Monica Carney Holmes’ Post

How Would You Spend $1M To Improve Your Neighborhood? 🏡 🏠 🏡 Look around your neighborhood. How would you spend $1 million to improve it? That’s the question Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell is posing in a pilot project aimed at promoting democracy by getting people more involved in divvying up a portion of the county’s massive $47 billion budget. Mitchell has taken $1 million out of her discretionary funds and invited residents of the Ladera Heights and Florence-Firestone communities to come up with ideas for how to spend the money. Each community gets $500,000. People of any age who live or work in those communities are eligible to make suggestions. Only those age 16 and older will be able to vote on which projects to fund. This is “real power over real money,” said Megan Castillo, coalition coordinator for the Re-Imagine L.A. Coalition, which is partnering with Mitchell’s office to implement what’s known as a participatory budgeting process. “The idea is to really build the muscle for co-governance,” she said of the project, and it’s about “deepening democracy.” Ideas need to align with the county’s Care First models, according to the submission form. Ladera Heights and Florence-Firestone each have advisory committees appointed by Mitchell to oversee the process. Each has created a broad priority list of the types of projects for which they would like to receive ideas. They include green and safe infrastructure; housing and homelessness; economic opportunities; and traffic and transportation. Among the ideas submitted to date: converting vacant lots and underused land into parks and community gardens and creating an urban tree planting program. The deadline for submitting ideas is June 15. The project comes as the Board of Supervisors evaluates a proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. A special hearing is scheduled for May 15 for the board to hear public input on the plan. 🔗 https://bit.ly/4bxgN6l ✍️ Frank Stoltze 📸 L.A. County Public Library

Westchester Communities Apply for Pro-Housing Certification to Unlock Up to $650M in Funds Twelve municipalities in Westchester County are among the 335 statewide that have launched applications to be certified as Pro-Housing Communities, 162 of which have already been certified, including major cities in every region of the state. “The BCW’s Smart Development Working Group, which has 17 leaders in the real estate development sector, will continue to give helpful suggestions to the governor and the state legislature on ways to eliminate obstacles so that we can build more housing in the county,” said BCW Executive Vice President and COO John Ravitz. The following are the municipalities in Westchester County that have sent Letters of Intent to the state: TOWN OF CORTLANDT, VILLAGE OF CROTON-ON-HUDSON, Town of Greenburgh, NY, Town Of Mamaroneck, VILLAGE OF MAMARONECK, City of New Rochelle, Village of Ossining, City of Peekskill, Village of Port Chester, Village of Sleepy Hollow, City of White Plains, New York and City of Yonkers. The following municipalities have already been certified: VILLAGE OF CROTON-ON-HUDSON, City of New Rochelle, City of Peekskill, City of White Plains, New York and City of Yonkers. Applications close on Friday, Oct. 18 at 4:00 p.m. Municipalities must be certified by HCR as a Pro-Housing Community in order to receive a grant award through these programs. Submit a letter of intent from an authorized official to HCR at [email protected]. Once HCR receives the letter of intent, the team will send the municipality the link to submit the documentation. Read the entire article on our website: https://lnkd.in/eZEvCuav #westchesterbiz #businessadvocacy #housing

Grant Announcement from City of Long Beach -- Neighborhood Micro Grant Program: Up to $1,500 for Neighborhood Association Events or Projects (Citywide) NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY NEIGHBORHOOD MICRO GRANT PROGRAM   The City of Long Beach Department Community Development, Housing & Neighborhood Services Bureau is seeking proposals/applications from established Long Beach neighborhood associations to host neighborhood events and/or neighborhood improvement projects with assistance from the Neighborhood Micro Grant Program (NMGP). NMGP is funded by the City’s General Fund and will provide grants of up to $1,500 for events and/or projects citywide.   The goal of NMGP is to support events and projects that improve neighborhood spirit, collaboration, and revitalization efforts. The NMGP will provide up to $1,500 for goods and services to support approved events and/or projects. A formal application is required. Applications will be accepted immediately, and eligible proposals/applications will be awarded funding on a first come, first served basis until available funds are committed. Approximately 66 grants will be awarded.  If the neighborhood association does not have a tax ID number, a fiscal agent may be used.  Eligible applications received after funds are committed will be placed on a waitlist.   The Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) is available from this website: https://lnkd.in/gZPYQ-gz   NMGP funds can assist a variety of neighborhood celebrations and/or neighborhood improvement projects focused on one or more of the following: blight reduction, financial or employment training, crime awareness, fair housing, health services, and/or mental health services citywide to improve neighborhood conditions and revitalization efforts. Applicants are encouraged to be creative. Eligible public service events/projects must have support of the neighborhood organization’s governing body and the affected neighborhood. Examples of events and projects include:   •              Hosting a neighborhood block party, or culturally affirming celebration. •              Hosting a food distribution or holiday meal for local families. •              Hosting a neighborhood clean-up and community breakfast. •              Installing neighborhood banners. •              Building a vegetable garden with volunteers and students at a local school. •              Installing a community book exchange library or community pantry box. •              Hosting an employment, health education, or mental health resource fair. •              Providing a physical activity engagement project. •              Providing tote bags and school supplies for local students. •              Hosting equity, inclusion and resiliency events.    

EARMARKS: We don't know when the Earmarks will be announced, but we know it'll be here before you know it, and then you'll have to move quickly! Get a leg up by watching this webinar from the National Safe and Healthy Housing Coalition, "Using Earmark Funding for Healthy Housing." Watch it here: https://lnkd.in/erwhcHDj. Description: In 2021, Congress resumed funding individual projects at the community level, through Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending (also known as "earmarks"). There have now been two complete cycles of federal appropriations that have included earmarks, and several states and localities have used this funding to support work to improve housing quality and address environmental hazards. In this webinar, a panel of organizations who have applied for or received this funding reflect on their experiences with the process and how their projects will support healthy homes. The webinar also describes how the earmark process works and how to navigate it as an applicant. Presenters: • Ruth Ann Norton, President and CEO, Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, Baltimore, MD. • Jolene Lyon, President and CEO, Bering Straits Regional Housing Authority, Nome, AK. • Lisa Ramsey, Deputy Director, Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership, Warren, OH. #Congress #Earmarks #Appropriations #HealthyHomes #HealthyHousing #PublicHealth #EnvironmentalHealth #LeadPoisoning #Asthma #OlderAdults

The City of Danville is excited to announce matching grant funding for registered Neighborhood Associations located within Danville. The Neighborhood Association Matching Grant Program (NAMGP) offers $100 - $2500 Matching Grants for Neighborhood Improvement! Purpose: To engage neighborhood members in volunteer service to address important, small-scale needs. These improvements are generally too small for city government to prioritize, but too large for a neighborhood to independently address. With this program, people will get to know neighbors, take ownership of their neighborhoods, and find pride in the place where they live. We are hopeful that the NAMGP will increase Neighborhood Association activity in the City of Danville, empowering them to complete projects in their communities to enhance their quality of life and the overall quality of life for the citizens of Danville. We want to foster strong and vibrant communities along with camaraderie in neighborhoods. It is our hope that Neighborhood Associations will engage with this program annually, with a chance at improving their neighborhood bit by bit, year upon year. As pride grows in neighborhoods, we hope that community members will spend more time walking and working outside, keeping their yards clean, and continually improving their properties. The NAMGP will serve as a tool to build strong relationships between the city government and neighborhood residents while developing neighborhoods and helping them thrive. By providing resources and concrete services to address self-identified neighborhood priorities, this program fosters a sense of trust and partnership between the city and its constituents while making lasting change throughout the city. Read the full news story here: https://lnkd.in/g3_hGCJK

Every city should listen to this. As mayor of Salt Lake County a decade ago, Ben McAdams was frustrated that there wasn’t $500,000 in a $1.3 billion annual budget for a promising early childhood education program. Not one to permit defeat, he decided to map the value of the city’s underutilized real estate. And that yielded an impressive number: All of a sudden the city had $45 billion on its balance sheet. “I found out there is actually money under our mattress,” Ben says. “It's real estate that is just forgotten.” Since then Ben has spent time in politics as mayor, senator and congressman. But now he’s launched an incubator to help cities map their public assets, much like he did a decade ago, providing a path to solve issues that need money - like affordable housing and homelessness. Every city should listen in. https://lnkd.in/es5tz5PE ------------------------------ 👋 I’m Eve 🌇 In love with cities. 🚀 Disrupting the status quo at SmallChange.co 🎧 Rethinking real estate. For good. Liked this post? Want to see more? 🔔 Click the bell on my Profile 👥 Send me a connection request #commercialrealestate #socialimpact #realestate #urbanplanning #cities #publicprivatepartnerships

Thanks to Rethink Real Estate and Eve Picker for helping to highlight how cities, counties, and states can create value for their residents using what they already own! Take a listen to our discussion and let me know if you want to learn more!

Have you taken the survey yet? The Commission and Vermillion County Community Foundation are teaming up for a Needs Assessment to determine what the next step is for making our community better. If you would like to take the survey, please visit https://lnkd.in/gdgk6Epb. #VermillionNeedsAssessment

Learning that we are recipients of Maryland DHCD's Project Restore 2.0 grant was an exciting milestone for our organization. It's not often talked about, but community leaders are often learning alongside community stakeholders. They are learning how regional history informs cultural attitudes. How organizational nuances, partner's strengths, and gaps in the system affect achievement. They are assessing and cataloging the past while trying to write new possibilities into the future. They are working to bring people sometimes with competing interests to a place of cooperation. They are trying to find ways to make big, uncharted dreams a shared reality. Our organization has undergone both public and private growing pains over the last 2 years. We have had to assess our place in the community, and how we are postured to address the challenges facing our local brick-and-mortar businesses. These growing pains have been a critical opportunity for us to rekindle meaningful relationships with our stakeholders, identify the value we are uniquely positioned to add to our district, and articulate how we will choose to show up as partners each day. This is a huge win for our community because this grant empowers us to live our ethos is meaningful, measurable ways. Ways that go beyond marketable bullet points and resumé worthy wins, but speaks life into the in-between space where economic development affects real people in their homes, and places of employment, and in their day-to-day lives.

Yesterday, I attended the community safety meeting at the RONDO Saint Paul Public Library, organized by Rena Moran The room was packed with community members, many of whom I recognized as neighbors and longtime residents of Rondo. The diversity in age and background was striking, and it was clear that people truly care about our community—they showed up‼️ During the meeting, people shared personal stories and voiced serious concerns. It’s evident that we are facing a crisis, with a troubling lack of accountability. As our taxes continue to rise, we have every right to demand transparency on where our money is going. I raised the issue of gentrification, specifically noting that areas like Dale/University, Hamline/Midway, and Rice/University are undergoing rapid changes with remodels and new investments. It seems that the City of Saint Paul might be allowing these areas to be overrun with drug activity to pressure residents into selling their homes, ultimately devaluing the neighborhood so properties can be bought at a lower cost. It’s alarming that while our property taxes are increasing by over $1,000 each year, our community continues to deteriorate. We, as residents, witness drug dealers operating openly, parking outside our homes, and yet the city seems to turn a blind eye to it. But we are RONDO—a community with a unique spirit and a special kind of magic! When we unite, the power of our ancestors will reignite, awakening the enduring spirit that has always defined RONDO. This is a place of opportunity, creativity, and deep-rooted love. It’s time to focus our energy and resources on our youth, because they are the future! #ChangeIsComing #loveispower #RONDO #gentrification #Community #MizzMercedez #YoKidzFavoriteTeacher 😊🫶🏽