Historic Eastside Neighborhood Assoc.

HENA Wins $100,000 Neighborhood Revitalization Grant

What is Neighborhood Revitalization?

Simply put, neighborhood revitalization is a comprehensive approach to improving neighborhoods. In a revitalization effort, neighborhoods identify their community, social, physical and economic needs and work in parnership with the City and others to obtain resources that can address these needs and further improve the quality of life for their residents. Neighborhood revitalization could include, but is not limited to community, economic, social and physical improvements. Effective neighborhood revitalization efforts make sure everyone has a chance to be involved. It is important to hear all ideas, address multiple issues and build everyone's capacity to implement and sustain solutions.

For more information please contact: Tanya Ferencak
Neighborhood Revitalization Specialist
303-651-8794
tanya.ferencak@ci.longmont.co.us

HENA Revitalization Grant Status

Come and get involved in this exciting process.

Revitalization Grant Planning Meeting Notes

Thursday August 4th
Second Revitalization Collaborative Committee Mtg.

In this meeting we deepened the conversations about City and Neighborhood roles in the grant process. Neighborhood leaders were in agreement that the City's role would be to facilitate meetings, work with other city staff on funding and coordination issues and working to coordinate communication and funding with other non-profit, state and federal sources interested in the neighborhood. Handed out timeline for grant and talked about need to do things quickly!!! Planned Block Party/Kick Off Event September 10th in Collyer Park. Discussed need for group decision making and facilitation techniques. Handed out Tips sheet on neighborhood decision making techniques and mentioned importance of leadership and timing in the decision making process. Talked about status of $25,000 CDBG grant and importance of Collyer Park project in the funding of the monies. Presentation will be made at the Block Party to garner public input on using the funds for the SW shelter improvements. The Park sub committee will be reconvened to plan for this event. Meeting will be set up for the Survey committee and the Park CDBG committee.

Next meeting will be the HENA Neighborhood meeting on Thursday August 11th where an announcement will be made about the grant.

Thursday August 11th
Survey Sub-Committee Meeting

Group decided not to “lead” HENA residents in any way and deliberately designed the survey to be vague and open ended. There will be 9 questions and an area in the end where people can add their name if they would like to volunteer. Survey will be tested on 8 residents of different social, and demographic backgrounds. Survey will be ready to distribute by September.

Thursday August 11th
HENA monthly meeting

Meeting mostly centered around the revitalization grant. Group decided to buy T-shirts for survey committee and as door prizes. T-shirt will have HENA logo on front and will say “I’ve been Revitalized” on the back. Group decided to mover ahead on the CDBG monies for Collyer Park without Nbhd. ratification. Group believed that the plan had been ratified by neighborhood and Parks Board already. Block party is moving forward and plans are being made for the party. Newsletter will go out in September, group hopes to pass out survey with newsletter and give out prizes for families turning it in. Will announce grant in newsletter and will announce block party date in newsletter.

Thursday August 18th:

Meet with Gene Kraning about Collyer Park shelter. Parks department proposed a masonry style picnic shelter for the park. Decided to send design to neighborhood for review.

Wednesday August 31st:

HENA RCC held meeting to talk about meeting dates and style of public input they would like to have in the public process of the grant. Still waiting on response for Collyer Park CDBG monies. Discussion about the style of the shelter not being historic enough.

Tuesday Sept. 6th:

Newsletter unable to be published and distributed this week because Theresa Schottie was sick and in hospital. Because newsletter was not sent out, Kick off block party celebration was cancelled and monthly neighborhood meeting was canceled., Block Party Kick Off celebration is planned for Saturday October 8th.

HENA Revitalization Grant meeting will be held on Thursday October 27th and Saturday November 5th. Both at Columbine School.

Neighborhood agreed to move forward on picnic shelter project as long as red flagstone was used and the pillars were designed to be not as broad as the ones shown in the example.

Thursday Sept. 15th:

Spoke to Gene Kraning in the Parks department about getting bids for picnic shelter. He will work with contractors on costs. And get back with me on the design.

Thursday Sept. 22nd:
Held HENA RCC meeting. Group decided to mail survey to neighborhood including rental property owners. Survey will be Translated into Spanish, printed and mailed along with a volunteer form and a short advertisement promoting the neighborhood input meetings. Sarah Levison will order T-shits and tote bags. Decided to hold weekly HENA RCC meeting for the next month to prepare for events and meetings.

Monday Sept. 26th:
Proofed and approved survey. Planned for Block Party. Will have grills and hamburgers/. Jumpy castle, balloons, will provide surveys for Grant. Talked to group about Neighborhood link Web page. I will be the coordinator for the time with the grant in process and put information about the grant on the web page.

Saturday October 1st:
Block Party Kick off event was held in Collyer Park. A good time was had by all. About 50-70 people showed up to celebrate.

Wednesday October 4th:
HENA revitalization grant information posted on the Historic Eastside Neighborhood Link web site. www.neighborhoodlink.com/longmont/HENA Information included meeting dates and location, brief explanation of the grant, meeting notes and the survey.

Thursday October 5th:
Survey mailed out bulk mail to all residents and property owners in the HENA neighborhood.
Friday Oct 7th:
Called Principal Schnegleburger at Spangler Elementary school to see if we can publicize Grant in school newsletter and maybe coordinate youth involvement in the project. Left message.


Tuesday October 11th:
Held RCC planning committee meeting. 7 attendees. Designed public input process for Oct. 27th meeting. Will use input from survey and divide it into sections. Will ask participants to comment on 5 areas that they find important to the for the neighborhood and two areas that they consider NOT to be a priority to focus on for the plan. Group decided to send out a monthly newsletter for HENA for the next 5 months in order to better follow up with grant planning and process. Will send out an additional post card advertising the public meetings. Decided not to spend funds on T-shirts or tote bags. Group decided to add three other areas to gather public input, youth, Latino and senior outreach will be designed in the future meetings. Mary Jo will follow up with volunteer center at Columbine elementary school. Sarah will follow up with volunteers babysitters for public meetings.

Wednesday October 19th:
Held RCC planning committee meeting. 5 attendees. Spoke about importance of promote the survey in the neighborhood. Only have received 43 surveys. Group agreed to send out another round of surveys to the neighborhood. Will get group together to stuff envelopes this Saturday. Group will promote meeting on Thursday Oct. 27th. Group decided to make the youth outreach a photography event where the youth take pictures of what they like and don’t like in the neighborhood. And talk about what they see. This was a similar strategy used in the Kensington grant process. Had volunteers sign up to help with sign in and greeting at the meetings.

Monday October 24th:
Heard from Gene Kraning in the parks department that bids for stone pillars for the picnic table came in around $7000. Will be able to begin process in under a month. Need to talk to Gene about bids for the cupola and the roof of the shelter and how to use all the additional funds.

Wednesday October 26th:
91 surveys tallied for neighborhood association. According to information gathered from the survey categories for revitalization has been divided as follows:

Public Safety and Lighting
HENA residents also expressed concern about the increased crime and safety issues in the Historic Eastside Neighborhood. It is important for residents to feel that their neighborhood is a safe and serene place where they can walk from block to block without fear of crime or dangerous traffic. Promoting safety with the grant monies would help develop a stronger sense of safety and community in the HENA neighborhood where children and residents feel safe to congregate in public places and get involved in organized activities.
• Improving Street Lighting and in Collyer Park. Improved lighting helps deter crime and creates a sense of community safety.
• Police enforcement. Strengthening the collaborative relationship between the Longmont Police and the Historic eastside neighborhood would help build trust and more effective policing. Initiating a HENA Neighborhood Watch can train neighbors on police techniques and can assist police with neighborhood surveillance and help deter problems such as noise, vagrancy and petty theft.
• Traffic. Creating a safe traffic environment in the HENA neighborhood for all motorized vehicles creates less traffic accidents and makes the neighborhood a safer play for children, and adults, to play in.

Pride in Residences and Neighborhood Upkeep

Another element important to the HENA residents that responded to the survey was code enforcement and neighborhood upkeep. Clean well maintained structures demonstrate the pride neighbors have in their neighborhood and the respect that they have for one another. A well maintained neighborhood promotes feelings of wellness, security and contentment. Neighbors can work together to improve upon their homes supporting those who may need assistance with property upkeep.
• Property Upkeep. One key to a healthy neighborhood is adequate property maintenance for all residents. Assistance can be provided to eliminate health and safety issues, correct code violations, make homes more energy efficient or undertake other exterior cosmetic improvements.
• Affordability. Many HENA residents choose to live in the HENA neighborhood because of its affordability. Programs can be created that promote home ownership, rental assistance and property maintenance that add to increased property values, while still keep the HENA neighborhood affordable to residents from diverse income brackets.
• Bury Overhead Power Lines. Overhead power lines are unsightly and cause safety and power problems in inclement weather. Burying the lines can increase property values and provide more efficient utility service to residents with less need for maintenance and upkeep.
• Alley Maintenance. Alleys tend to be the forgotten areas of a neighborhood and places where trash and weeds accumulate creating an unkempt and unsafe feel.

Public and Outdoor Spaces
Several residents indicated in the survey that public and outdoor spaces were important to enhance and develop. Many communities choose to invest in the environmental assets by emphasizing open space and parks. Studies show that communities that invest in their environmental capital have a direct increase in quality of life for residents and property values for businesses and residences. A healthy outdoor environment is one that is conducive not only to our physical health but our mental health as well.
• Parks and Outdoor Gathering Spaces. Investing in neighborhood outdoor gathering spaces such as Collyer Park create intergenerational gathering spaces and increase neighborhood accessibility to services.
• Bike Trails and Efficient Pedestrian Systems. Through linking parks and businesses with trails, bike lanes and efficient sidewalks so people can travel by foot or bicycle to reach any part of the neighborhood thereby conserving on gas and contributing to less air pollution and traffic in the neighborhood.
• Tree Maintenance. Many HENA residents expressed that they valued the mature neighborhood trees that line the neighborhood streets. By promoting healthy trees through trimming, preservation, replacement and planting programs HENA can help maintain this valuable neighborhood resource.
• Public Right of Way and Landscaping. Xeriscape, flowers and trees planted along city streets and in the right of way enhance the beauty and charm of a neighborhood.

Historic Preservation
One asset that residents of the Historic Eastside Neighborhood identified as important in the survey is its cultural richness and variety. The historic character of the HENA neighborhood is what makes it such a special place to live. Using the grant to promote the history, customs and achievements of HENA neighborhood would encourage neighborhood pride and maintain the importance of the HENA neighborhood as a vital part of Longmont’s history.
• Preserving Historic Structures. Aesthetic improvements to historic homes and buildings typically have a spill over affect on the community as a whole creating visual appeal, increased property values and offering incentive to rebuild rather than tear down.
• Development Design Standards. Design standards that are compatible with Historic Character of HENA Neighborhood help maintain the historic character of a neighborhood. Creating design standards for new development in a particular neighborhood can enhance property values and resale opportunities for individual homeowners. It has also been proven that it has a stabilizing influence in the neighborhood and encourages more private investment that is consistent with the existing nature and “feel” of the neighborhood.
• Historic Design Elements. Investment in historic architectural elements in public spaces enhance the historic value of a neighborhood. The aesthetic nature of local parks and streets can be enhanced with historic period lighting and street signs.
• Train. Encourage a stronger understanding and appreciation of the historic nature of the train and promote the development of elements that recognize the importance of the train in the development of Longmont and the HENA neighborhood, while also working to mitigate some of the negative effects that the train has on the neighborhood.

Good Neighboring
Responses to the survey indicated that many people value the relationships that they have with their neighbors and the strong sense of community that HENA fosters. A community that is able to respond effectively to problems, needs, and opportunities is one that “works”. The connections between people in a community influence cooperation, provide support and positive, meaningful interactions. Connections between friends, families, neighborhoods, social groups, schools, businesses and faith organizations reinforce a higher level of community mindedness and collaboration. Many residents find it important to promote partnership between community members by providing forums where neighbors can interact with each other with mutual respect and appreciation. HENA residents also recognize that the heart soul and mind of the neighborhood reside within its residents.
• Sense of Community. Community wide events such as block parties, wine tasting and Carriage Ride for the HENA neighborhood help neighbors get to know one another better. Community events provide an informal setting where neighbors can get together to talk and meet one another in a friendly setting and promote the small town feel of a neighborhood.
• Ethnic Diversity. Intercultural activities and interactions between residents of diverse cultural backgrounds can increase understanding and bridge perceived differences between the cultures.
• Newsletters and Communications. Community can be built and enhanced by improved neighborhood level communications such as newsletters, web pages and neighborhood groups.

Youth
Several HENA residents noted on the survey the importance of valuing youth and projects for children in the neighborhood. The youth are the future entrepreneurs, artists, managers and skilled workers of our communities and need our support for their growth and development. A balanced community will offer a variety of opportunities for youth to develop the assets that will enable youth to become a contributing member of society.
• After School Programs. Educational, artistic and athletic programs offer youth the chance to develop their skills outside of the traditional educational system. Many times these programs help youth develop their social skills and latent talents that may otherwise be channeled into other “unhealthy” activities.
• Graffiti and Gang Intervention and Prevention. Many youth, without having access to healthy after school programs can become involved in delinquent activities such as graffiti or gangs. HENA residents have identified the need to curtail gang activity and graffiti through educational programs and increased police enforcement.
• Columbine Elementary School. The elementary school is not only a center for education, but a community center as well providing a location where children and adults can come together to learn and work on important community projects.
• Amenities for Toddlers. With the new influx of young families into the HENA neighborhood many residents are noticing the need for toddler specific amenities in the park and the neighborhood.

Thursday October 27th:
Held first public outreach meeting for Revitalization Neighborhood Plan design. 31 attendees. Good turn out and response. Information gathered from the meeting rendered the following results:
Public Safety and Lighting
1. Traffic -15
Traffic mitigation through design, traffic circles, signage, ect -6
Slow traffic- 6
Traffic and parking around charter school -2
2. Bury Overhead Power Lines -9
Against- 1
3. Lighting, with Historic Elements -7
Against -2
4. Police Enforcement – 3
Against (gang intervention)-1
$100 – 9
$20 - 7
$10 – 3
Total = $1070
Pride in Residences
1. Property Upkeep- 16
Tightened code enforcement and standards – 7
Grants for low income or elderly - 4
2. Alley maintenance -5
3. Affordability – 2
Home ownership -1
$100 – 4
$20 – 6
$10 -2
Total = $540
Public and Outdoor Spaces
1. Collyer Park – 16
Against (skate park, gazebo and expression wall)-8
Lighting -7
Replace bathrooms -2
Playground and toddler amenities -2
Add fountain -1
2. Tree Maintenance – 7
3. Bike Trails and Pedestrian Circulation – 5
Bike Trails – 3
Sidewalks-2
4. Public Right of Way Landscaping -3
5. Graffiti Mitigation -1
$100 - 4
$20 - 3
$10 - 7
Total = $530
Historic Preservation
1. Historic Design Standards -10
Against -3
2. Historic Design Elements – 6
3. Grants for Historic Preservation - 3
4. Train – 13
Against – 9
Control hazardous was from train -1
Noise mitigation from train – 1
Move the train -2
Landscaping(but not with grant money) -3

$100 – 3
$20 – 7
$10 – 2
Total = $460
Good Neighboring
1. Ethnic Diversity – 7
Spanish/English classes- 3
Involvement in community events – 4
2. Community Events -4
3. Mediation -1
$100 – 3
$20 - 1
$10 - 7
Total = $390
Youth
1. Columbine School - 12
After School Programs -6
Historic Marquee/Monument Sign – 5
Teacher Grants – 1
Community wide center -1
Against -1
$100 -1
$20 - 1
$10 - 3
Total = $150
Other
1. Free wireless access provided to community -2
2. Create a non-profit along with the Neighborhood Association -1
3. Improve access to public transportation -1
4. No HOA’s
$100 -1
$20 – 0
$10- 1
Total = $110

Tuesday November 1:
Held RCC planning meeting. 3 attendees. Designed goals and objectives for Saturday Nov 5th open house. Looked over input from surveys and public meeting to design Neighborhood Plan. Designed meeting/open house for this Saturday. Group agreed to send out additional newsletter in December, February and April. Group liked youth outreach idea and looked at Kensington example.

Friday November 4th:
143 Surveys tallied.

Email us
tanya.ferencak@ci.longmont.co.us