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SECTION J -- COMMUNITY PLANNING, HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT
NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMERCIAL REVITALIZATION
PROGRAM MISSION: The mission of the Neighborhood
Strategy Area (NSA) Program is to facilitate improvements in Arlington's
Neighborhood Strategy Areas through strategic and priority planning, and
enhanced outreach and advocacy in partnership with residents. The mission of
the Commercial Revitalization Program (CRP) is to maximize the County's
investment and enhance the County's image through the implementation of
comprehensive area improvement plans and revitalization strategies in targeted
commercial areas throughout Arlington.
The Neighborhood
Strategy Area and new Commercial Revitalization Program have been combined
within this section to highlight the County's revitalization efforts in low to
moderate income communities and within older and major commercial areas in and
adjacent to residential neighborhoods.
While the programs are separate and distinct in terms of their
operations, they share similar missions and overlap geographically - more
neighborhoods are eligible for NSA designation and many of them have or are
adjacent to an eligible commercial area.
The
Neighborhood Strategy Area (NSA) Program provides technical assistance and
support to residents in low and moderate income areas within four service
areas: strategic and priority planning, program development and funding, and
outreach and capacity building. Staff
develops action plans for designated low and moderate income areas and
coordinates implementation of those plans in partnerships with residents and in
collaboration with other County agencies.
Income data acquired from the 2000 Census documented an increase in the
number of areas county-wide that were eligible for NSA designation from seven
to fourteen. Currently, eleven of the
fourteen eligible areas are designated NSAs and classified in a three tier
system according to need. Buckingham,
Columbia Heights West, Nauck and Pike Village Center are Neighborhood Focus Areas, positioned at the top of the tier and
represent the areas that will receive the highest level of program assistance,
including strategic planning, program development and funding, code enforcement
and support for civic engagement.
Arlington View, Long Branch Creek and Radnor Fort Myer Heights are
positioned in the middle tier and classified as Neighborhood Enhancement Areas.
They will receive assistance in development and implementation of
priority plans focusing on the neighborhood's top community issue and targeted
code enforcement. The third tier, Neighborhood Outreach Areas, includes
Barcroft, Lyon Park, Penrose and Westover; they will receive special outreach
to encourage participation in existing services and programs. Currently, 3.5 FTEs support the program,
including .5 in the Housing Division; 2.5 are funded through the Community
Development Block Grant Program included in the section on Special Revenue
Funds (Section N).
The Commercial Revitalization Program was
created during the development of the FY 2003 – FY 2008 Capital Improvement
Program (CIP) to increase the County's emphasis on revitalization efforts
throughout Arlington. The Commercial
Revitalization Program provides for targeted commercial revitalization within
two service areas: major commercial areas throughout Arlington and smaller
commercial areas within Arlington neighborhoods. The development of a strategic geographical focus will serve to maximize the
County's capital investments and enhance the County's image. Staff has developed an annual community-wide
project selection process and criteria for identifying priority areas. The first selection process began in early
2004. This new program incorporates the former County programs of streetscape,
utility undergrounding, commercial streetlights, and the Apartment and Business
Conservation Programs. There is
currently one FTE (Program Coordinator) allocated to this program.
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Neighborhood and
Commercial Revitalization
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FY 2004
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FY 2005
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FY 2006
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% Change:
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Actual
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Adopted
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Proposed
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'05 to '06
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Personnel
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$86,969
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$137,488
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$166,323
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21%
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Non-Personnel
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59,942
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40,329
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36,738
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-9%
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Total Expenditures
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146,911
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177,817
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203,061
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14%
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Total Revenues
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-
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-
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-
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-
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Net Tax Support
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$146,911
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$177,817
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$203,061
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14%
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Authorized FTEs
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2.0
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2.0
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2.0
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Funded FTEs
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2.0
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2.0
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2.0
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SIGNIFICANT BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS:
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The increase in personnel
($28,835) reflects normal salary and benefits adjustments and the hiring of a
senior planner at a higher step than was projected for FY 2005.
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The decrease in non-personnel ($3,591) reflects a
reduction in telephone charges by the Department of Technology Services (DTS).
PERFORMANCE MEASURES:
Neighborhood Strategy Area
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FY 2002
Actual
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FY 2003
Actual
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FY 2004
Actual
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FY 2005
Estimate
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FY 2006
Estimate
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FY 2006
Goal
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Mission Outcome Measures
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Percentage of CD funded NSA programs meeting targets
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N/A
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75%
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100%
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100%
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100%
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100%
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Small grants awarded/percentage of
resident initiated projects
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14/70%
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20/50%
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20/50%
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25/50%
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30/60%
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35/70%
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Customer
Measures
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Percent of Neighborhood College
participants satisfied with program
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N/A
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100%
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100%
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100%
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100%
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100%
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Annual enrollment/% graduated/ cumulative since FY 2001
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19/95%/47
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19/95%/65
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24/80%/84
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26/96%/109
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33/96%/132
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33/100%/174
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Commercial Revitalization
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FY 2002
Actual
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FY 2003
Actual
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FY 2004
Actual
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FY 2005
Estimate
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FY 2006
Estimate
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FY 2006
Goal
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Percent of residents
attending NSA sponsored events reporting the activity to be helpful
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N/A
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N/A
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N/A
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N/A
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50%
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60%
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Number of projects initiated/completed
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N/A
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N/A
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N/A
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2/1
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2/1
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2/2
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Customer
Measures
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Number of Commercial Revitalization
Program funding proposals received
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N/A
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N/A
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18
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18
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18
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20
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Percent of stakeholders satisfied with
project application process
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N/A
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N/A
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75%
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75%
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75%
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90%
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FUTURE BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS:
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Under the new NSA program strategy all eleven
Neighborhood Strategy Areas will receive some level of assistance through the
program so as to "leave no neighborhood behind." CDBG dollars and staff resources are extremely limited and
expectations within these areas will outpace the ability of both to continue to
be effective.
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