NECIC seeks public input on its 5-year, community economic development plan update

Lou Whitmire, Mansfield News Journal
·3 min read

The North End Community Improvement Collaborative (NECIC) is updating its five-year Community Economic Development (CED) Plan, designed to produce positive changes and sustainable growth in the community.

And the nonprofit organization is asking for the public's input.

The survey location is setup at the site of the new Community Impact Center to survey North End residents at the corner of Springmill and Bowman streets.
The survey location is setup at the site of the new Community Impact Center to survey North End residents at the corner of Springmill and Bowman streets.

NECIC invites all residents, businesses, stakeholders, and interested parties to participate in the surveys that will inform the 2023 CED plan that will be subject to a 45-day public review and comment period before it goes to City Council for approval.

Since its establishment, NECIC has been dedicated to putting residents at the heart of their work, involving them in identifying priorities, recommendations, and target areas. This community-driven approach has been the foundation for the publication of the North End Community Economic Development Plans, guiding the organization's initiatives. NECIC previously issued its first Community Economic Development Plan in 2011, followed by the second edition in 2017, both of which received unanimous legislative support from the City Council.

More: NECIC announces proposed $8 million North End community center

NECIC, a not-for-profit asset-based community development corporation, has consistently built upon the community's greatest strength — the diversity, talent, and determination of its residents. The new vision for the neighborhood has been shaped by the collective voice of those who call the North End their home, according to a news release.

The comprehensive plan serves multiple purposes, including conveying shared community values, documenting the neighborhood's history, identifying opportunities and challenges, and providing guidance for all future redevelopment efforts in the North End. The plan outlines specific revitalization efforts in crucial areas such as land use, housing, economic development, education, public infrastructure/transit, community spaces, and health and safety. The organization's current programs and services are aligned with the defined objectives in these plans.

The effectiveness of NECIC's efforts is measured through the five-year Community Economic Development Plans, and numerous recommendations from previous plans have already been successfully implemented.

Some examples of achievements that demonstrate the plans' efficacy include:

  • Elimination of blight through demolitions and enforcement of housing codes, resulting in over 430 demolitions of blighted properties through the establishment of the Land Bank in Richland County;

  • Creation of 29 community gardens and 12 Raising Richland Community Garden summits;

  • Development of a 6-farmer owned cooperative that supplies food to local food banks across the state;

  • Establishment of two social enterprises, North End Local Foods Initiative and NECIC Staffing, contributing to economic growth and reducing reliance on grant funding;

  • Implementation of farming programs from grades 5-12 at local schools, enabling students to graduate with an associate's degree in agriculture;

  • Assistance provided to over 100 minority-owned businesses in partnership with the Ohio Office of Development as a Minority Business Assistance Center;

  • Successful redevelopment of a target area once vacated by local industry, now home to NECIC's Urban Farm, Farmers Market, and three micro farms, including a training facility for aspiring urban farmers.

NECIC highly encourages community members to actively participate in the five-year Community Economic Development Plan update by completing the surveys available on its website, necic-ohio.org/neighborhood-planning-questionnaire. These surveys cater to residents, non-residents, businesses, and stakeholders.

A final weekly drawing will be held this Friday, sponsored by Park National Bank, for any resident that completes the survey by Friday.  The drawing will be done on Facebook Live on NECIC’s page.

For those interested in exploring the past Community Economic Development Plans, the documents can be accessed here: https://www.necic-ohio.org/vision#plan.

For more information regarding the CED plans, contact Research & Development Manager Tony Chinni at tony@necic-ohio.org.

lwhitmir@gannett.com

419-521-7223

Twitter: @lwhitmir

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Surveys: https://www.necic-ohio.org/neighborhood-planning-questionnaire