Power to the People: The High Rising Model of Resident Based Community Re-Building

POWER TO THE PEOPLE The High Rising Model Of Resident Based Community Re-Building

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Urban Educational Institute, Inc. Copyright Š 2004 by Afi Camara All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced nor transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by an information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, contact: Urban Educational Institute, Inc. P.O. Box 2704 Springfield, Illinois 62708 This book contains information gathered from many sources. It is published for reference and not as a substitute for independent verification by users when circumstances warrant. It is sold with the understanding that neither the author nor the publisher is engaged in rendering any legal, psychological, accounting or business advice.

The publisher and author disclaim any personal liability, either directly or

indirectly, for advice for information presented within. Although the author and publisher have used care and diligence in the preparation, and made every effort to ensure the accuracy and completeness of information contained in this book, we assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any inconsistency herein.

Any

slights of people, places, publishers, books or organizations are unintentional.

Power Principles and High Rising are trademarks of Urban Development Institute, Inc.

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This book is dedicated to my father Willie Earl Reeves Sr., (may peace and the Lord’s blessings be upon him) and my mother Joyce B. Flagg.

I thank them for their

encouragement, support and inspiration throughout my life and for believing in my ability to reach “my fullest potential.”

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Contents Acknowledgements …………………………………………………………..

8

How To Use This Book ………………………………………………………

9

Introduction. …………………………………………………………………..

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PART ONE Addressing the Dilemma of Poverty within Danger Zones. ………………

15

PART TWO Individual Empowerment Through the Power Principles. ………………

31

PART THREE Community Empowerment Through the Peoples Process. ………………

63

Undertaking a Community Assessment. ……………………………………

82

Developing Resident Participation. ………………………………………….

98

Developing and Implementing a Comprehensive Performance Strategy… 150 Maintaining Community Sustainability. ……………………………………… 155 Appendices……………………………………………………………………… 160 Glossary…………………………………………………………………………. 181 Notes……………………………… ……………………………………………. 188

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INDEX OF FIGURES

1.

Figure #1; Steps in the Peoples Process………………… 67

2.

Figure #2; City of Urbania Community Profile………….. 69

3.

Figure #3; HCDC Financial Resources …………………. 70

4.

Figure #4; Performance Strategy Timeline …………….. 78

5.

Figure #5; FOCUS ON THE FUTURE Weekend ……… 79

6.

Figure #6: Survey Strategy Area ……………………….

88

7.

Figure #7: Type of Structure Form ……………………..

90

8.

Figure #8: Condition of Structure ………………………

91

9.

Figure #9:

10.

Figure #10A: Vision Card …………………………………. 126

11.

Figure #10B: Vision Card …………………………………. 126

12.

Figure #11; Meetings of the Minds Agenda ……………… 128

13.

Figure #12; Seven Meetings of Minds Principles ………. 129

14.

Figure # 13; SWOT Exchange Form ……………………. 132

15.

Figure # 14; Power Assembly Agenda ………………….. 137

16.

Figure # 15; Eight Week Power Principle Program ……. 138

FOCUS ON FUTURE Weekend ………….

103

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INDEX OF APPENDICES

1.

Appendices #1; Memorandum of Agreement ………………………….. 161

2.

Appendices #2; Performance Committee Confidential Application….. 164

3.

Appendices #3; Map of HOPE Community …………………………….

165

4.

Appendices #4; Personal Assessment Questionnaire ………………..

166

5.

Appendices #5; Community Assessment Questionnaire …………….. 172

6.

Appendices #6; Visual Assessment Form ……………………………… 176

7.

Appendices #7; Personal Performance Plan …………………………… 177

8.

Appendices #8; Sources and Uses of Funds Statement ……………… 179

9.

Appendices #9; CPS Outline……………………………………………..

180

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"You are in control of your own life and your own destiny. If you change your "mind", you can change the way you think. By changing the way you think, you can rise to your fullest potential."

AFI CAMARA

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Acknowledgements The writing and subsequent publishing of this book was the fulfillment a life long dream.

First, all praises are due to The Most High for showing me favor and instilling within me the knowledge of myself and of my God given birthright to successful achievement in my life.

I give special acknowledgement to my son Malcolm who is my shining light that keeps me on the straight path. I would like to thank Francine Beal for allowing me the time necessary to write the first draft. Next, I would like to thank Reverend Richard B. Mayes for editing the first draft . I thank you for your critique and your support but most importantly for taking the time from your busy schedule.

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HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

This book was designed to be used as a working tool by practitioners within the community and economic development profession.

Whether you are a consultant,

community organizer, public administrator, educator, student, or community resident, it is my objective that this book would be of assistance in your community re-building initiatives. The major focus of this book is to give the reader a conceptual framework by which to undertake community rebuilding within their communities. This framework consists of the High Rising Model of Resident Based Community Re-Building® . This model consists of a managed approach to community re-building, which utilizes personal development and strategic planning techniques as vehicles to transform impoverished communities. The personal development techniques are derived from the High Rising program.

High Rising is a successful achievement program utilizing

Power Principles that I designed, which are a culmination of years of personal study in the areas of motivation, spirituality, psychology and sociology and successful achievement principles that have guided me over the years. It is my belief that the High Rising® model if used properly constitutes the only true method by which to regenerate deteriorated communities.

I have divided the book into four separate parts in order to make it easier for the reader.

PART ONE entitled Addressing The Dilemma of Poverty Within Danger Zones is an essay that not only lays the foundation for the remainder of the book but also provides a discussion of the various dimensions of poverty within distressed communities. This 9

essay also should be used as an impetus to spur further debate on the various policy innovations that could be utilized to bring about social, economic, environmental and political parity to impoverished areas. PART TWO discusses in detail the seven Power Principles and how they can be utilized by residents to transform themselves, their families and their communities. PART THREE is a case study exercise of the fictitious city of Urbania and the HOPE Community. The HOPE Community will be used as a framework to comprehend strategic planning techniques, in particular, the People Process,

Undertaking

a

Community

Assessment,

Developing

Comprehensive

Performance Strategies, and Maintaining Community Sustainability. This section also has an Appendices with the various forms, agreements, applications, etc. that should be applied during the strategic planning process.

PART FOUR is a Power Principles

Workbook that is to be used as a working tool for participants in the program.

This book is as simple to use as any other textbook or personal development book. It is filled with examples, parables and accounts of my personal experiences working in various distressed communities throughout the country. I recommend that you read the book once in its entirety to understand the benefits of the High Rising Model. Once you decide to utilize the model you will want to re-visit various sections to get a better understanding of the processes.

Even if you decide not to use the model in your

community re-building initiatives, the Power Principles are excellent Life Strategies that can be incorporated by anyone who chooses to reach his or her fullest potential.

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INTRODUCTION "We the people in order to form a more economically equitable and socially just society have the inalienable right to participate in the government planning decisions of the jurisdictions in which we live to ensure that our communities have social, economic and political parity with other areas within mainstream America."

- Afi Camara

Strategic planning and life strategies are warranted to successfully re-build distressed communities. This dual method is proposed because past and current methods have yielded little or no significant return in proportion to the amount of funds that are/were being allocated to help eradicate blight from America’s poorest areas. Today, America is plagued with many areas in which continued community decline and the overall presence of social, economical, environmental and political decay is a way of life for their residents.

The current state within inner city and rural poor communities will

continue until a comprehensive, organized and managed system toward community rebuilding is initiated, implemented and sustained.

I call these communities Danger

Zones because the residents that live within them are in danger of 1. losing their life; 2. losing their children to the ills of street life such as drug addiction, gangs, prostitution, etc; 3 losing their children (mostly male) to America’s prison system as a result of unjust sentencing laws; 4. losing their hope for a better quality of life; and 5. losing their minds because they have lost that hope.

This book was born out of aggravation while working within Danger Zones.

I found

myself asking the following questions: 1.

Why is there a lack of resident involvement by municipalities in the

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planning of community revitalization initiatives?

2.

What are the reasons behind the unwillingness of community residents to get involved in community revitalization initiatives?

3.

What is the best method to get municipalities to seek the involvement of residents in the planning of community revitalization initiatives?

4.

What is the best method to ensure resident participation in the government planning process?

5.

What process is necessary to get residents who have lost hope to take control over their lives and their communities.

Throughout this book I will answer these questions in a manner that I hope will inspire you to undertake participatory community rebuilding. I must say that some who read it will dismiss it as useless rhetoric and theoretical perspectives that cannot be obtained in the real world. Others and hopefully the majority will see the true benefits of the model and actively incorporate it in their community re-building efforts. For the skeptical, I simply say that citizen participation in the government decision making process is the foundation of our democratic form of government. This foundation is based upon the words of America’s forefather's when they wrote, "We the people..." As I restate the prologue to this introduction, I interpret this to mean "We

the people in order to form a more economically

equitable and social just society have the inalienable right to participate in the government planning decisions of the jurisdictions in which we live to ensure that our

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communities have social, economic and political parity with other areas within mainstream America."

As we continue in the first decade of the new century, residents living within distressed communities must embrace the above words. It is without a doubt that a newfound sense of empowerment will emancipate residents from the physical and mental slavery of impoverishment prevailing in distressed communities and enabling them to change their environments and master the millennium. “Think High, To Rise.�

Afi Camara St. Louis, 2004

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PART ONE

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THE DILEMMA OF POVERTY WITHIN DANGER ZONES The equalization of life chances for all racial, ethnic, and Religious minorities is not only a goal compatible with the values of our democratic system of government and way of life; it must, in fact, be realized if the idea of democracy is to remain viable for Americans. It is necessary if our system of government is to remain a model which Americans aspire to have respected and emulated in the world of nations.

-

Whitney M. Young Jr. and John B. Turner

The dilemma of community degeneration has both physical and non-physical dimensions that are rooted in poverty . The physical dimension of community decline consists of unsafe, deteriorated housing, numerous vacant lots, abandoned buildings, trash littered gutters and streets, graffiti, unkempt yards, gang activity and fly dumping of trash, debris and in some cases human corpses. The non-physical dimensions of community decline are depreciated property values, unemployment, underemployment, drug addiction, alcoholism, illiteracy, high percentage of high school drop outs, teenage pregnancy, high infant mortality, low self esteem, apathy, hopelessness and despair.

Over thirty years ago Michael Harrington wrote in The Politics of Poverty, "the basic reason why the poor of today differ from those of a generation ago, and therefore require radical measures if their poverty is to be abolished, is that the economy has changed much in a generation.

In absolute terms and objective indices, the

impoverished today are better off than their predecessors in misery, but relatively speaking, in terms of hope and economic opportunity, their plight is much worse.

Moreover, this economic fact has all kinds of social and psychological consequences for 15

the poor."

The Danger Zones in which the impoverished live were considered ghettos in the past and fit that definition today in every sense of the word. Webster's defines ghettos as, " a quarter of a city in which members of a minority group live especially because of social, legal, or economic pressure; an isolated group." In Dark Ghetto Dr. Kenneth Clark stated, "America has contributed to the concept of the ghetto the restriction of persons to a special area and the limiting of their freedom of choice on the basis of skin color." As stated earlier, these ghetto areas exist in both inner city neighborhoods and rural America. Danger Zones are isolated clusters in which their residents live in a world completely different from mainstream America. In fact, Danger Zones are doing exactly what they were designed to do which is to keep their inhabitants in a constant state of community powerlessness while at the same time maintaining the powerfulness of the status quo. They are being raped of their economic resources because capital has flown out of the area instead of flowing in. The capital outflow has a trickle down effect.

The few residents that are home-owners fail to improve their homes and

landlords fail to maintain the large abundance of rental properties. As a consequence, property values begin to fall. To add to the mayhem, businesses begin to close or move out of the area. Community residents do not own most of the businesses that remain nor those that are opening. Since non-residents transfer the economic resources to the communities in which they live, residents of Danger Zones must travel outside of their own communities to purchase many services and products.

The constant outflow of

capital resources ensures a quality of life in which residents live in a continuous cycle of

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poverty.

The end result is that Danger Zones remain in a constant state of economic powerlessness as they remain poor and get poorer while mainstream communities get richer. According to Dr. Kenneth Clark, "the dark ghetto is not a viable community. It cannot support its people; most have to leave it for their daily jobs. It businesses are geared toward the satisfaction of personal needs and are marginal to the economy of the city as a whole.

The ghetto feeds upon itself; it does not produce goods or

contribute to the prosperity of the city." Danger Zones are also defined appropriately as "blighted areas" or "slum areas",: 1.

Blighted Area - means an area other than a slum area, which by reason of the predominance of defective or inadequate street lay out, faulty lot layout in relation to size, adequacy, accessibility or usefulness, unsanitary or unsafe conditions, deterioration of site or other improvements, diversity of ownership, tax or special assessment delinquency exceeding the fair value of the land, defective or unusual conditions of title, improper subdivision or obsolete platting, or the existence of conditions, which endanger life or property by fire and other causes, or any combination which endanger life or property by fire and other causes, or any combination of such factors, substantially impairs or arrests the sound growth of a municipality, retards the provision of housing accommodations or constitutes an economic or social liability and is a menace to the public health, safety, morals or welfare in its present condition and use.

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2.

Slum Area - means an area in which a majority of the structures are residential, or an area in which there is a predominance of buildings or improvements, whether residential or nonresidential, and which, by reason of dilapidation, deterioration, age or obsolescence, inadequate provision for ventilation, light, air, sanitation, or open spaces, high density of population and overcrowding, or the existence of conditions which endanger life or property by fire and other causes, or any combination of such factors, is conducive to ill health, transmission of disease, infant mortality, juvenile delinquency or crime, and is detrimental to the public health, safety, morals or welfare.

Regardless if we call them "ghettos", "Danger Zones," "blighted areas" or "slum areas", there are some unanswered questions. What factors hinder residents from changing their living conditions and upgrading their quality of life?

What is the best means by

which residents can organize themselves in order to mentally, physically and emotionally rise above their current state? It is a known fact that our history books are filled with many infamous individuals who have overcome the obstacles of their poverty stricken environments and have risen to enormous heights in the fields of business, medicine, engineering, politics etc. Likewise, there will be many more that will do the same in the future. However, these individuals were determined not to let the physical and emotional ugliness of their environments deter them from the goals which they set for themselves. The undying desire to succeed, to put oneself in a position to have better life chances is the recipe of success that has not been discovered by the majority of ghetto residents. I say majority because there exists throughout America various

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community development organizations that have basically rebuilt certain areas within their communities. However, in most of these instances it is a handful of committed residents and/or salaried staff that have been the impetus behind the progress, which has taken, place within these communities.

Apathy, disillusionment, hopelessness and despair are the overwhelming non-physical characteristics of residents within Danger Zones.

It is because of these socio-

psychological perspectives that the majority of residents choose not to get involved in community re-building initiatives by municipalities. It is also this same pathology that keeps the same masses of people from voting in elections. A deep rooted belief exists within their psyche that just as "their political vote will not count," "their participation in planning efforts will not count and or is not wanted,"

From a community revitalization

perspective, the majority of community residents believe that "city hall" will do what ever "city hall" wants to do regardless of their desires, concerns or aspirations.

This lethargic attitude towards local government is passed from generation to generation as if it were a family heirloom.

Children grow up listening to the

conversations of their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles etc. as they vent their frustrations amongst themselves or exchange ideologies on their personal fate or the fate of their communities. Children hear conversations and tales of misfortune, defeat, prejudices and racism. They also hear how the local politicians are only show concern during election time. They hear how it’s best not to expect anything from politicians because they are slaves of public opinion who hold no value for the truth.

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As young adults the same children continue to hear the same conversations. However, because they are now older and more perceptive they not only hear the emotional defeat of the adults, they begin to actually see this defeatism and powerlessness in the adults facial expressions, in their attitudes, and in their physical presence.

As a

consequence, the physical and psychological ugliness of the environment begins to take a toll on these young adults. Many cannot get jobs and those that get jobs are paid menial wages. Many are high school drop outs with no objectives for the future. They join gangs, sell drugs and stand on street corners. They end up disempowered, disenfranchised and disillusioned. In the article Assessing The Mental Health of The Black Child, Dr. Harry X. Davidson states, "more so than any past generation today's Black children and youth...are experiencing psychological problems.

Areas of concern

include, but are not limited to the following: 1.problems associated with poor self-esteem and self-worth including feelings of abandonment, neglect or rejection; 2. an inability to see self in the future including a disinterest in education or occupational vocational careers;

3. cognitive and mental problems including difficulty in concentrating,

excessive alertness, hyperactivity, impulsiveness, poor attention span, poor judgment; 4. problems related to anger and impulse control including irritability, explosiveness, and temper tantrums; 5. problems related to behavior including oppositional and defiant behavior, fighting, disrespect for authority, juvenile delinquency, and sexual acting out."

As a result of the above psychological problems, many of our nation's youth that live in Danger Zones end up dead or in prison. Our prisons are overflowing with young adults

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that have been sentenced to forty, fifty and sixty years in prison for manufacturing and distribution of drugs, most notably crack cocaine. In ninety-five percent of the time theses are young Black males.

In the article America's Solution to the Prison

Population? , Akbar Muhammad states, "this same drug [crack cocaine] has brought total havoc to the Black community and has swelled the American prison population.

Crack Cocaine has proliferated the gang battles in the streets of this country and has taken the lives of countless members of our community. Now the courts and criminal justice system are jammed with young men and women plea bargaining for their lives...The prison has become a pressure cooker in America."

America’s prison system is in a bidding war in which small economically stagnant municipalities are bidding with the states to have correctional institutions built in their jurisdictions. These municipalities are offering land to the states at discount prices and even in some instances free of charge in exchange for the jobs that these barred domiciles will create. In addition, recognizing the profitability of correctional institutions many corporations are building privately owned prisons and charging the states room and board for each prisoner. A citizen based community rebuilding method utilizing strategic planning and life strategies is needed to address the physical and non-physical components of poverty in order to save young adults from the greed of America’s unjust correctional system.

So how does one accomplish such a feat? How can we even attempt to correct a situation that has been decades in the making? How do we weed out the roots of

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poverty and plant seeds of equality and hope? How do we get the residents of socially and economically depressed areas involved? How do we change the apathy that exits within these communities? There are many questions that have been asked in the past and that are being asked today concerning the best way to give rebirth to dying communities. Just as there are many questions, there are just as many individuals that claim to have the answers as to the best method of community revitalization.

America has spent billions of our tax dollars on different initiatives that were supposed to eradicate poverty and the effects of poverty within Danger Zones with a major focus toward Black inner city neighborhoods and poor rural areas. We had the Anti-Poverty Campaigns in the sixties, the Urban Renewal Programs in the seventies, the War on Drugs in the eighties, and the Enterprise Zone/Enterprise Communities (which is discussed later) of the nineties. I am awaiting the clichÊ to be used for the first decade of the new millennium. At the moment it appears that the Bush Administration’s Faith Based Initiative is the program of the moment.

I am not diminishing these programs because I believe that each one of them was needed then and are needed in combination today.

However, just as exclusionary

practices by local municipalities can not adequately address community revitalization in depressed areas nor can multi million dollar federal programs provide quick fixes to years of social, economical and political disparity.

Thirty years after the initiation of Anti-Poverty Campaigns, extremely high percentages

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of families within Danger Zones live at or below the poverty line. Twenty years after the initiation of the Urban Renewal Programs our nation's inner city neighborhoods and rural areas are dying from the terminal illness of community genocide.

Ten to Fifteen

years after the War on Drugs, our inner city neighborhoods are filled with crack addicts that will remain addicts, even after treatment, because the environment in which they live is an emporium for the drug. In addition to the excessive high number of young and old drug dealers that are incarcerated for manufacturing and distributing crack cocaine, which I discussed earlier, the other effects of crack cocaine within these Danger Zones consists of increased crime and children being born addicted to the drug.

Today, Enterprise Zones and Enterprise Communities are pouring millions of dollars into many inner city and rural areas, however, even with the influx of these funds into municipalities many communities are having difficulty reaping any benefits from this infusion of federal capital. The EZ/EC program was designed in theory to utilize a "bottoms-up" approach to community revitalization, however, some municipalities are excluding residents and in others, residents are either not aware of meetings or are not interested in participating in the meetings. If not corrected, in time the EZ/EC program will prove to have the same lukewarm success as its predecessor programs. At some point America’s policy makers must realize that having voter oriented programs with catchy names and allocating millions of dollars of pork barrel funding to states and municipalities is not enough to eradicate poverty and its effects in decaying communities.

Total community revitalization can only occur through direct resident

involvement.

Residents must be empowered as individuals in conjunction with the

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empowerment of the community as a whole. Before a Danger Zone can be resurrected its residents must first undergo their own state of mental and psychological metamorphosis.

They must develop and in some cases re-develop themselves

personally in order to rise high above the physical and psychological ugliness of the environment which surrounds them. Their apathy, despair and hopelessness must be shed in order for a new psychological state or Powerful Mental Attitude to emerge. This new state of mind must consist of self-respect, desire, faith, and persistence.

The social and psychological dimensions of a Danger Zone has an adverse effect on the personality of its residents. Many residents lack the basic characteristic of selfrespect and pride. This low self-esteem perpetuates into various forms of pathological behavior such as criminal activity, drug dependence and domestic violence. Underlying love for oneself is the most powerful characteristic that one can posses. It is only through self-love that a person can have the capability of loving another human being.

Self-respect and love for oneself will translate into love for your fellow man and your community. True brotherhood is the substance by which a group can unite for social and political change. Throughout history many great leaders such as Mahatma Ghandi, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X have overcome substantial obstacles by teaching their people self-respect, brotherhood and unification. History has also taught us that a house divided against itself must fall.

Self-respect and pride will arm residents with the necessary ammunition to bring livability and sustainability to their communities. However, they must first believe that

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their neighborhoods and communities should have the same amenities as other neighborhoods and communities. They must want to: *

Replace deteriorated housing with safe, decent and affordable housing.

*

Replace gang activity with youth recreational activity.

*

Replace commercial corridor deterioration with economic revitalization.

*

Replace unemployment and under employment with employment opportunities.

*

Replace vacant debris filled lots with in-fill housing, green spaces, flower gardens and micro-parks.

*

Replace drug addiction and alcoholism with sobriety.

Self-respect will transform into a burning desire for community pride, social equity and economic parity. Likewise, desire is a conscious impulse toward something that promises enjoyment or satisfaction in its attainment. Without this desire all efforts to involve residents in any community rebuilding efforts would be futile. The desire to have a livable and sustainable community must become an obsession of the residents.

Faith has been described as the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Residents must come to have faith or a strong belief that they can and will succeed in transforming their communities. This is an extremely difficult task for some than it is for others. Some people only believe in the tangible aspects of life. The five senses of site, touch, taste, smell and sound are the foundation of their belief system.

Faith is a component of the sixth sense. It is a repetitious affirmation that occurs within the subconscious mind. This repetition of affirmation transforms into a spiritual force

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that enhances the belief system within an individual. It is not an innate characteristic nor does it only belong to a select group. Although many believe that only religious or church attending people have faith, it can be taught to anyone. However, having faith in one’s objective to make positive social and political change coupled with the faith in God or in a Higher Power is an extremely powerful combination.

I have attended many community meetings, which were formerly opened and closed with a short prayer by one of the board members. In some cases the oldest of the group leads the group in a prayer and in other cases they all have joined hands in a prayer circle. For many of the older residents attending these community meetings this was probably the first time they had said a prayer in years. I am certain that many of the young adults had never said a prayer at all. However, faith is a contagious power.

In St. Louis I attended a community meeting in which the board members had closed session and a young teenage woman stood up and said “wait a minute, we can’t leave yet we haven’t said prayer. I thought we opened and closed all meetings with a prayer.”

I am very positive that this young lady was not a deeply religious person; however, the prayer sessions strengthened her definiteness of purpose.

When residents of continuing corroding communities come to possess self-respect, desire and faith, they are traveling on the road towards community regeneration. On this road they will encounter many obstacles. It is during this part of their journey that pride in themselves and their communities; the desire to better themselves and their communities; and faith in a Higher Power and their objectives will be challenged to the

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fullest extent. However, they will eventually reach a fork in that road. One prong of the fork leads to community empowerment and self fulfillment while the other prong leads to continued community decay and failure.

In the past, some residents have taken the

first prong while the majority has taken the latter. If two individuals posses the same qualities of self-respect, desire, faith, why do some succeed while the majority fail? The vehicle which some people posses, that transports them to success, which is not owned by the majority of people is called persistence.

Persistence comes from the Latin word “persist ere” which means,” to take a stand or to stand firm.” I’m sure that you have heard the saying, “if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” Persistence is the characteristic, which separates the successful from the unsuccessful. As with self-respect, desire, and faith this to is not an innate characteristic and can be learned by anyone desiring the will to possess it.

As an illustration, consider an Olympic 400 meter relay race. One lap around the track constitutes 400 meters. There are four individuals in the 400-meter relay race. In track and field each runner in the relay race is called a “leg.” Each leg runs 100 meters and passes the baton to the next leg. The first leg we’ll call self-respect. It is the job of the first leg to get out in front of the pack. In most instances the first leg is one of the fastest runners on the team and is an important leg. The first leg establishes the confidence of the rest of the legs. If the first leg comes in last, the confidence of the other legs is weakened because they know they have to come from behind in order to win the race.

If the first leg comes in first, it establishes confidence and team pride with the other

27

members.

After the first leg finishes, it passes the baton to the second leg, which we

will call desire. It is the job of the second leg to maintain the lead that the first leg has established and to push forward without being passed by the other teams. The second leg passes to the third leg, which is called faith. It is the job of the third leg to continue to hold the lead that has been established by the first and second legs and to ensure that it passes the baton in good position for the last leg. The third leg is not considered to be the fastest or strongest leg of the team. However, it is the leg, which understands its purpose more so than any other leg of the team. The third leg is the humblest of all legs. The last leg, which we’ll name persistence is called the anchor because it secures the race for the rest of the team. The anchor is in most cases the strongest and fastest of the team.

On most teams the anchor is also the captain of the team. If something

happens with the first three legs and the anchor gets the baton in last place, the anchor has the strength and speed to catch and hopefully pass the other runners. Without a good anchor the rest of the team cannot finish the race. At least not in a winning position. This is also true with persistence.

Without persistence, the other characteristics self respect, desire and faith would not be successful.

Persistence enables residents to choose the road that leads to self-

transformation and community sustainability as opposed to the road that leads to continued community decay, personal failure and a continuous cycle of poverty. Once residents possess these four keys they will be equipped with the tools necessary to rise high above the physical and psychological ugliness, which surrounds them.

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In conclusion, complete community revitalization cannot occur within a vacuum. Direct resident participation in the government planning process is necessary in order for Danger Zones to become livable and sustainable Performance Zones. In this situation, change comes from within as opposed to coming from without and leads to resident empowerment and community rebirth.

However, citizens living within Danger Zones must first possess a will to power, which transforms their apathy, despair and hopelessness into self-respect, desire, faith and persistence. The latter are not only the keys to personal and financial success they are also the keys to unlocking the dungeons of community decay and economic slavery.

Once these keys are put to use, residents can step out into the light of community rebirth and bask in its rays of self worth, economic parity and social justice. These keys can be found within the Power Principles 速.

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PART TWO

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INDIVIDUAL EMPOWERMENT THROUGH THE POWER PRINCIPLES The Two Cities LIFE TOOK ME ON HER WINGS and bore to me the top of Mount Youth. Then she beckoned and pointed behind her. I looked back and saw a strange city, from which rose dark smoke of many hues moving slowly like phantoms. A thin cloud almost hid the city from my gaze.

After a moment of silence, I exclaimed: "What is this I see Life?"

And Life answered: "This is the City of the past.

Look upon it and ponder."

And I gazed upon this wonderful scene and I saw many objects and sights: halls built for action, standing giant-like beneath the wings of Slumber; temples of talk around which hovered spirits at once crying in Despair, and singing songs of Hope. I saw churches built by Faith and destroyed by Doubt. I spied minarets of Thought, lifting their spires like the upraised arms of beggars; I saw avenues of Desire stretching like rivers through valleys; storehouses of secrets guarded by sentinels of Concealment and pillaged by thieves of Disclosures; towers of strength raised by Valor and demolished by Fear; shrines of Dreams, embellished by Slumber and destroyed by Wakefulness; mosques of Solitude and Self-Denial; institutions of learning lightened by Intelligence and darkened by Ignorance; taverns of Love, where lovers became drunk and Emptiness mocked at them; theatres upon whose boards Life acted out its play, and Death rounded out Life's tragedies.

Such is the City of the Past---in appearance far away, though in reality nearby----visible though barely, through the dark clouds.

Then Life beckoned to me and said, "Follow me. We have tarried here too long." And I replied, "Whither are we going Life?"

And Life said, "We are going to the City of the Future."

And I said, "Have pity on me, Life. I am weary, and my feet are bruised and the strength is gone out of me."

But Life replied, "March on, my friend. Tarrying is cowardice. To remain forever gazing upon the City of the Past is Folly. Behold, the City of the Future beckons...."

Kahlil Gibran

This chapter will discuss the Power Principles速 and how these principles can be applied towards the revitalization of Danger Zones. The success of High Rising速 lies in its simplicity rather than in some cosmic force that we must try to tap in order to enjoy enhanced quality of living within our communities. The ultimate goal is to give residents

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the will to unlock the inner power necessary to realize their dreams. The word "power" is derived from the French word "poeir" which means "to be able." Webster's defines "power" as " ability to act or produce an effect." We all seek power in one form or another. We want: To be able to live in safe communities free of drugs and crime; To be able to have lasting and loving relationships; To be able to have the same shopping amenities as other areas; To be able to be in control of our lives; To be able to afford a safe, decent home; To be able to have financial security; To be able to be able to have fulfilling and rewarding professions; To be able to love and protect our families and loved ones; To be able to live a healthy and long life; To be able to etc., etc., etc.

The above list could go on and on because we all have different aspirations and dreams by which we determine our own success. High RisingŽ provides residents with the keys to unlock their personal will or inner strength in order for them "to be able to‌" Dr. David J. Schwartz, one of this country's leading motivationist wrote in The Magic of Thinking Big, "success means freedom: freedom from worries, fears, frustrations and failure.

Success means self-respect, continually finding more real happiness and

satisfaction from life, being able to do more for those who depend on you."

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As an illustration, consider skyscrapers or high rises which are some of the most architecturally beautiful structures that exist today.

One can only wonder at the

beautiful skylines that embrace some of our nation's cities. Buildings such as Sears Tower and the John Hancock Building in Chicago and Trump Towers and the Empire State Building in New York are massive structures that attract thousands of tourists on an annual basis. We marvel at these buildings because of their massiveness, their beauty and their strength. However, their strength comes from below the surface. In order to build these structures massive foundations must first be built in to the ground.

These structures are not like other buildings that can be built from the ground up. In order for a high rise to be built the contractor must first dig several stories into the ground to pour concrete footings. These concrete footings are strengthened by re-bar, which are steel poles.

The basis behind having such a strong base is that these

buildings will hover thousands of feet in the air. Although we do not notice it, these buildings are flexible. They are designed to sway back and forth in the wind. If their foundations are not deep enough or strong enough and they did not have flexibility they would snap in half.

High Rising速 has the same concept. In order for an individual to grow they must first establish a strong foundation. They must also be flexible and not allow adversity to deter them from their objectives, nor should they let circumstances control their lives.

Once this foundation is established they will be able to rise high above the obstacles, which separate the successful from the unsuccessful.

Although many factors are

warranted to live a wholesome and successful life, I have identified the seven, which

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have been of importance to in establishing a strong foundation in your life. These seven principles will take you on a journey to unlock your inner strength and give you the ability to act upon your dreams with confidence, control and self-possession. I call the transportation for this journey the Power Principles®. The seven Power Principles® include: Power Principle #1; Belief in a Higher Power Power Principle #2; Change Your Mind Power Principle #3; Develop a Written Personal Performance Plan Power Principle #4; Maintain Wellness of Body & Soul Power Principle #5; Increase Your Wealth Power Principle #6; Achieve What You Conceive Power Principle #7; Sustain a Balance of Power Power Principles is a performance based personal achievement process. It takes direct participation or action in order for the resident to access his/her fullest potential.

POWER PRINCIPLE # 1; BELIEF IN HIGHER POWER If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

II Chronicles, 7:14

In the preceding chapter, I briefly discussed faith and the benefits that a Belief in a Higher Power has in community revitalization efforts.

High Rising®

teaches

participants the importance of having this belief. In fact, this is the foundation of the Power Principles®.

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However, some people mistakenly put their faith in material possessions and money. I recently read a parable by Dr. Gary Applegate in Happiness, It’s Your Choice, which goes like this: " Once I knew a man who truly believed he could take it with him. When he thought the end might be in sight, he called in his three best friends to grant him one last request. One friend was a minister, another was an insurance salesman, and the third was a psychologist.

When they gathered around his bed, the elderly man pulled out ninety thousand dollars cash from his mattress, and made his friends swear they would bury the money with him when he died. He doled out thirty thousand dollars to each of them, congratulating himself on how safe his money would be, since he knew each of his friends would check on the other two.

Almost three weeks to the day, the old man passed away. At the funeral parlor the three friends gathered around the coffin, each one with a sheepish look on his face.

"You go first," the psychologist said to the minister. The minister pulled out a wad of bills and laid it on top of the coffin. "Don't bother counting it," the minister said, "I'll tell you up front that the money is short. The church really needed a new roof, and I took ten thousand of his money. I feel so guilty."

The insurance salesman also put a stack of money on top of the coffin. "I feel guilty too," he told them. "My share is even shorter than yours. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but my uncle needed heart surgery, didn't have enough insurance and asked for my

35

financial help." Red-faced, the salesman confessed, "I'm fifteen thousand short."

"Shame on you both, " the psychologist admonished them, "What you've done is just terrible! How could you have betrayed our friend’s faith in us to carry out his final request? What you should have done is what I did." He sounded triumphant as he reached into the breast pocket of his new cashmere jacket.

"I'm returning the full

amount," and he slapped down his personal check for thirty thousand dollars.

To some the above tale might seem a little extreme but the fact is many of us live misguided and misdirected lives. If nothing else is learned from the above tale you should come away with the important concept of having a Belief in a Higher Power and making it a part of every thing that you do. Many of us are like the elderly gentleman in the above tale. We put our faith unwisely in friends, money, institutions and in many other things that really have nothing to do with faith at all. Yet, we wonder why our lives and everything around us remains constantly in a state of chaos and confusion. You must start with a Belief in a Higher Power and take the elevator up. All of us are only a minute part of a much larger system. It doesn't matter if you believe in God, Allah, Jehovah, Buddha etc., we all must acknowledge the presence and existence of a Higher Power. In Faith is the Answer, Norman Vincent Peale stated, " The man who believes absolutely in God, in the Divine reliability and goodness, does not hold himself mentally and spiritually rigid, fearful that any moment something is going to happen to him, but on the contrary, rests in complete confidence that all things work together for good to them who believe in God. As a result, he has peace in his mind and quietness at the center of his life. He becomes neither panicky nor discouraged, for he knows that

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God watches over him. This relaxed and peaceful state of mind gives him a clear brain, and makes possible the free exercise of all his faculties. Thus he is able to attack his problem with every ounce of ability he possesses. The relaxed man is the powerful man."

This Higher Power is all knowledgeable and filled with infinite intelligence. To

some this is called being in contact with your spiritual self. Spirituality provides the base, which gives us insight as to our purpose in the world in which we live. It also provides us with the strength to withstand obstacles, to carry on even in face of adversity, and to have love and respect for our fellow man.

From a community development perspective, a Belief in a Higher Power can be the link, which chains residents together.

In fact, faith based community development has

become an integral force in rebuilding communities throughout the country.

For

example, inner city neighborhoods have been known to be saturated with three types of establishments. Those being taverns or bars, liquor stores and churches. While the first two have had adverse effects on the physical, mental and spiritual condition of the residents, churches or faith based organizations are perfect mechanisms to re-build communities. It should also be noted that churches have historically been the fourms for social and economic change.

The abolitionists movement and the civil rights

movement were born within the churches of the Black masses. Today, churches are important to mobilizing community residents because they offer:1. an existing patronage and strong foundation within the community; 2. an organized structure for leadership and fund raising; 3. non-profit status, which enables them to be able to receive certain types of funding.

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Across the country many churches and faith based organizations have formed Community

Housing

Development

Organizations

(CHDOS)

and

Community

Development Corporations (CDC's), which will be discussed later. For example, at the time of this writing my mother resides in an elderly complex in Springfield, Illinois that was developed by Union Baptist Church. The complex is called Union Baptist Plaza.

This project was developed utilizing Section 202 funding from HUD, which is funding to develop affordable senior housing. At the leadership of Reverend Rudolph Shultz this organization brought a beautiful housing development to an area that was in dire need of affordable elderly housing. The pulpits of faith based organizations are realizing that they must not only seek to save souls but must also take an active role in saving their communities from deterioration and economic decadence.

Belief in one's community coupled with a belief in a Higher Power has proved to be a most powerful combination. I am quite fond of the words of the infamous motivator Dale Carnegie when he stated, "A mere man alone can easily be defeated, but a man alive with the power of God within him is invincible."

POWER PRINCIPLE #2; CHANGE YOUR MIND There is in this world no such force as the force of a man determined to rise. The human soul cannot be permanently chained.

W.E.B. Dubois

Many of us suffer from Psycho-sclerosis, which is a closed or blocked mind. This closed mindedness hinders us from reaching our full potential and keeps us in a continuous cycle of disempowerment. In order to live life to its fullest potential you must embrace the concept of METATONIA. METATONIA is the Greek word for “repent�

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composed of the prefix "meta" which means "change" as in the word metamorphosis. It is also composed of the suffix "noia" which means "mind" as in the word paranoia.

Thus, we must embrace METATONIA or CHANGE OF MIND. If we change our minds, we change the way we think. By changing the way we think, we can change our lives.

When we make the conscious decision to change our mind we develop PMA or a Powerful Mental Attitude. PMA is an important characteristic to possess. In fact, PMA is the factor that separates the successful from the unsuccessful.

I discussed the

components of PMA in the introduction to this book. These components include selfrespect, desire, faith and persistence. We are all familiar with the saying "what the mind can conceive, it can achieve." Most individuals do not possess a PMA and must be taught how to think positively instead of negatively. In Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill had a verse, which appropriately stated:

If you think you are beaten, you are If you think you dare not, you don’t If you like to win, but you think you can’t It is almost certain you won’t If you think you’ll lose, your lost For out of the world we find, Success begins with a fellow’s will – It’s all in the state if mind If you think you are outclassed, you are, You’ve got to think high to rise

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You’ve got to be sure of yourself before You can ever win a prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go To the stronger or faster man, But soon or late the man who wins Is the man WHO THINKS HE CAN!

In essence, PMA is how we communicate with ourselves. In my opinion Dale Carnegie correctly summoned it up when he said in How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, "by far the most vital lesson I have ever learned is the importance of what we think. If I knew what you think, I would know what you are. Our thoughts make us what we are.

Our mental attitude is the X factor that determines our fate."

The world is filled with pessimistic and apathetic individuals who spread their disease of negativity both knowingly and unknowingly to those who are attempting to do great things either for themselves, their families, their communities or their country. PMA is the antibiotic that stops this terminal disease before it kills the ambitions of potential successful individuals. To possess PMA an individual must change the way that he/she views oneself and the world surrounding them. This is a more difficult task for some than it is for others. An individual must constantly reinforce their subconscious with positive thoughts or images that will transform into conscious action. In his timeless book

Walden, Thoreau wrote, " I know of no more encouraging fact than the

unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor...If one

40

advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."

Community residents desiring to see themselves in a livable and sustainable neighborhood must constantly bombard their subconscious with images of new homes, clean streets, razed deteriorated buildings etc. They must also constantly repeat to themselves that they will not let anyone or anything alter their objectives. By implanting these subconscious images into their minds, the residents will trigger their conscious to act to bring these images into fruition. I would like to share with you something that I came across in a book by James Allen entitled As a Man Thinketh which states, "A man will find that as he alters his thoughts toward things and other people, things and other people will alter towards him...Let a man radically alter his thoughts, and he will be astonished at the rapid transformation it will effect in the material conditions of his life.

Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are...The divinity that shapes our ends is in ourselves. It is our very self... All that a man achieves is the direct result of his own thoughts...A man can only rise, conquer and achieve by lifting up his thoughts. He can only remain weak and abject and miserable by refusing to lift up his thoughts." The preceding words of wisdom by Mr. Allen should be embraced by all community residents desiring to transform themselves and their environment.

POWER PRINCIPLE #3; DEVELOP A WRITTEN PERSONAL PERFORMANCE PLAN In the absence of defined goals, it is difficult to estimate the character or pace of change or even to judge its direction.

Oscar Handlin

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Many people do not live the life of their dreams because they do not have an organized strategy. We must first determine what we really want out of life in order to obtain it.

Once this determination is made we must physically write these desires, dreams and aspirations on paper and develop a strategy to bring them into fruition.

There is

immense power in goal setting. However, less than ten percent of the population has written goals.

As an illustration, let’s go back and look at our sky scrapers or high rises. Before these buildings were ever constructed immense time and planning went into their design.

Architects spent countless hours drafting blueprints that specifically state the interior and exterior dimensions of the buildings. These blueprints or plans are used by the various contractors in order for them to complete their portion of the building. The steel erector had a sent of plans that outlined the structure of the building. The plumber had its own set of plans that dictated were the pipes were to be put that would allow water to travel through the massive structure. The electrician had its own set of plans that stated exactly the type and location of wires that were to be installed in the building to give it light. And so on. And so on. Without these plans the contractors would not know were to start or what the finished product is supposed to look like.

The same is true for people. We must plan in order to have fulfilling lives. Without a plan or an organized strategy for living we basically leave ourselves open to the luck of the draw. In The Magic of Thinking Big Dr. David J. Schwartz stated, "A goal is an objective a purpose. A goal is more than a dream; it's a dream being acted upon. A

42

goal is more than a hazy "oh, I wish I could." A goal is a clear "This is what I'm working toward." Nothing happens, no forward steps are taken until a goal is established.

Without goals individuals just wander through life. They stumble along, never knowing where they are going, so they never get anywhere." In essence, we wonder aimlessly from one thing to the next without any coherency to our efforts. In Proverbs 29:18 the Bible states, "Where there is no vision, the people perish."

According to Dr. David J. Schwartz in The Magic of Getting What You Want, "most people who dream don't really dream. They may have needs wants and desires, but they don't follow the dream procedures that work." The dream procedure that must be undertaken in formulating your organized strategy entails answering the following questions: 1.

Who am I? - The first step in the dream procedure is the most important and probably the most difficult of all. It involves your concept of "me" or "I." This step involves immense self-analyzation, which for many people is a difficult task. If you have attempted to assess yourself in the past and have failed or got discouraged it is possible that your were not truthful with yourself. You must be honest in assessing your personal strengths and weaknesses in order to ascertain your self worth.

I believe that the

following poetic passage by Kahlil Gibran taken from The Voice of the Master expresses the importance of determining your self worth and your concept of "me" or "I." The passage states: "Know your own true worth, and you shall not perish. Reason is your light and your beacon of Truth.

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Reason is the source of Life. God has given you knowledge, so that by its light you may not only worship him, but also see yourself in your weakness and strength." In answering this question you must ask yourself, what do I like? and what do I dislike? In Black Pearls for Parents Eric V. Copage states that "when we are attuned to what gives us pleasure and fulfillment, we gain a healthy sense of independence and self-knowledge."

The most important question to ask is; Whether you are content with yourself?

2.

Where am I going? - In the next step of the dream procedure you have to determine where you are headed as an individual. In addition, you must ask yourself. Am I satisfied with the present course that my life is going?

If I am not satisfied, what can I do to change the present course that my life is taking? Some quiet time with yourself may be necessary to analyze the present course that your life is taking. When you come to this stage you have reached a fork in the road, which I discussed in Chapter 1. To change the course of your life you must choose the road to empowerment or continue to live a life of regrets and mediocrity.

3.

Where do I want to be?- This is perhaps the easiest of the dream procedure steps. To answer this question just say what it is that you dream about. What constitutes happiness, success and empowerment to you? What is your personal vision for the future? Remember, everyone’s dreams are different so if your dream is different from that of other individuals around you remain steadfast in your ambitions. Some of the

44

worlds most renowned and successful people became that way by dreaming the impossible dream.

4.

How do I get there?- In You Can Make It Happen Stedman Graham stated, "Once you know what you want out of life you will make sure nothing gets in the way of achieving success. You must focus on what it takes to get you where you want to be."

You must have a Personal

Performance Plan to use as a roadmap on your journey toward reaching your dreams. For a detailed Personal Performance Plan see Appendices #7.

Residents in distressed communities must follow the above dream procedures and incorporate them in their Personal Performance Plan that is designed to uplift them from their present state and propel them towards empowerment.

This new state of

consciousness will offer better life chances and opportunities for personal growth and success. In essence, community residents must have vision. According to Steven Ames, one of the foremost experts in the field, "visioning is simply a process by which a community envisions the future it wants (i.e. more affordable housing, greater employment opportunities, adequate child care, more shopping amenities, youth employment etc.) and plans how to achieve it. It brings people together to develop a shared image of what they want their community to become. Once a community has envisioned where it wants to go, it can begin to consciously work toward that goal." I will discuss visioning in more detail in the next chapter.

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POWER PRINCIPLE #4; MAINTAIN WELLNESS OF BODY & SOUL ... do you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom ye have from God, and that ye are not your own?

For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

I Corinthians 6:19-20

Research has shown that one of the characteristics of successful people is that they are in good physical health. Research has also shown that the impoverished suffer from some of the most fatal diseases i.e. diabetes, hypertension, heart disease etc.) that exist. High Rising速 advocates that balanced nutrition and proper exercise are very important to unlocking ones will to power. Our nation is based on the capitalist system and as such we compete on a daily basis with one another to get our share of the American dream. However, with this competition brings stress, poor dieting, and ill health. Our health is also at risk because we are a nation of couch potatoes and junkfood eaters. A proper diet and regular physical exercise are necessary for a healthy life and will add to its longevity. I will discuss the importance of regular physical exercise below, however; first I want to discuss the importance of proper eating.

Eat to Live; Don't Live to Eat I believe that my personal experience offers the best illustration of proper eating. I had been suffering for approximately fifteen years with such ailments as stomach pains, nausea, indigestion, heartburn etc. The first time I went to a doctor back in the early 80's I was told that I was threatening an ulcer. Throughout the years whenever my life's problems escalated my digestive system reacted.

There were times that I would 46

awaken in the middle of the night and have to rush to the bathroom to throw up the food that I had eaten previous to going to sleep. It had gotten so bad a few years ago that I had to go to the hospital emergency room. The doctor on staff suggested that I undergo a series of tests in order to get a proper diagnosis. I was scheduled to take an upper GI. I don't know if you have ever had one of these tests. But you must first drink this solution of barium, which looked like a thick vanilla milk shake but tasted like concentrated chalk water. It was horrible. After drinking this concoction I had to stand in front of a large X-ray machine in order for the radiologists to take pictures of my throat, stomach and intestines. The barium acted as a fluorescent light bulb within my digestive system. After that test I had to go to the other side of the hospital to take another test called an ultra sound. Most of you probably heard of this test especially if you have children.

That's right.

It is the same test that is used to monitor the

development of a child within its mother's uterus. I laid there while this doctor rubbed this jell like substance on my stomach an preceded to rub this strange instrument over me. I must say that I did not like it. To my good fortune I was given a good bill of health and was told that my problems were stress related. Upon the prognosis I was told to eat a bland diet (i.e. no spices, no fried foods etc.) and given a prescription for a drug called Tagamet. It should be noted that according to the Wall Street Journal Tagamet is the number one prescription drug in the country. I continued to have these problems until I changed my life and changed the way that I ate.

In order to re-educate myself I read such books as Unlimited Power by Anthony Robbins, Fit for Life by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond, Natural Weight Control by Dr.

47

Norman W. Walker. All of these authors stress the importance of eating a plant based diet consisting of fresh uncooked fruits and vegetables, baked potatoes, raw unsalted nuts and whole grains. I know you are probably saying wait a minute that sounds like the diet of a vegetarian. Well you are correct. However, the most important factor about eating this way is that at least 70% of what you eat at each meal must be high water content foods. The foods with the highest water content on earth are fruits and vegetables. Personally speaking I am not a complete vegetarian but I do try to eat as much fruits and vegetables as possible. In essence at least 70% of every meal is high water content foods or fresh fruit or vegetables. Prior to learning of the correct way to eat I did not eat fruits at all. Whenever I tried to eat one I got a nauseous feeling in the stomach. So why do we need to eat high water content foods. The reason is that the water from these foods transports the nutrients from the foods to our body's cells and removes toxic wastes.

It is called Natural Hygiene.

Also, all of the nutritional

requirements that our body needs such as minerals, vitamins, amino acids, proteins, enzymes, fatty acids and carbohydrates are found in fresh fruits and vegetables. My six foot six and one inch frame carried around two hundred and forty six pounds before I started eating correctly and within one months time I lost forty pounds. I still eat what I want but I make sure that at least 70% of what I eat is of high water content. However, eating alone cannot bring wellness of body and soul.

Exercise for Existence

In addition to poor eating habits, we have become a sedentary nation primarily due to

48

technological advances and our overuse of these advances. According to Dr. Hans Kraus, "we are a nation suffering from hypo kinetic diseases, the sicknesses caused by insufficient exercise. Progress has robbed us of our heritage. Fifty or a hundred years ago, you would have to do hard physical tasks in the ordinary routine of living. You would have walked, run, ridden a horse, chopped wood, plowed fields, or done household chores that were muscularly demanding. But look at the easy life you lead now.

Instead of walking or running, you drive a car. And the car has power

steering...you don't even have to move your arms. Instead of climbing stairs, you take an elevator.

When you want heat, you don't shovel coal; you simply turn up a

thermostat. When you do laundry, you just dump it in a machine. And when you want to dry it, you dump it in another. You do not have to wash dishes; a machine does it for you.

There are appliances all over the house.

Mixers have done away with the

eggbeater. Vacuum cleaners have supplanted the broom. There are electric razors and even electric toothbrushes. When you ski, you take a chair lift up the hill; when you play golf, you ride a cart. In short, you lead a mechanized push-button life, and so do many other Americans. And millions are under exercised as a result."

Regular physical activity gives us added energy, stamina and a better physical appearance.

It replaces our sedentary lifestyle that's caused by our technological

advances. It has been proven that physical activity decreases the risk of chronic pains and injuries that cause us all to be less effective in life. It increases blood flow to the brain, which has a direct correlation to increased mental alertness and memory retention.

Regular physical activity also serves to increase our level of confidence.

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This is necessary for higher learning and success in overall mental fitness. Americans are being bombarded by infomercials on the TV, which pitch various forms of hi-tech exercise equipment. These various machines range in price from $40 to $50 to several hundred. However, expensive machinery and a large income is not necessary in order to maintain proper physical exercise.

In the Spring/Summer while working as a

Parliament Intern in Southampton, UK, I received the best exercise since I was a teenager. I had to walk an average of seven to eight miles per day between the office where I worked and the residence hall where I lived.

I also walked with friends

whenever we went out to shop or to see the various tourist sites. This constant walling resulted in a total weight loss of approximately 30-40 pounds and perhaps the best physical stature I’ve had in many years.

It is a known fact that politically and economically disenfranchised people have higher rates of heart disease, high rates of drug dependence, high infant mortality etc.

Community residents desiring to make positive changes within their neighborhoods must not only have a Powerful Mental Attitude they must also possess a powerful attitude toward proper physical health. A positive attitude toward proper physical health has no age limits.

Both old and young residents must practice proper dieting and

physical exercise. However, it goes without saying that the older residents must contact their physicians before initiating any physical fitness routine. The most important aspect about the High RisingÂŽ program is that it can be practiced by everyone regardless of age or physical state. Older residents can schedule daily group walks throughout their neighborhoods.

Not only does this provide excellent exercise, it also provides an

50

opportune time to monitor their neighborhoods on a daily basis. In addition, as part of their community revitalization initiatives, the younger residents might form intramural basketball or baseball teams. Exercising and playing together are excellent ways of establishing and maintaining community pride.

Power of Mind In reference to mental activity, remember that you never stop learning. It is important that if the youth of the community are to have an interest in learning, they must first learn from the family and other community members.

This creates a continuous

learning environment for all involved. Remember, knowledge is power and no one is ever too old to learn. In order for the community to advance, the elders and adults of the community must become role models. This means that all must strive to learn more. If the youth of the community can see the adults and elders focus on learning, there is a greater chance that the youth will imitate those in the environment, as they currently do with the negative elements. This creates a cycle of improvement that is required for sustained growth.

POWER PRINCIPLE #5; INCREASE YOUR WEALTH Align yourself with powerful people. align yourself with people that you can learn from, people who want more out of life, people who are stretching and searching and seeking some higher ground in life.

Les Brown

Throughout history the human race has been competing vigorously and in many instances deceitfully in its great quest for wealth accumulation. However, in this quest for more money, a bigger house, a second or third vehicle, a vacation home and all the other trappings that our society equates with being wealthy, many fail to nurture some of 51

our most prized possessions or investments. We have all heard of the quote from the Bible in Mark 8:36, which states, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul." Many people sell their souls to the devil in order to satisfy their greed. A common misconception is that the accumulation of wealth equates to success. To accumulate true wealth one must actively invest in people. High RisingÂŽ teaches that there is an immense difference between wealth and success and that a person's wealth is not measured in physical or monetary value but is measured is the non-physical aspect of an individuals relationships and his or her attitude toward them. In Creating Wealth Robert Allen stated, " Wealth is not money. Money is just the appearance of wealth. The form but not the substance. Wealth is thoughts, not things.

You can be wealthy without having lots of money. And you can be rich and not be wealthy."

Your thoughts or attitude towards your relationships and the importance that you place upon them determines your wealth. Investing your time, commitment and energy in your personal, business and community relationships guarantees lifelong riches. For example, in How to make and Break Habits

James L. Mursell writes that, " an

astonishing number of people narrow their own lives and diminish their own happiness by neglecting their general relationships to other human beings, by withdrawing more o less completely from such relationships, by refusing to enter into them or to continue them. All of us have something to give to other people. All of us can be happier if we give it." The sad truth is that many of us are so caught up in the daily grind that we lose sight of what’s truly important and in many instances take for granted ou key

52

relationships.

The most important aspect in maintaining and nourishing your

relationships is that they can bring unlimited joy and lifelong happiness. On another note relationships can be of immense assistance in helping you to realize your dreams and goals that you wrote in your Personal Performance Plan to unlock your will to power.

In You Can Make it Happen

Stedman Graham stated that "forming and

maintaining supportive, positive relationships not only is essential to your success, but it is also one of the most enjoyable and rewarding parts of life. We all need a team behind us to share in our victories and to help us overcome our defeats. In every aspect of life, whether it is in the home, at work, or in the community, we need people who share our vision for a better life."

Develop Your Own ACTION ALLIANCE The most important aspect of maintaining and nourishing personal, business or community relationships is that they can bring unlimited joy and lifelong happiness. On another note, such relationships can be of immense assistance in helping you to realize your dreams and goals. I call this group of individuals that the renowned motivationist Les Brown describes in the quote, at the beginning of this section, an Action Alliance. It is so called because it is through the assistance of their collective action that you will strive toward personal achievement and sustainable success. You must make sure that the individuals that you invite into your Action Alliance totally support your goals and objectives. Remember the old saying, "two heads are better than one." However you must also be selective in your associations as another old saying goes, "one bad apple spoils the whole bunch." You must look at your Action Alliance as a totally separate

53

entity from you and the collective group. You must see this group as a third party consulting firm assisting you in the realization of your dreams.

From a community development perspective residents must commit to building Action Alliances within their family, their work and their communities. For example, parents must commit to properly educating their children to prepare them for the real world once they reach adulthood. In addition, fathers, especially African American fathers must take active roles in their families to ensure that their children have positive male role models that they can learn the virtues of being a dedicated father and life partner. Most important of all community residents must commit to joining some type of organization within their communities which advocate for a better community and an enhanced quality of life. Such organizations may include: 1.

Religious Organizations

2.

Local Urban League

3.

Community Development Organizations

4.

Fraternal & Sorority Organizations

5.

Boy's & Girl's Club

6.

Political Organizations

Building lasting and nurturing relationships is the foundation for building livable and sustainable communities.

POWER PRINCIPLE #6;

ACHIEVE WHAT YOU CONCIEVE

You will achieve your Dream when you've done the necessary work. The good news is, you will achieve your Dream. The bad news is, there's work involved.

John-Roger and Peter McWilliams

54

So far we have discussed the High Rising process by looking at how: 1.

We as individuals fit in the scheme of the universe and how putting Belief in a Higher Power is the foundation that gives us the inner strength to achieve our goals.

2.

Having a Powerful Mental Attitude is the basis to unlocking your will to power by changing the way you think so that you may realize your visions;

3.

A written Personal Performance Plan of your goals and the steps that you will take to achieve them is your personal road map to achieving success;

4.

We need both Wellness of Body & Soul to keep our bodies and our minds healthy as we travel on the road to success;

5.

Social enrichment through nourishing and lasting personal, business and community relationships are the true keys to Increasing Your Wealth .

Each of the five keys listed above are important to developing the strength necessary to overcome adversities to unlocking your will to power. However, if the sixth principle is not initiated these Power Principles速 would not be efficient. The sixth principle, which is Achieving What You Conceive or Strategy Implementation, incorporates the five principles that precede it. However, it is a separate but vital component within itself.

As an illustration, consider again the architectural drawings for a sky scrapper that we discussed above. These drawings, which are extremely expensive to produce, could detail the most elaborate and beautiful building to ever be designed. However, unless those plans are actually acted upon by the builder they would just set on a shelf and

55

collect dust.

Similarly, if the builder that is hired to construct the building is not

competent the building could be built with many local building code violations or health hazards. In any situation plans and strategies must be acted upon to bring the desired project into fruition.

The same is true of the Power Principles 速. Having a Powerful Mental Attitude, a Written Personal Performance Plan, Maintenance of Body and Soul, a Belief in a Higher Power, and Increasing Your Wealth with Nurturing Relationships will not bring your dreams into reality if you do not implement the strategy that you wrote in your Personal Performance Plan. This is an important step to successful achievement that determines who succeeds and who fails. Just as the architectural drawings alone cannot get the sky scrapper erected nor can your Personal Performance Plan bring you success and happiness if it is not acted upon correctly and with persistence. If your personal vision is to have a better job the steps that you wrote in your Personal Performance Plan must be acted upon. If your strategy called for updating your resume and contacting five prospective employers every week you can rest assured that if you do not do these things you will remain in the same position that you are currently in. It doesn't matter if your dream is for a fulfilling relationship, more money, a bigger home for your family or a better community in which to raise your children, if you do not act upon your plans you will remain a "dreamer" and not a "doer."

I stress the importance of strategy implementation in rebuilding distressed communities because many residents get disillusioned and disappointed from the high expectations

56

that evolve out of many community-planning processes, derived from the public participation process. Lack of persistence or follow through and lack of project funding are the main components that hinder the implementation of revitalization projects. To combat these deterrents residents must embrace the previous Power Principles速 with the understanding that they will give them the will and the inner strength to proceed even in the face of adversity. It should be noted that strategy implementation is a key component of the strategic planning process, which I will discuss later.

POWER PRINCIPLE #7; SUSTAIN A BALANCE OF POWER I live a BALANCED life.

I take time to work and time to play.

I take time to learn and time to teach.

I take time to give, and I am open to receiving the bountiful blessings of life.

I spend time with myself.

I spend time with the Divine.

I spend time with others I spend time in nature.

I take the time to spend time, enjoying all that life has to offer.

I live a BALANCED life.

For this I am so grateful.

And So It Is! Iyanla Vanzant

In any system that harnesses power or control there must be balance in order for the system to operate at maximum efficiency. Balance is also necessary to ensure that one component of the system does not overpower or take control of the other components.

The attainment of power is an immense accomplishment for those who have sought to harness it. Power is also addictive and can give its possessor a state of euphoria unmatched by the most addictive of street drugs. Once you successfully accomplish the previous six Power Principles速 you must also concentrate on the seventh and final step, which is to maintain balance in the power that you have attained. High Rising 速 stresses that it doesn't matter if you sought empowerment in your finances,

57

empowerment in your relationships, empowerment in your work or empowerment in your community, the power that is obtained must be maintained and balanced to ensure the following: 1.

That you do not concentrate on one principle and neglect the other six outlined in the Power Principles 速. For example, having a Powerful Mental Attitude is an excellent characteristic to possess; however, without the development of an Personal Performance Plan you will not progress forward. However, as I discussed earlier a written Personal Performance Plan does you no service if you do not strive to implement or execute that strategy.

2.

That you realize that the Power Principles速 incorporate a continuum process. You must constantly strive to live by these principles. The most important aspect is that once you have reached your goals and are living your dreams you must not forego these principles but continue to use them on a daily basis.

Maintaining balance is a universal concept. Balance is maintained in nature in the circle of life when one species preys on the other for nourishment and in the four seasons, which regulate our environment. An important example of the balance of power lies in our own governmental system. For example, the founders of this country set up three branches of government called the judicial branch, the legislative branch and the executive branch. This system is called the Separation of Powers. However, it should have been called the Balance of Powers because it keeps one branch of the

58

government from overpowering the other branch. The same is true of these Power Principles速.

Many people exist and do not live life to its fullest. As children we are imaginative and filled with aspirations and dreams. However, as we get older most of us lose sight of our dreams and ambitions because we have: 1.

Become complacent.

2.

Are locked in dead end jobs and relationships.

3.

Blame others for our own weaknesses.

4.

Have low self-esteem and lack of self worth.

5.

Are looking for hand out instead of a hand up.

6.

Have an overwhelming fear of failure.

7.

Have attempted to succeed at a certain endeavor and failed and have resolved to never try again.

8.

Let circumstances determine our paths in life instead of setting our own goals.

The above list could go on and on. Just as there are millions of unhappy and unfulfilled people in this country there as just as many reasons that justify their depressed state.

In One Day My Soul Just Opened Up Iyanla Vanzant stated that "balance is key to your ability to savor life. Balance does not require you to do anything better or faster than anyone else. It requires only that you make a conscious effort to enjoy what you are doing, and that you learn to be present in every aspect of life, for some portion of each day that you are alive." The Power Principles速 are necessary to give you the inner

59

strength to travel the elevator that leads to “a life unimaginable in common hours.”

HIGH RISING® PROGRAM IN ACTION

The above Power Principles® are taught in the High Rising® course. Before I go any further, it should be noted that community residents should participate in this course as part of the resident participation component of People Process which are discussed in detail in the following chapters. The High Rising® program takes a year to complete and will occur in conjunction with the People Process.

The program is taught in a forum, which is much different from traditional motivational courses. The basis behind the development of the program and the writing of this book is two present a comprehensive program for managed community revitalization that addresses the personal empowerment of the individual as well as the community as a whole. As such, the forum in which the program will be presented will be at scheduled Power Assemblies , which I will discuss in more detail in Chapter 6. Nonetheless, in order for any program to be successful it must have a curriculum that is concise and does not intimidate anyone. The program must also be taught by an individual that truly believes in it and the benefits that residents will gain from participating in it. It is for this reason that the program will be taught by UEII certified Maximum Performance Trainers.

To this end, the High Rising® program has been developed to be presented in four phases, which include: 1.

Assessment -

This phase includes ascertaining where the resident sees

himself/herself today, where he wants to go in the future and how he intends to get

60

there. Residents will complete a Personal Assessment Questionnaire, which will assist them in defining and achieving their goals.

2.

Learning the Power Principles速 - During this phase the residents will study

the Power Principles速 and be given real life examples of how possessing these types of principles have contributed to the success and rise of many.

3.

Undergoing the Personal Performance Process - After the residents have

learned the benefits of the Power Principles速 and how to apply them to their daily lives they come to the most important part of the program. It is at the inception of this stage that residents will complete a written Personal Performance Plan, which will outline their individual goals and objectives for success. The important part about this stage is that the success or failure of the resident in obtaining their goals depends on their own personal performance. It is during the Personal Performance Process that residents rise to new heights of knowledge of self.

4.

Evaluation - This phase will analyze how successful the program has been for

each resident and the community as a whole. This phase has been separated into two stages. The first evaluation will occur six months after the residents complete Personal Performance Plans and the next evaluation will occur six months later. The evaluation stage is divided some residents will fall off track and will need reinforcement. It is best not to wait the entire year before learning that a resident has dropped out of the program.

Now that we have learned the benefits of the Power Principles速 and how they can change the lives of residents within distressed communities, we can move on to...

61

PART THREE

62

COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT THROUGH THE PEOPLE PROCESS The people are the glory of our kingdom and the source of its wealth.

Kahlil Gibran

WE HAVE TOP- DOWN, BUT BOTTOMS - UP IS BETTER Traditionally, the community development or revitalization objectives of municipalities have been described in some sort of "master plan", "general plan", "urban renewal plan" or "neighborhood revitalization strategy." These "plans" and "strategies" were prepared in-house in the municipalities' planning department or they are prepared by outside consultants.

In many cases, once these "plans" were produced they joined the

graveyard of previous plans and sat on shelves and collected dust.

The common

denominator of most of these "plans" or "strategies" were that they had little if any resident involvement. This was “Top-Down” community revitalization in which the elected officials decided which buildings were razed, which projects were developed, which programs (if any) were initiated and which neighborhoods received funding.

Today, municipalities do not totally exclude resident involvement in their planning efforts. When resident involvement is sought, pre-published public hearings are held in which residents are requested to attend. In most cases, attendance at these public meetings is extremely low. Their real purpose is to have residents comment on predecided community revitalization or community planning initiatives.

True resident

participation in the planning process can only occur if ideas are generated from the “Bottoms-Up.” 63

HOW DO YOU DEFINE STRATEGIC PLANNING? The previous chapter outlined the basics of the Power Principles® and the importance of personal enhancement techniques in giving residents living within Danger Zones the will to change the conditions within their lives and their communities. This chapter will discuss the second component of the High Rising Model of Resident Based Community Re-Building®, which incorporates the “Bottoms-Up” techniques of strategic planning, and the visioning process.

You may ask, what is strategic planning? To some it sounds like a secret military procedure developed by the Pentagon. If you are one of these individuals your are in the ballpark with the definition of the term. Webster's New World Dictionary defines strategy as "the science of planning and directing military operations."

However, the

planning theme remains an important component of most definitions.

For example, from a corporate perspective, in the book Strategic Management Charles W.L Hill and Gareth R. Jones define a strategy as "the determination of the basic long term goals and objectives of an enterprise, and the adaptation of courses of action and the allocation of resources necessary for carrying out these goals."

From a local

government perspective in Strategic Planning, What It is and How To! Dr. James V. Thompson, whom I had the pleasure of working with, defines strategic planning as "a systematic process by which a community anticipates and plans for its future [resulting] in a written document that guides the community toward its future goals." During the period beginning in the late 1980's and continuing throughout the decade of the 1990's 64

there emerged another term for strategic planning which is called visioning. In A Guide to Community Visioning Steven C. Ames, who is probably one of the foremost experts on the visioning process, defines visioning as "simply a process by which a community envisions the future it wants, and plans how to achieve it. It brings people together to develop a shared image of what they want their community to become.

Once a

community has envisioned where it wants to go, it can begin to consciously work toward that goal." It should be noted that although I will use both terms throughout this book their meanings to me are the same.

As you are probably thinking just as there are many definitions there must also be many approaches to strategic planning that are being undertaken in various forms within various corporations, organizations and communities throughout the country. If you were thinking that , you are correct. In fact, this is such an important process that courses on strategic planning are being taught at some of the nations top business schools, urban planning schools and schools of public administration.

I must say that I was an advocate for and a believer in the utilization of the strategic planning or visioning process in community revitalization long before I became familiar with either of the terms.

However, because my interests and my work involve

revitalizing distressed communities, I have formulated my own definition of strategic planning. I choose to do this because the residents, who are the direct beneficiaries of the strategic planning process, should be included in the definition. As such, the High Rising速 model defines strategic planning as:

65

A systematic process by which residents of distressed communities envision the future livability and sustainability of their environments and incorporate individual , public and private resources to undertake the planning and implementation of goals to effectuate personal and community development resulting in empowerment, economic rebirth, political parity and social justice.

The above definition encompasses what I call the People Process. I call it the People Process because the degree of the participation of the people or the community residents in the strategic planning process ultimately determines the success of the desired project. In addition, the People Process underscores the fundamental principles of our democratic society. In Citizen Involvement in Land Use Governance; Issues and Methods Nelson M. Rosenbaum stated, “American democracy was founded on principles of limited governmental authority and formal public accountability.

These

principles, so deeply embedded in American political culture, also furnish the intellectual roots of the contemporary movement of greater citizen involvement in governmental decision making.�

Contrary to the belief of many, resident involvement within the governmental decisionmaking process cannot happen within a vacuum.

In order for any process to be

successful in obtaining its desired effect, there must be certain steps that have to be followed to ensure the success of the endeavor. Whether its following a cooking recipe or assembling a child’s toy at Christmas time, we must follow the designated steps in

66

order for our efforts to be successful. How many times have you tried to use a cooking recipe or assemble a toy and your finished product did not look like the photograph of the finished dish or the picture of the toy on the package. The same is true with the People Process. Although each community is different and may incorporate various components and have certain ills that must be eradicated, the steps of the People Process must be followed to bring about community rebirth and ensure sustainability.

STEPS OF THE PEOPLE PROCESS The steps of the People Process are as follows: Figure #1 STEPS OF THE PEOPLE PROCESS STEP ONE:

Establish where the community is now and the direction it is currently headed through a comprehensive PERFORMANCE ZONE PROFILE.

STEP TWO:

Establish where the community wants to be by developing a community vision through RESIDENT PARTICIPATION.

STEP THREE: Implement a COMPREHENSIVE PERFORMANCE STRATEGY, which will meet the visioning objectives and goals of the community.

STEP FOUR:

Establish a management body to ENSURE COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY .

The People Process is a means to an end; however before that process can be initiated, there are certain prerequisites that must be accomplished beforehand.

DEVELOPING A PUBLIC / PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP The plan to revitalize a Danger Zone can be initiated by either of the following: 1.

Grassroots or community development organization.

2.

A group of concerned citizens and/or businesses.

67

3.

Local elected officials.

4.

Federal elected officials.

5.

Local major corporations, financial institutions or universities.

6.

Members of appointed groups such as boards and commissions.

7.

Churches and other faith based organizations.

Each one of the above would be considered stakeholders because they have a direct interest in the revitalization of the community.

Although each one of the above

stakeholders can initiate the planning process, the ideal situation is to formulate a public/private partnership, which would incorporate the participation of each one of them.

The strategic planning process can be undertaken in many forms with the

utilization of the People Process.

It should be noted that the important thing to

remember is that most distressed communities have gotten that way as the result of years of neglect from both the public and private sectors. Any opportunities to forge new relationships from these two important sectors should be seized with the utmost diplomacy and care. Today, we are seeing more and more instances of were public and private partnerships have been formed to eradicate the immense state of deterioration that is plaguing our nations inner cities and poor rural areas.

As I previously stated, I will use as a case study a public/private partnership in the community of HOPE within the fictitious city of Urbania the remainder of this book to illustrate the components of the People Process.

A demographic profile of this

imaginary community is as follows:

68

Figure # 2 Community Demographic Profile Name of State Name of County Name of City Name of Distressed Community Total Population of Urbania Total White Population Total Black Population Median Income of Urbania Demographics of Hope Community a. Black Population b. Percentage of Urbania Population c. Median Income d. Unemployment Rate e. Percentage of Rental Property Area Public Schools: a. Umaja Achievement Elementary School b. John Faith Elementary School c. Shabazz High School d. Sholom Hope School e. All Success Middle School

Progress Future Urbania Hope 150,000 135,000 13,500 19,000 95% 10% $ 9,000 75% 65%

I chose the specific demographic information above because it exemplifies many communities throughout our nation. The city of Urbania is a small community, which is growing. However, the Hope Community is located within five Census Tracts on the Eastside of the City. The community has been suffering for years from both public and private neglect, which has resulted: 1.

High unemployment

2.

High crime rates

3.

Dilapidated housing

4.

Large number of vacant lots

5.

Many business closings

6.

High percentage of rental properties

7.

Large high school drop out percentage

8.

Youth gangs and youth unemployment 69

9.

Lack of shopping amenities

10.

Apathy, Hopelessness and Despair

As the above information indicates, the residents living within Hope Community are definitely caught in a Danger Zone.

However, with the assistance of the Power

Principles速 and the People Process this Danger Zone will soon be transformed into a Performance Zone.

The area will be called a Performance Zone

because the

revitalization strategies to be initiated are the result of the participation or performance of the residents within the community in order to make it sustainable.

The Hope Community Development Corporation (HCDC) was recently formed by a group of citizens desiring to revitalize their distressed community. A new mayor was recently elected and has pledged to work with HCDC. That pledge included a financial commitment of $6,500,000. Other organizations that have also pledged to work with HCDC in the form of financial resources and or in kind services include: Figure # 3 HCDC Financial Resources NAME OF ORGANIZATION

COMMITMENT

City of Urbania

Financial/In-Kind

County of Future

Financial

Urbania Unified School District

In-Kind

Progress State University

Financial

AMOUNT $ 6,500,000 2,000,000 50,000 1,500,000

Foundation Future County Community College

In-Kind

100,000

District

70

Urbania Chamber of Commerce

Financial

25,000

The Greater Urbania Black Chamber

Financial

25,000

Friends of Urbania’s Future

In-Kind

10,000

Northern Progress Home Builder’s

Financial

100,000

First State Bank

Financial

2,500,000

Urbania National Bank

Financial

2,500,000

Hope Community Baptist Church

Financial

20,000

of Commerce

Association

TOTAL RESOURCES

$15,330,000

COMMITTED

At the recommendation of the mayor the Urbania City Council has passed an ordinance to undertake the GREATER URBANIA REVITALIZATION PLAN FOR HOPE COMMUNITY. The ordinance also stipulated that this project would (1) designate the area as a Performance Zone; (2) utilize the High Rising Model of Resident Based Community Re-Building® encompassing the Power Principles®

and the People

Process; (3) establish the formation of a Performance Committee to oversee the process (4) and to assist in the development of a Comprehensive Performance Strategy.

To ensure the commitment of the participants in this newly formed public/private partnership it is recommended that a Memorandum of Agreement be signed by all of the stakeholders involved. This agreement would act as a tangible sign of the commitment of all involved.

This memorandum was passed by ordinance by the Urbania City

Council. It should be understood that just as no two communities are the same no two memorandums would be identical.

See the Appendices #1 for a copy of the 71

Memorandum of Agreement .

It is important to remember that this memorandum and the High Rising Model of Resident Based Community Re-Building速 can be undertaken for one community, multi communities or an entire public jurisdiction.

It is also important to remember that

although the public jurisdiction and or its elected officials may initiate the planning process and may even facilitate it, the ultimate decision concerning the future of the community rests with people who live within it.

ROLE OF THE PERFORMANCE COMMITTEE

The role of the Performance Committee is to guide and develop the Comprehensive Performance

Strategy

and

to

ensure

the

implementation

of

the

strategy

recommendations. The major component of this role is to ensure that the residents of Hope Community play an integral part in determining the future course that their community will take. As such, Performance Committee members should : 1.

Be responsive to the needs and desires of community residents.

2.

If necessary develop the boundaries of the Performance Zone.

3.

Based on resident participation develop a written Performance Zone Profile.

4.

Hold scheduled meetings of the Performance Committee .

5.

Act as a liaison between the Hope Community Residents and the participants of the Memorandum of Agreement.

6.

Establish a Performance Strategy Timeline.

7.

Initiate the revitalization process by Inaugurating the Initiative.

72

8.

Blitz the Zone to ensure proper citizen participation in the planning process.

9.

Hold the necessary public hearings and Meetings of the Minds .

10.

Assist residents In the development of their Performance Vision Statement.

11.

Monitor resident Performance Strategy Task Forces and assist them

in

the

formation

of

their

Performance

Strategy

Recommendations.

12.

Utilizing the

Strategy Recommendations

of

the

community

residents to prepare the Comprehensive Performance Strategy.

13.

Monitor the implementation of the Comprehensive Performance Strategy.

14.

Ensure sustainability of the initiative by developing a Local Leadership Team

to coordinate the implementation of the

Comprehensive Performance Strategy and to act as a stewardship body to guide the community into the future.

15.

Hire a consultant to assist them in carrying out their responsibilities.

As you can see from the above information, the Performance Committee plays an extremely important role in the People Process. In essence, the success or failure of the revitalization effort depends largely on the dedication and sincerity of this group of individuals. That is why great care should be taken to ensure that the right individuals are put on this committee. I have to mention this because this is something that I have

73

seen occur over and over and that is the practice of jurisdictions packing these committees with political associates, relatives and business associates. Lets face it, billions of dollars have been allocated to be spent by both the public and private sectors to revitalize distressed communities throughout this country over the years. The end result is that after a few expensive token projects these communities have remained distressed and economically and socially stagnant.

Although it is not discussed, it is

obvious that funds have been misappropriated and embezzled and projects have been awarded unfairly to colleagues. In order to ensure that the selection of the members of the Performance Committee is impartial, all individuals interested in participating on the committee would have to complete the Performance Committee Confidential Application as shown in Appendices # 2.

Great care will be taken by the city of Urbania to ensure that residents of Hope Community become members of the Performance Committee .

In most instances,

public jurisdictions make the grave mistake of packing this type of committee with municipal employees. This committee should not only include representatives of the participants in the MOA but also residents from the community.

The community

residents help to eliminate political favoritism and also ads the much needed community perspective on the issues that the committee will encounter.

There set number of

individuals that should set on the Performance Committee.

However, it is widely

recommended that this number should not exceed thirty individuals. It is recommended that this application be published on daily basis in local newspapers and other media. I can not stress enough that all efforts should be made to have this application published

74

in the newspapers that are read by the community and not just the particular city’s news daily. For example, I read papers that are members of the African-American press such as Pure-News USA, the East St. Louis Monitor, Springfield Voice and the St. Louis American.

I choose to read these newspapers because they are of much more

importance to me in finding out what is taking place within the African American Communities within their respective cities.

Also, a representative from the public

jurisdiction or the initiating organization should also appear before other media forums such as radio and television to inform the community at large about the application process. I also recommend that this representative contact local religious leaders and request their permission to take a couple of Sundays to visit the local churches and religious organizations to inform their congregation of the importance of submitting applications to be included on the Performance Committee.

Once the Performance Committee is established it should operate in the same fashion as any other commission or board. As such it will follow Robert’s Rules of Order guide to parliamentary procedure. The committee should elect officers, record minutes of its meetings and establish a Performance Strategy Timeline.

The Performance Committee for Hope Community has met and has agreed to hire an outside consultant to assist them with the task that they have before them.

After

sending out a Request for Proposal (RFP) the have agreed to hire Revitalization Strategies International, Inc. (RSI).

The committee has entered into a signed

agreement with the consultant. As part of that agreement, the consultant has agreed to

75

undertake certain responsibilities, which include but are not limited to: 1, Staff and supervise the Strategy Center; 2. Prepare a Performance Zone Profile; 3. Present the Power Principles at the scheduled Power Assemblies; 4.Prepare the Comprehensive Performance Strategy; 5.Assist in the selection of the Local Leadership Team.

The managing consultant from RSI has told the committee the importance of (1.) having a name for the initiative that is easy to remember; and (2.) showing a presence within the Performance Zone to develop a relationship with the residents. The Performance Committee with the assistance of the consultant decided to name the initiative FOCUS ON THE FUTURE , which will be discusses in more detail in Chapter 6. In addition, the consultant has recommended that a Strategy Center be established within a commercial area of the Performance Zone. If no commercial space is available this office should be established in a single-family residential property. It is not recommended to have the Strategy Center in an apartment complex.

It should consist of at least three individual

offices and should also be equipped with staff, phone lines, desks and other office equipment. The benefits of having a Strategy Center are as follows: 1. It would help establish hope and trust among the residents by giving them a physical and tangible reference that their community is undergoing a revitalization initiative. 2. Give residents a source to gain knowledge on the revitalization initiative by having someone within the community to go to for answers. 3. Depending on the size of the facility it could also serve as an excellent location to hold press conferences, Meetings of the Minds, and other necessary gatherings. 4. It could become an integral component of the resident participation initiative because the office could be an excellent attraction to get residents

76

to volunteer.

I cannot stress enough the importance of having an onsite Strategy Center within the Performance Zone. Our Performance Committee has been extremely fortunate and has leased an older two story Victorian building on a commercial corridor. The building is located at 1215 Hope Street. The building has been used as offices in the past and will accommodate four offices plus a conference room. The committee has entered into an agreement with the owner of the property to lease it for one year.

PERFORMANCE STRATEGY TIMELINE Since the Performance Committee will include members from sponsoring organizations that have committed financial and other resources to the revitalization effort, it should be these entities responsibility to set a time limit on the project. The timeline could be based on when resources will become available such as an upcoming budget cycle or the timeline could be based on such factors as, weather, other initiatives such as crime eradication measures to be undertaken in drug infested communities, etc. There are numerous reasons that would justify the establishment of a certain timeline. In many situations funding might not be in place as such it may be appropriate to allocate enough time to research funding sources or to prepare grant applications etc.

To illustrate, as Economic Development Coordinator for the city of Bullhead City, Arizona, I sat on a Local ACTION Committee that had to develop a timeline to develop a strategic plan for a distressed area of the city in order to compete for a $1.5 million grant

77

from the State of Arizona. As such, we had to establish a time line that would not only allow enough time for the required resident participation component but also enough time to obtain the approval of the mayor and city council while at the same time have enough time to prepare the grant application so that it would be submitted to the state on time. The committee must remember to allocate enough time to ensure proper resident participation.

Figure # 4

HOPE COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION DISTRICT FOCUS ON THE FUTURE PERFORMANCE STRATEGY TIMELINE

ACTIVITY MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JUL AUG SEPT OCT -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Inauguration X (May 15th) Blitz the Zone XXXXX (May 1st - June 1st) Comm. Assess. XXXXXXXXXXXXXX (May 1st - Aug. 1st) Meetings of the Minds XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (June 1 - Dec. 31st) HIGH RISING Assessment XXXX (June 1st - July 1st) Power Principles XXXXXXX (June 1st - Aug. 1st) Pers,. Perf. Proc.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (Aug. 1st - June 1st) Evaluation XXXXXX (June 1st Aug. 1st) Strat. Task Forces XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX(Jan 1st -May 1st) Perf. Strategy XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

As you can see from the above Performance Strategy Timeline the committee has allotted an eighteen-month period to undertake the planning component of the Hope Community Revitalization project.

As discussed in Chapter #2, the residents will

undergo a twelve-month High Rising速 program. However, the Power Principles速 will be presented to the residents by Maximum Performance Trainers (MPT) during the first two months of the scheduled People Process. The MPT's will present these principles at scheduled Power Assemblies within the Performance Zone.

78

The eight-week program will consist of the following: Figure #5 WEEK # PP #*

NAME OF PRINCIPLE

1

Intro

High Rising Seven Principles of Power

2

1

Belief in a Higher Power

3

2

Change Your mind

4

3

Develop a Written Personal Performance Plan

5

4

Wellness if Body & Soul

6

5

Increase Your Wealth

7

6

Achieve What You Conceive

8

7

Sustain a Balance of Power

After the completion of the eight-week program the residents will be honored with a certificate of accomplishment.

You will also note that the Performance Strategy

Timeline has allocated dates for the entire High Rising速 program consisting of the resident assessment, learning the Power Principles速, undergoing the Personal Performance Process and the evaluation, which were discussed in Chapter 2. I will discuss the details of presenting the Power Principles速 during the citizen participation component of the People Process more in Chapter 5. In many strategic planning and visioning processes the Performance Committee would be the body that develops the Performance Vision Statement (PVS). In a Guide to Community Visioning Steven Ames describes the PVS as "the formal expression of [a] vision. It depicts in words and images what the community is striving to become." It is my belief that this important

79

task should be the direct responsibility of the community residents. To develop this statement without the input of the community residents is another form of "top-down" community planning. Remember, it is this type of community planning that has in the past contributed to lack of resident participation in the planning process and overall resident apathy. Therefore, the PVS will be developed during the resident participation component of the People Process.

In the previous chapter I discussed the Power PrinciplesÂŽ and the importance of personal development techniques in bringing rebirth to individuals within Danger Zones.

This chapter discussed the framework of the People Process and its importance in bringing rebirth to Danger Zones. When the Power Principlesďƒ˘ and the People Process are combined we have the basis of the High Rising Model of Resident Based Community Re-BuildingÂŽ.

To illustrate:

POWER PRINCIPLES (Individual Empowerment)

+ PEOPLE PROCESS = POWER TO THE PEOPLE + (Community Empowerment) =

(Sustainability)

As you can see if we seek to empower the individual at the same time that we seek to empower the community we would have more than just an increase of bricks and mortar and the associated social programs that accompany such revitalization efforts. This combination is the best plan to regenerate decaying souls and spirits which transforms into a new sense of pride in community and an overwhelming dedication to change ones physical environment, which transforms the Danger Zone into a Performance 80

Zone.

The following chapters will discuss in detail the four steps of the People Process.

These steps are discussed separately to give you a complete understanding of their importance in the revitalization of distressed communities.

81

UNDERTAKING A COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT The under privileged are the shyest. They are most reluctant to reveal that which the soul lives by.

Zora Neale Hurston

In the previous chapter I introduced the city of Urbania as our case study.

I also

discussed how a group of concerned citizens from the most distressed community in the city formed the Hope Community Development Corporation (HCDC) and rallied the support of the mayor and other area stakeholders in an initiative to revitalize the community. However, before Hope Community can undergo its revitalization process, we must first undertake a Comprehensive Community Assessment, which is step one in the People Process.

The Comprehensive Community Assessment is the information-gathering component of the People Process. The objective of the Comprehensive Community Assessment is to determine the resources, assets and opportunities that can be built upon to encourage community, economic, human and physical development and investment. In essence, it is at this point that the community must establish where it is now and the direction that it is currently headed. Information to complete the assessment may be obtained from either of following: 1.

Direct input from local residents.

2.

Previous plans and studies conducted by the municipality. a.

General Plans

b.

Consolidated Plans 82

3.

c.

Economic Development Strategies

d.

Housing Needs And Demand Assessments, etc.

Previous private plans and studies conducted by other federal, state or local agencies or non-profit organizations, foundations etc. (i.e. state labor statistics for the jurisdiction).

4.

Census Bureau Information.

5.

Local real estate board.

6.

Local colleges and universities.

7.

Community Development Corporations

8.

Newspapers

9.

Planning/Economic Development Commissions, zoning boards

A Comprehensive Community Assessment must meet the following criteria: 1.

Established "hard edges" and "well-defined" boundaries for the area to be assessed or Performance Zone.

2.

An assessment of the residents personal spiritual, socio-economic, physical and mental well-being.

3.

An assessment of the residents' view of the community as a whole.

4.

An assessment of the physical dimensions of the community.

5.

An assessment of the non-physical dimensions of the community.

6.

A written Performance Zone Profile incorporating various demographic information.

DETERMINING THE PERFORMANCE ZONE As Appendices # 6 shows the Hope Community has well defined boundaries that that

83

easily distinguish this area from the rest of the city of Urbania. The Hope Community Revitalization District would be described as the area which is bounded on the North by Faith Drive, on the East by Action Boulevard, on the South by Hope Street and on the West by the Western National Railroad. Boundaries such as these are what we call “hard edges� because they are visible by natural or man made borders. It should also be

noted that in many municipalities community boundaries coincide with the Census

Tract boundaries. The area that has been designated to undergo the revitalization process is called the Performance Zone. It is called the Performance Zone because it will take the individual and collective performance of the community residents as well as the other stakeholders to bring rebirth to a distressed community.

The development of well defined boundaries would also be warranted because of but not limited to the following: 1.

Lack of Resources to undertake the revitalization of an entire community so that only a portion of it may undergo the revitalization process.

2.

The utilization of federal, state or local resources which mandate the allocation of funds within a certain area such as certain census tracts or an areas with a certain median family income level in which case well defined boundaries would have to be developed.

3.

Having the revitalization of the Performance Zone coincide with other federal, state or local programs such as Enterprise Zones/Enterprise Communities, Tax Increment Financing Districts etc. that already have existing boundaries.

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PERSONAL ASSESSMENT QUESTIONAIRE

Appendices # 3 shows the Personal Assessment Questionnaire. As stated earlier, it is the goal of the High Rising速 program to empower the individual as well as the community. As such, a personal assessment must be completed by the residents in order to determine their current state of spiritual, socio-economic, physical and mental well-being. The questionnaire has been designed to assist residents in ascertaining their strengths and weaknesses.

Residents should answer all questions truthfully.

Remember, they know more about themselves than anyone else. They should answer all of the questions and come back to them weekly for a period of three months. After the three month period they will be overwhelmed at how they will gain additional insight about themselves and their goals for success just by answering the questions truthfully.

If residents are not sure about the answers to some of the questions it might help them to ask the assistance of those that are closest to them. However, they should ask the assistance of those that have no motive to flatter or who are not afraid to tell the truth.

They will be surprised by the experience. It is important to remember that there are no wrong and right answers to the questions. The main thing to remember is that the questionnaire can be used as a tool for growth, which will put the residents on the straight path toward personal growth and community cohesiveness.

It should be noted that this questionnaire should be used during the resident participation process. I will discuss this step in the People Process in the following

85

chapter.

Remember,

personal

empowerment

will

transform

to

community

empowerment. In a true community revitalization process you cannot have one without the other.

It should be noted that when asking residents to fill out questionnaires great care should be taken so as not to embarrass anyone. Many living within America’s most distressed communities either have poor reading skills or cannot read at all. The facilitator of the meeting should make everyone feel as comfortable as possible. The facilitator should explain that the participation of everyone is needed and appreciated and that anyone that needs help should raise his or her hand. Assistants should be placed throughout the room and ready to assist the residents. These questionnaires should be prepared in English and Spanish.

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT QUESTIONAIRE

Once the residents have completed the Personal Assessment Questionnaire they should be allowed to take a 15 to 20 minute break in order to complete the Community Assessment Questionnaire (see Appendices #4).

The break is to allow them the

opportunity to stretch their legs or maybe get a snack from the back of the room (which should be provided to them for their enjoyment free of charge). The main objective is to keep them there while you have them. As we will have discussed in previous chapters and will discuss in more detail in the next chapter generating resident participation is a major undertaking and should not be taken lightly.

86

The Community Assessment Questionnaire is similar to a survey that I developed while working with the city of Bullhead City, Arizona in its efforts to obtain a $1.5million grant from the state through its ACTION Zone program.

“Communities selected for the

initiative were known as Arizona Cities/Counties and Towns Investing in overcoming Needs (ACTION) Zones.

The goal of the ACTION Zone initiative was to provide

substantial public funding to enable selected communities to implement comprehensive community revitalization strategies in primarily residential areas. The initiative would provide funding to help recipient communities identify their most pressing needs, and design a coordinated approach that produces measurable impacts. The comprehensive strategies were anticipated to include both housing and non-housing physical improvements designed to revitalize low income areas along with a mix of services and assistance to residents to increase their economic independence.�

The community

selected by the city was the Riviera area, which is an area similar to most low income communities throughout the country and suffering from the same ills. As of this writing the city of Bullhead City was awarded an ACTION Zone grant in the amount of $1 million to undertake designated projects within the Riviera area.

The Riviera ACTION Zone Citizen Input Survey was conducted over a one-month period. I recommend that more time be allocated for this endeavor. Nonetheless, surveys were dispensed at four public hearings held at the Riviera Baptist Church in addition to various other locations within the Riviera area (i.e. grocery stores, community meetings, local businesses etc.) a total of 630 surveys were dispensed at the various locations.

Of this amount 189 surveys or approximately 28%

were

87

returned. Thirteen surveys were declared invalid because residency in the Riviera area could not be determined or it was beyond the limits of the ACTION Zone. The 176 surveys were analyzed and the resident responses indicated a strong need for programs to address the following strategy areas; 1.

Crime Reduction

2.

Increased Drug, Gang and Graffiti Enforcement

3.

Youth Recreational Activities

4.

Property Rehabilitation/Maintenance

An analysis of similar types of surveys will reveal the needs of the residents within the particular communities. The program needs of the Riviera residents listed above are just a few of some problem areas that the surveys will reveal. Other strategy areas of need or that were revealed to need addressing from surveys from different communities throughout the country include but are not limited to: Figure #6 Survey Strategy Areas Economic Base

Parks & Recreation

Drugs

Quality of Life

Public Safety

Historic Preservation

Growth

Enhancing Local Tax Base

Infrastructure

Law Enforcement

Health & Wellness Education

Fire & Rescue

Transportation

Environment

Education

Arts & Entertainment

Affordable Housing

Community Development

Neighborhood Revitalization

Recreation, Culture & Heritage

Youth Programs

Health & Human Services

Crime Reduction

Local Agriculture

Community Sustainability

Utilities

Economic Development

Local Government

Community Image/ Enhancement

Governance

Economic Enterprises

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As you can see from the above table some of the needs areas have different names but obviously mean the same thing. This reiterates my previous statement that no two communities will undergo the exact same planning process, which in turn equates to different terms being formulated for strategy areas resulting from surveys and other forms of resident input.

PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE ZONE

The next step in assessing the community involves an evaluation of the physical aspects of the community. The best form of physical evaluation involves performing a Visual Assessment of the physical structures of the community on a block face-byblock face basis. The physical assessment can be performed while driving in a vehicle or walking. While working for the city of Bullhead City, Arizona I performed a drive by assessment in order to prepare the city’s Housing Needs and Demand Assessment.

However, while working with a non-profit community organization in St. Louis, Missouri, I along with the Executive Director and some graduate students from Washington University performed a walking assessment of the Fairground South neighborhood. The same was true while working as a Graduate Assistant with the University of Illinois’ Community Outreach Partnership Center (“COPC”), in which I along with Graduate Students from the schools of Urban Planning, Architecture and Landscape Architecture walked an eighteen square block area to conduct a Building Structure Assessment. I eventually used the information obtained from the students as part of a Housing Needs and Demand Assessment for a local non-profit organization affiliated with the University.

89

The best scenario is to incorporate the assistance of the community residents and schedule one or two Saturdays to perform the Visual Assessment.

The Visual

Assessment should always involve a two-person team, which would review each block face and agree upon an overall ranking for exterior conditions on a composite basis.

This also could be considered a form of resident involvement. However, for the time being we will consider the resident involvement within the community assessment phase of the People Process.

When performing the physical assessment each

surveyor should be equipped with a clipboard with several Visual Assessment Forms as shown in Appendices #5. For our case city of Urbania, the Future County Community College, one of the major stakeholders, has agreed to pay for all materials and have undergraduate students conduct and analyze the Visual Assessment.

The Visual Assessment Form classifies structures by “type” and “condition”. The type of structures are classified as either: Figure #7 TYPE OF STRUCTURE Residential

Commercial (COM)

Industrial (IND) Vacant Lot (VL)

DESCRIPTION This category denotes structures, which provide housing for its inhabitants.

Residential structures should be sub-categorized as: a. Single Family Detached (SFD) b. Multi-Family (MF) c. Manufactured Home (MH) This category denotes structures providing for the sale of convenience goods (food, drugs, sundries) and personal services which meet the daily needs of an immediate trade area.

This category denotes structures for the location of major employment centers. Use permitted in this category includes assembly of small parts, general warehousing, distribution activities, storage and general manufacturing.

This category denotes those property addresses that have no structures on them at all. This is an important category that should not be overlooked when performing the visual assessment.

90

The five building condition ranking categories and their definitions are as follows: Figure # 8 BUILDING CONDITION Sound Maintenance Required

Minor Rehabilitation Required

Major Rehabilitation Required

Critical

DESCRIPTION Includes well maintained structures and property conditions with no, or only minor, incidences of required maintenance.

Includes structures and property in generally sound condition, but with regular evidence of maintenance required (i.e. painting, shingle replacement, broken windows, screen replacement, sidewalk and or driveway repair, minor property maintenance). Maintenance and repair work identified in this category could generally be accomplished by a property owner, with no required particular skills or training.

Includes structures that may evidence one major rehabilitation problem in the roof, structure of building envelope (i.e. leaning eave or wall, shingle repair, window or door frame replacement sagging porch). Minor rehabilitation work identified in this category may be addressed by a property owner but, in all likelihood, will require an experienced contractor.

Includes structures that are in generally poor condition requiring major rehabilitation to two or more roof structures or building envelope elements.

Major rehabilitation work identified in this category will require the efforts of an experienced contractor to rectify the problems.

Includes structures requiring so much rehabilitation and reconstruction to meet basic life safety and energy conservation requirements, that unless they are historic or architecturally significant, they are considered beyond repair, and the investment to make such repairs would probably equal or exceed the total property value. Properties in this category normally should be demolished.

In addition to doing a Visual Assessment photographs could also be used to document the structure of properties within the Performance Zone. For example, a neighborhood council located in St. Louis, accumulated six large volumes of photographs of properties in their targeted area.

The photographs were taken by graduate students from

Washington University as part of a class credit. The group also had plans to do a video recording of the properties within the area.

In addition to the visual assessment of the structural conditions of buildings within the Strategy Area, other physical components of the community must also be assessed. In particular, physical environmental conditions and the condition of and the need for new

91

public infrastructure and facilities must be assessed within the community. Examples of physical environmental conditions and public infrastructure and facilities include but are not limited to the following: Physical Environmental Conditions 1.

Homelessness

6.

Stray Animals

2.

Gang presence

7.

Abandoned vehicles

3.

Presence of drug trafficking

8.

Prostitution

4.

Debris filled vacant lots

9.

Empty alcohol bottles on streets

5.

Drug paraphernalia on streets

10.

Graffiti

Public Infrastructure and Facilities 1.

Sewers

6.

Street Lights

2.

Wastewater treatment plants

7.

Traffic Signals

3.

Curbs and gutters

8.

Public Transportation

4.

Streets and sidewalks

9.

Parks/recreational facilities

5.

Fire stations

10.

Police Sub-stations

NON – PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE ZONE The non-physical component of the community assessment is more difficult to assess than the physical component discussed above. This step involves assessing the nonphysical environmental components, which include but are not limited to the following: 1.

Child Abuse

7.

Education

2.

Domestic Violence

8.

Business Lending

3.

Unemployment

9.

Large High School Drop Out Rate

4.

Child Care

10.

Home Ownership Opportunities

92

5.

Job Training

11.

Mental Illness

6.

Crime

12.

Absentee Property Ownership

So how does one assess the non-physical components of a community? It is a fact that community residents are traditionally reluctant to get involved in community revitalization efforts let alone discuss such personal problems as child abuse, domestic violence and some of the others listed above.

However, this information may be

obtained from support service providers within the Performance Zone or those that may not be located within the area but service the residents.

An assessment of support service providers is extremely important in this phase of the People Process. Support service providers can mean the difference between: 1.

A family being without shelter as opposed to spending some time in transitional housing;

2.

A child or a spouse remaining in a hostile living environment due to physical and/or emotional abuse;

3.

An elderly person receiving hot nutritious meals on a daily basis such as the Meal on Wheels program.

The above scenarios could go on and on because many communities are plagued with socio-economic and environmental problems that are not apparent to the naked eye.

Support service providers provide much needed microscopic assistance to community residents.

Nonetheless, many residents are not aware of the existence of such

services. As such, many in need of help slip through the cracks in the system.

93

To illustrate, the Lohart Neighborhood Revitalization Project, which was initiated in Los Angeles as part of that city’s much heralded Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative (LANI) program, determined from an assessment of the Lohart Neighborhood that many residents were not aware of the various support service providers which could assist them with their particular needs. As such, the Recognized Community Organization developed a Community Resource handbook and distributed to residents at public meetings. Included in the handbook were: 1.

Inspirational quotes form famous individuals;

2.

Employment search information complete with telephone numbers;

3.

Youth service numbers with locations and hours of service;

4.

Appendix of selected bibliographies under the following topics a.

Job Search Strategies and Tactics

b.

Writing Resumes and Letters

c.

Dress, Appearance and Image

d.

Children, Youth and Summer Jobs

e.

Networking

f.

College Students

The important thing to remember is that this handbook was not only a much needed resource but showed the residents the sincerity and dedication of those involved in the revitalization initiative. The handbook was a tremendous help in gaining the trust of the residents.

An assessment of support service providers is also warranted because in many

94

instances these organizations and agencies have staff and other financial resources that could be utilized in the revitalization of a community.

An example of support

service providers include but are not limited to the following: 1.

Salvation Army

6.

Substance Abuse Organizations

2.

Goodwill Industries

7.

Utility Companies

3.

Society of St. Vincent DePaul

8.

Housing Authorities

4.

Religious Organization

9.

Medical Providers

10. Federal, State and Local Agencies

An analysis of the Personal Assessment Questionnaire and the Community Assessment Questionnaire will assist in determining the needs of the residents for support service providers. This analysis will also assist in the preparation of the written Profile of the Performance Zone.

For purposes of our study, the Progress State

University has agreed to let graduate students majoring in Urban Planning, Urban Affairs and Social Work prepare the Performance Zone Profile.

One of the

responsibilities of these students will be to retrieve the data from the students of the Future County Community College.

Once this data is retrieved the students from

Progress State University will incorporate the information into the finished written product.

WRITTEN PROFILE OF PERFORMANCE ZONE PROFILE

An analysis of the numerous Personal and Community Assessment Questionnaires that have been completed by residents will reveal much about the characteristics of the

95

residents and the community as a whole.

However, there are other demographic

factors that affect the goals, values and needs of a community. The most reliable and widely used source of demographic data are the U.S. Department of Commerce and its Bureau of the Census and the U.S. Department of Labor and its Bureau of Labor Statistics. The entire country is broken down into census tracts to assist the bureau in its counting efforts. The information derived from these census tracts determine in large part the amount of federal funds that a jurisdiction receives for such programs as education, social services and housing.

The key demographic factors include the

following: 1.

Population Size

5.

Income levels

2.

Geographical Distribution

6.

Household Size

3.

Age

7.

Racial Composition

4.

Education Levels

8.

Gender Composition

I will not define the above demographic factors because they are self-explanatory. In addition, most general plans, consolidated plans, neighborhood plans, and economic development strategies of municipalities print this information in these respective documents.

It should also be noted that strategy areas as identified from the surveys could also be included in the Performance Zone Profile. The Performance Zone Profile should have a chapter dedicated to each of the above demographic characteristics. Each chapter should include the following:

96

1.

A historical perspective on the community as well as a current assessment.

2.

A discussion of emerging trends that would influence the future of the community such as population migration or housing construction.

3.

A discussion of future issues the community may have to contend with in years to come.

It should be noted that the generation of data and the designation of writers for the Performance Zone Profile is the sole responsibility of the Performance Committee.

However, I can not stress enough the importance of soliciting the assistance of the community residents in the information gathering process. This becomes extremely important when the final document is prepared because it gives the residents a sense of accomplishment and self pride which is necessary to continue the People Process and bring the desired revitalization efforts into fruition.

Once the profile is completed it should be made available to the community residents, sponsoring organizations and local public and university libraries.

The finished

document could also be released in conjunction with a press release as a means of generating momentum and community support for the revitalization initiative.

97

DEVELOPING RESIDENT PARTICIPATION “We ourselves have to lift the level of our community, the standard of our community to a higher level, make our own society beautiful so that we will be satisfied. We’ve got to change our minds about each other.”

Malcolm X

A DEFINITION OF RESIDENT PARTICIPATION So far within our case city of Urbania the following has occurred: 1.

The city of Urbania has passed a resolution establishing the Hope Community Revitalization District and allocating resources for the project.

2.

A Memorandum of Agreement has been signed by various stakeholders agreeing to provide over $7 million in financial and other resources to the initiative.

2.

A twenty five member Performance Committee has been assembled to guide the People Process and develop the Comprehensive Performance Strategy.

4.

The Performance Committee has hired the consultant firm Revitalization Strategies International, Inc. to assist the committee with the rebuilding initiative.

5.

The Performance Committee has leased a two story Victorian building to be an on-site Strategy Center within the Performance Zone.

6.

At the recommendation of the consultant, the Performance Committee has named the initiative FOCUS ON THE FUTURE.

7.

Students from Progress State University, with the supervision of faculty, have assessed the Performance Zone and are ready to prepare a written Performance Zone Profile once the Personal and Community Assessment 98

Questionnaires have been completed by the Hope Community residents.

The next responsibility of the Performance Committee is to ensure that proper citizen participation is undertaken, which is the subject of this chapter.

I must say, that

throughout the entire time that I have been writing this book I have been anticipating my arrival at this chapter.

The reason being is that the development of resident

participation in community building initiatives is the foundation of the People Process and the most difficult and time consuming step in the process to undertake. So you are probably wondering, if it is the most difficult and time consuming why I have been anticipating subjecting myself to the task of writing about this particular subject?

I

suppose it comes down to the fact that I look at this chapter as my opportunity to (1.) validate the importance of resident participation in the revitalization process, (2.) explain how the High Rising Model of Resident Based Community Re-Building can increase the level of resident involvement in revitalization efforts.

What exactly is resident participation and how is it measured? As I stated in Chapter 1 some jurisdictions believe that holding a public hearing constitutes citizen participation.

Likewise, many jurisdictions that have been designated Enterprise Communities by HUD are of the understanding that community participation occurs when a select group of individuals representing various organizations within a community constitutes resident participation.

Previously, the High Rising model’s definition of strategic planning, was defined as, A systematic process by which residents of distressed communities

99

envision the future livability and sustainability of their environments and incorporate individual, public and private resources to undertake the planning and implementation of goals to effectuate personal and community development resulting in empowerment, economic rebirth, political parity and social justice.

Look at the words that I have highlighted above in our definition of strategic planning and within that definition you will find the sub-definition of resident participation. As such, the People Process defines the occurrence of citizen participation when:

Residents envision the future and plan and implement goals for their own empowerment.

If residents participate in the planning and implementation of revitalization initiatives in their communities, at which point does empowerment occur? Does it occur when funds are allocated to fund specific projects? Does it occur when the projects are completed?

Does it occur after the completion of the Meetings of the Minds?

Contrary to the belief of many, the empowerment of residents that participate in the planning and implementation of community revitalization efforts occurs within the process itself. Residents are empowered the moment they read a pamphlet, attend a meeting, volunteer to work survey tables etc. It is the process itself that changes the minds of residents. This empowerment occurs in the process because:

100

1.

For many this is the first time that they will be directly involved in what takes place within their own communities.

2.

Participation in the process eliminates the closed mindedness or “psycho sclerosis� which is an epidemic within distressed communities that hinders resident involvement in planning initiatives.

3.

The Power Principles combined with the People Process helps the residents to understand that they must first save themselves before they can expect to save their communities.

The involvement of residents within the Performance Zone constitutes true citizen participation.

To ensure the success of their involvement within the People

Process the Performance Committee must undertake the four phases of the resident participation component which include: 1.

Phase I:

Inaugurate the Initiative .

2.

Phase II:

Blitz the Zone.

3.

Phase III:

Meeting of the Minds.

4.

Phase IV:

Performance Strategy Task Forces

PHASE I:

INAUGURATE THE INTITIATIVE

Before undertaking the resident participation component of the People Process the Performance Committee should make sure that there are enough funds to carry out this process. A well budgeted initiative could mean the difference between success and failure. The difference between undertaking the revitalization effort with the involvement of the Hope Community residents and undertaking the revitalization effort without their

101

involvement. However, it should be noted that there is no set systematic process to begin or “inaugurate� the revitalization initiative.

The particular undertakings of the

inauguration are left up to the creativity, imagination and dedication of the members of the Performance Committee and its hired consultant.

As stated in Chapter 2, to

inaugurate the revitalization initiative within the Hope Community the Performance Committee with the assistance of RSI, its consultant, has decided to entitle the project FOCUS ON THE FUTURE. materials.

This name will appear in all literature and marketing

As an inauguration the committee will sponsor the FOCUS ON THE

FUTURE WEEKEND to be held May 15th, 16th and 17th. The choosing of a slogan or project name is a common practice. Below is a list of some of those names and the municipalities that have used them for their planning process: 1.

Scottsdale, Arizona:

A Shared Vision

2.

St. Louis, Missouri:

Sustainable Neighborhood Initiative

3.

Washington Council of Governments:

4.

Kansas City Missouri:

FOCUS Kansas City

5.

Rochester, New York:

Neighbors Building Neighborhoods

Getting There

The FOCUS ON THE FUTURE WEEKEND will consist of an entire weekend of programs and activities to take place within the Performance Zone. Figure # 6 outlines the activities to take place on each day of the inaugural weekend which include the following:

102

Figure # 9 HOPE COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION DISTRICT FOCUS ON THE FUTURE WEEKEND MAY 15 – 17, 2003 Friday

Saturday

9:00 am Press Conference Leadership and Family Breakfast***

8:00 – 10:00 am FOCUS ON THE FUTURE

10:00 am Bus Tour of Performance Zone

12:00 pm – 5:00 pm FOCUS ON THE FUTURE Picnic****

Sunday 11:00 Church Services*

12:00 pm FOCUS ON THE FUTURE Luncheon* 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm FOCUS ON THE FUTURE Youth Dance** Hope Community Baptist Church **

Faith Drive Banquet Hall

*** First Community Church **** Hope Park

Press Conference Regardless of the type of inauguration activities that are initiated holding a press conference is one activity that should not be omitted. Every effort should be made to hold the press conference at the Strategy Center within the Performance Zone. This projects an image of stability and commitment to the members of the press.

The

exposure from the press conference would go a long way in letting residents know of the existence of the center. Prior to the actual event, press releases should be sent to all relevant media such as radio stations, television stations, daily and weekly newspapers, local churches, neighborhood organizations and local leadership. This is the opportune time for elected officials such as the congresspersons, state legislatures and local elected officials to show their support for the revitalization initiative by making

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speeches on the importance of the project. Remember, politicians love exposure.

It is at the press conference that the designated speaker, whom in most cases should be the chairman of the Performance Committee, explains the reason behind the formation of the initiative, the need for resident participation and anticipated results. By having the chairman of the committee act as the speaker it removes any political influence from the project.

The speaker should discuss the High Rising Model of

Resident Based Community Re- Building and its benefits to people and the community as a whole.

The speaker should also introduce the members of the sponsoring

organizations, the individual members of the Performance Committee and the selected consultant.

The sponsoring organizations will welcome the opportunity because it

would assist in the organizations good will. The speaker should give each sponsoring organization full credit for the resources that they have committed to the project.

Although press packages will be provided, the speaker should give an itinerary for the inaugural weekend. This press package should include the following: 

An agenda for the press conference



Copy of city resolution authorizing the HOPE COMMUNITY

REVITALIZATION DISTRICT. 

A map of the Performance Zone.



A pamphlet containing a list of objectives that the revitalization project will provide to the community.



A description of the High Rising® program and its benefits to the residents.



A list of sponsoring organizations and the amount of their financial

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commitment. 

A route map of the scheduled bus tour of the Performance Zone.



Tickets to the other activities that will take place during the weekend (i.e. Youth Dance, Awards Banquet)



A list of locations and time schedules for the Meetings of the Minds and the Power Assemblies.

The last item on the agenda should be the bus tour of the Performance Zone. The speaker should request the attendance of all media on the scheduled tour. This would give the media the opportunity to visit within the Performance Zone.

Bus Tour of Performance Zone

During the press conference buses should already be lined up and waiting to take the conference participants on a tour of the Performance Zone. The participants should ride in comfort, as such, cruise buses should be leased and not the yellow school buses. To have yellow school buses tour the area portrays either a lack of resources, lack of dedication to the project or outright cheapness. A member of the Performance Committee should act as a tour guide on each bus. This bus tour is an excellent opportunity to further the objectives of the project. Each tour guide should have the same prearranged topics to discuss while on the bus to ensure that nothing is said by either one of them that the committee does not want to see on that evening’s television news program or in the next day’s newspaper. The bus tour should:  Travel throughout the Performance Zone showing both the strengths and the

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weaknesses of the area.  Have several stops to give the participants an opportunity to walk in the area.

This is a good idea because for many of the individuals on the buses it would be their first time within this area.  Visit prearranged locations in which the participants can witness the daily life of individuals living in the area. As with number one above, these visits should show the strengths and weaknesses of daily living within the area. It would be a good idea to visit the inside of one of the worst housing projects, drug rehabilitation centers, homeless shelters etc. This allows the media to put the whole project in a people context, which will assist in getting the desired media coverage.  Have the luncheon to take place while on this tour at a designated location.

This luncheon should be served to the participants by residents that live within the area. A local church should sponsor this event. For our case city, the congregation of Hope Community Church has decided to host the luncheon at its church.

A bus tour of the Performance Zone could also be an excellent fund raising mechanism to generate the necessary financial resources to undertake a revitalization initiative. For example, the city of Kansas City in conjunction with a local community development organization utilized a bus tour of one of its most deteriorated areas as a vehicle to garnish the financial support of members within the Kansas City Community.

The

participants on the tours in addition to representatives from the media included

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professional athletes from both the Kansas City Chiefs football team and the Kansas City Royals baseball team, representatives from major corporations headquartered in the city and federal, state and local elected officials.

After the tour these

representatives committed financial resources to assist in the revitalization of the designated area. Although the bus tour did not generate all of the funds necessary to undertake the revitalization project, the funds that it did get committed went a long way to leverage other funds for the project.

FOCUS ON FUTURE Luncheon

The scheduled luncheon at the Hope Community Church would act as a breather for the participants on the tour.

Remember since 9:00 am, they have attended a press

conference at the Strategy Center and they have made several stops on a bus tour of the Performance Zone. Its 12:00 pm and they are tired and hungry. If not, its good to treat them as if they needed rest and nourishment. Always keep in mind that its always good to be a good host.

Even though the luncheon will be served at the church, this should not be construed as a service. The only praying to be done at this point is by the pastor. The speaker from the press conference should address all of the participants before they began eating. It is at this point that he/she should thank them for coming and provide a question and answer period of no more than fifteen minutes. The question and answer period is warranted because after the bus tour many of the participants will have questions other than those asked at the press conference. It’s always best for you to answer their

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questions than to let them answer them themselves. The speaker should also take this opportunity to restate the agenda for the FOUCS ON THE FUTURE WEEKEND and give them an invitation to attend. There should be no other speeches by anyone else.

Even though the participants should be allowed to sit were they want, there should be at least one member of the Performance Committee present at each table. Since most people like to converse while eating, this provides another opportunity to advocate for the project and to undertake fundraising efforts, if necessary. After the luncheon the buses should return the participants back to the Strategy Center.

FOCUS ON FUTURE Youth Dance

Some major problems plaguing distressed communities include gangs, drug trafficking and related crimes and vandalism. To a large extent, most of these types of crimes are committed by the youth that reside within these communities. After attending Meetings of the Minds in different areas across the country, the one constant that keeps surfacing is the fact that the youth in the area have no form of recreational activities in which to channel their energies. Sponsoring a youth dance within the area accomplishes three objectives1) it helps to establish a relationship of trust between the Performance Committee and the parents and youth; (2) it establishes a sense of caring with the youth of the community; (3) it shows the parents that you are willing to get involved.

You should always remember that if parents see that you are willing to get involved with or are concerned about their children, they are more willing to participate themselves in the programs that you are trying to initiate.

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For example, while working with a neighborhood council located in the Third Ward of the city of St. Louis, which is one of the most economically depressed areas in the city, I assisted with the development of a neighborhood youth program. While working with this organization, I assisted in organizing a dance for the area youth. The dance was the resulted from the organization’s objective of trying to get younger residents involved in neighborhood initiatives. The current members of the organization and especially the members of the board of directors were elderly individuals who had lived in the area for at least two decades and had raised their children in the area.

These were the

individuals that had seen the continuous decline of the area over this period of time.

The organization had made a funding request to a financial institution within the city.

After meeting with the representatives from the organization, the financial institution stipulated that it would make a financial contribution if the organization had a program that addressed the younger residents within the area.

Community meetings were

currently being held at the organization’s office for a Youth Employment Program that the organization was starting with a grant from the St. Louis Philanthropic Organization.

The two concepts merged. The younger residents discussed above became the youth of the area. At one of these meetings during the beginning of the month of October the director of the organization told the youth that funding would be available for youth programs and asked the youth what would they like to see done in their communities to help them. Several ideas came up such as recreational facilities, after school tutoring program, dance, poetry and dj classes etc. These focus meetings went on for three weeks one night per week at the organization’s office. Each week more youth attended the meeting. Finally at one meeting the director wanted some definite suggestions and

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it came up that before anything else they wanted to have a Halloween party. The director tried to get out of it but the youth were very serious about wanting to have a party.

It came out that there were no safe parties for the youth to attend on the

weekends. Needless to say the youth won. The reason that they won is that the director and the board of directors did not want to “lose face” with the youth. They wanted the youth to continue to be involved in the neighborhood meetings so they knew that there was a price to pay for that involvement. Although I’m sure that if they decided not to hold the party the youth would have still been committed to attending the meetings.

It’s one week before Halloween. A local hall owned by a church was available and the director got permission to have the party there on Friday night the night before Halloween. Flyers were made so that the youth could pass them out at the three high schools, which were in the area.

Refreshments and decorations were bought and

stored at the office. A DJ was hired. The police were contacted so that there would be security at the party. The party was scheduled to begin at 8:00pm and end at 12:00pm.

To assist the youth in raising money for future activities a one dollar donation was requested. These youth showed up as early as 6:00pm to help with the decorations and set up. The most amazing thing happened. This was supposed to be a dance for area high school students but the younger kids also came some with their parents.

Some adults came by themselves or in groups just to see the young people enjoy themselves, which they did whole -heartedly. I remember one elderly woman, who must have been at least eighty years old, came with her adult daughter. They sat and

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watched the young people dance, eight hot dogs, drank soda and after a couple of hours went home. Even though the police officers at the dance recognized many of the youth there as being gun carrying gang members and trouble makers they were on their best behavior. Not one incident happened. The reason being is that everyone at the dance lived in the area and considered the dance to be their dance. They appreciated the effort and showed the effort through their attendance and behavior.

At the

neighborhood meeting the following week everyone was talking about the good time they had at the Halloween Party, including the elderly woman. A counting of the sign up sheet revealed that over seventy individuals attended the party. This might seem like a large number to many, but remember this was the first time that such a venture was attempted. To the organization, the residents, and the police department the party was a huge success. As one of the police officers told me during the party, if the youth were there they were not out somewhere lese getting into trouble. They enjoyed it so much that when I left they were scheduling a party for the upcoming holiday season.

The FOCUS ON THE FUTURE Youth Dance was held at the Faith Drive Banquet Hall.

Everyone attending the dance was requested to write his/her name, age, address and phone number on a sign-in sheet. There was also be a table set up were the youth and adults signed up as volunteers for the FOUCUS ON THE FUTURE initiative. A counting of the sign-in sheet revealed that one hundred and twenty five youth and thirty adults attended the dance. Of these amounts fifty youth and all thirty adults signed up to be volunteers in the FOCUS ON THE FUTURE INITIATIVE. Everyone in attendance were given pamphlets on the revitalization initiative and a flyer requesting their attendance at

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the first of the scheduled Meetings of the Minds.

FOUCS ON FUTURE Leadership and Family Breakfast A leadership and family breakfast is an excellent way to garnish the support of individual leaders and families living within and without the Performance Zone. As such, this specific activity, which will be held at the First Community Church, is two pronged in that it seeks to garnish the support of religious, political and social leaders living in the city of Urbania as a whole and the families living within the area.

The leaders will be requested to bring their entire families to celebrate in the initiative and to commune partake in fellowship with area residents. This breakfast should follow the same protocol as the luncheon held the day before. The speaker should remind those in attendance about the picnic scheduled at the park later in the day and of the awards scheduled banquet for that evening. However, there is no need for a question and answer period. Remember that its early. The guests should be allowed to come and dine and fellow without having being overloaded on the project. If the necessary work is done before hand, this breakfast should be attended by the same individuals that attended the luncheon.

Since this is an event that encompasses an entire

weekend, firm commitments to participate should be gotten from the leaders beforehand. This also sends the message that this is a serious matter that is being taken serious by those within the city that have the capacity and commitment to get things done.

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However, great care should be taken to let the residents at the breakfast know that the breakfast is also in their honor.

All advertisements should re-enforce the fact that

everyone living within the area is welcome and that the dress attire is casual and that it is important to bring their children. This breakfast should be held between 8:00am and 10:00 am to allow everyone the opportunity to come. It should also be noted that unlike the luncheon the day before it is much more difficult to ascertain the number of individuals that will participate.

As such, there should be enough food on hand to

ensure that everyone has the opportunity to eat. All individuals should be allowed to come in, get their food from the buffet, eat and leave without having to sign anything or talk to anyone. This should be a welcoming and stress free atmosphere. All of the residents in attendance at our meting were given pamphlets on the revitalization initiative and a flyer requesting their attendance at the first scheduled Meetings of the Minds.

FOCUS ON FUTURE Picnic

This is the longest activity in our inaugural weekend.

The picnic at Hope Park is

scheduled to last five hours. After weeks of planning by the Performance Committee and others within the community an entire day of festivities has been planned.

A

caterer has been hired to cook typical outdoor foods and serve the food to the residents from a buffet. Due to the large number of residents expected, the Urbania City Park District has brought in extra picnic tables from other parks to accommodate the need for extra seating for all attendants.

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A large stage has been erected complete with a PA system for the speakers and the scheduled bands. Below is a list of activities that will occur at the picnic: 

Speeches by elected officials and neighborhood leaders.



Three on three basketball tournament for the youth.



Various games for the residents (i.e. volley ball, horse shoes etc.)



A talent show for the residents to showcase their talents, which will be judged by members of the Performance Committee.



A presentation by a representative of RSI, whom are called Maximum Performance Trainers (MPT).

The MPT will give the

residents a high energy presentation on the Power Principles and an idea of what they can expect from attending the scheduled Power Assemblies.

The stage area will be blanketed with banners depicting the seven Power Principles®.

In addition, before the residents can be served they must have a ticket. This ticket can be obtained from several tables in which volunteers are working. The residents must complete both a Personal Assessment Questionnaire and a Community Assessment Questionnaire. As with previous activities there will also be a attendance and volunteer sign in sheets. Some residents will resent having to take the time to complete the questionnaires. The volunteers should remind them that their participation is necessary in order to ascertain their individual needs to bring about the necessary changes, which will make their community livable and sustainable.

As with the previous activities

pamphlets and flyers will be distributed to the residents. However, given the longevity

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of this activity and to keep the information from ending up on the ground, this information will not be distributed until the end of the picnic.

It is at the picnic that a representative from RSI will speak to the residents about the High Rising program and the benefits that the residents will personally gain from participating in the program.

Church Services

The worship services to be held at the Hope Community Baptist Church will conclude the FOCUS ON THE FUTURE WEEKEND inauguration. If the necessary preparation has been done, the pews of the church should also be filled with the same individuals that have been participating in the various activities throughout the weekend. It is wise to remember: Once you get them, keep them.

Since this service will not be any

different from other Sunday services, there is no need to go into detail on this particular activity of the inauguration. As I stated before, as with the previous activities pamphlets and flyers will be distributed to the congregation. In addition, tables will be set up for the residents to complete the Personal and Community Assessment Questionnaires.

I have given the above scenario as an example of the time and preparation that should go into bringing a revitalization project to community residents. Some people might look at the above activities as catering to the residents.

However, I strongly disagree,

especially when you consider that in most instances the residents living within distressed communities have been neglected by both the public and private sectors for

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years.

One weekend of showing them that their opinions about the future of their

families and communities is of importance in no way equates to the economical, social and political injustices that the residents have endured over decades. The only way to alleviate the apathy, hopelessness and distrust prevalent among this segment of the population is to become directly involved with them. This cannot happen while setting in an office downtown or conducting a couple of public hearings.

True resident

participation comes from direct interaction with the people..

PHASE II:

BLITZ THE ZONE

However, one weekend does not guarantee that the residents will participate in the revitalization initiative. Other measures must be undertaken by the Performance Committee to reach the residents within the Performance Zone. I call this Blitz the Zone because the Performance Zone must be submerged with information targeted to the residents requesting their involvement in the initiative. To those football fans reading this book, Blitz the Zone might sound like a football play in which the defense engages in a forward pressing attack in its effort to tackle the quarterback. Although our blitz is not as physical, it symbolizes the same type of urgency and determination as when a linebacker has set his sights on the quarterback. Blitz the Zone is a marketing strategy.

However, traditional soft-core marketing techniques will not generate the necessary response. Street Marketing or gorilla marketing techniques are warranted to reach the residents.

Gorilla Marketing entails a grass-roots approach to selling a product. This same type of

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marketing approach has been used for years by young urban rappers desiring to sell their compact discs and cassette tapes of their music. Many of these young rappers were so successful that today they own their own record labels and control million dollar music empires. However, their strategies did not go unnoticed. Today, many of the large recording distributors are utilizing gorilla marketing to reach their audience. Their tactics include pasting posters on buildings and billboards, passing out flyers, and distributing free cassettes and compact discs within their target areas.

With the assistance of RSII the Performance Committee has decided to undertake the following marketing tactics within the Performance Zone: 

Distribution of Special Focus on the Future Supplement.



Distribution of flyers.



Personal visitation to all businesses.

Distribution of Special Focus on the Future Supplement

Do not get the Special Focus on the Future Supplement construed with the pamphlet, which was distributed during the inauguration weekend.

The supplement contains

much more information. The supplement will be delivered by the postal service to every address within the Performance Zone. The addresses and names were given to the Performance Committee by the county assessors office at the request of the mayor of Urbania. Due to the fact that a large number of the properties within the area are owned by absentee landlords, the supplement would be addressed to the name of the property owner or current resident. The mailing label would look as follows: Mr. John Doe

Or Current Resident 1819 Faith Drive 117

Urbania, Progress 12345

The supplement should include the following: 

A letter of introduction and invitation from the chairman of the Performance Committee.



A description of the High Rising Model of Resident Based Community ReBuilding and the process to be undertaken.



A list of challenges and opportunities that the revitalization project would present.



A Personal Assessment Questionnaire.



A Committee Assessment Questionnaire.



A list of various locations within the Performance Zone were the questionnaires could be dropped off.



A flyer inviting the residents to attend the first of the scheduled Meetings of the Minds.

Permission should be granted from the service providers that were identified during the community assessment to be drop off locations for the questionnaires. Blank copies of both of the questionnaires should be available at these locations.

In order to get the

questionnaires back as soon as possible, so that they may be analyzed, a submission deadline will be printed in the letter from the chairman and on the last page of each questionnaire.

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Prior to mailing the supplement, a press release should be sent to the local media. In addition, representatives from the Performance Committee should attend gatherings to get residents to complete the questionnaires and attend the Meetings of the Minds. A list of these gatherings include but are not limited to: 

Ministerial Alliance meetings



Sunday Services of local churches



Neighborhood Watch and Block Meetings



Other community organization meetings



Business Councils and Chambers of Commerce

As stated earlier, Hope Community had a population of 13,500 encompassing about 8,000 households. As such, 12,000 supplements were made with 8,000 being sent in the mail and another 4,000 copies left for continued distribution.

The supplement could also be distributed at local grocery stores. This is a tactic that I utilized while working with the ACTION Zone program in Bullhead City, Arizona. A total of two weekends were spent at the largest grocery store in the area in order to get residents to complete Citizen Input Surveys.

We got permission from the store

manager to set up a table at the store’s entrance. So that one person did not have to work the tables all day, we divided the allotted time into shifts. In addition to getting the surveys completed by the residents, this was another means of showing a presence within the targeted area.

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Distribution of Flyers

The utilization of flyers is probably one of the most cost effective means of advertisement that can be undertaken to reach a targeted audience. Flyers can be distributed within the Performance Zone by any of the following means: 

They can be sent as mailers through the mail.



Stuffed in newspapers as a supplement.



Passed out door to door.



Put on bulletin boards within the community.



Left on counters at local businesses and service providers.

One situation in which flyers were important occurred while I was working with the city of Bullhead City, Arizona. As I had discussed earlier, the city was competing with other municipalities to be designated as an ACTION Zone, which would result in the award ship of $1.5 million for the revitalization of the Riviera area. This was the oldest and most economically distressed area in the city. This area also had a large Hispanic population.

As with most municipalities, the city had a history of a lack of citizen

participation in the planning process. In order to meet the application deadline, the city only had enough time to have public hearings on two dates. It should be noted that this is a practice that I do not recommend. Enough time should be allowed in the People Process to ensure adequate resident involvement. Nonetheless, the first hearing was scheduled for January 28th and the second was scheduled for February 18 th. On each date a hearing was held at 10:00am and at 6:00pm. This equated to a total of four

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public hearings.

As the Economic Development Coordinator for the city and as a

member of the Local ACTION Committee, I had the responsibility of ensuring that residents attended the scheduled public hearings.

I designed a flyer and a secretary from the housing department translated it into Spanish. To save both time and money one sheet of paper was used with the English version on one side of the paper and the Spanish translation on the other. Prior to the first meeting, the flyers were personally distributed to over 60 local businesses in the area inviting them to attend the upcoming public hearings. In addition 2400 flyers were given to local elementary schools in which the schools distributed them to the children to take home to their parents inviting them to attend the public hearings. On January 28th, I believe there were twelve people at each public hearing. Although this was discouraging, it did not deter the committee from seeking to increase the number of residents at the next scheduled hearing.

As such, prior to the second hearing date an additional 2400 flyers were sent to the elementary schools. A total of 100 flyers were also distributed to the Senior Citizens Center and the Boy’s and Girl’s Club of the Colorado River. On February 18 th forty nine residents attended the morning hearing and fifty meeting.

residents attended the evening

These were the most that had attended public hearings (other than city

council meetings) for planning initiatives. Two years prior to our initiative, the city had developed a General Plan and the resident involvement was similar to the first day that we had the public hearing. It still does not negate the fact that given the population

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many more residents should have attended the hearings. This is why I recommend allotting enough time to undertake the People Process. However, I want to mention that there was a substantial increase in the number of residents on the second hearing date because we saturated the community with the flyers. The parents were seeing thee flyers

on a constant basis. The distribution of flyers is a cost effective marketing tool

and should be used when you Blitz the Zone.

Our Performance Committee has distributed a total of 3600 flyers to the following area schools: 

Umaja Achievement Elementary School



John Faith Elementary School



Shabazz High School



Sholom Hope High School



All Success Middle School

In addition, flyers were personally delivered to 100 businesses located on Hope Street and Action Boulevard, which are the two main commercial corridors within the Performance Zone.

Personal Visitation to All Businesses

As I mentioned above, an assistant and I personally visited every business within the Riviera area. The business owners within the Performance Zone are stakeholders that should not be overlooked. It is important to remember that they have a future interest in

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community just like the residents. Many times the business owners are overlooked in the planning process because in many cases they are not residents of the community.

This is especially true in many African American communities in which business are owned and operated by non-residents.

I recommend not only getting the input of business owners but also getting them to become directly involved in the initiative.

Chambers of Commerce and Business

Councils are excellent forums in which to address local business owners. If these types of organizations are not present within the Performance Zone this initiative could be the impetus to organize them.

For example, I was co-founder and first vice-president of the Greater Springfield African American Chamber of Commerce (GSAACC) in Springfield, Illinois.

I along with a

prominent local newspaper publisher started the organization in response to our wanting to have loans made available to small businesses located on the Eastside of the city. The city had been notified of its designation as an Enterprise Community and would receive a $2.95 million grant from HUD.

Initially, the city was going to use the

funds to build a one-stop resource center for the local Urban League, which was written in the required strategic plan that was submitted to HUD.

When we protested, the city decided to let the local Minority Business Council (MBC) decide on the projects that would be funded with the grant. At the time, the MBC was basically a pet organization of the mayor of the city. Many business owners felt isolated

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and left out and believed that they would not be able to submit or receive much needed loans to further develop their businesses. In addition, many of the business owners were reluctant to join the MBC for this reason. As such, we formed the GSAACC to have a voice and to organize ourselves.

In essence, our community had been divided.

Remember the saying “a house divided cannot stand.�

Our efforts were fruitful in that the city did establish a loan program. The down side of it was that the loans were granted to supporters of the local republican political machine.

The important thing to remember here is (1.) the city should have held Meetings of the Minds and sought the input of the local residents and business owners prior to submitting the application to HUD (2.)

Everything possible must be undertaken to

ensure that there is a consensus among the community residents and business owners as to the specific strategies to be undertaken in the revitalization initiative.

Other Strategies

The possibilities for different strategies to inaugurate the initiative are endless.

It

basically depends on the imagination of the Performance Committee when it comes to ways to bring the project to the community. The one constant is that the committee should not lose focus of the fact that traditionally residents within Danger Zones are very reluctant to embrace new ideas. Therefore, the committee should not expect their initial efforts at community outreach will be successful. The committee must not only educate the residents on the revitalization process and assess their needs it must also gain their trust. Other strategies that can be used to do all three include but are not

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limited to the following: 

Newsletters – can be distributed to the residents within the Performance Zone on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. These newsletters could have letters from the residents describing aspects of their lives and their aspirations and desires for the future of their communities.



Vision Vans – have been used by various communities as a means of distributing information. This van would have various information about the initiative posted on the outside of it. It would also act as a mobile information distribution center. It would travel throughout the Performance Zone and distribute the pamphlets, supplements and flyers that were discussed above.



Vision Card – is a four inch by six inch card that can be used to assess the residents’ vision of their community within five years. The city of Cas Grande, Arizona used this type of card to get citizen input when it was undergoing research for its General Plan. The card had just one question on each side of it. Once the citizens completed the card it was given to the city’s planning department or its consultant.

The card had the

following information on one side:

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Figure # 10A

If you moved from Casa Grande and returned five years later, what things would you like to have seen changed?

1._________________________________________ 2._________________________________________ 3._________________________________________

The other side of the card had the following information on it: Figure # 10B

If you moved from Casa Grande and returned five years later, what three things would you like to have seen remain the same?

1._________________________________________ 2._________________________________________ 3._________________________________________

Other means of Blitzing the Zone include but are not limited to the following: 

Public Service Announcements on radio and television.



Newspaper articles and editorials.



Guest appearances of Performance Committee members on local radio, and television programs.

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As I stated earlier, the only limit to the means in which to reach the residents exists within the minds of the members of the Performance Committee. The ultimate goal is to get the residents to attend the scheduled Meetings of the Minds.

PHASE III:

MEETING OF THE MINDS When truth fails to organize people conditions will.

Buschra

The second day of reckoning is upon us. The first day of reckoning occurred on the first day of the FOCUS ON THE FAMILY WEEKEND. Now the Performance Committee is about to attend the first of a number of scheduled Meetings of the Minds. I have talked about these Meetings of the Minds from time to time throughout this book. Others have called these meetings by other names, which include but are not limited to Focus Meetings, Focus Group Meetings, Vision Meetings, Town Hall Meetings and Neighborhood Meetings, etc.

I choose to call them Meetings of the Minds because the ultimate objective of them is for the resident participants at these meetings to come to an agreement on the direction that their communities will take. The one constant about these types of meetings is that residents come to them with pre-conceived ideas and recommendations about their personal vision for their community. Some of these ideas and recommendations will get initiated and some of them will not. Some of them could get initiated but may change in form or scope by the time it is approved by the residents. Just like entering into a contract this is a process of the parties coming to a mutual agreement. In essence, their minds meet to enter into the contract. The same is true of the residents within the Performance Zone they must see these meetings as an opportunity for their minds to 127

meet so that they may move into the future.

The Meetings of the Minds are scheduled to take place between June 1st and December 31st. The meetings will be held on every other Saturday. On these Saturdays the meetings will be held at the following locations: 

Hope Community Church.



Elizabeth Desire High School.



Frank Hope High School.



Faith Community Church.

As such, there will be a total of forty eight Meetings of the Minds within the Performance Zone. Each meeting will have the same itinerary. The meetings will last from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. The agenda for each meeting will be as follows: Figure # 11 8:30am - 9:00am 9:00am – 12:00pm 12:00pm - 1:00pm

Residents arrive and continental breakfast Morning Session (with a fifteen minute break) Lunch Break

1:00pm - 3:00pm

Afternoon Session (with a fifteen minute break)

3:00pm - 4:00pm

Summary Session

At the recommendation of the consultant, the Performance Committee has agreed to provide a continental breakfast and a lunch for the residents. This is an excellent idea because the residents can devote their energies to the planning process without having to worry about meals.

So what exactly takes place at the Meetings of the Minds? To begin with there are seven principles that must be followed at the meetings in order for them to be

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successful.

These seven principles, which are easy to understand and are self

explanatory, are as follows: Figure # 12 SEVEN MEETINGS OF THE MIND PRINCIPLES 1. No one has a crystal ball 2. Every idea has merit 3. Action costs no more than inaction 4. Cooperation and Commitment are key to achieving goals 5. Everyone has a voice 6. No matter what size the action there will be consequences 7. We determine our future, not our circumstances

The above principles should be put on large posture boards and posted on the sides and the front of the room in which the meeting is held.

Maximum Performance Trainer

As stated earlier, RSI will facilitate the Meetings of the Minds to ensure that they are conducted professionally and honorably.

RSI will have a Maximum Performance

Trainer (MPT) present at the Meetings of the Minds.

The MPT will facilitate each

meeting. These meetings are interactive assemblies where with the assistance of the MPT the residents determine the future course of their communities. In addition to ensuring that the above seven principles are adhered to, the MPT also has the following responsibilities: 

Encouraging everyone to speak.

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

Staying on schedule.



Turning complaints in suggestions.



Ask questions, not give answers.

At the beginning of the meeting the MPT should make sure that everyone understands that they should say what is on their minds as briefly as possible. Each person is to speak briefly in order to give others the opportunity to speak. It should be remembered that in many cases these meetings will be used as a mechanism for the residents to vent their anger on their current living conditions. This should be understood. As such, the MPT should allow the resident to speak and afterwards ask the resident the following question: “What do you suggest that we do to change that situation? This puts the responsibility back on the resident to recommend a course of action to take which in turn puts the resident in charge of changing his/her community. In addition to facilitating the Meetings of the Minds the MPT will also conduct the high energy Power Assemblies that is were the Power Principles® are taught to the residents.

The only tools that the MPT will need are an easel, a flip chart, and some markers. At the first of the scheduled Meetings of the Minds the MPT at each will distribute a RSI Community Building Action Kit (Action Kit) to each of the residents. Residents will be told to bring their kit with them to each of the scheduled Meetings of the Minds. The Action Kit consists of a collection of tools to guide the residents step-by-step through the People Process. These tools include the following: 

A map of the Performance Zone.

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

The address, phone number and contact person at the

Strategy

Center. 

A description of the revitalization initiative.



A description of the Power Principles®.



A listing and description of the steps of the People Process.



A listing of possible projects to be include in the revitalization effort.

This list is only given as a reference and by no means suggest that the residents should choose these projects. 

Forms for the SWOT Exchange.



A legal pad and pen.



A copy of the Performance Strategy Timeline.



A glossary of terms.

I want to reiterate the importance of conveying to the residents the need to bring the Action Kit

to the meetings.

The People Process is an interactive performance

facilitated program and the Action Kit is the major tool of that program.

SWOT Exchange After handing out the Action Kits the next thing that the MPT will do is to ask if all of the residents have completed both the Personal Assessment Questionnaire and the

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Figure # 13 SWOT Exchange

STRENGHTS

WEAKNESSES

OPPORTUNITIES

THREATS

1.

1.

1.

1.

2.

2.

2.

2.

3.

3.

3.

3.

4.

4.

4.

4.

5.

5.

5.

5.

6.

6.

6.

6.

7.

7.

7.

7.

8.

8.

8.

8.

9.

9.

9.

9.

10.

10.

10.

10.

Community Assessment Questionnaire.

Those that have not will be given the

opportunity to complete them prior to the start of the meeting. Through a questioning and answering process it will be the MPT’s responsibility to relax the residents and get them to participate in the SWOT Exchange. The SWOT Exchange is an acronym for

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STRENGHTS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITES and THREATS. As such, the MPT will get the residents to list ten of the above. For example, the he/she would ask the residents to take their SWOT Exchange forms from their Action Kits and write each of the following words on the flip chart:

Undergoing the SWOT Exchange gives the

residents opportunity to personally assess the following: 

Where the community is today.



What is the current direction that the community is going.



Where do they want the community to be in the future.



How do they anticipate getting to the community of their dreams.

Performance Vision Statement

One of the objectives of making the residents go through the SWOT Exchange is that it puts the residents in a “future” state of mind. This mindset is necessary to develop the Performance Vision Statement. However, in order to develop such a statement, the residents must first be given an understanding of the strategic planning process. As such, at the first Meetings of the Minds the residents should be given a handout describing the various components and stages of the People Process. It is also at this point that the residents should be presented with the High Rising® definition of strategic planning written below, which was discussed in Chapter 3: A systematic process by which residents of distressed communities envision the future livability and sustainability of their environments and incorporate individual, public and private resources to undertake the planning and implementation of goals to effectuate personal and

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community development resulting in empowerment, economic rebirth, political parity and social justice.

Time should be allotted to allow the residents to comment on the above definition to get its full meaning. This is important because an understanding of the definition will assist the residents in formulating a Performance Vision Statement (PVS). The PVS is the driving force behind the revitalization initiative that takes the community toward sustainability and long range success in the future. In essence, the PVS is a realistic vision for the future of the community. It is the residents’ view of the destination toward which their community should aim. This statement is mostly expressed in a few short sentences. However, I have seen vision statements that were a couple of pages long. I recommend a short concise statement because it will allow the residents to stay focused and not get overwhelmed. Long exhaustive PVS could scare a lot of residents and they will drop out of the process along the way.

Below is a list of vision statements that have been used by various jurisdictions: 

Long Beach, California:

“We envision our city as the economically vibrant international center of Southern California, with a strong sense of civic pride, attracting and sustaining competitive businesses, working in partnership with the community and a responsive government.” 

Flagstaff, Arizona:

“IN THE YEAR 2020, the people of greater Flagstaff have

much

to

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celebrate: Their quality of life is a reality that many communities only dream of:

the downtown is thriving; the economy is healthy;

and the sense of community is solid and strong.

Family life is

supported in myriad ways – from health care to education to recreation. Individuals are appreciated for who they are and can find opportunities throughout their lives to learn grow and achieve their dreams.” 

Carpinteria, California:

“Carpinteria is a vibrant but easy going, family oriented small town with an economically and ethnically diverse population, working together for the common good of all residents and visitors...

As you can see, the above statements are for entire jurisdictions.

Nonetheless, it

doesn’t matter what the actual size of the Performance Zone, a PVS is the impetus to guide the residents in meeting their revitalization initiatives. After several Meetings of the Minds a consensus was met and the residents of Hope Community adopted the following PVS: Hope Community is a livable community in which all residents live (1.) in safe, decent sanitary and affordable housing; (2.) in a drug and crime free environment where and

residents

are

unafraid

top

the children are safe to play walk

the

streets;

(3.)

in

a

community that is economically viable as the result of a variety of 135

commercial enterprises the majority of which are owned by local residents; (4.) in an environment that is spiritually, economically, politically and socially enriching where all residents work together for the common good and prosperity of the community.

The above PVS will be used to help the Performance Strategy Task Forces in developing strategies and recommendations to used in the development of the Comprehensive Performance Strategy.

However, before the residents form

Performance Strategy Task Forces they will undergo the eight week Power Principles® program.

Power Assemblies

As I stated earlier, the Power Principles® are an integral component of the High Rising Model of Resident Based Community Re-Building®. I also stated earlier that the Power Principles® would be taught to the residents by MPT’s at Power Assemblies held throughout the Performance Zone. The Power Assemblies will be held on alternative Saturdays of the Saturdays that the residents attend the Meetings of the Minds.

The

assemblies will meet at the same times and follow the same agenda as the Meetings of the Minds. That schedule is listed as follows:

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Figure # 14 Power Assemblies Schedule 8:30am – 9:00am

Residents arrive and continental breakfast

9:00am – 12:00pm Morning Session (Fifteen minute break) 12:00pm – 1:00pm Lunch Break 1:00pm – 3:00pm

Afternoon Session (Fifteen Minute Break)

3:00pm – 4:00pm

Summary Session

As with the Meetings of the Minds meals will be provided to the residents at the Power Assemblies.

The assessment and the learning phases of the Power Principles® program will occur during the first eight weeks of the People Process. At the end of eight weeks, the Meetings of the Minds will continue while the Power Assemblies will cease.

This

doesn’t mean that the residents will cease to incorporate the Power Principles® into their daily lives. It is at this point that the residents will undergo their individual Personal Performance Process. As a refresher, I have re-written the components of the eight week program, which consists of the following:

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Figure # 15 EIGHT WEEK POWER PRINCIPLE PROGRAM 1.

Week #1:

Introduction to High Rising: Seven Principles to Power

2.

Week #2:

Power Principle #1: Belief in a Higher Power

3.

Week #3:

Power Principle #2: Change Your Mind

4.

Week #4:

Power Principle #3: Develop a Written Personal Performance Plan

5.

Week #5:

Power Principle #4: Wellness of Body & Soul

6.

Week #6:

Power Principle #5: Increase Your Wealth

7.

Week #7:

Power Principle #6: Achieve What You Conceive

8.

Week #8:

Power Principle #7: Sustain a Balance of Power

At the first Power Assembly the residents will be given Power Packages, which are similar to the Action Kits® distributed to the residents at the first of the scheduled Meetings of the Minds. The Power Package will include the following:  A detailed description of the Power Principles® and how they can be used in daily living as instruments to gain personal empowerment.  A journal that will enable the residents to record daily thoughts and ideas to assist them on their journey toward empowerment.  A Personal Performance Plan.  A selected bibliography of motivational books the residents should read.  A legal pad and pen

During each week the MPT will engage the residents in interactive learning practices, 138

which assist the residents on their journey towards personal empowerment. One of the main projects that the residents will undertake will be the development of their own Personal Performance Plan. Appendices # 10 shows the Personal Performance Plan that the residents will complete during week #4 of the High Rising program:

After completion of the Personal Performance Plan, the residents will be required to initiate the principles learned in the program.

This period is called the Personal

Performance Process. It is during the Personal Performance Process that residents must depend on themselves.

The ultimate objective of this period is to teach the

residents the virtues of self reliance, self worth and self sufficiency. Although this period last for ten months, residents will attend an evaluation assembly after six months and another one four months later. The last evaluation session will be the exit evaluation for the program. The basis behind having two evaluation sessions is to provide assistance to the residents. For example, if at the first evaluation a resident is not progressing as he/she should and needs reinforcement, the MPT can determine some form of corrective action that would allow the resident to continue successfully on the path to successful achievement. The benefit is that by addressing this need early, as opposed to waiting for the exit evaluation, the MPT might be able to help a resident that might not get the help that he/she needs early in the process.

However, it should be noted that the MPT is not a professional psychologist and RSI does not represent them as such. If it appears that an individual has certain issues that need professional attention, the MPT will refer the resident to one of the service

139

providers identified in the Performance Zone Profile.

PHASE IV:

PERFORMANCE STRATEGY TASK FORCES

At this point in the People Process the residents of Hope Community have completed the six months of the scheduled Meetings of the Minds. They have also developed a Performance Vision Statement for the revitalization of the Performance Zone.

In

addition, the have also completed the scheduled Power Assemblies, developed their own Personal Performance Plans and are currently involved in their individual Personal Performance Processes.

Strategy Areas

During the scheduled Meetings of the Minds, after much debate, the residents have decided upon seven strategy areas in which to make recommendations to be included in the Comprehensive Performance Strategy.

These seven strategy areas and the

reasons why the residents chose these areas include the following: 1.

Affordable Housing – Hope Community has the highest number of vacant and/or dilapidated housing within the city of Urbania. It also has the highest number of rental properties and the highest number of vacant lots within the city. In addition, residents are paying absentee landlords exhorbant monthly rents for properties that are unsafe and unsanitary.

2.

Youth Programs – The youth in the community have no activities in which to channel their energies. There is increasing gang activity and increasing criminal activity among the area youth.

The high school

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dropout rate in the highest in the state. In addition, shootings and murders have increased as the result of an escalating drug war between rival gangs.

3.

Economic Development – The two commercial corridors in the community located on Hope Street and Action Boulevard are dominated by vacant storefronts and buildings. marginal businesses.

The businesses that remain are

There is a great need in the community for

neighborhood shopping centers, pharmacies and grocery stores were the residents can obtain goods and services without having to leave their community.

4.

Public Safety – Due to the increased drug activity, shootings and other criminal activity, residents within the community are afraid to visit the park or to walk the streets after dark. In addition, the many vacant buildings act as a refuge for drug dealers and users. Likewise, the residents believe that a greater police presence would do a lot to alleviate much of the crime in the community.

5.

Health and Human Services – As a result of Welfare Reform, many families that were receiving public assistance no longer do so. As such, these families have no health insurance as is the situation with the majority of residents within the community.

In addition, the increasing

elderly population in the community are in need of home health care.

6.

Local Government Responsibility – Hope Community traditionally has been the area of the city that has been neglected by the municipality

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when it comes to basic services. Many areas within the community lack sidewalks and curbs and gutters. In addition, the streets in the community are filled with potholes and flood during heavy rains because of inadequate sewers.

7.

Quality of Life – Due to the many ills that confront the community, the residents within the community believe that they live in an unsafe, unhealthy, and hostile environment.

Their diminished quality of life

perpetuates into immense states of despair and hopelessness.

Some of the residents divided themselves into Performance Strategy Task Forces. At the request of the MPT, during the last of the scheduled Meetings of the Minds a separate Task Force was established for each of the seven strategy areas listed above.

Those residents interested in affordable housing joined that task force and those interested in economic development joined that task force, and so on. Each task force consisted of at least fifteen residents, although some had as many as thirty residents. It was recommended that residents serve on only one task force. However, in some situations where the resident participation was low, many residents have served on more than on task force. The responsibilities of the task forces include but are not limited to the following: 1.

Perform the necessary research on their specific strategy area that is necessary to make an informed Strategy Recommendation to the Performance Committee.

2.

Continue to meet on scheduled Saturdays to perform the above tasks.

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3.

Deliver to the Performance Committee written Strategy Recommendations for their specific strategy area.

4.

Obtain the necessary financial information on specific projects necessary to make an informed decision concerning whether or not to initiate those projects.

The MPT will continue to be present at each of the scheduled task force meetings. The MPT will continue its role as facilitator. As such, he/she will not make recommendations for the residents but will assist them in making their own decisions. After meeting the designated four months, each task force has developed several written Strategy Recommendations to present to the Performance Committee.

Strategy Recommendations In order to be effective there are certain components that each Strategy Recommendation must contain. The components of Strategy Recommendations are: 1. Objectives – are generalized statements of what the residents envision will take place within the Performance Zone in the future. This future date will be determined by the Performance Committee and will appear in the Comprehensive Performance Strategy. Objectives are few in number and are not as specific as goals and strategies. In many instances strategy areas are stated as objectives.

2. Goals – Goals are more specific than objectives and are measurable targets for each objective.

Goals are the end to the means by which the

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Comprehensive Performance Strategy is evaluated to determine its success.

3. Strategies – are the means by which the Performance Committee will reach its goals. Strategies are step-by-step processes and typically will include programs, events, and projects to be accomplished to meet the stated goals.

After a review of the above components and an in depth discussion with the MPT’s, the task forces were prepared to discuss specific Strategy Recommendations.

The Strategy Recommendations for each task force are as follows: OBJECTIVE: Goal:

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Establish a consortium of local financial institutions to provide loans through CRA funds for low-to-moderate income families for home ownership.

Strategy:

Coordinate banks to commit 20% of CRA funds.

Strategy:

Set up a review board for loans.

Strategy:

Initiate a local Home Ownership Club, which pairs families who want to

own a home with homeowners.

Strategy:

Encourage public/private partnerships for construction of affordable housing.

Strategy:

Apply for various programs such as HOME and Tax Credit funding for developments through the Progress Department of Housing and Community Affairs (PDHCA).

Strategy:

Establishment of First Time Home Buyer down payment and closing costs assistance program with forgivable loan program.

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OBJECTIVE: Goal:

YOUTH PROGRAMS

Implement recreational and educational programs for area youth to redirect their energies.

Strategy:

Develop a youth mentoring program with businesses and community organizations to keep kids in school.

Strategy:

Develop part-time and/or summer jobs, a job bank program, and an inventory of educational and recreational programs.

Strategy:

Develop a community center within the community offering various educational, cultural and vocational programs for area youth.

OBJECTIVE: Goal:

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Implement a community marketing plan to increase existing small businesses to participate in training and business development opportunities.

Strategy:

Develop and implement an interactive/highly accessible computerized small business development program.

Strategy:

Develop a marketing plan to increase the awareness of training/business development available.

Goal:

Encourage the development of shopping centers and quality job creation within the Performance Zone.

Strategy:

Encourage the formation and training of non-profit community

development organizations.

Strategy:

Encourage public, private, profit and non-profit development partnerships.

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Strategy:

Provide incentives for development in the area. (i.e. tax increment financing, tax abatement, utility and permit fees discounts)

Strategy:

Pursue enterprise zone and other state and federal designations for development assistance.

Goal:

Promote business retention programs with the potential of providing incentives for existing businesses.

Strategy:

Enhance support groups to assist business growth (Business Teams).

Strategy:

Establish a small business expansion/creation program for short term financial assistance.

OBJECTIVE:

PUBLIC SAFETY

Goal:

Eliminate the drug trafficking within the area.

Strategy:

Establish a police substation in designated locations within the area.

Strategy:

Initiate a community policing program where city police officers live within the community.

Strategy:

Establish a special drug trafficking task force to operate within the community.

Strategy:

Establish a citizen review board to oversee police conduct issues affecting the community.

OBJECTIVE:

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICE

Goal:

Implement programs to address drug addiction and prevention.

Strategy:

Establish anti-drug programs within community schools.

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Strategy:

Develop a drug rehabilitation center within the community.

Goal:

Address the health needs of residents within the community.

Strategy:

Develop a free clinic within area to ensure proper health care for all residents.

Strategy:

Initiate a comprehensive lead based paint screening program within the free clinic.

Strategy:

Establish a program to provide home health care services for elderly residents.

OBJECTIVE:

LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY

Goal:

Improve infrastructure within the community.

Strategy:

City should install a new sewer system in area to address widespread flooding problem.

Strategy:

City should re-asphalt main thoroughfares and repair arterial streets

within the community.

Strategy:

City should construct curbs and gutters and sidewalks on those streets

that need them.

Strategy:

Install the necessary street lights at the designated areas within the community.

Goal:

Establish a better relationship between residents and the city.

Strategy:

Establish a community relations board of local citizens to meet on a regular basis with city officials to discuss issues affecting the community.

Strategy:

Arrange town hall meetings on a monthly basis with city officials and the

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community relations board at various locations within the community to give residents the opportunity to ask questions and to get an update on city plans

OBJECTIVE:

QUALITY OF LIFE

Goal: Develop culture enrichment programs within community.

Strategy:

Initiate cultural activities such as dance, poetry, writing and painting classes at the community center to be developed within community.

Strategy:

Establish an artist in residence program at the community center to attract nationally recognized artist to visit the community.

Strategy:

Develop an outdoor theatre program for Hope Park showcasing local talent.

The above Strategy Recommendations reveal that the residents were very precise in identifying programs and activities that would assist in alleviating the socio-economic problems currently plaguing their community.

Each of the Hope Community Performance Strategy Task Forces have completed their written Strategy Recommendations.

At their last meeting they gave their Strategy

Recommendations to the MPT at their meeting.

The MPT gave these written

recommendations to the consultant who in turn will present them to the Performance Committee for review.

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It should be noted that the above Strategy Recommendations速 were handed in complete with funding estimates. Appendix # 6 shows a Sources and Uses of Funds statement for the above recommended projects with a total funding request of $13,765,000. The Sources and Uses of Funds Statement stipulates the amount of funding that each stakeholder will contribute to the project.

The funding requests are

based on previous commitments to provide funding assistance to the project.

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DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A COMPREHENSIVE PERFORMANCE STRATEGY Planning is not intrinsically a postponement of action, though it may be used as such. It is the rational approach to observed problems. It is a necessary prelude to effective action.

Dr. Kenneth Clark

We have now come to the point of developing the finished product. Although it should be remembered that the People Process is more important than the finished product, the finished product is also needed and necessary.

A written Comprehensive

Performance Strategy (CPS) accomplishes the following:



Acts as a tangible representation of the revitalization process.



Acts as a workable document that can be re-visited in the future to determine the success or failure of specific projects.



Acts as a written financial plan of the revitalization project.



In some circumstances is necessary by city councils in order to pass ordinances or resolutions allocating funds for revitalization projects.



A mandatory in order to receive certain types of federal funds,

As stated earlier, typically the planning process to develop a CPS lasts between twelve and eighteen months.

Our Performance Committee had a Performance Strategy

Timeline of eighteen months. After thirteen months the committee, with the assistance of the consultant, is ready to develop the CPS. You may wander why five months is necessary to develop the CPS. During the five month period the following will take

150

place: 

The consultant will get the Community Assessment Questionnaire analysis for Progress State University to incorporate the residents needs in to the CPS.



A detailed analysis must be conducted on the cost feasibility of initiating the Strategy Recommendations.



Thousands of draft copies must be made available and distributed to the residents to get feedback before the final version is printed.

Implementation Timeline Once the above has taken place the consultant will prepare the actual document.

However, great care will go into deciding which programs and projects have priority over others. This is where the resident feedback discussed above becomes important. This is also the basis behind phasing the revitalization into time components for implementation. Many strategic plans have implementation phases that are either short term or long term. They have no designation for those programs or projects that are either to long for short term or too short for long term. As such, our CPS expands the implementation time components and divides the goals discussed in the Strategy Recommendations as either: 1.

Short Term Goals – are accomplished within a one to three year period. These

goals are important because they are an

excellent way of establishing momentum and garnishing support for revitalization efforts early in the implementation process. In many

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instances these short-term goals are cosmetic such as: a. Establishment of first time home buyer loan program. b. Establishment of micro loan program for small businesses. c. Installing ornamental street lighting. d. Developing micro-parks in vacant lots. e. Establishment of citizen review board for police department. f. Demolition of unsafe structures g. Development of neighborhood shopping amenities 2 Mid Term Goals – are accomplished in three to seven years and are important because they are a constant reminder to the residents of their efforts in the People Process. Residents can witness on a daily basis the physical improvement of their community. Some of these mid term goals may be: a. Installing curbs and gutters. b. Installing new sewers. c. Developing metro railing system to make jobs in outlying areas assessable

to

community

residents

that

do

not

have

transportation. d. Development of new subdivision in designated renewal area.

3. Long Term Goals – are completed after seven years. These projects may be started at the beginning of the implementation process and take seven plus years to complete or they may not get initiated until seven years from the beginning of the implementation process.

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a. New streets throughout the Performance Zone. b. Business Retention and Expansion within commercial corridors. c. Installation of new street lighting.

After the consultant and the Performance Committee have conferred and decided the implementation schedule for each program and project, the consultant will undertake the task of preparing a first draft of the CPS. CPS Outline

By now it should be understood that no two CPS will be the same because no two communities are exactly the same. However, as Appendices # 7 shows there is a recommended outline that should be followed when drafting a CPS. I will not take the time to write out the actual CPS because at this point I do not believe it necessary to do so. I would like to restate that the above outline by no means represents the only way to prepare a CPS. The important thing to remember is to pay tribute to the residents that participated in the People Process, the Power Assemblies and the Performance Strategy Task Forces.

The consultant has completed the final draft of the Comprehensive Performance Strategy

and delivered it our Performance Committee.

The chairman of the

Performance Committee is prepared to distribute copies of the CPS to area residents and to various individuals within the sponsoring organizations. However, before it does so it must first ensure that the Performance Zone will remain in the future a livable and

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sustainable community.

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MAINTAINING COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY Service is the act of doing what you love for the sake of loving it. This is the highest work you can do in the world. Service is the divine multiplier. When you perform an act of genuine service, giving of your time, energy and resources as an act of love, the universe will multiply what you do and reward you with greater results than expected.

Iyanla Vanzant

Once the Performance Committee has completed the Comprehensive Performance Strategy it has one more responsibility to perform in the planning and implementation stages of the revitalization project. Most revitalization initiatives fail because after the bricks and mortar and related social service programs and projects have been completed there were no mechanisms in place to ensure the future livability and sustainability of the community. The High Rising Model of Resident Based Community Re-Building速 advocates when a Performance Committee is used it should relinquish its reins of authority to a community based organization or an appointed group of neighborhood residents active in the revitalization process.

However, even if a

community organization currently exists within the area, it may be wise to either establish a new organization or just establish a Local Neighborhood Performance Team.

The Local Neighborhood Performance Team is basically a group of concerned citizens appointed by the Performance Committee. A good time to look for individuals to appoint to this team is during the Meetings of the Minds and during the Power Assemblies. It is during these types of forums that those residents that are outspoken and concerned about their community will reveal themselves. They are usually the ones that are most

155

vocal and most passionate about their beliefs and vision of their community.

It is

recommended that the MPTs maintain a card file listing the name, address and phone number of these individuals so that they may be contacted in the future.

However, if Performance Committee chooses not to establish a Local Neighborhood Performance Team and establish a formal community based organization, there are basically two types of these organizations that could be established.

These

organizations are: 1.

Community Development Corporation – or CDCs are formal non profit organizations that in most instances are formed by concerned residents within a community. The process to establish a CDC is relatively simple.

In most states a non profit charter costs between $75 to $150 to file. The last ten years has seen a sharp increase in the number CDCs operating within distressed communities. The most important aspect about these organizations is that they can receive a 501 I(3) tax exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service.

This tax exempt status gives the

organization access to funds from local, state and federal sources such as Community

Development

Block

Grants

(CDBG),

HOME

funds,

Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community funds etc. In addition, CDC’s may also apply for funding from private foundations.

The funding

characteristic is extremely important to undertake the task of revitalization in most communities. The CDC employ full time staff and are overseen by a board of directors. It is important to remember that these organizations come with them complex accounting and reporting requirements.

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2.

Community

Housing

Development

Organization

–

or

CHDO,

pronounced CHODO, is a non profit community based organization and low income community service organization that has, or intends to retain staff to develop affordable housing within its community. The important aspect of CHDOs is that a public jurisdiction must commit 15% of its HOME allocation to certain eligible activities to be undertaken by CHDOs. The CHDO can be sponsored by another entity with tax exempt status such as a church.

CHDOs must also have been in service to the

community in which it will undertake housing development activity for at least one year. They must have a stated commitment to the development of affordable housing in the community it serves. This commitment should be reflected in at least one of the following: a.

Articles of incorporation.

b.

By-laws of the organization.

c.

Board resolution.

d.

Charter.

The CHDO must also be free of external controls, either from public or forprofit interests.

It is October and we have come to the end of our Performance Strategy Timeline. Our Performance Committee has decided to forego establishing a Local Neighborhood Performance Team or establishing a new community based organization.

It has

decided to appoint the Hope Community Development Organization (HCDO) as the

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stewardship body to ensure the livability and sustainability of the community.

This

stewardship body is an important entity and should not be taken lightly. Some of its responsibilities include but are not limited to the following: 1.

Acting as a liaison between the residents within the Performance Zone and local, state and federal agencies and jurisdictions.

2.

Securing the necessary funding to undertake future revitalization in the area.

3.

Entering into agreements with consultants and developers desiring to work within the area.

The Performance Committee chose HCDO because it was their initial efforts that motivated the mayor of Urbania and the other sponsoring organizations to get involved in the revitalization initiative.

Having completed this important task the Performance Committee is prepared to distribute copies of the final Comprehensive Performance Strategy to the sponsoring organizations and to the residents within the Performance Zone. In many strategic planning initiatives the Performance Committee would present the written CPS to the city council of the municipality. This is done in some of these instances when funding has not yet been allocated and the city council uses the CPS as a feasibility strategy in determining to undertake certain programs and projects.

After eighteen exciting and energetic months the Performance Committee has utilized

158

the High Rising Model of Citizen Based Community Building速 to bring to the residents of Hope Community an innovative approach to giving rebirth to their individual spirits and to the community as a whole. Through the Power Principles速 and the People Process the residents have learned that their individual empowerment is necessary for them to have the motivation, desire and perseverance to seek community empowerment. They are living examples that individual empowerment and personal empowerment is the true and most effective means of giving POWER TO THE PEOPLE.

159

APPENDICES

160

Appendices # 1 MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT AMONG City of Urbania, Progress County of Future, Progress Urbania Unified School District Progress State University Future County Community College Urbania Chamber of Commerce Greater Urbania African American Chamber of Commerce Friends of Urbania’s Future Northern Progress Home Builders Association Hope Community Development Corporation First State Bank Urbania National Bank City of Urbania Ministerial Alliance FOR THE ACCEPTANCE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GREATER URBANIA REVITALIZATION PLAN FOR HOPE COMMUNITY This Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is made and entered into as of the_____day of ________, 200_, by and among the City of Urbania; County of Future; Urbania Unified School District; Progress State University; Future County Community College; Urbania Chamber of Commerce; Greater Urbania African American Chamber of Commerce; Friends of Urbania’s Future; Northern Progress Home Builders Association; Hope Community Development Corporation; First State Bank; Urbania National Bank; City of Urbania Ministerial Alliance; The aforementioned parties are hereafter referred to as the PARTICIPANTS. 1.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this MOA is to recognize that the collaborative public/private effort between the Participants to produce a citizen based, long range community revitalization plan; to complete the plan and to proceed with the acceptance and implementation of the GREATER URBANIA REVITALIZATION PLAN FOR HOPE COMMUNITY. 2.

BACKGROUND

WHEREAS, the GREATER URBANIA REVITALIZATION PLAN FOR HOPE COMMUNITY sought to empower the residents of Hope community individually through the Power Principles® and as a community through the People Process; and WHEREAS, intensive information gathering through community meetings, survey interviews, focus groups, public forums, and a major community vision workshop will be undertaken in which the Hope Community Task Force will publish a draft vision for its community throughout the year 20__. This vision or plan will present a preferred scenario for our community, address target areas such as: Improving Housing and Livability, Promoting Family Life, Health and Safety, Fostering Human Development, Creating Economic Opportunity and Strengthening and Sustaining the Community.

WHEREAS, Strategy Task Forces for each target area comprised of ___citizens will develop “Strategy Recommendations” that will assist and guide the community in achieving strategic elements of the Vision over the next ____years.

161

3.

AGREEMENT

WHEREAS, once the GREATER URBANIA REVITALIZATION PLAN FOR HOPE COMMUNITY is finalized, it will be used (1) to inform and inspire the community as it moves into the future, (2) implement the Performance Strategies outlined in the plan. This MOU signed by each of the sponsors of the GREATER URBANIA REVITALIZATION PLAN FOR HOPE COMMUNITY will ensure that the Vision is recognized as a policy guide that has been created and is widely supported by the residents of Hope Community at large. Sponsoring organizations and Comprehensive Performance Strategy collaborators will be encouraged to reflect the plan in their own long-range planning, decision-making and civic involvement.

WHEREAS, Participants accept the People Process and overall key Performance Strategies; however, if item(s) in the Vision contradict a Participant’s mission or goals, budgetary means and ability, or due to vagueness in or misinterpretation of provisions in the Vision, other unexpected constraints, the participant is not obliged to support that specific aspect of the Vision; NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the above, the Participants mutually agree to pursue incorporation of the Vision and its Comprehensive Performance Strategies into their respective short, mid and long term plans, policies and annual work programs; continue to meet and work together in the future; and independently pursue the implementation of the Comprehensive Performance Strategy based on individual Participant missions, mandates, charters, or other managing and governing processes.

4.

AUTHORIZING SIGNATURES IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this MOA as of the last written date below.

CITY OF URBANIA

COUNTY OF FUTURE

By:___________________________________By:_____________________________________ Its:___________________________________Its:_____________________________________ ATTEST:

ATTEST:

City Clerk

County Clerk of the Board

APPROVED AS TO FORM:

APPROVED AS TO FORM:

City Attorney

County Attorney

URBANIA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

PROGRESS STATE UNIVERSITY

By:___________________________________ By:___________________________________ Its:___________________________________ Its:___________________________________ FUTURE COUNTY COMMNITY COLLEGE

URBANIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

By:____________________________________ By:____________________________________ Its:____________________________________ Its:____________________________________ FRIENDS OF URNABIA’S FUTURE

NORTHERN PROGRESS HOME BUILDERS ASSOC.

162

By:___________________________________ By:____________________________________ Its:____________________________________ Its:____________________________________ HOPE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP. GREATER URBANIA AFRICAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE By:____________________________________ By:____________________________________ Its:____________________________________ Its:____________________________________ FIRST STATE BANK

URBANIA NATIONAL BANK

By:____________________________________ By:____________________________________ Its:____________________________________ Its:____________________________________ CITY OF URBANIA MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE By:____________________________________ Its:____________________________________

163

Appendices # 2

Appendices # 2 HOPE COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION DISTRICT PERFORMANCE COMMITTEE CONFIDENTIAL APPLICATION

Name:________________________________________________________________________ Address:______________________________________________________________________ Phone:________________________________________ Fax:___________________________ Rent ______ Own _____ Number of Years in Community ______ Do you anticipate being a resident of the community: []

Less than 5 years

[]

5-10 years

[]

over 10 years

EMPLOYMENT (PLEASE ACCOUNT FOR ALL PERIODS IN REVERSE CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER, INCLUDING MILITARY ACTIVE DUTY) Present Employer:__________________________________________________ Date of Hire _______ Title:_______________________________________________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________________________________ Supervisor:________________________________________Phone:_____________________________ Briefly describe your duties and responsibilities______________________________________________ Employer ___________________________________________________ From _______ To ________ Title:________________________________________________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________________________________ Supervisor:______________________________________ Phone: _____________________________ Briefly describe your duties and responsibilities_____________________________________________ Employer ___________________________________________________ From ________ To _______ Title:________________________________________________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________________________________ Supervisor:_______________________________________ Phone: ____________________________ Briefly describe your duties and responsibilities______________________________________________ Additional Previous Employment _________________________________ _________________________________ _________________________________

Title/Responsibility ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________

Dates ___________ ___________ _________

ORGANIZATIONS AND ACTIVITIES Please list, in order of importance to you, up to three community, civic, professional, business, religious, social or other organizations of which you are or have been a member: Current Organizations ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Previous Organizations ______________________ ______________________ ______________________

Offices/Position Held Approximate Dates of Membership __________________________ _____________________ ___________ _______________________ ____________________________________ __________________________ _______________ Offices/Position Held Approximate Dates of Membership __________________________ _________________________________ __________________________ __________________________________ __________________________ __________________________________

What do you think are Hope Community’s weaknesses? Please list three.

1._____________________________2._________________________3._________________________ What do you think are Hope Community’s strengths? Please list three.

1._____________________________2.___________________________3._______________________ Please use the back of this page to briefly include any additional comments you wish to make.

Thank you very much for taking the time to respond.

164

Appendices # 3 MAP OF HOPE COMMUNITY

FOR PURPOSES OF THIS BOOK AND ITS EXCERSISES, PLEASE INPUT THE MAP OF YOUR PARTUCULAR COMMUNITY IN THIS SECTION. EVERY COMMUNITY IS A HOPE COMMUNITY!

165

Appendices #4 FOCUS ON THE FUTURE PERSONAL ASSESSMENT QUESTIONAIRE Please complete the following questionnaire so that we can better ascertain your personal strengths and weaknesses.

This information will be used only to assist you in achieving your dreams and will be held with the strictest confidentiality.

Name:____________________________________________________________________________ Address:__________________________________________________________________________ Home Phone:___________________________Work Phone:________________________________ SECTION 1: GENERAL INFORMATION 1.

Sex:

[] Male

[] Female

Age:__________

2.

Occupation:____________________________________________________________________

3.

What is the total number of persons living in your household?_____________________________

4.

List all the ages of the individuals living in your household. _______________________________________________________________________________

5.

What is the gender of the head of household? []

6.

What is your family’s total annual gross income?

Male

[] Female

[]

Less Than $17,350

[]

$22,251$24,750

[]

$28,701$30,700

[]

$17,351$19,800

[]

$24,751$26,750

[]

$30,701$32,650

[]

$19,801$22,250

[]

$26,751$28,700

[]

$32,651 or more

7.

Please check the line that comes closest to describing your ethnicity and the amount of completed.

Anglo/Caucasian

______

Less than 9th Grade

Latino

______

9th to 12th Grade, No Diploma ______

African-American

______

High School Graduate/GED

______

Asian/Pacific Islander

______

Associate Degree

______

Armenian

______

Bachelor’s Degree

______

Native American

______

Graduate Degree

______

Other SECTION 2: 1.

______ VISION ASSESSMENT

______

Other (i.e. Vocational Certificate)

______

At this point in your life are you living the life of your have envisioned?

2.

education you have

[] Yes

[] No

If No, which aspect of your life would you like to see improvement. Please check all that apply. []

Marriage/Personal Relationships

[]

Family Relationships

[]

Work/Business Relationships

[]

Spirituality

[]

Personal Finance

[]

Community Well-being

166

3.

Of all that you checked above, why do you think you have not been successful or you need improvement? []

Fear of Failure

[]

Toxic Relationships

[]

Lack of Energy

[]

Better Job

[]

Lack of Education

[]

Procrastination

[]

Poor Finances

[]

No Support of Family/Friends

[]

Overindulgence in Drugs/ Alcohol

4.

Who among your acquaintances encourages you the most? a.____________________

5.

f.

b._____________________

b._____________________

c._____________________

Out of every 24 hours how much time do you devote to: a.

Your occupation?

b.

Play and relaxation?

______

c.

Sleep?

______

d.

Acquiring useful knowledge? ______

e.

Worrying?

Plain Waste?

SECTION 3:

______

______ ______

BELIEF IN A HIGHER POWER

1.

Do you believe in a Higher Power?

2.

If Yes, Please check your current religion.

3.

c._____________________

Who among your acquaintances discourages you the most? a.____________________

7.

c._____________________

Who among your acquaintances cautions you most? a.____________________

6.

b._____________________

[] Yes

[]

Christianity

[]

Hebrew/Israelite

[]

Judaism

[]

Asar Aset

[]

Islam

[]

Budhist

[] No

[]

Other________

Do you believe that your belief in a Higher Power will help you become successful?

SECTION 4:

[] Yes

[] No

CHANGE YOUR MIND

1.

Do you often feel despair and discouraged?

[] Yes

[] No

2.

3.

Are you easily influenced by others?

Does your religion help you keep a PMA?

[] Yes [] Yes

[] No [] No

4.

Do you think you are successful?

[] Yes

[] No

5.

Do you think you will be successful?

[] Yes

[] No

6.

For the most part do others like being near you?

[] Yes

[] No

167

7.

Do you feel self confident?

8.

Do you have a method to shield yourself against the negative influence of others?

9.

[] Yes

[] No

[] Yes

[] No

If yes, what is the method? _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________

SECTION 5:

DEVELOP A WRITTEN PERSONAL PERFORMANCE PLAN

1.

In the past, did you set goals for yourself?

2.

Describe who you are?

[] Yes

[] No

_____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ 3.

Name three of your weaknesses. a.____________________________________________________________________________ b.____________________________________________________________________________ c.____________________________________________________________________________

4.

Name three of your strengths. a.____________________________________________________________________________ b.____________________________________________________________________________ c.____________________________________________________________________________

5.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________

6.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________

7.

Where do you see yourself in 15 years? _____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________

8.

Do you have a written plan for achieving your dreams?

9.

Briefly describe your plan for success.

[] Yes

[] No

_____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________

168

_____________________________________________________________________________ 10.

Do you usually finish everything that you begin?

[] Yes

11.

If No, what has hindered you in the past from finishing

[] No

what you start? _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ SECTION 6:

MAINTAIN WELLNESS OF BODY & SOUL

1.

Do you complain often of feeling bad?

[] Yes

[] No

2.

Do you frequently suffer from indigestion?

[] Yes

[] No

3.

If yes, do you frequently take medication to alleviate your indigestion?

[] Yes

[] No

4.

Do you frequently have a lack of energy?

[] Yes

[] No

5.

In order to quiet your nerves, do you resort to liquor, [] Yes

[] No

drugs or cigarettes?

6.

What types of foods do you like to eat? Please check all that apply.

7.

[]

Fast Foods

[]

Fruits

[]

[]

Meats

[]

Poultry

[]

Vegetables

[]

Sea foods

Other____________________

How many hours do you sleep per night? [] 1-3 Hours

[] 4-6 Hours

8.

Do you exercise regularly?

9.

If yes, what types of exercise do you do? Please

[] 7-9 Hours [] Yes

[] Over 9 Hours [] No

check all that apply.

10.

[]

Running

[]

Basketball

[]

[]

Walking

[]

Baseball []

Martial Arts

[]

Golf

[]

Bicycling []

Racquetball

Soccer

[]

Other_______

[]

Tennis

[]

Gymnastics

If No, what has hindered you from exercising? Please check all that apply []

Lack of energy

[]

Lack of equipment

[]

Lack of time

[] []

Do you consider yourself to be overweight?

12.

If Yes, how many pounds would you like to lose? []

1-10 Pounds

Have no desire to exercise []

11.

[]

Lack of money

11-20 Pounds

Other______________________ [] Yes

[]

[] No

21-40 Pounds

[]

Over 40 Pounds

169

13.

Have you dieted in the past?

14.

If Yes, how many pounds did you lose from the diet? []

15.

1-10 Pounds

[] Yes

[]

11-20 Pounds

[]

[] No

21-40 Pounds

[]

Over 40 Pounds

If No, why do you think the diet failed? _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________

16.

Have you ever meditated?

17.

If yes, how often do you meditate? []

Daily

[]

18,

Have you ever fasted?

19.

If yes, how often do you fast? []

20.

[] Yes

3-5 times per week []

[] No

1-3 times per week [] Yes

3-5 times per month []

[] No

1-5 times per month

How long does your average fast last? []

24 hours []

48-72 hours

21.

Do you like to read?

22.

If no, why do you not like to read?

[] over 72 hours [] Yes

[] No

_____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ 23.

If Yes, what do you like to read most? Please check all that apply. []

Daily/Weekly Newspaper

[]

Books

[]

Tabloids

[]

Other______________________

[]

Magazines

24.

Do you like to write?

25.

If Yes, what do you like to write? Please check all that apply.

26.

[] Yes

[] No

[]

Letters

[]

Poems

[]

Songs

[]

Journal

[]

Stories

[]

Other______________________

If No, why do you not like to write? _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________

SECTION 7:

INCREASE YOUR WEALTH

1.

Do you purposely avoid the association of anyone?

2.

If Yes, why?

[] Yes

[] No

170

_____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ 3.

Does anyone “nag” you?

4.

If Yes, why do they nag you? _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________

5.

Which do you value the most? Please check only one.

[] Yes

[] No

[]

Material Possessions

[]

Children

[]

Money

[]

Job

[]

Spouse, Significant Other

[]

Other_________________________

6.

What characteristics do you believe are important in order to have a lasting relationship? a.____________________________________________________________________________ b.____________________________________________________________________________ c.____________________________________________________________________________

7.

Write down three names of people whose relationship you value and next to each name write the reason why you value that person.

8.

a.___________________________________

______________________________________

b.___________________________________

______________________________________

c.___________________________________

______________________________________

Do you or a member of your family belong to a community group?

[] Yes

[] No

9.

If Yes, what group(s)? a._______________________ b._______________________ c.______________________

10.

If No, are interested in joining a community group?

SECTION 8: 1.

[] Yes

[] No

ACHIEVE WHAT YOU CONCEIVE

Name three of your most important accomplishments and next to each write why they were important to you.

2.

a.___________________________________

______________________________________

b.___________________________________

______________________________________

c.___________________________________

______________________________________

Which do you believe will help you achieve your dreams? Please check all that apply. []

Hard Work

[]

Winning the Lottery

[]

Luck

[]

Other_______________________

[]

Help of others

3.

Do make a habit of setting New Year’s resolutions?

[] Yes

[] No

4.

If Yes, did you follow through with them?

[] Yes

[] No

171

5.

If No, why did you not accomplish them? _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________

6.

What do you think will help you accomplish your dreams? _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________

SECTION 9: SUSTAIN A BALANCE OF POWER 1.

How do you maintain balance in your life? _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ 2.

Of the following Power Principles速 which do you believe you need to improve on?.

Please check all that apply.

[]

Belief in a Higher Power

3.

[]

Wealth Building

[]

Powerful Mental Attitude

[]

Strategy Implementation

[]

Organized Strategy

[]

Maintaining the Balance of Power

[]

Physical & Intellectual Activity

Name three things that you can do to ensure balance in your life? a.____________________________________________________________________________ b.____________________________________________________________________________ c.____________________________________________________________________________

Please use the back of this page to briefly include any additional comments you wish to make.

Please return the completed questionnaire to: FOCUS ON THE FUTURE 1215 Hope Street Urbania, Progress 12345 Thank you very much for taking the time to respond.

172

Appendices # 5 FOCUS ON THE FUTURE COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT QUESTIONAIRE Please complete the following information so that we may better ascertain the needs and recommendations of the residents living within the HOPE COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION DISTRICT. It is extremely important that you answer all questions.

ADDRESS:__________________________________________________________________________ (REQUIRED TO VERIFY THAT RESIDENT LIVES IN THE AFFECTED AREA) For each question below, please check the box(s) that best represent your opinion.

1.

What do you believe are the biggest problems your neighborhood is currently facing?

(Please check all that apply). [] [] [] [] [] [] []

2.

Crime Drugs Gangs Graffiti Affordable Housing Lack of Social Services Other_____________________

[] [] [] [] [] []

Transportation Recreational Facilities Affordable Child Care Home Care Programs for the Elderly Disability Assessable Housing/Care Lack of Community Center

Crime Drugs Gangs Affordable Housing Lack of Social Services Other______________________

[] [] [] [] []

Transportation Recreational Facilities Affordable Child Care Home Care Programs for the Elderly Lack of Community Center

[] [] [] [] [] [] []

Youth Recreational Activities Domestic Violence Counseling Career Planning Courses Recreational Facilities Affordable Child Care Elderly Home Care Programs G.E.D. Classes

What do you need that you don’t have now?

(Please check all that apply). [] [] [] [] [] [] [] []

5.

Transportation Recreational Facilities Affordable Child Care Home Care Programs for the Elderly Disability Assessable Housing/Care Lack of Community Center

Which problems are being addressed but are needing additional improvement?

(Please check all that apply). [] [] [] [] [] []

4.

[] [] [] [] [] []

What problems aren’t being addressed at all?

(Please check all that apply). [] [] [] [] [] [] []

3.

Crime Drugs Gangs Graffiti Affordable Housing Lack of Social Services Other____________________

Affordable Housing Entrepreneurial Training Transportation Housing Counseling Community Legal Services Language Classes Evening High School Classes Other_____________________

Would it be beneficial to have a Community center located in your neighborhood? []

Yes

[]

No

6.

If you answered yes to question five, what type(s) of service(s) would you like to have in a Community Center? (Please check all that apply). [] [] [] [] []

Career Planning Courses Job Training Courses Entrepreneurial Training Consumer Credit Counseling Housing Counseling

[] [] [] [] []

G.E.D. Courses Counseling Community Legal Services Language Classes Support Groups (i.e. parents anonymous)

173

[] [] [] [] 7.

[]

No

Shopping Transportation Other______________________

[] []

Medical Assistance Household Chores

Yes

[]

No

Which of the following youth activities would you like to see in your community?

(Please check all that apply). [] [] [] [] []

11.

Yes

Are you or any member of your household physically disabled? []

10.

Recreational Activities Evening High School Classes Domestic Violence Counseling

If you answered yes to question seven, do you need assistance with any of the following?

(Please check all that apply). [] [] []

9.

[] [] []

Are you or any member of your household a senior citizen? []

8.

Referral to Soc. Serv.Agencies Parent Education Classes Social Events Other_____________________

Baseball Soccer Arts & Crafts Music Lessons Martial Arts

[] [] [] [] []

Basketball Roller Blades Gymnastics Golf Lessons Other________________________

Do you or a member of your household belong to a community group? []

Yes

[]

No

If yes, What group(s)__________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 12.

What types of business would you like to see in your neighborhood?

(Please check all that apply). [] [] [] [] [] [] [] []

13.

[]

No

Yes

[]

No

Yes

[]

No

If you do not own a home, what has prevented you from doing so in the past?

(Please check all that apply). [] []

17.

Yes

If you answered no to question fourteen, are you interested in buying a home? []

16.

Laundromat Mini-Mart Resale Clothing Discount Store Day Care Centers Service & Repair Trade Schools Other___________________________

Do you currently own your own home? []

15.

[] [] [] [] [] [] [] []

Are you interested in starting your own business? []

14.

Barber Shop Gas Station Restaurant Drug Store Grocery Store Office Supplies Medical Offices Retail Shopping Malls

Down Payment Credit History

[] []

Income Other__________________________

Would you be interested in volunteering for any of the programs listed below? []

Neighborhood Watch

[]

Neighborhood Cleanup

174

[] []

Meals on Wheels Other_______________________

[]

Housing Rehabilitation

18.

Check the choice that best describes the type of residence in which you live now

19.

[] Mobile Home [] Apartment [] Home Do you receive any of the following? (Please check all that apply). [] [] []

Social Security Child Care Assistance SSI

[] [] []

Public Assistance Rental Subsidy Other_________________________

20.

What is the total number of persons living in your household?_________________

21.

22.

List all the ages of the individuals living in your household. _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ ____ What is the gender of the head of household?

23.

[] Male [] Female What is your family’s total annual gross income? []

Less than [] $17,350

$19,801- [] $22,250

$24,751- [] $26,750

$28,701 $30,700

[]

$17,351- [] $19,800

$22,251- [] $24,750

$26,751- [] $28,700

$30,701$32,650

[]

$32,651or more 24.

Please check the line that comes closest to describing your ethnicity and the amount of completed.

Anglo/Caucasian Latino African-American Asian/Pacific Islander Armenian Native American Other

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Less than 9th Grade 9th to 12th Grade, no Diploma High School Graduate Associate Degree Bachelor’s Degree Graduate Degree Other (i.e. Vocational Certificate)

education you have

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Please use the back of this page to briefly include any additional comments you wish to make.

Please return the completed questionnaire to: FOCUS ON THE FUTURE 1215 Hope Street Urbania, Progress 12345 Thank you very much for taking the time to respond

175

Appendices # 6 FOCUS ON THE FUTURE VISUAL ASSESSMENT FORM PROPERTY ADDRESS

PROPERTY TYPE

1801 S. HOPE 1802 S. HOPE 1803 S. HOPE 1804 S. HOPE 1805 S. HOPE 1806 S. HOPE 1807 S. HOPE 1808 S. HOPE 1810 S. HOPE 1813 S. HOPE 1814 S. HOPE 1820 S. HOPE 1821 S. HOPE 1822 S. HOPE 1823 S. HOPE 1824 S. HOPE 1825 S. HOPE 1830 S. HOPE

SF

SOUND

MAINTENANCE REQUIRED

MINOR REHAB REQUIRED

MAJOR REHAB REQUIRED

CRITICAL

DEBRIS FILLED

X

SF

X

SF

X

VL

X

VL

X

SF

X

SF SF

X X

SF

X

SF

X

SF SF

X X

VL

X

VL

X

VL

X

SF

X

VL

X X

176

Appendices # 7 FOCUS ON THE FUTURE PERSONAL PERFORMANCE PLAN Resident Name:_________________________________________________Date:_________________ Address:____________________________________________________________________________ Maximum Performance Trainer Name:___________________________________________________

The following is my Personal Performance Plan. I understand that this is a contract that I am responsible for making it a reality. I understand that this Personal Performance Plan will require specific performance on my part. Therefore, I will not write anything down that I do not fully intend to do. I agree to enlist the help of my Maximum Performance Trainer, the members of my Action Alliance and anyone else I may need to complete and carry out this plan. I will be specific and realistic in my planned goals and Performance Steps.

POWER PRINCIPLE #1:

BELIEF IN A HIGHER POWER

Personal Belief System – Goal:____________________________________________________ Performance Steps:__________________________________________________________________ Attending Services – Goal:__________________________________________________________ Performance Steps:___________________________________________________________________ Spiritual Prayer – Goal:___________________________________________________________ Performance Steps:__________________________________________________________________ POWER PRINCIPLE #2:

CHANGE YOUR MIND

Eliminate “Psycho sclerosis” –Goal:__________________________________________________ Performance Steps:___________________________________________________________________ Daily Positive Thoughts – Goal:____________________________________________________ Performance Steps:___________________________________________________________________ Releasing the Past – Goal:_______________________________________________________ Performance Steps:___________________________________________________________________ POWER PRINCIPLE #3:

WRITTEN PERSONAL PERFORMANCE PLAN

Review of Plan – Goal:__________________________________________________________ Performance Steps:___________________________________________________________________ My Personal Dream – Goal:_______________________________________________________ Performance Steps:___________________________________________________________________ Timeframe for Reaching My Dream – Goal:___________________________________________ Performance Steps:__________________________________________________________ If I Fall Off Course – Goal:_________________________________________________________ Performance Steps:___________________________________________________________________ POWER PRINCIPLE #4:

MAINTINING WELLNESS OF BODY & SOUL

Doing Regular Exercise – Goal:___________________________________________________ Performance Steps:___________________________________________________________________ Changing My Eating Habits – Goal:________________________________________________ Performance Steps:__________________________________________________________________ Leisure Time – Goal:_____________________________________________________________ Performance Steps:__________________________________________________________________ Increasing My Peace Through Meditation – Goal:____________________________________ Performance Steps:___________________________________________________________________ Fasting to Last – Goal:__________________________________________________________ Performance Steps:__________________________________________________________________

177

POWER PRINCIPLE #5:

INCREASE YOUR WEALTH

Spending Time With Family – Goal:______________________________________________ Performance Steps:___________________________________________________________________ Eliminating Insolvent Relationships – Goal:_________________________________________ Performance Steps:_________________________________________________________________ Developing an Action Alliance – Goal:______________________________________________ Performance Steps:___________________________________________________________________ POWER PRINCIPLE #6:

ACHIEVE WHAT YOU CONCIEVE

How I Will Reach My Dream – Goal:_______________________________________________ Performance Steps:__________________________________________________________________ Dealing With Obstacles – Goal:____________________________________________________ Performance Steps:___________________________________________________________________ In Six Months I Will Have Accomplished This Part of My Dream – Goal”________________ Performance Steps:_______________________________________________________________ POWER PRINCIPLE #7:

SUSTAIN A BALANCE OF POWER

Maintaining My Balance – Goal:_________________________________________________ Performance Steps:_________________________________________________________________ Dealing with My Weakest Power Principle – Goal:____________________________________ Performance Steps:___________________________________________________________________ Dealing with My Weakest Power Principle – Goal:____________________________________ This is my contract to power and to achieving my dream. I enter into it for myself. I understand that I am in charge of my own life and responsible for my own destiny. ___________________________________________ RESIDENT SIGNATURE

______________________________ DATE

____________________________________________ MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE TRAINER SIGNATURE

______________________________ DATE

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Appendices # 8 HOPE COMMUNITY SOURCES AND USES OF FUNDS STATEMENT USES City of

County of

Urbania

Progress

Urbania

Future

School Dis.

State Univ.

SOURCES Future County

Urbania Chamb.

Comm. Col. Dis. of Commerce

Greater Black Chamb of Commerce

Affordable Housing 1st Time Homebuyer Program Homebuyer Subsidy Program@$20K Rental Rehab Program2$20K Youth Programs Mentoring Program Summer Employment Community Center Economic Development Small Business Incubator Program Small Business Revolving Loan Fund Economic Development Commission Staff Salary Public Safety Police Substation Health & Human Service Drug Awareness Program Drug Rehab Center Free Clinic Lead Based Paint Screening Program Local Government Responsibility New Sewer System Re-Asphalt Streets Curbs & Gutters Street Lighting Quality of Life Cultural Awareness Program Outdoor Theatre

375,000 1,000,000 500,000 50,000 750,000 1,200,000 1,500,000

125,000 50,000

2,000,000 1,000,000 800,000 950,000 25,000

25,000

25,000.00

25,000.00

250,000

TOTALS

6,500,000.00 2,500,000.00

50,000.00

1,500,000.00

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Friends of Urbania's Future

Appendices #9 FOCUS ON THE FUTURE COMPREHENSIVE PERFORMANCE STRATEGY ______________________TABLE OF CONTENTS__________________________ Executive Summary..................................................................................................................

SECTION 1:

Introduction

High Rising Model of Community Revitalization..........................................

Focus on the Future......................................................................................

Project goals.................................................................................................

Performance Committee Members..............................................................

SECTION 2:

Performance Zone Profile

Performance Zone defined............................................................................

Demographic profile......................................................................................

Visual Assessment.......................................................................................

Physical & Non-Physical Assessment..........................................................

SECTION 3:

Forging a Common Vision

The People Process.....................................................................................

Performance Strategy Timeline....................................................................

Inaugurating the Initiative..............................................................................

Blitzing the Zone..........................................................................................

Meetings of the Minds...................................................................................

Power Assemblies........................................................................................

Performance Strategy Task Force...............................................................

SECTION 4:

Hope Community Revitalization Plan

Strategy Recommendations.........................................................................

Strategy Areas..............................................................................................

Affordable Housing......................................................................................

Youth Programs............................................................................................

Economic Development...............................................................................

Public Safety.................................................................................................

Health & Human Services............................................................................

Local Government Responsibility..................................................................

Quality of Life................................................................................................

SECTION 5:

Implementation:

Today’s Performances, for Tomorrow’s Growth

Implementation Timeline...............................................................................

Phasing of revitalization programs and projects...........................................

Conclusion................................................................................................

SECTION 6:

Appendices

Appendix A: Appendix B: Appendix C:

Results of Community Assessment Questionnaire Profile of Performance Zone Sources and Uses of Funds Statement

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GLOSSARY

Action Alliance – consists of a group of personal friends and/or relatives and so called because it is through the assistance of their collective action will enable one to strive toward personal achievement and sustainable success.

Action Kit -

a collection of tools to guide the residents step-by-step through the

People Process.

Blighted Area - means an area other than a slum area, which by reason of the predominance of defective or inadequate street lay out, faulty lot layout in relation to size, adequacy, accessibility or usefulness, unsanitary or unsafe conditions, deterioration of site or other improvements, diversity of ownership, tax or special assessment delinquency exceeding the fair value of the land, defective or unusual conditions of title, improper subdivision or obsolete platting, or the existence of conditions, which endanger life or property by fire and other causes, or any combination which endanger life or property by fire and other causes, or any combination of such factors, substantially impairs or arrests the sound growth of a municipality, retards the provision of housing accommodations or constitutes an economic or social liability and is a menace to the public health, safety, morals or welfare in its present condition and use.

Blitz the Zone – the process of utilizing gorilla marketing tactics to submerge the Performance Zone with information targeted to the residents requesting their involvement in the initiative.

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CDBG – Community Development Block Grant, which is a funding program of HUD appropriated by Congress.

CDC – a Community Development Corporation, which is a non-profit organization that is involved in community and economic development initiatives in distressed communities.

CHDO – Community Housing Development Organization as designated by a public jurisdiction in which at least 15% of the jurisdiction’s HOME funding must be set aside for designated CHDOs. Congress mandates that at least 1/3 of the board of directors of a CHDO must be residents of low-income neighborhoods.

Community Assessment Questionnaire – survey used to obtain certain information from community residents to ascertain their individual needs in order to develop a consensus of to form a Performance Zone Profile.

Comprehensive Performance Strategy – a written report on the Performance Zone prepared by the consultant with the assistance of the Performance Steering Committee based upon the residents’ recommendations, which is submitted to the City Council for approval.

Danger Zone – isolated clusters in the inner city and rural areas in which their residents live in socially, economic, environmental and politically distressed communities.

EZ/EC – Enterprise Zone AND enterprise Communities program established under the Clinton administration in which residents prepared strategic plans to assist them in revitalizing their communities.

Faith Based Initiative – initiative started under Clinton/Gore administration and continued under the Bush administration that utilizes faith based institutions as vehicles to revitalize distressed communities.

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Ghettos – a quarter of a city in which members of a minority group live especially because of social, legal or economic pressure; an isolated group.

High Rising – a successful achievement program utilizing the Power Principles and strategic planning techniques as vehicles to regenerate distressed communities.

HOME – a program administered by HUD mandated by the National Housing Affordability Act of 1991, which stipulates the construction of affordable rental and owner-occupied units.

HOPE Community – a distressed community within our fictitious case study city of Urbania.

HUD – U. S. Housing and Urban Development Department.

Inaugurating the Initiative – the official kick-off of the planned community development initiative incorporating various stakeholders and the media.

Local Leadership Team – the designated group of residents who will be responsible for insuring the sustainability of the regeneration initiative after the residents and the community have participated in the High Rising program.

Maximum Performance Trainers – professional facilitators hired buy the consultant to teach the Power Principles and facilitate the Meeting of the Minds.

Meetings of Minds – community Focus Group meetings of the residents held to obtain resident input for the regeneration initiative. These are interactive assemblies where with the assistance of the MPT the residents determine the future course of their communities.

Memorandum of Agreement - a formal agreement signed by the various stakeholders within the city of Urbania and the Hope Community which is formally passed as an

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ordinance by the City Council. It outlines the responsibilities and financial commitment of each stakeholder.

Metatonia – the prefix “meta” means “change” as in the word metamorphosis and the suffix “onia” means mind as in the word paranoia which translated means “change of mind.” It is the Greek word for repent.

Performance Committee – the group of stakeholders and residents that are selected to lead the regeneration initiative.

Performance Committee Confidential Application – form completed by individuals interested in being on the Performance Committee.

Performance Strategy Recommendation -

recommendations presented to the

Performance Steering Committee by the Performance Strategy Task Force.

Performance Strategy Recommendations result from Strategy Areas obtained from the Community Assessment Questionaire.

Performance Strategy Task Force – a group of residents formed to present Performance Strategy Recommendations to the Performance Steering Committee.

Performance Strategy Timeline – critical path established by the Performance Steering Committee and the consultant guiding the revitalization initiative for the Hope Community.

Performance Vision Statement – statement prepared by the Performance Steering Committee and the community residents outlining their vision for the future livability of their community. The Performance Vision Statement will be used by the Performance Strategy Task Forces in developing strategies and recommendations to be used in the development of the Comprehensive Performance Strategy.

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Performance Zone – manageable and sustainable communities that result from the High Rising process.

Performance Zone Profile – a written report on the Performance Zone which describes various demographic data, building conditions etc. utilized to assess a communities current social, economic, environmental and political status.

People Process – the resident participation component of the High Rising model.

Personal Assessment Questionnaire – survey utilized as part of the Power Principles program to ascertain a resident’s current and future mental, social, spiritual, economic etc. state of being.

Personal Performance Process – the process the resident undertakes while participating in the High Rising program.

Power – derived from the French word “poeir” which means “to be able.”; ability to act or produce an effect.

Power Assemblies – community meetings in which residents meet in large groups while learning the Power Principles.

Power Package – similar to the Action Kits distributed to the residents at the first of the scheduled Meetings of the Minds.

Power Principles – seven principles that are utilized to unlock one’s inner strength and give them the ability to act upon their visions with confidence, control and self possession.

Resident Participation – process where residents envision the future livability of their communities and plan and implement goals for their own empowerment.

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Slum Area - means an area in which a majority of the structures are residential, or an area in which there is a predominance of buildings or improvements, whether residential or nonresidential, and which, by reason of dilapidation, deterioration, age or obsolescence, inadequate provision for ventilation, light, air, sanitation, or open spaces, high density of population and overcrowding, or the existence of conditions which endanger life or property by fire and other causes, or any combination of such factors, is conducive to ill health, transmission of disease, infant mortality, juvenile delinquency or crime, and is detrimental to the public health, safety, morals or welfare.

Stakeholder

–

individuals,

groups,

organizations,

municipalities,

corporations,

institutions, etc. that have a direct or indirect interest in the designated Performance Zone.

Strategic Planning – a systematic process by which residents of distressed communities envision the future livability and sustainability of their environments and incorporate individual, public and private resources to undertake the planning and implementation of goals to effectuate personal and community development resulting in empowerment, economic rebirth, political parity and social justice.

Strategy Center – a location within the Performance Zone to be utilized as a central location for the High Rising model.

SWOT Exchange – an acronym for STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES and THREATS.

Undergoing the SWOT Exchange gives the residents opportunity to

personally assess the following: 1. Where the community is today?; 2. What is the current direction that the community is going?; 3. Where do they want the community to

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be in the future?; 4. How do they anticipate getting to the community of their visions?

Urbania – a fictitious city used as a study case to exemplify the High Rising Model of Resident Based Community Re-Building.

Visioning – a process by which a community envisions the future it wants, and plans how tom achieve it. It brings people together to develop a shared image of what they want their community to become.

Visual Assessment – a block-by-block site assessment of the physical conditions of the Performance Zone.

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NOTES PART ONE: 1.

Michael Harrington, The Politics of Poverty, p. 15.

2.

Dr. Kenneth Clark, Dark Ghetto, p. 16

3.

Ibid, p. 17

4.

Dr. Harry X. Davidson, Assessing The Mental Health of the Black Child, p. 20

5.

Akbar Muhammad, America’s Solution to the Prison Population, p.21

PART TWO: 1.

Dr. David J. Schwartz, The Magic of Thinking Big, p. 35

2.

Dr. Gregory Applegate, Happiness It’s Your Choice, p.38

3.

Norman Vincent Peale, Faith is the Answer, p. 39

4.

Houston Smith, The Religions of Man, p. 37

5.

Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich, p.43

6.

Dale Carnegie, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, p. 43-44

7.

Henry Thoreau, Walden, p.44

8.

James Allen, As a Man Thinketh, p.55

9.

Dr. David J. Schwartz, The Magic of Getting What You Want, p. 47

10.

Kahil Gabran, The Voice of the Master, p. 47

11.

Eric V. Cooper, Black Pearls for Parents, p. 47

12.

Stedman Graham, You Can Make it Happen, p. 48

13.

Steven Ames, A Guide to Community Visioning, p.49

14.

Dr. Hans Kraus

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15.

Robert Allen, Creating Wealth, p. 55

16.

James L. Mursell, How to Make and Break Habits, p.55

17.

See # 12

18.

Iyanla Vanzant, One Day My Soul Just Opened Up, p. 62

PART THREE: 1.

Charles W. L. Hill and Gareth R. Jones, Strategic Management, p. 67

2.

Dr. James V. Thompson, Strategic Planning: What It Is and How To!, p.68

3.

Steven Ames, A Guide to Community Visioning, p. 68

4.

Nelson M. Rosenbaum, Citizen Involvement in Land Use Governance: Issues

and Methods, p. 69 5.

See # 3, p.84

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Afi Camara has been involved in community and economic development in both the private and public sectors for approximately twenty years. He has worked in various distressed communities throughout the country from Chicago to the Mississippi Delta and has served on various boards and commissions. Mr. Camara is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Springfield with a B.A. in Legal Studies and an M.A in Political Studies. He is the President and CEO of Regeneration Strategies International, Inc. a consulting and training firm specializing in assisting municipalities and developers with their revitalization initiatives. He recently spent time as a Parliamentary Intern at the Southampton Institute,U.K. doing comparative studies of local Urban Regeneration Schemes and conducting research on voter apathy. He lives in Springfield, Illinois and is currently working on a second book about urban politics.

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