Grantmakers for Children Youth and Families

Case Study Exercise

October 14, 2014

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The Setting: 650 unit public housing project

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Crime Rate

• 18x national average • $30MM drug

trade • 90% families

victim of a felony each and every year

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The Housing

• 100% public housing • 40% of the

units are uninhabitable

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Income and Self-Sufficiency

• 13% of adults are employed• Median income is

$4,500

Public Schools

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• Public elementary school across the street (K-5)

• Only children from public housing project attend the school

• School is worst performing elementary school in city system

• City is planning to close the school

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Recreation Center

• Only recreation opportunity is a City-owned Rec Center next door to the school

• Rec Center is 30 years old and has little utilization

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Tough Resident Leader

• President of Tenant’s Association for 25 years

• Skeptical of outsiders, especially business community

• First priority is to existing residents

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Businessman - Philanthropist

• Family Foundation• Willing to commit

full foundation resources to single neighborhood

• Has purchased 70 acres adjacent to housing project

• A willing partner in any public-private partnerships needed to achieve goals

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Historic golf club across the street

• In bankruptcy• Dilapidated condition• Slated to be sold for

use as car wreckage/towing

• Businessman/philanthropist set to purchase if he can figure out how to use it to help a redevelopment effort

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Innovative Housing Authority Director

• $30M in capital funds to improve public housing project

• Willingness to partner with private sector

Map of Redevelopment Site

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Foundation Property

Public Housing Site Property

Rec. Center

School

Foundation Property

Public Housing and Golf Course

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Rec. Center Foundation

Property

Public Housing Site

Property

School

Foundation Property

Surrounding neighborhood of single family homes has good housing stock

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Public Housing

Site Property

Foundation Property

Rec. Center

School

Foundation Property

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Questions

• What are your top 5 priorities for turning the public housing project into the centerpiece of a healthy community?

• How much money do you think it would take to implement your priorities?

• What do you anticipate are the biggest challenges?

• Who are the essential collaborators to make your initiative work?

• Who is best situated to lead the redevelopment effort (is a single leader necessary)?

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Other Questions to Ponder

• What role would you recommend the businessman/philanthropist play in the initiative?

• How would you engage the residents in the overall effort?

• Is there a way to use the historic golf course to advance your initiative?