Hello and Welcome to the November issue of Vibrant NEO! Thanks for your continued interest in NEOSCC and the Vibrant NEO 2040 Initiative. As we near the end of 2012, there is plenty Vibrant NEO 2040 activity around Northeast Ohio. We are in process of finalizing the selection of a planning firm to assist with development of the Vibrant NEO 2040 vision and framework. A few facts about the planning process: Who will be involved in the planning process? We will be engaging stakeholders throughout the region through different ways and methods. How will the planning process be conducted? We will be conducting regional engagement using a scenario planning process that creates a shared vision. What is our objective? We are focused on developing a framework to create a more vibrant, resilient and sustainable Northeast Ohio. NEOSCC has also launched its regional analysis of impediments to fair housing choice study. In our engagement efforts we…
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As part of the Vibrant NEO 2040 planning process, NEOSCC is conducting a regional analysis of impediments to fair housing choice (often called a Regional AI). Western Economic Services – is helping us craft a useful Regional AI for all of the communities in our 12-county region. Working with Western Economic Services, we have created two surveys to help gauge the status of fair housing in our communities. If you are involved in the housing industry please take some time to complete the survey. Links to the two surveys, one for government officials and one for housing stakeholders can be found below. Our definition of “housing stakeholders” are people like an advocate/ service provider, banking/ finance, construction/ development, condo or homeowner association leader, insurance, law/ legal services, property management, real estate, or resident advisory council leader. Government Officials Survey Housing Stakeholders Survey Please fill out the most appropriate survey and…
NEOSCC counts numerous Public Housing Authorities among its membership. Shawna Daugherty of Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority prepared a NEO 101 Series presentation on “What is a Public Housing Authority?” to educate our board on the different aspects of PHA’s. Here are a few facts: Public Housing Authorities (PHA)provide housing and rental assistance to low-income families through two programs: Public Housing With this method, the PHA owns and manages properties. Approximately 1.2 million families reside in public housing around the country. Properties range from single family homes to high-rise apartments. Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) This method allows families to use a voucher anywhere a landlord is willing to accept it. The housing authority will subsidize the rent and utilities. Voucher programs serve about 3 million families nationwide. Beyond these core services, PHA’s offer a variety of ancillary community services in support of their housing developments. There are a number of community partners…
In The Plain Dealer yesterday, Hunter Morrison, NEOSCC Executive Director and Jason Segedy, NEOSCC Board Chair contributed a guest column, “Finding the tools to keep Northeast Ohio’s future bright”, to the Forum section discussing NEOSCC, the Conditions and Trends Platform and Vibrant NEO 2040. Here is an excerpt from the piece: Admit it: You love Northeast Ohio. You love the people, or the history, the museums, the food, or the parks and the sports. For all of us, there are aspects of our region about which we are proud, unique qualities that make it a great place to live. We all want to see the things that we love about Northeast Ohio thrive and grow, just as we would like to see the challenges facing our region addressed and put behind us. The Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium works to help residents preserve and build upon what we value, and to fix…
As a conclusion to the first half of our 12 Counties in 12 Months program, NEOSCC will be taking our board meeting to Summit County on Tuesday, November 27. This will cap a six month tour of Mahoning, Lorain, Stark, Cuyahoga, Ashtabula and Summit. To avoid potential weather difficulties in the winter months, we will be restarting the tour in April with the remaining six counties. NEOSCC counts many organizations as part of our board member organizations: the City of Akron, Summit County, Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (AMATS), Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority, Akron Urban League, Summit County Health District and NEFCO. Prior to the meeting, Summit County leaders will introduce NEOSCC board members to local assets and successful projects via a bus tour. While traveling around the county, the group will discuss the Summit Lake Community Center, Bridgestone, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, the University Park Alliance, The Austen BioInnovation…
Across the state of Ohio, communities are utilizing shared services to improve their operations and reduce costs. Learn more about these opportunities at the upcoming Shared Services Expo on November 27 at Ideastream from 8:00 to 2:30. The program will highlight successful shared services programs and provide practical advice to those interested in collaborative shared service projects. Keynote speakers include Former U.S. Senator George Voinovich, Cuyahoga County Executive Ed Fitzgerald and Controlling Board President and Policy Advisor Randy Cole. Interested in finding out what shared service collaborations are already underway in the region before the Expo? Check out EfficientGovNetwork, a sponsor of the Expo, for details. Preregistration required due to limited capacity. Registration is $50, and includes a continental breakfast, box lunch and conference materials. For more information What Can I Do Today? Act: Register to attend Countryside Conservancy’s Exploring the small farm dream Event on November 19 Act: Attend the Cleveland…
Northeast Ohio has a story. Help us tell it. You are an expert on your piece of Northeast Ohio. No one else knows your experiences better than you. As part of the Vibrant NEO 2040 initiative, we want to tell stories about what makes Northeast Ohio such an extraordinary place to call home. Through these stories we can all have a better sense of what we need to create a more vibrant, resilient and sustainable present and future Northeast Ohio. MyVibrantNEO wants you! In fact, it IS you! What do you love about our region? What needs work? We started the MyVibrantNEO campaign to help connect Northeast Ohioans as part of a conversation about what makes each community great, and what could make each community better. Visit MyVibrantNEO to learn more.
As a partner, supporter and/or member of NEOSCC, you have likely heard us mention our new Conditions and Trends Platform (CAT), an online tool designed to help Northeast Ohioans understand, talk about and contribute to the future of our region. We are very excited about the potential of this tool, and we need your help to make sure it gets seen and shared. We are relying on you and your fellow NEOSCC supporters to help spread the word about the Conditions and Trends platform to your colleagues, friends and family across the region. We’ve made it easy for you; in the attached Toolkit, you will find several components designed to help you talk about and share the Conditions and Trends Platform with your networks, in person and especially online. Conditions and Trends Toolkit: What It Is and How to Use It NEOSCC’s Conditions and Trends Platform (CAT)…