R2022-16 Resolution Approving and Adopting the 2021-2023 Council Strategic Plan

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PRIORITY GOAL #1 Neighborhood Revitalization OVERVIEW: Some Decatur neighborhoods have fallen into decline. What were once attractive and well-maintained, mostly owner-occupied,neighborhoods now experience urban blight.A significant number of properties in blighted urban core neighborhoods have transitioned to rentals,and in too many instances, landlords do not make investments in properties adequate for long-term maintenance;the number of vacant and uninhabitable houses is alarming.An exodus of population and commercial activity contributes directly to deterioration. Without intervention,these neighborhoods will continue to decline.Appropriate interventions differ from neighborhood to neighborhood;but neighborhood revitalization is a long game. The City Council has settled on a list of targeted strategies and neighborhoods,and on a process for measuring progress toward future recovery to see what works and what does not. The City Council is committed to making the necessary interventions to change the trajectory of urban core neighborhoods. Forward progress has been made over the past two years toward this goal;but much work remains. The City's strategic roadmap has four key pillars: 1. Demolish whatever must be demolished because it cannot be salvaged 2. Repair and rehabilitate whatever structures can reasonably be salvaged 3. Consider the use of more aggressive code enforcement, property inspections, registrations and other enforcement strategies to improve the local building stocky 4. Leverage private investment in the urban core with the selective development of "catalyst" projects that are large and visible enough to spur adjacent improvement Using neighborhood revitalization metrics developed by staff in 2019,the city will measure the effectiveness of the city's efforts,evaluate progress trends and shape new policy strategies.The following five metrics were used in 2019 and can be used for comparison in 2022 and beyond: • Changes in equalized assessed valuation by neighborhood • Comparative condition of the housing stock: by neighborhood using the structure-by- structure evaluation methodology developed for this purpose in 2019 • Percentage of lots/area in each neighborhood that are vacant and unused • Comparative crime statistics by neighborhood • Percentage of homes that are owner-occupied by neighborhood Proposed & Approved Key Implementation Strategies (details for each strategy have been committed to writing and are available separately): 1. Repurposing land,and alternative land uses 2. Deploying new technologies and upgrading infrastructure in target areas 3. Incentivizing people to remain in the urban core,or move there, by improving access to various services,enhance equity,and rebuild civic infrastructure in the urban core 4. Becoming more effective at leveraging private investment in the urban core and helping at-risky populations gain better program access and expand opportunities. Page 1 3