Green Impact Zone

[bbqboy]

mods feel free to move this if there's a more relevant topic slot...
http://www.theatlanticcities.com/politi ... ture/4264/

[chaglang]

Surely the GIZ people had a plan on how to wind down their operations when the money ran out. Right? The article left me unclear on how close they are to accomplishing their initial goals, and what additional funding would go toward.

Also, this:

Throughout the district’s five neighborhoods, the Green Zone staff successfully worked to bring the Google fiber-optic broadband network to the community.

is not my understanding of how that went down this summer. I heard multiple stories that the GIZ organization was a well-meaning but counterproductive presence, and that the eventual "greening" of Manheim Park, Ivanhoe, etc., was due to the work done by resident leaders and people like our own AJoD.

[FangKC]

Even though federal money might have run out, it doesn't mean the goals of this project cannot be fullfilled by local and state efforts.

The local utility companies and City can still work on weatherization and energy-efficiency programs. The City can still work on infastructure and home repair programs, and making efforts to rehab or remove vacant houses, or get replacement housing built. The Police Department can work on targeting high-crime areas and making it safer. Volunteer groups can help pick up trash, and mow vacant lots.

Business leaders can work together to bring new jobs to the neighborhood. The Kauffman Foundation can help establish entrepeneurial efforts there.

[chaglang]

Even though federal money might have run out, it doesn't mean the goals of this project cannot be fullfilled by local and state efforts.

The local utility companies and City can still work on weatherization and energy-efficiency programs. The City can still work on infastructure and home repair programs, and making efforts to rehab or remove vacant houses, or get replacement housing built. The Police Department can work on targeting high-crime areas and making it safer. Volunteer groups can help pick up trash, and mow vacant lots.

Business leaders can work together to bring new jobs to the neighborhood. The Kauffman Foundation can help establish entrepeneurial efforts there.

Absolutely. I'd love to see all that happen. I'm still curious about how close GIZ is to completing their original goals. The fact that they seem unprepared for the end of the federal money and there doesn't seem to be a clear procedure to hand off efforts to state/local groups is troubling.

[enough]

there are no guarantees, of course, but don't underestimate the ability of mid-america regional council to find additional resources, whether from the feds or private sources.

[AJoD]

Also, this:

Throughout the district’s five neighborhoods, the Green Zone staff successfully worked to bring the Google fiber-optic broadband network to the community.

is not my understanding of how that went down this summer. I heard multiple stories that the GIZ organization was a well-meaning but counterproductive presence, and that the eventual "greening" of Manheim Park, Ivanhoe, etc., was due to the work done by resident leaders and people like our own AJoD.

It can be tricky how credit is parsed for just about anything, but the Green Impact Zone staff were helpful in getting the work done and I'm not sure we would have been successful in some areas without that help.

[enough]

whether more money is obtained to do further infrastructure work, we should expect an important long-term benefit of the green impact zone project to be the community-building that has taken place along the way.