Gary-Miller Spotlight Community Quality of Life Conversations Report
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Gary-Miller Spotlight Community Quality of Life Conversations Report Presented on June 27, 2015 Prepared by: Jessica Renslow Community Builder Gary-Miller Neighborhood Spotlight Project 1 Index Introduction of the Project…………………………………………………………3 Findings………………………………………………………………………………6 Theme Breakdowns………………………………………………………………….21 Appendix of Raw Data………………………………………………………………56 What’s Next?................................................................................................................146 Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………..147 2 Introduction of the Project Community Description Miller is a neighborhood within the City of Gary, Indiana. Located on the most southern tip of Lake Michigan, this beach community is home to an eclectic population, boasting world-class bio diversity and several long-established volunteer groups. As a community Miller is seeking to further help with the revitalization efforts occurring within Gary via the implementation of their collective impact plan, which will be constructed by the findings within this quality of life study. Project Description Neighborhood Spotlight is a new initiative for strategic investments in community development. The Legacy Foundation has made a major commitment to relational place-making where leaders and citizens are fostering positive community change and becoming stronger, more vibrant neighborhoods that enhance regional vitality. Neighborhood Spotlight represents a collaborative approach to community development. Citizens, community-based organizations and community members from the public, private and non-profit sectors will work together to Organize, Decide and Act upon issues important to them. The collective impact model revolves around five goals: Goal 1 – Common Agenda All participants have a shared vision for change including a common understanding of the problem and a joint approach to solving it through agreed upon actions. 3 Goal 2 – Shared Measurement Collecting data and measuring results consistently across all participants to ensure efforts remain aligned and participants hold each other accountable. Goal 3 – Mutually Reinforcing Activities Incentivizes projects and programs that are different while still being coordinated through a mutually reinforcing collective impact plan of action. Goal 4 – Continuous Communication Consistent and open communication across the participants and stakeholders to build trust, assure mutual objectives, and appreciate common motivation. Goal 5 – Backbone Support Managing collective impact with one convening organization playing a “quarterbacking” role. The lead agent staff will have a specific set of skills to serve as the backbone for the initiative in a particular place and coordinate the efforts of participating partners. Sources: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/legacyspotlightimpact http://www.legacyfdn.org/neighborhood-spotlight.php Purpose of the Project Neighborhood Spotlight provides a framework for capacity-building, planning and implementation block by block. It is modeled after successful community development work in Indianapolis and Chicago. Neighborhood Spotlight guides a cross-section of community members work collaboratively and collectively on improving quality of life. A convening organization, usually a community-based organization, will spearhead the coordination of neighborhood relationships. With support from Legacy Foundation staff and consultants, Neighborhood Spotlight communities will organize, decide and act upon projects that can profoundly change their future. http://www.legacyfdn.org/neighborhood-spotlight.php Methodology Legacy Foundation conducted trainings over the course of 2014, community members from neighborhoods teamed up with a local non-for profit (Convening Organization) to attend these trainings and apply to the Neighborhood Spotlight initiative. Legacy Foundation then selected two communities (NW Hobart and Gary-Miller) to piolet the program in Northwest Indiana. Legacy Foundation granted Gary-Miller’s Convening Organization, Miller Beach Arts and Creative District, a Neighborhood Spotlight distinction. Gary-Miller hired a community builder, Jessica Renslow. The Miller Spotlight Steering Committee was then formed to help carry out their community quality of life study. The Miller Spotlight Steering Committee is an eleven-person, all volunteer group, invested in the Neighborhood Spotlight process. Along with the community builder, they conducted a quality of life study for Miller using SWOT analysis (one-on-one in-person interviews). The purpose of the study was to pool the opinions from locals living/ working/ worshipping in the targeted grant area (County Line to Clay St to Rt. 12 & 20) to see what they felt were their community’s greatest strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The findings from these 203 interviews are listed within this report. They have 4 been synthesized by Miller’s community builder. 4,013 raw comments were collected during the SWOT process. It should be noted that these findings are the perceptions and views of the community members that were interviewed. Over the course of the next steps in the Neighborhood Spotlight initiative a plan of action will be created from these findings. During this process, the community will research the viability of the opinions expressed in the study. Miller Spotlight Steering Committee Members Zully Alvarado, Terry Cera, Susie Galantee, Sue Kallimani, Richard Leverett, Rasheedah Muhammad, Terry Payonk, Derrika Rollins, Meg Roman, Tim Petrites and Rebecca Wyatt How the Community was Chosen Gary-Miller was chosen by Legacy Foundation for the following reasons: Gary-Miller’s proximity to the lakefront is a notable asset as is the renovation of its Marquette Park and the historic Pavilion. Several Gary-Miller structures have historical significance with a number of them on the National Register. Collaborative bodies are working in the community and include those focused on civic engagement, professional development, philanthropic resources, and safety concerns. Source: http://www.legacyfdn.org/neighborhood-spotlight.php 5 Findings Strengths Environment and Eco Tourism Economy and Jobs Infrastructure and Transportation Education and Youth/ Child Programming Area Context Property Breakdown of Strengths Percentages Theme Percent Percentage for this theme Area Context 48.95% Percentage for this theme Environment and 26.52% Eco Tourism Percentage for this theme Economy and 10.73% Jobs Percentage for this theme Infrastructure and 5.84% Transportation Percentage for this theme Property 4.25% Percentage for this theme Education and 3.2% Youth/ Child Programming ***Safety and Code Enforcement did not overtly present itself, but could be found under the Area Context theme, as many interviewees noted that we have a peaceful, tranquil atmosphere.*** 6 Our Community Strengths comment Theme # of Comments The people: friendly, welcoming, diverse population Area Context 244 The Beach Environment and 161 Eco Tourism The community; is vested, passionate, open-minded, volunteer-oriented, Area Context 144 intellectual, hard-working Marquette Park/Marquette Park Upgrade Environment and 81 Eco Tourism Ecology/ biodiversity/ natural wonders Environment and 67 Eco Tourism Lake St and the Arts District Economy and 64 Jobs The South Shore/ Train Station Infrastructure 48 and Transportation Proximity to Chicago Area context 38 Eclectic/ cool mix of houses and historic buildings/ venues/ property in Property 36 general It’s a beautiful, quiet place Area Context 34 Local non-for-profits and volunteer groups Area Context 32 Nature in general Education and 28 Youth/ Child Programming Local businesses/ small businesses Economy and 22 Jobs The Douglas Center Environment and 22 Eco Tourism It’s a safe place comparatively Area Context 22 Total 1248 7 Weaknesses Economy and Jobs Infrastructure and Transportation Education/ Youth and Child Programming Area Context Property Safety and Code Enforcement Breakdown of Opportunity Percentages Theme Percent Percent of total comments that see this Theme as an opportunity Education/ Youth 29.4% and Child Programming Percent of total comments that see this Theme as an opportunity Infrastructure and 19% Transportation Percent of total comments that see this Theme as an opportunity Safety and Code 17% Enforcement Percent of total comments that see this Theme as an opportunity Area Context 16% Percent of total comments that see this Theme as an opportunity Economy and 15.6% Jobs Percent of total comments that see this Theme as an opportunity Property 3% ***The Environment & Ecotourism did not present in the weakness category, as its underutilization fell in with the Area Context section for poor public relations and general underutilization*** 8 Our Community Weaknesses comment Theme # of Comments Schools: their facilities, reputation, lack of leadership (school board) Education/ Youth 243 and Child Programming Our grocery options are very limited. We would like to see one back Economy and 147 where Ralph’s/ Willco was. We are a food desert. Jobs Litter/ trash Safety and Code 132 Enforcement Potholes/ roads Infrastructure and 94 Transportation Buses lack of hours/ routes/ no bus on Sunday Infrastructure and 86 Transportation We need better PR and more Media/ branding synergy/ one hub for the Area Context 83 community (Businesses & organizations) / Promote our natural wonders Lack of Child and Youth Programming Education/ Youth 71 and Child Programming abandoned houses Property 31 Not enough support