| In 2005, the City of
Piqua recognized the need for a new approach to assist
neighborhoods that were facing serious economic, social, and
physical issues.
This new approach is called the
Neighborhood Improvement Team. This purpose of this approach is
to improve the quality of life in targeted neighborhoods through
coordination and collaboration between city departments, other
agencies, property owners, and neighborhood residents.
Furthermore, this is a long-term, comprehensive approach to
revitalization that is tailored to the specific needs and
characteristics of the individual neighborhoods and is
consistent with the needs and characteristics of the entire
city.
The Neighborhood Improvement Team
( NIT ) is based upon the following interrelated principles: |
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Delivery
of services must be tailored to address the specific problems of
target areas. Strong, consistent, and appropriate code
(building and property maintenance code, planning and zoning
code and fire prevention code) enforcement, as well as strong,
consistent, and appropriate law enforcement, is necessary to
develop and maintain neighborhood integrity, stability and
vitality |
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Coordination
and Collaboration among City Departments, which provide services
to neighborhoods, is the core element of the Neighborhood
Improvement Team. The
primary city departments will include police, fire, code
enforcement, planning and zoning enforcement, and community
development. However, all city departments may be involved as
necessary.
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Active
participation by neighborhood residents is necessary for any
lasting improvements to be achieved; therefore we must work on
building trust and cooperation with property owners and
residents of our neighborhoods so that we can form a cohesive
group to achieve lasting improvements.
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Traditionally,
the City has provided a uniform level of services to all its
neighborhoods. The NIT program departs from this approach by
coordinating and concentrating City services on a geographic
basis according to need. This ensures that the neighborhoods
facing the most serious obstacles receive the additional support
and services they require.
The
Neighborhood Improvement Team Strategy also emphasizes the
importance of community participation in achieving long lasting
success in these areas. Neighborhood associations, property
owners, and residents play a central role in identifying the
needs of the neighborhoods and in developing solutions to their
problems. This is a shared responsibility for the improvement
and the maintenance of our neighborhoods.
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Selection
of Neighborhood Improvement
Strategy Areas
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The
criteria to be used to identify target areas should include the
following:
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Public Safety
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Crimes
against persons and property
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Nuisance
complaints to the police
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Fire
responses
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Paramedic
responses
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Social Indicators
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Number of
welfare recipients |
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Income
of residents |
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Absentee
ownership of residential properties |
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Rental
turnover |
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Low
neighborhood attachment and neighborhood disorganization |
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| Property
Conditions |
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Number of
property maintenance/substandard building cases |
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Requests
for health inspections |
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Calls for
graffiti removal |
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Unoccupied
structures |
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| Zoning
Indicators |
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Illegal
Noncompliant complaints and observations |
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information is periodically updated and is used to evaluate the
success of each NIT area. |
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| Citizen
Participation |
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| Citizen
participation is essential to the success of the NIT program.
Input and cooperation from residents, schools and businesses
enable the City to closely tailor its services to each NIT
neighborhood. This ensures that services are being delivered in
a manner appropriate to the needs of each community. In
addition, citizen participation ensures that residents play a
leadership role in determining the future of the neighborhood.
Success is achieved when residents assume responsibility for
changing their community and maintaining long-term improvements.
One
of the primary NIT activities is supporting existing
neighborhood associations or, in some cases, developing
associations. These associations empower community residents and
provide them with the opportunity to shape the future of their
neighborhoods. In addition, the neighborhood associations in the
NIT areas contribute to the stability of the communities and
help develop long-term solutions to the neighborhood problems.
Neighborhood organizations are key to the success of the NIT
because they will ensure that the improvements achieved are
sustainable.
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| Neighborhood
Action Plan |
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neighborhood Action Plan is developed for each neighborhood
through a cooperative effort between the City, residents,
neighborhood associations, businesses and other agencies. City
services and support are prioritized in the Neighborhood Action
Plan. It outlines the problems to be targeted and the
improvements to be made in the neighborhood. Roles are
established for each participant involved in implementing the
Neighborhood Action Plan. This plan involves: |
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Assessing
the physical condition of structures and infrastructure |
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Gathering
information about the revitalization area from the police, fire,
community development, and planning and zoning |
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Identify
the issues |
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Developing
clear, concise, and realistic vision of the future for the
neighborhood |
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Identify
improvement objectives and projects for revitalization and their
timetable |
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Implement
the planned improvements and programs |
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| Reporting |
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weekly tabular report will be generated on each targeted
neighborhood. The report will reflect the established
improvement objectives for each city department and the progress
that has been made. The report will be made available to the
City Manager and made public through the city website. |
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| Outcome
Measurement |
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outcome of this approach can be measured in many ways. However,
the true measure of such a program can be defined in five (5)
criteria: |
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Image:
The residents of a neighborhood will have confidence in the
future of their neighborhood.. Their neighborhood will be their
neighborhood of choice because the residents choose to live
there. |
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Market:
The neighborhood will make economic sense for people to
invest their time, money and energy there. The neighborhood will
be competitive with other neighborhoods and will attract
neighbors and property owners who will keep it healthy. |
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Physical
Condition: The physical conditions of the structures in a
neighborhood will clearly reflect that all the people of that
neighborhood are proud of their neighborhood. |
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Neighborhood
Management: When problems arise, the neighbors will
confidently address them in a way that protects the neighborhood
and furthers the overall health and vitality of the
neighborhood. Neighbors will look out for each other and will
take appropriate action to reinforce positive standards. The
city will be a partner in this effort, but the neighborhood will
take on responsibility for its own health and vitality. |
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Neighborhood
ownership: Healthy neighborhoods reflect increasing
owner-occupied structures. While appropriate rental housing can
contribute greatly to the health of a neighborhood,
owner-occupied housing reflects residential ownership of not
only the structure, but the identity and overall health of the
neighborhood as well. Furthermore, owner occupied housing
represents stability within a neighborhood. |
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