

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide19

Program Activities

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide20

Program Activities

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Office of Community and Rural Affairs

PHOTO: Delphi Opera House IMAGE: Delphi Opera House Rendering

Sources: Scott

Greeson

Music available online at www.scottgreesonmusic.com;Inside Indiana Business available online at www.insideindianabusiness.com.Slide21

Program Activities

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Office of Community and Rural Affairs

Photo/Rendering: Princeton Theater

Source: www.cityofprinceton.com.Slide22

Program Activities

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Office of Community and Rural Affairs

PHOTO: Before and after photos Irish Hill Housing Improvements

Source: Available at www.northvernonstellar.com/photos.

Photo/Rendering: Downtown Senior Housing Project

Source: www.princetonstellar.comSlide23

Keys To Success

Proven prior implementation of planning effortsEffective and engaged leadershipPublic participation helps with public buy-in, particularly from those individuals who control purse strings, because they have to listen

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide24

Keys To Success cont.

Collaborative efforts with a variety of public and private partnersBefore engaging in a process of this enormity, be prudent on researching the metrics, time commitments, resources needed, and overall programmatic expectationsFocus on and strengthen the most important parts of the community investment plan that make the community’s overall vision work

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide25

Building Strategic Relationships

Indiana Stellar Communities

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide26

Barriers To Success

Viewing the program as a grant program rather than a designation programLack of Leadership and Organizational Capacity Variations in Missions, Community Needs, and StrategiesDifferent Funding Sources

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide27

Barriers To Success

Lack of Community Input and ParticipationChange and Consensus Building DifficultThe accelerated timeframe made application and implementation demanding, yet worthwhile

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide28

Lessons Learned

It’s a Balancing ActRed Tape Is Still Red TapeParticipants Need to Exhibit Patience and Flexibility

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide29

2015 Updates

We Listened to FeedbackUpdated Partner ListWebinar January 30, 2015 1:30 - 3:30pm

Eastern Standard Time

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Office of Community and Rural AffairsSlide30

Indiana Main Street Events

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Matt Crouch

Project Manager

Kathleen Weissenberger

State CDBG Director

Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs

One North Capitol, Suite 600

Indianapolis, IN  46204

www. ocra.IN.gov

Thank you!