City Council, City of Peoria

On the Agenda: Peoria Urban Living Initiative

12 Comments

On the City Council’s consent agenda next Tuesday is a proposal to focus the City’s Six Sigma program on attracting homeowners back to the Heart of Peoria. “The City proposes creating a joint study group that will uncover existing programs and examine other possible methods of increasing middle class home ownership in the Heart of Peoria.” Included in the “study group” would be representatives from major employers and a couple city council members appointed by the mayor. It doesn’t appear from the agenda item that the Heart of Peoria Commission will be included in this effort, despite its focus on the Heart of Peoria area.

Here’s the full text of the agenda item:

AGENDA DATE REQUESTED: November 13,2007

ACTION REQUESTED: RECEIVE AND FILE A PLAN TO ENGAGE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CITY AND MAJOR EMPLOYERS IN AND NEAR DOWNTOWN TO EXAMINE WAYS TO INCREASE MIDDLE CLASS INVESTMENT AND HOME OWNERSHIP IN THE HEART OF PEORIA.

BACKGROUND: The City has been working to revitalize and rebuild the Heart of Peoria. The City has created the Heart of Peoria plan, the Renaissance Park program, an Enterprise Zone and nine Tax increment Financing Districts to lead this effort. Currently, the City also sponsors a program to provide lower interest rates for home buyers, and provides down payment assistance for first home buyers.

However, stabilizing the Heart of Peoria is also in the interest of Peoria employers within this area. These employers are seeking to improve the areas around their operations and are looking to be more competitive in attracting “creative class” employees. The City proposes creating a joint study group that will uncover existing programs and examine other possible methods of increasing middle class home ownership in the Heart of Peoria. Preliminarily, we have identified four major employers for this effort: Caterpillar, Bradley University, Methodist Medical Center and OSF. Other groups, such as District 150 and the Chamber of Commerce, could also be considered.

This study group would be comprised of two parts:

  • A policy group, comprised of a senior leader from each employer, as selected by that employer. The Mayor would select one or more Councilpersons to chair this policy group. The policy group would examine the high-level issues involved and give direction to the staff to pursue options.

  • A technical group, tasked with investigating the issues identified by the policy group. This group will be led by Christopher Setti, City of Peoria 6 Sigma Black Belt. Each participating employer would be asked to name an employee (preferably a Black Belt if available) to work with Mr. Setti. Broadly, this group will be determining who the customer of the end product might be; what motivates their home-buying decisions; and what programs could be established [to] increase homeownership in the target area.

The working title of this project is the Peoria Urban Living Initiative. The intent of the program would be to conserve and revitalize our neighborhoods in the Heart of Peoria, while helping our employers recruit and retain valuable employees. While the effort will be guided by the policy group, some of the areas of exploration might be:

  • The size and scope of down-payment assistance (and other homeownership initiatives) in the target area by both the City and employers.
  • How taxes can be reduced or mitigated in order to stimulate investment.
  • The best use of the City’s “bond volume cap” in encouraging homeownership.
  • Other initiatives, such as Neighborhood LEEDs, that might raise the profile of older neighborhoods.

FINANCIAL IMPACT: Improved homeownership in the Heart of Peoria will help to increase revenues to all taxing authorities through higher assessed property values.

NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS: Neighborhood leaders have consistently been in favor of greater homeownership rates. The technical group will seek their input in this initiative.

IMPACT IF APPROVED: The study group will be formed and the issue will be thoroughly examined. The result will be a set of recommendations to the City Council and partner employers about steps that can be taken to improve homeownership.

IMPACT IF DENIED: The City will continue to offer its incentive programs and employers will likely not address the issue.

ALTERNATIVES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: The development is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. VISION: WE HAVE A HEALTHY, THRIVING ECONOMY. GOAL: A. Provide an economic environment that supports existing and new businesses.

12 thoughts on “On the Agenda: Peoria Urban Living Initiative”

  1. This has been a huge concern for many neighborhoods in the core parts of the city. While the debate will ensue about whether or not to fund (only) 6 new police in the upcoming operational budget, large opportunities were lost during the brief discussions of the capital budget. During the last campaign, much has been touted about using economic development as a key to paying funding for inner city projects. Again in this budget and as reported by PJS, key funding components were NOT these core neighborhoods. I would submit that in some marginal areas, where there already is affordable housing and manageable crime rates, attractions for homeownership is minimized by crumbling sidewalks and curbs and poor lighting. Why would one get out of the car to look at an affordable house if the stretch of sidewalk is in great need of repair or there are neighborhing code violations. Move to slighly older parts of town where there is still affordable housing in good shape, good homes to start families and entry level positions, but there is a gang of thug like people hanging off the porch down the block, cars coming and going, or worse groups of teens and men hanging around on the corner, in front of a house or generally in the street. No one even stops long enough to look at the crappy sidewalks, most likely the car doesn’t even slow down. Then there are areas of town where poverty abounds, there is absolutely no investment in infastructure and lack of adequate police keeps any decent residents inside hoping a stray bullet doesn’t come through the house. Each of the areas can be refurbished and attractive to homeowners, but each will need a plan specific to them with dedicated resources both from the operating and the capital budget. Rocket scientists are not needed to look at each area and report on specific items and planning needed. I would guess the residents themselves already know what each area needs, the powers that be not only need to listen, but be active in assisting to locate a variety of resources to target each of the related issues. Offering financial incentives to move into these areas isn’t going to be enough.

    Additionally, anyone questioning why if there is 3% increase in property tax income due to new development, why there needs to be a property tax increase to cover additional personal such as police and fire. Where is this income going? My guess is that it is being spent in these growing areas to support homes and people that don’t even live here yet, vs. making necessary repairs on what we already have. So is the economic growth theory a load of election bunk? Who has the answer to that question?
    Each year as projects are pushed back and not funded, they grow to be more and more expensive, at least a 5% increase in estimated cost, which means that they are even less likely to get funded. They are not going away, but these areas continue to be forgotten. Included in these areas are hardworking people who have paid taxes their entire lives, homes that have paid property taxes for 80 years or more, etc. Some of these areas have had no infastructure in 30+ years, some never have apparantly. Are the advocates on the other side of this arguement doing as much with private wheeling and dealing as in the public spotlight? I don’t have answers to that question either, but all are worth asking.

    Another flaw in this program is the assumption that Peoria has an adequate level of middle class. In a presentation by Ross Black a couple of years ago, Peoria had a reverse bell curve regarding income. Meaning the two largest groups in the city were families under 10 grand$ and families over 200 grand. That’s quite a disparagy. Has this changed? Is there new data to suggest that Peoria has somehow grown a new middle class? Where are they living now? As the economy slows, some of these folks in the $300,000 houses are not going to be able to afford them any longer, some don’t have furnishings to begin with, will they move back to the inner city? will they just move to greener pastures all together? With this poverty will increase and additional section 8 vouchers will be needed. Will the council get the balls to regulate the highly profitable slum landlord industry? Feel free to chime in with any answers to these questions and toss out others. It needs to not only be discussed but implemented.

  3. As to homeownership programs and other neighborhood investment plans go the City has repeatedly ignored a current organization that is doing just what the want in this council action. The East Bluff Neighborhood Housing Services (EBNHS) is a little known organization that 1,Helped homeowners with down payment assistance, 2, low interest home improvement loans. I have attended many meetings and expressed our desire to be a partner with the city on the issues that are now going to be studied. But we have been left out of the solution at every turn.

    Recently the EBNHS is going through very, very hard finical times and I have asked the COP and council for advice and direction and only 2 council people showed up once and nothing came from this. We have aggressively moved against bad loans, re-structured certain items, and currently are looking at further drastic cuts. These cuts will be fatal. The last communication from our council representative was “you will not get any assistance from the city” We as a group have not asked for any money from the COP, just inclusion in decision making as to duplication of services, overall planning for our service area by the city, and support in our efforts. The result, left out of all discussion and decision making. We are now in our 11th hour and it is sad. Am I bitter? Yes. Am I surprised? No.

    Martin Palmer, President.
    East Bluff Neighborhood Housing Services.

  4. Mahkno-

    December 6, 2005 I went to Chicago to listen to Doug Farr of Farr and Associates of Chicago talk about LEED-Neighborhoods. He sits on the committee that started the idea of LEED for neighborhoods. The idea is if LEED certified buildings are good then wouldn’t in be better if entire neighborhoods could become LEED certified and if that is better then wouldn’t it be best if entire cities were LEED certified. There is a movement underway to create a pathway for that to happen. I think it is fantastic the Economic Development Department of Peoria is aware and working to get Peoria on board.

    Basically and I am pulling the following from the handout they gave us:

    LEED for Neighborhoods is an initiative that integrates the principles of smart growth and green building into the first national standard for neighborhood design.

    The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), in partnership with the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has brought together stakeholders from across the country to establish a consensus-based standard to address the impacts of development projects.

    This effort uses the framework of the Leed® Green Building Rating System ™, LEED-ND will emphasize smart growth and green building best practices including
    • location
    • transportation linkages
    • neighborhood design
    • resource efficiency

    LEED-ND certification will recognize development projects that successfully protect and enhance overall health, natural environment, and quality of life of our communities.

    Doug’s PowerPoint is 10MB and is worth watching and there is a pod cast but I will have to figure out a way (if anyone is interested) to get it posted.

  5. I am convinced that improved public transportation is key to this effort. I briefly lived in Chicago (less than 1 week) and it’s apparent that the city inner city survives only because there is a strong public transportation system. Buses come by every 15 minutes, not every half hour. Buses run longer into the night and they run on Sunday. Peoria NEEDS to do this. We need Sunday bush service and we need more routes in the city (and yes, perhaps more routes to outlying areas).

  8. In my mind the formulation of a study group by the City is not required and the City is simply disregarding what they already know is causing middle class home buyers to choose to live elsewhere. I believe middle class buyers do not select Peoria due to three factors. First and foremost, it is due to school performance. Even in Peoria’s “better” neighborhoods elementary school ISAT scores are not as high as those of neighboring communities such as Dunlap, Tremont, Morton, and Germantown Hills. Secondly, there is limited housing stock. Many of Peoria’s neighborhoods that middle class buyers would be attracted to have older homes without the amenities present day buyers are looking for. However, if Peoria schools posted stellar marks in performance I think many buyers with children would forgo the purchase of the perfect house and would work with what is available. Finally, property taxes are too high compared to the amenities offered by the community. In north Peoria there is no library branch, public pool or recreation center. Again though, if Peoria schools were outperforming those of the surrounding communities, in the end many buyers would select Peoria.

    As a Peoria homeowner and District 150 parent it is a constant frustration that the School Board and Administration do not have all out initiatives to improve and enhance schools such as Kellar, Whittier, and Charter Oak where middle class housing is readily available. Equally frustrating is the little attention this issue is given by the City Council. During the time District 150 and the City Council argued among themselves over where to place the new Glen Oak school, dozens of middle class buyers chose homes in surrounding communities and set up their households. While I understand that decaying neighborhoods and failing schools in Peoria are important issues that must be addressed, it cannot be to the exclusion of other neighborhoods and schools. And while the Peoria schools identified above are doing a good job in educating their students they need to do more to attract and retain students. Additions to the curriculum such as enriched science and art programs, offering of a foreign language, and early identification of gifted students and the development of same would provide immediate paybacks in terms of increased enrollment and retention. Resources and attention must be given to all areas of the community in order for them to remain strong.

  9. I lived in Chicago prior to moving to Peoria. Downtown Chicago is bustling with shoppers and travelers. In downtown Chicago you can buy almost anything. Major department and clothing stores, grocery stores, pharmacies and convenience stores abound. Coworkers in Chicago use to walk to do Christmas shopping on their lunch breaks. Downtown Peoria has none of that. I work in downtown Peoria now and there is no shopping at all and it’s hard to buy a pack of gum or anything downtown.

    You need to give people a reason to be downtown for them to come downtown.

    I agree with a previous poster that said Peoria needs more public transportation. Working in downtown Chicago, I knew if I missed my bus or train, there would be another one in a few minutes. In downtown Peoria, it would take at least 30 min to see another bus.

  10. When the old Carols’ flower shop has been vacant for more than three years (right across from the courthouse), you have a demand problem. People in Peoria would rather walk in a parking lot than on a city street. It’s sad but plainly clear.

    The city needs to develop an image and an attitude for downtown. Make it hip or not. Make it cool or not. Make it artsy or not. Whatever that image is, do it up. I say make it edgey, and cater to the younger set. More bars, more alternative shops and whatnot. Make it “the village” as in New York. That said, it’ll take more than just a TIF to convince developers in this poor economic climate.

Comments are closed.