Duluth LISC receives $500,000 to help transform distressed areas into healthy communities of choice and opportunity

Caption:
Central Hillside residents Gene
McKeever and Steve Sydow stand beside a display showing revitalization plans.

If you are living in a blighted neighborhood and you paint your house, another neighbor fixes his porch, and the business down the block spiffs up its storefront, the rest of the homeowners and landlords on your block might decide to follow suit. Before you know it, your neighborhood has become a more comfortable place to live and do business. At least that is what Duluth LISC (Local Initiative Support Corporation) is counting on.

The parking lot and street parking all around the Central Hillside Community Center was full, as was the meeting room as supporters and stakeholders crowded together to hear Duluth LISC announce it had received a $500,000 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The press conference, held on April 14, featured Duluth Mayor Don Ness and the Knight Foundation representative Polly Talen.

The grant will make five Duluth neighborhoods significant participants in a national effort to involve residents in long-term planning physical improvements and comprehensive community development.

The neighborhoods – Central and East Hillside, Lincoln Park, Morgan Park, and West Duluth – are already targets of LISC’s Creating Neighborhoods That Work – At Home in Duluth Sustainable Community strategy to transform distressed areas into healthy communities of choice and opportunity – good places to work, do business and raise children.

“We think this grant can be a catalyst for anyone – developers, business owners and residents – interested in investing in the neighborhoods that are getting better and stronger by the day,” said Duluth LISC Executive Director Pam Kramer.

“It’s definitely a shot in the arm for the revitalization projects we already have under way in such neighborhoods as the West Duluth Business District and Ramsey Village and the Fourth Street corridor in the Central and East Hillside.”

The Knight grant will help Duluth LISC expand new business development in the designated “At Home” neighborhoods, fund various aspects of “quality of life” plan implementation, support neighborhood marketing and communications efforts, and train residents and community organizers in revitalization techniques.

Duluth LISC’s targeted neighborhood approach is partly a consequence of the 2005 Duluth Charrette, a Knight-funded, long-range planning exercise in which Duluth residents, planners, architects, and urban developers created plans for the East Downtown, Hillside and Waterfront neighborhoods. “LISC understands that good neighborhoods thrive when residents are involved and engaged,” said Knight Foundation Director Polly Talen.

Kramer emphasized that while LISC and Knight Foundation have laid the groundwork for the comprehensive redevelopment of those neighborhoods, the participation of private developers, residents, and businesses is essential for long-term success.

For more information, visit www.lisc.org.

About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation promotes excellence in journalism worldwide and invests in the vitality of the Twin Ports and 25 other U.S. communities. Knight Foundation focuses on ideas and projects that create transformational change.





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John S. and James L. Knight Foundation give Duluth LISC $500,000 for Neighborhood Revitalization

Captions: Wayne Nelson. the Publisher/Editor of Business North newspaper/publication speaks to Polly Talon of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.Middle: Polly Talon (Knight Foundation) Pam Kramer of Duluth LISC and Don Ness, Duluth mayor at a press conference at the Central Hillside Community Center. Right: Tony Cuneo Duluth City Councilor At-Large and Robert Prowless, retired University of Minnesota professor and member of the Duluth Native American community.

DULUTH (April 14, 2008) – Duluth LISC today announced that a $500,000 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation will make five Duluth neighborhoods significant participants in a national effort to involve residents in long-term planning physical improvements and comprehensive community development.

The neighborhoods – Central and East Hillside, Lincoln Park , Morgan Park, and West Duluth – are already targets of LISC’s Creating Neighborhoods That Work – At Home in Duluth Sustainable Community strategy to transform distressed areas into healthy communities of choice and opportunity – good places to work, do business and raise children. LISC, the nation’s leading community development support organization, has been working in Duluth neighborhoods since 1997 and was selected as one of 10 LISC Sustainable Community demonstration sites in 2006.

“We think this grant can be a catalyst for anyone – developers, business owners and residents – interested in investing in the neighborhoods that are getting better and stronger by the day,” said Duluth LISC Executive Director Pam Kramer at a news conference at the Central Hillside Community Center . “It’s definitely a shot in the arm for the revitalization projects we already have under way in such neighborhoods as the West Duluth Business District and Ramsey Village and the Fourth Street corridor in the Central and East Hillside.”

The Knight grant will help Duluth LISC expand new business development in the designated “At Home” neighborhoods, fund various aspects of “quality of life” plan implementation, support neighborhood marketing and communications efforts, and train residents and community organizers in revitalization techniques.

Duluth LISC’s targeted neighborhood approach is partly a consequence of 2005’s Duluth Charrette, a Knight-funded, long-range planning exercise in which Duluth residents, planners, architects, and urban developers created plans for the East Downtown, Hillside and Waterfront neighborhoods. Knight has also invested in a Preservation Development Initiative, a National Trust for Historic Preservation project focusing on how preservation can be an effective driver of economic development.

“LISC understands that good neighborhoods thrive when residents are involved and engaged,” said Knight Foundation Director Polly Talen at the news conference. “It’s gratifying to see this work building on earlier efforts by LISC, Knight and others. LISC and Knight support a multidimensional approach to community development – LISC through its sustainable communities strategy and Knight with its commitment to transforming communities. What’s going on in these five neighborhoods is a vivid example of how those approaches work.”

Kramer emphasized that while LISC and Knight Foundation have laid the groundwork for the comprehensive redevelopment of those neighborhoods, the participation of private developers, residents, and businesses is essential for long-term success.

Since its selection as a LISC Sustainable Community site last year, Duluth LISC has received over $1.6 million from State Farm, Knight Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Bush Foundation, Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation and national LISC. In the last decade LISC has invested more than $63.8 million to help Duluth organizations build 627 affordable homes and apartments and nearly 60,000 square feet of commercial space.

“Knight’s contribution is a reinforcement of the progress Duluth has made and a commitment to its future,” said Michael Rubinger, LISC’s president and CEO. “We think this is a significant moment in the history of community development.”

About LISC LISC combines corporate, government and philanthropic resources to help community-based organizations revitalize underserved neighborhoods. Since 1980, LISC has raised more than $8.6 billion to build or rehabilitate more than 230,000 affordable homes and develop 32 million square feet of retail, community and educational space nationwide. For more information, visit http://www.lisc.org/.

About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation promotes excellence in journalism worldwide and invests in the vitality of the Twin Ports and 25 other U.S. communities. Knight Foundation focuses on ideas and projects that create transformational change.
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Connecting the Dots, Groups get together to revitalize Duluth's core neighborhoods

Gather with your friends and neighbors at the First United Methodist Church (The Coppertop, 230 E. Skyline Parkway) the morning of Saturday, Oct. 6 to attend “Connect the Dots.” Learn what people in your neighborhood and other neighborhoods are doing to make Duluth a better place to live.

The main program is from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Congressman James Oberstar will kick-off the presentation. More than 20 booths will be open before and following the program until 12 noon after the program. Childcare, refreshments and entertainment are provided. Transportation will also be provided to those that need it. Phone Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) at (218) 727-8604 for transportation and/or childcare.
“Connecting the Dots” is creating a collaborative effort to revitalize thee core neighborhoods of Duluth. Central Hillside, East Hillside and Lincoln Park have already completed plans through the “At Home in Duluth” collaborative. The “At Home” plans will implement housing, commercial and other neighborhood improvement activities.

The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (Duluth LISC) is dedicated to bringing private, nonprofit and pubic sectors together to transform distressed neighborhoods into healthy communities. This includes reducing blight, helping to provide jobs and creating a great place to raise children.

“The purpose (of the Oct. 6 “Connecting the Dots event) is to reach out to people and get more neighbors, businesses and more community leaders to help our neighborhoods be the best they can,” said Pam Kramer, executive director of Duluth LISC. She said that the phrase, “Connecting the dots,” is used to recognize that there are so many good things happening in Duluth that can be strengthened by bringing people and programs together. And while many of the improvements have to do with the physical state of homes and storefronts, other issues such as increasing income, job training, recreation and making neighborhoods safe are also a part of the bigger picture.

Kramer said, “The event is a huge collective effort by the neighborhood residents, “At Home” collaborative members plus many business and philanthropic partners like Mercury Investment, Minnesota Power, North Shore Bank of Commerce, SMDC, State Farm, US Bank, Wells Fargo and many more including APEX, City of Duluth, Duluth Chamber, Duluth HRA, and the Northland Foundation. (See advertisement on this page to see all sponsors.)
Through “At Home,” older, deteriorated housing is being upgraded, low-income families assisted into homeownership and new homes constructed on vacant, infill lots. The “At Home” initiative also led to the creation of two employer-assisted homeownership programs generating 108 home-buyers over the past five years. (For information on these home-ownership programs phone (218) 727-8624.)

Improving the neighborhood means more than just fixing up dilapidated buildings. It means making sure there are activities for the children, friendly parks with areas for people to meet and walk their dogs, and feeling comfortable and safe enough to walk to the store. When people feel good about their neighborhood, people from other neighborhoods feel comfortable visiting and doing their shopping.

The August 2006 issue of “The Hillsider” interviewed Scott Neustal, owner of Ski Hut. Neustal says independently owned neighborhood stores are vital to the success of small business. If customers don’t feel comfortable shopping because of the surrounding neighborhood, small business owners will go out of business. Any thing businesses can do to add to the quality of life for residents comes back to benefit the businesses and customers of those businesses.
Jim Capraro, a consultant for LISC visited Duluth in May. He told Duluthians about the successful revitalization of the southwest Chicago neighborhood surrounding Marquette Park. The key to success for this neighborhood was getting people to take “ownership” of the plans. They did this by getting to know and trust one another.

Everyone has ideas on how to make Duluth a better place to live. This summer and fall political candidates have spouted their ideas on how they would improve Duluth if elected. Duluth needs more than just the elected officials and non-profits working to improve our town. Learn what your neighbors and others throughout Duluth are doing to make Duluth a better place to live. Whether your income is large or small, no matter what your race or education, Duluth needs you to “Connect the Dots.”
Mark your calendars for Saturday, Oct. 6.
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