Neighborhood Vote: Funding Shift
We're happy to announce the Board proposal was supported 152 to 3, and are now working with the City to execute the funding shift. To recap: the Board asked East Bde Maka Ska residents to vote yes to make protect NRP funds at risk of being clawed back by allocating them to public safety and park improvements. This vote:
Ends the radon testing reimbursement program and moves its $13,352 to two categories:
i. $10,000 for the home security rebate program.
ii. $3,352 for the Block Club program’s new walking group initiative, which will allow the neighborhood to equip new walking groups designed to strengthen community and safety.
Moves $52,031.19 from the revolving loan program to the park improvement strategy.
Thanks to all 155 residents who participated in the recent neighborhood vote! You can learn about the background of this fund, its restrictions and the Board's rationale below.
july 5
East Bde Maka Ska Neighborhood Association has Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) funds from the City of Minneapolis that are at risk of being taken back by the city. A neighborhood vote is required when we make changes affecting more than $25,000 of our NRP funding.
The Board asks East Bde Maka Ska residents to vote yes to make Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) funds available for public safety and park improvements by:
1. Ending the radon testing reimbursement program and moving its $13,352 to two categories:
i. $10,000 for the home security rebate program.
ii. $3,352 for the Block Club program’s new walking group initiative, which will allow the neighborhood to equip new walking groups designed to strengthen community and safety.
2. Moving $52,031.19 from the revolving loan program to the park improvement strategy.
By voting yes, you are voting to:
1. Secure NRP funds for future neighborhood use.
2. Triple existing funds for the home security grant program. This will allow the Neighborhood Association to reimburse more neighbors for home and apartment security purchases of their choosing, including doorbell cameras, other cameras, motion sensor lights, or alarm systems.
3. Position the Neighborhood Association to purchase materials for new block club walking groups designed to strengthen community connections and enhance safety. Items might include visibility hats and whistles. This is a new initiative.
4. Position the Neighborhood Association to financially support park improvements, including the development of a brand new park overlooking Bde Maka Ska at 3401 E Bde Maka Ska Pkwy and update the existing children’s park near 32nd Street Beach. This was selected in direct response to neighborhood feedback. Specific park improvements will be decided through engagement with the community and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, but could include: picnic tables, components of a nature playground, lighting, police call station, and new swing set at the beach.
East Bde Maka Ska has Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) funds from the City of Minneapolis that are at risk of being taken back by the city. These funds were previously used in a revolving loan program and are now available for allocation. In a way, these funds represent the last of our NRP dollars for a major project, but previously allocated funds are still available.
In March 2023, the Board voted to designate $25,000 of unallocated NRP funds for operating reserves and asked the NRP committee to explore opportunities for the rest of the funds.
NRP projects must fall within previously designated strategies, including:
1. Energy audits
2. Community-building events
3. Neighborhood boundary signs
4. Advertising and website
5. Home security grant program
6. Block clubs
7. Environmental improvement projects
8. Park improvements
The entire neighborhood was asked for project ideas in a survey, which was open March–April 2023 and promoted by email, social media, website, and paper flyers. Thanks to everyone who completed the survey! The NRP Committee and Board of Directors reviewed them and other suggestions with these criteria:
1. Legacy. With the last of our unallocated NRP funds, we felt like remaining funds should be used for a significant project that will last years.
2. Impact. A project that all neighbors will be able to experience together in a positive way.
3. Unity. The project should build community and bring the neighborhood together.
4. Feasibility. The project should be ambitious but achievable within available funds.
The ideas we received were wide-ranging, ambitious, and heartwarming in that the love for the neighborhood was clear! Most ideas fell outside of the established NRP strategies (such as snow removal service), or would be too expensive (such as new street lights, speed bumps).