The Vibrant NEO 2040 planning process has been assisted by five volunteer work streams – Economic Development, Environments, Housing & Communities, Connections, and Quality Connected Places. Each one has a specific focus but some are broader than others. In the Housing & Communities work stream, housing issues are an obvious focus but the term ‘community’ is harder to define. The work stream also values the individual communities and neighborhoods in northeast Ohio by promoting the growth of a healthy, safe, and walkable region. The Akron Urban League’s 2013 Urban Issues Luncheon Series covers some of those very issues, like safety and education. The series opens at the Akron Urban League on Wednesday, February 13th with the topic, “In Search of Urban Peace: Addressing Urban Violence”. Click here to register or for more information. Review the Schedule for Fair Housing Forums Read the February Issue of Vibrant NEO Register for The…
2013 February
An excerpt from our the February Issue of Vibrant NEO! NEOSCC has been quite busy since the first of the year. We have been working with the Sasaki Team (Scenario Planning Consultants) to develop an engaging visioning process for the region that will include many opportunities to get involved and share your thoughts. Our Regional Assessments of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice team has been reviewing preliminary data and conducting a region-wide survey for government officials and housing stakeholders. NEOSCC is pleased to announce the schedule for the first round of Fair Housing Forums which kick off in March (see schedule here). In conjunction with all of this activity, we have been conducting engagement throughout the region to prepare for the Scenario Planning Process. A FEW FAQ’S What is Scenario Planning and when do we get to find out about the opportunities for engagement? At the end of this month,…
08 Feb: Share Your Thoughts on Fair Housing: NEOSCC 2013 Northeast Ohio Fair Housing Forums in March
You are invited to attend! The NEOSCC is currently undertaking a study to evaluate fair housing throughout the 12 Counties of Northeast Ohio. It is known as a Regional Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. Through a series of Fair Housing Forums, we are reaching out to each of the 12 Counties to listen to your thoughts on this important issue. Listen to preliminary findings of the study. Provide your knowledge, opinions, and feelings about fair housing choice. Please offer your suggestions on how to eliminate impediments to fair housing choice – ways we can work together to further fair housing in Northeast Ohio. State and Federal fair housing laws prohibit discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, familial status, ancestry or military status. Meeting Schedule March 11 9:00am – Summit County, Akron Urban League (President’s Hall), 440 Vernon Odom Blvd., Akron 1:30pm –…
The City of Cleveland Mayor’s Office of Sustainability is currently leading a community process to develop a Climate Action Plan (CAP). The CAP is crucial to implementing Mayor Jackson’s vision of making Cleveland more sustainable and addresses both the City’s internal operations as well as the broader community. The CAP will not only reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, but it will also acknowledge and plan for changes in climate that may affect all Clevelanders. The CAP is targeted for completion by July. The CAP is not a project in isolation, but will instead build upon many other related initiatives and achievements. These include the Sustainable Communities 2019 Action and Resources Guide released in 2010 at the 2nd Annual Sustainability Summit. The Office of Sustainability has implemented a two-pronged approach to the CAP: “top-down” and “bottom-up.” The top down component identifies what is feasible and affordable from a technology standpoint. The…
At Reconnecting America’s Transit Space Race page you’ll find a map of all the under construction and planned fixed guideway transit projects in the United States. These projects were gathered in 2012 from local sources including but not limited to, long range plans, discussions with local officials, and newspaper coverage. We understand that these projects are fluid and the estimates of cost as well as the projects themselves are subject to change frequently. This list should be seen as a snapshot in time and not a definitive source on the subject matter. Projects listed within the Transit Space Race are fixed guideway projects including heavy rail, commuter rail, LRT, streetcars, various technologies such as cog railways, and Bus Rapid Transit lines that have more than 50% of their right of way dedicated to the bus alone. Rapid buses without dedicated lanes are an important part of any transit network…
The Green Business Roundtable provides a platform for businesses, community members and public officials in the Stark County area to share information, best practices, and innovation toward improving sustainable business practices. Roundtable sessions are led by Green Business Expert, KIMBERLY W. BABCOCK, LEED AP ID+ C. Green Business Roundtable Spring Calendar February 12: Sustainability 101, Kimberly Whittington Babcock March 12: Measuring Sustainability, Bob Nappi, Director Human Resources and Facilities, North Canton Medical Foundation Lisa & Alan Frank, Owners, Ermanno’s Legendary Pizza April 9: Sustainable Community Relations, Christina Weyrick-Cooper, Community Relations Manager, North Canton Public Library May 14: Saving through Waste Management – Panel Discussion, Elaine Campbell, Grant and Development Director, Mercy Medical Center David Held, Director of STW Solid Waste Management and Mayor of North Canton Laura McElrath, Operations Director, Akron Marathon June 11: Energy Efficiency, Ryan Kopko, P.E., RKS Consulting & Commissioning July 9: Sustainability in Marketing, Joe Rosza,…
Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, a NEOSCC Board Member, last month flipped the switch on solar panels turning a brownfield into community asset. From the Plain Dealer: Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Executive Director Jeffrey Patterson wanted to make a brownfield productive and enrich Cleveland’s struggling Kinsman neighborhood. He hit both targets with his plan to use six acres of brownfield as a solar farm to generate power for CMHA’s nearby three-story headquarters. The project will also improve a blighted area and provide some jobs to residents. Electricity should start flowing this month, making the housing authority the first in the country to have a solar farm, says Mike Shaut, CEO of Shaker Heights-based Carbon Vision, a key partner in the project. CMHA will pay nothing for this venture, which is expected to cost a little more than $3 million. Carbon Vision will lease the land from CMHA and own the solar farm for…
From Executive Director John Begala: 2013 is the Centennial of The Center for Community Solutions and as part of our preparation for the next century, we are updating and adding to our decision support publications and events. What do I mean by decision support? Simply a term describing how CCS’s work informs executives and professionals in government, non-profits, and business as they make decisions. At this moment, you are reading our newly updated and reformatted newsletter, Common Ground. We are pleased to add Common Ground to our myriad decision support publications available through membership or online at www.CommunitySolutions.com. The name Common Ground reflects our longstanding commitment to collaboration –especially in the policy arena. As you know, the many challenges that continue to confront American society are subject to a rising tide of partisanship and ill will. We aim to play a role in moderating the tone of this public discourse by relentlessly…