The future of our Neighborhood Organizations has been through an extensive process over the last few years. Currently, evaluating the framework has been tasked to the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA). Beginning in November they started a three month process of evaluating what has been done, taken inventory of how stakeholders are feeling about the process, and are working on envisioning a future plan that honors the power and possibility when neighborhoods organize.
“Neighborhood organizations asked for the University of Minnesota’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) to assist with the continuation of Neighborhoods 2020. This partnership between CURA, neighborhoods, and Neighborhood and Community Relations (NCR) has brought new conversations forward; and, we feel will ultimately set the stage with a solid foundation for guidelines going forward,” says David Rubedor, Director of Neighborhood and Community Relations.
Per the belief that neighborhoods are a powerful tool for residents to harness their collective strength, a racial equity analysis will be used to center the conversations on what NCR and neighborhood associations look like at their best. CURA staff will lead participants through a series of activities and discussions. Meetings will develop robust guidelines, identify resource needs, program measures, and mechanisms for mutual accountability between NCR, neighborhood associations and community-based organizations.
CURA organized three large group community meetings. The first meeting on November 21 was to focus on Process Reflection and Agenda setting for the next few months. The second meeting on December 12 focused on Visioning, Commitments and Accountability. The third meeting, scheduled to be on Thursday, January 9 from 6-8 p.m. and Tuesday, January 14, 6-8 p.m. (location TBD) will be about Report Back Wrestling and Creating a Model for Future Resolution.
Sample questions from the previous meetings included, “What’s at stake for your neighborhood? Where are you at with the current plan? How committed are you to move forward?” Neighborhood organizations and stakeholders had an overwhelming response of being fully committed to moving forward and finding a framework that created a healthy balance between Neighborhoods and the City.
CURA will be taking time after January to take the previous framework, the current responses and presenting the City Council with edits/additions/solutions to the problems the current plan presents.
If you are looking to participate and want to join the conversation, as mentioned above there is still one more large group public meeting, January 9 from 6-8 p.m. or January 14 6-8 p.m. It’s the same topic on both dates. CURA understands that not everyone can make the January 9 date, so they have opened up the last meeting to include the additional January 14 date for engagement to increase folks’ access to this process. Participants need only attend one of the meetings. To find out what location the meetings will be at contact C. Terrence at canders@umn.edu to be included on the update email. For complete info visit ci.minneapolis.mn.us/ncr/2020.