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Home My WebLink AboutCSD-07-020 - General Provision Grant Request - Downtown East, Ya Gotta Luv It Project ) R Community Services Report To: Date of Meeting: Submitted By: Prepared By: Community Services Committee February 19, 2007 Ward(s) Involved: Date of Report: Report No.: Subject: Ann Pappert, General Manager, Community Services Mark Hildebrand, Interim Director, Community Programs and Services (ext. 2687); Renate Willms, Supervisor of Administration (ext. 2395) Wards 3 and 6 February 14, 2007 CSD-07-020 GENERAL PROVISION GRANT REQUEST - "DOWNTOWN EAST, YA GOTTA LUV IT" PROJECT RECOMMENDATION: That a $36,650 general provision grant, to the "Downtown East, Va Gotta Luv It" advisory group, not be approved. BACKGROUND: The "Downtown East, Ya Gotta Luv It" project (DEYGLI) was developed to address negative perceptions about the east end of Kitchener's downtown core. This project continues to build on a long history in the Cedar Hill and adjacent neighbourhoods, where citizens work in partnership with the City of Kitchener, the Police, local schools and other stakeholders to address local issues related to community health, stability and safety. The project uses a community development approach and has included activities such as neighbourhood visioning, investigating new or enhanced bylaw enforcement standards and protocols, starting a landlords' group, and hosting local community-building activities and events. The focus has most clearly been on the Cedar Hill area; however, it is felt that the nature of the project and stated goals could very well have effect across other core neighbourhoods and perhaps even the region. Council has already approved $60,000 in funding for the DEYGLI through the Community Development Infrastructure Program (CDIP). Typically, CDIP allocations are available to a group on a one time basis and the maximum allocation of a grant is $15,000. DEYGLI has received funding each year since 2004 from CDIP. In 2004, Council approved a $30,000 CDIP grant as seed funding for the project. Staff recommended an amount over the $15,000 to: i) help offset the timing gap in receiving dollars from Trillium (who has provided $140,900 long- term funding to support both the project and its evaluation over five years) and, ii) in recognition of the potential benefits for neighbourhood redevelopment in the core and across the city (CSD- 04-030). In 2005 a CDIP funding request of $25,000 from DEYGLI was denied because of the associated criteria guiding the CDIP grant. However, upon receipt and review of a strategic Report No. CSD-07-020 Page 2 plan and evaluation of year one activities, Council approved an additional $15,000 for 2005 (CSD-05-060). A further grant of $15,000 was referred to, and subsequently approved during the 2006 budget deliberations. REPORT: The Community Services Department has received a general provisions grant application from the DEYGLI advisory group in the amount of $36,650 for two years of funding, for a pilot project in Wards 6, (and Ward 3 if requested). The project is intended to test the "Landlords Program" template currently operating under the DEYGLI project in the specified geographic areas as outlined in the application including: 1. Downtown East; 2. Ward 6 (Highland Road and Queen Street Areas) 3. Area around Conestoga College if requested It is proposed in the application that the DEYGLI advisory board will work as a resource for Waterloo Region Police and the City of Kitchener to help train interested community leaders to resolve issues occurring in the residential community between landlords, tenants and the surrounding neighbours in the geographic areas outlined above. Community leaders will be instructed in the approaches that were developed in the DEYGLI project with police and others, and encouraged to establish their own approaches to dealing with issues in their neighbourhood. DEYGLI will be responsible for initially bringing all relevant parties together to meet. Although the responsibility to create the plan of action, outlining how to deal with neighbourhood issues, falls with the parties participating, DEYGLI will also ensure the plan of action continues to move forward in a timely manner, act as a resource, and provide guidance to community leaders when necessary. Besides expanding the absentee landlord program to other sections of Ward 6 and Ward 3, the request for funding would also support the continued work of the DEYGLI project (jointly funded with the Trillium Foundation). It is anticipated that the following would be transferred to the specified communities due to this pilot: · Community leaders will be identified and encouraged to work with the DEYGLI Project Coordinator, · Leaders will be taught the essential elements of the program, · The DEYGLI Project Coordinator and the police will work with community leaders to develop strategies for the initial problem properties and potential partners in resolving those strategies, · The DEYGLI Project Coordinator will remain a resource for the community. Attached to the grant application are letters of support for the program, three from community landlords in Ward 6. An evaluation of the project's initial implantation was completed in March 2005 and the following goals were reported as being met: Report No. CSD-07-020 Page 3 1. Completing a Visioning Strategic Planning Process, 2. Assessing community capacity to implement opportunities and mitigate the threats as identified through the visioning process, 3. Taking a more concentrated and pro-active approach to issues surrounding landlords, 4. Working with the Director of Enforcement, City of Kitchener to do a SWOT analysis of the existing enforcement by-laws, and 5. Working on solutions for ongoing issues such as traffic, lighting, front yard parking. A further progress evaluation on the current program will be completed by March 2007. For the pilot project, it is being suggested that an anecdotal/case study approach to the evaluation be taken, where one to two positive and negative outcomes are documented on case situations. Also being proposed is some evaluation of issues and problems encountered in the actual transfer of the "Landlords Program Template" to other areas of the city. Staff continues to acknowledge the good work and progress of the DEYGLI project as a result of the efforts of the community and partners as well as the possible benefits of a pilot project in the aforementioned areas. However, given the policy governing the allocation of general provision grants, staff can not recommend funding for the application. General provision grants are intended for one time funding, generally to a maximum of $5,000. Requests for financial assistance are restricted to non-profit organizations that are directed by executive committees or boards of directors. At this point in time staff does not have at their disposal a tool to review, evaluate and grant multi-year proposals and, in this light, approval of this application could pose questions regarding equity across neighbourhoods. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The general provision grant budget for 2007 is $1 00,000. Of this amount, $18,500 has been pre-committed, leaving a balance of $81 ,500. If the grant is approved and funded through the general provision grant budget, a balance of $44,850 would be remaining for 2007 general provision grants. There are four Community Services Committee grant meetings scheduled in 2007 when additional general provision grant requests will be brought forward for consideration (April, June, September and December). COMMUNICATIONS: The grant applicant has received a copy of this report. Mark Hildebrand, Interim Director Community Programs and Services Renate Willms, Supervisor Administration AP