120407 DHNP Focus GroupActively Listening to the
Community –Dept. of Housing
Focus Group Project
Department of Housing & Neighborhood
Preservation
December 4, 2007
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Background and Process
In preparation for the budget, DHNP sought input
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from community stakeholders to identify key issues,
needs and concerns
We engaged an outside facilitator, Kay Carey of
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Horizons Consulting Services, to conduct focus
groups so as to promote objectivity and eliminate
any influence by DHNP
Fourteen focus groups and one one-on-one session
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held
Ninety-three participants attended sessions,
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representing over 30 organizations and individuals
affected by issues facing DHNP
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What we Asked People:
What does your neighborhood and/or the city
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need related to preserving housing and
neighborhoods between now and 2010?
What do you like about your neighborhood?
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What should DHNP continue to do that
contributes to your neighborhood?
What should DHNP do/provide to address the
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things you do not like about your
neighborhood?
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What People Said:
Responses are organized into four categories.
The frequency with which each category was
identified as a priority is shown next to it
Programs and Services (51%)
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Education/Communication/Awareness (19%)
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Neighborhood/Community Involvement (17%)
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Partnerships(13%).
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Programs and Services:
Code enforcement seen as key to
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maintaining quality homes
Issues regarding absentee landlords were
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identified by approximately 30% of the
focus groups
DHNP and partners should be pro-active in
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its programs and services
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Programs and Services
(continued)
Gaps:Strategies
:
Lack of affordable Affordable Housing
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housing opportunities
Housing Preservation
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Need for housing
Neighborhood
?
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preservation
Preservation
Need for neighborhood
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enhancement and
preservation
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Programs and Services (continued)
Specific Program Ideas Recommended
Affordable Housing
Support new home buyers and those who want to
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rehab their homes by assisting them in building
credit, such as the current program offered in
Norfolk
Assist seniors
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Education regarding access to financial assistance
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programs and how to apply for them
Education about predatory lending
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Develop a Master Leasing Program
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Create a Housing Trust Fund
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Housing preservation
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Programs and Services (continued)
Specific Program Ideas Recommended
Code Enforcement
Stricter guidelines and earlier intervention with ordinances
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regarding
occupancy, broken-down vehicles, and dilapidated housing
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Increase the number of inspectors
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Week-end code inspectors
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Utilize volunteers
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Create a Citizen Awareness Program
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Assign one DHNP staff member to landlord enforcement issues
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Reduce absentee landlords
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Provide incentives
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Provide “dis-incentives,”such as increasing their taxes
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Place a time limit on renovations
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Programs and Services (continued)
Specific Program Ideas Recommended
Neighborhood preservation
Create a Neighborhood Design Center
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Provide design services
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Provide tax abatements for qualifying designs
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Increasepolice presence and early identification of specific
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neighborhood needs
Involve community in reduction of crime
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Foot patrols
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Neighborhood watches
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Programs for youth in conjunction with Parks and Recreation
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Provide opportunities for youth, such as the CARE program
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9
Education/Communication/Awareness
DHNP regarded as visionary and efficient
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Perception that many residents are not aware
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of available programs or how to access them
Need for educating residents about home
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maintenance responsibilities, guidelines and
checklists
Participants acknowledged challenge of
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reaching all residents and suggested variety
of media to disseminate information
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Education/Communication/Awareness
(continued)
Gaps:Strategies:
Lack of information Educate public about
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about available DHNP programs and
resources and how to services
access them
Improve communication
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Lack of information with residents
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about how to preserve
houses and
neighborhoods
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Programs and Services (continued)
Specific Program Ideas Recommended
Education/Communication and Awareness
Educate the public about the Department and its programs and services
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Funds available for home improvements and rehabilitation
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Maintenance checklists
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Support services and where/how to obtain them
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Education on Ordinances
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Work with Civic Leagues, Homeowners’Associations and CAC’s
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Implement methods to reach all residents
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Increase access to information
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Partner with VA Power, PTAs, city magazines and other publications to
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include resource information in bills, pamphlets, newsletters, etc.
Insure accuracy of information
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Establish an ombudsman program
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12
Neighborhood/Community Involvement
Neighborhoods with active Civic Leagues or
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Neighborhood Associations and are more capable of
responding to problems, less prone to blight and
other problems than those without.
Neighborhood Institute is highly
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regarded and seen as
opportunity to increase
neighborhood leadership and
involvement
25% of the focus groups
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desired a DHNP staff member
to serve as liaison to
DHNP at Green Run Civic League Fair
neighborhood organizations
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Neighborhood/Community Involvement
(continued)
Gaps:Strategies:
Absence of Civic Leagues Civic Leagues and
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in neighborhoods that would Homeowners’Associations
benefit from them
Consider value of housing’s
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Lack of participation in Civic relationships, or absence of,
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Leagues and Homeowners’with specific groups (i.e.
Associationsmilitary, nonprofit, and
public sectors) and
Comprehensive training of
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implications for City if they
civic group leaders
were reduced or did not
exist
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Programs and Services (continued)
Specific Program Ideas Recommended
Neighborhood and Community Involvement
City should help increase participation in civic
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leagues/associations
Educate leaders through continuation and possible revamping of
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the Neighborhood Institute; consider an immersion program;
Help establish Civic Leagues in neighborhoods where they do
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not exist
Assign one DHNP employee to attend meetings and be
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responsible for start-up of new Civic Leagues and act as liaison
between the DHNP and Civic Leagues, Homeowners’
Associations and CACs
Strengthen relationship between Civic Leagues and CACs
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Utilize Civic League members as volunteers to improve code
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enforcement
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Programs and Services (continued)
Specific Program Ideas Recommended
Neighborhood and Community Involvement
(continued)
Standardization of Homeowners’and Condo Associations’
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policies and procedures and develop a system of checks and
balances regarding leaders’authority and accountability to the
City
Utilize Civic Leagues and Homeowners’Associations to increase
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understanding of diverse populations and reduce intolerance,
particularly in mixed-income neighborhoods
Increase collaboration between Civic Leagues
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Provide training and opportunities for children to learn
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responsibility for and how to maintain a healthy community
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Partnerships
Strengthening and creating partnerships are integral
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to DHNP’seffectiveness
Over 60% of comments regarding partnerships
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pertained to those within the City structure
Form creative partnerships
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Use homeless initiative and current partnerships
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with nonprofit housing organizations as models
Businesses are untapped resources for financial
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and human support
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Partnerships
(continued)
Gaps:Strategies:
Communication and Strengthen partnerships
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collaboration with other City with other City Departments
Departments to maximize
Develop and strengthen
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resources
community partnerships
Public-private-nonprofit around specific issues and
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partnerships designed to re-evaluate effectiveness
align stakeholders and
Encourage businesses and
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services in a different way
educate them to be stronger
community partners
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Actions Underway or Planned
Communications and information enhancements –
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dedicated one full time staff member
Neighborhood Institute continuing –enhanced
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marketing/communication to increase participation-
annual review of content/method
Actively managing code enforcement program to
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increase effectiveness and impact
Beginning to address housing preservation through
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budget proposals
Your suggestions here!
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Your Questions and Comments!
THANK YOU!
Andrew Friedman, Director, DHNP
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Kay Carey, Horizons Consulting Services
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