Council Communication No. 02-285

CITY COUNCIL
COMMUNICATION:

02-288

AGENDA:

JUNE 3, 2002

SUBJECT:

CERTIFICATIONS OF CONSISTENCY - DRAKE UNIVERSITY AND IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

TYPE:

RESOLUTION
ORDINANCE
RECEIVE/FILE

SUBMITTED BY:

JAMES GRANT
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

ITEM _____

OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
CITY OF DES MOINES, IOWA

SYNOPSIS -

Drake University and Iowa State University have submitted Certifications of Consistency with the City's 2002 Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Consolidated Plan and Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community (EZ/EC) Strategic Plan which require Council's approval. The aforementioned certifications are required as part of their application to HUD for New Directions Grant Program funding to provide for institutions to expand urban outreach activities initiated under a previous Community Outreach Partnership Center (COPC) grant.

FISCAL IMPACT -

None.

RECOMMENDATION -

Approval.

BACKGROUND -

Drake University and Iowa State University will apply for New Directions Grant Program funding from HUD to provide former recipients of Community Outreach Partnership Center (COPC) funds to allow institutions to expand urban outreach activities initiated under a previous COPC grant.

Iowa State University was a COPC grant recipient three years ago. The original program focused on a variety of revitalization activities in the Enterprise Community in Des Moines. Like many areas undergoing revitalization, the issues that need to be addressed are complex and time-consuming. As a result, there remains much to be done. In addition, Iowa State recognizes that the Enterprise Community area is not isolated geographically and that the surrounding areas face similar urban problems. A logical place to expand Iowa State University's outreach efforts would be into the area surrounding Drake University. Because Drake University has also initiated urban outreach activities into that area, it makes sense to join efforts and work on the "New Directions" program as co-applicants.

The research and outreach activities proposed in this project would continue and expand upon the success of the original COPC program. All of the proposed activities would take place over a two-year time period. Nine neighborhoods would be in the target area - Chautauqua Park, King-Irving, Mondamin Presidential, New Vision in Focus, River Bend, Kirkwood Glenn, Carpenter, Drake and Drake Park.
Proposed Activities

Community Empowerment Activities - Community Empowerment activities will foster better communications, understanding and leadership among residents of the project area.

1. Communication
Quarterly Newsletter - will be distributed to all area residents. The content will focus on information that will assist area residents with housing and other urban issues.

Community Forum - During the grant period, two annual forums will be hosted jointly by Iowa State University and Drake University. These forums will bring together two communities that could accomplish much by working together, but have not had many opportunities to do so in the past.

2. Leadership
Tomorrow's Leaders Today Program - This program was a very important part of the original COPC program. It will be expanded to include residents in the Drake area, and special classes will be offered for youth and advanced leadership development.

3. Mentoring
As part of the New Directions program, both universities will spearhead an initiative to plan and deliver one-on-one reading programs to young children and holistic mentoring to teenagers. More planning needs to be done for this activity and may be included as part of the grant program.

Neighborhood Revitalization Activities - A set of new "studio" courses will be developed to address urgent issues in the project area. Because economic development is a strong area of need, but has not been thoroughly addressed in the past, the project will also include a set of capacity-building activities aimed at economic development.

1. Housing
Advanced Issues in Housing Studio - Graduate level students from Iowa State University and Drake University will be targeted for this class which will research several complex housing issues. Research in this course will look at: trends and changes in housing values, ownership changes, housing condition changes, property taxes, zoning and displacement of low-income residents. This information will be made available to the City of Des Moines and nonprofit housing agencies that work in this area.

2. Physical Barriers in the Community
Community Connectivity Studio Project - The Drake area and the Enterprise Community area are divided physically by Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. To address this physical impediment to greater connectivity, another studio course will be held to study the impacts of the parkway and suggest design solutions for better connections across the parkway. This studio course will be offered to students at both institutions.

3. Economic Development
Research and Studio Project - This will be another graduate level studio course offered to students at both universities. Students will study the economic forces at work in the area, perform a market analysis of the types of businesses that could succeed in the area, and develop a strategic plan for addressing economic development.

Economic Development TLT Course - Iowa State University will build on its past success with the "Tomorrow's Leaders Today" program and create a new class specifically aimed at developing business leadership in the project area that can focus on economic development issues.

Formation of a Business Council - Drake University is currently involved in assisting the Drake Business Council that works to improve the business climate in the Drake area. The Enterprise Community does not have a similar organization in place that can lead and spearhead economic development activities. With the help of Drake University faculty and staff, the New Directions Program will work with the Drake Business Council to mentor and assist a group of Enterprise Community business leaders to form a similar organization.

Small Business Development Activities - Drake University houses an office of the Small Business Administration's Small Business Development Centers (SBDC). The New Directions Program will work with this center to prepare a set of small business development courses for residents of the project area.