02/26/1979 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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. Ms. Miller noted in the SUNA request, funds had been requested for a project at 19th and Agate. The contingency was that the merchants fund the project. She stated, as a merchant in that area, and being one of those persons partly affected, she did not feel she had a conflict of interest for this item. - Public hearing was opened. Those speaking in favor of the Block Grant were as follows: Cathy Rapp, 956-1/2 West 4th, President Whiteaker Community Council, noted the Whiteaker NIP 79-80 package represented considerable time and effort on the part of the neighborhood people. She said this program would continue and expand some of the past projects for the Whiteaker neighborhood, as mentioned in the Whiteaker Refinement Plan. Such projects included child care, cooperative housing, and economic development. She believed the proposal had wide neighborhood support and a dedicated commitment from the Whiteaker Community Council. Cathy Burke, 92 North Polk, hoped to continue the child-care program for the community. She said there was a great need in that area ' because of the large number of single families. Also, she mentioned a need to improve the arts program and development of a Wh;teaker- based performing arts program for area residents. The request would continue architectural restoration in the neighborhood, continue appropriate technology demonstration project, and complete the commu- nity center by making it handicapped accessible. Jim McCoy, 1190 West 5th, was a member of the Whiteaker staff working on the economic development proposal. He noted the proposal was a result of a housing cooperative feasibility study and research regarding formation of a community development corporation. The result of the research and planning were the NIP economic development component in this block grant. The overall general strategy will be to form a mutual partnership organization to work with residents, business people, and others in the neighborhood. He noted the group would be seeking help from City staff and the State Housing Authority regarding the housing component. For implementation of this program, he said the Small Business Association program could increase the dollars for program implementation. He hoped this funding would help provide leverage to allow the community to develop this economic program. Gary Spivak, 1350 Bailey, said a possible economic development project could be to purchase a building, remodel it, and use it to provide adequate facilities for a neighborhood business that might otherwise leave the neighborhood. Side benefits would be improvement of the building itself, better opportunities for local employment, and adding to the existing neighborhood business. He felt this program would tie in very closely with economic development and planning for the entire city. - 2/26/79--3 m