Topeka’s

Neighborhood

Improvement

Associations

Where We’ve

Been,

Where We’re At,

Where We’re

Headed

Topeka’s Neighborhood Improvement AssociationsWhere We’ve Been: The CDBG

The creation of Neighborhood Improvement Associations,or NIAs, resulted from local action as a result of the creationof the federal Community Development Block Grant programthrough the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, enacted by President Gerald Ford. The CDBG programtook effect in January 1975.

According to Wikipedia, “More than 1,100 local and state governments, called‘entitlement communities,’ (Topeka is an entitlement community) automatically qualify for the grant if they meet certain requirements, though they are required to submit allocation reports (showing to whom and where the money was spent) and quarterly reports to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Topeka’s Neighborhood Improvement AssociationsWhere We’ve Been: The CDBG

“First, ‘not less than 70 percent of CDBG fundsmust go to activities that benefit low- to moderate-income persons (LMI).’ Secondly, fundsmust be spent on eligible activities including ‘community development activities directed toward neighborhood revitalization, economicdevelopment, and improved community facilities

and services.’ Such activities may include the ‘Acquisition of real property, relocation and demolition, rehabilitation of residential and non-residential structures, construction of public facilities and improvements,’ and more. Third, govern-ments must follow a plan that includes citizen participation.”

Topeka’s Neighborhood Improvement AssociationsWhere We’ve Been: The CDBG

The CDBG, throughout its nearly 45 years of existence, has consistently been threatened with its abolition or cuts to its funding. However, while funding cuts have occurred, bipartisan support for its existence (in a world where bipartisan support for anything is becoming a rare thing) so far has continued.

In response to the CDBG, Topeka began working on work on a NIA ordinance that would establish

bounded areas that would qualify for HUD funds. NIAs consist of contiguous census tracts, as defined by the federal government, grouped into bounded areas where at least 51 percent of the residents are at or below 80 percent of Area Family Income, also defined by the federal government.

Because of their status as Topeka’s low- to moderate-income (LMI) neighborhoods, NIAs are the neighborhoods with the most challenges where deteriorating housing and infrastructure, as well as a lack of business development and safety concerns, exist. NIAs often are faced with stagnant or decreased funds and their members work without pay and often without recognition of their efforts to improve the neighborhoods they love.

Topeka’s Neighborhood Improvement AssociationsWhere We’ve Been: Creation of Topeka’s NIAs

Topeka’s

Neighborhood

Improvement

Associations

Topeka’s Neighborhood Improvement AssociationsWhere We’ve Been: Creation of Topeka’s NIAs

Since NIAs are by definition LMI neighborhoods,they qualify for HUD funds on an area-wide basis. Those funds, coupled with Topeka funds for infrastructure through the SORT grant, comprise the budget component of Topeka’s Consolidated Plan that the city submits regularlyto HUD to continue to be an entitlement community.

All of Topeka’s neighborhoods are identified with the Neighborhood Health Maps that the city’s Planning Department produces. Those health maps include four classifications: intensive care, at-risk, outpatient, and healthy. NIAs typically are intensive care (containing the most challenges) and/or at-risk (containing the next-most challenges).

Topeka’s Neighborhood Improvement AssociationsWhere We’ve Been: Creation of Topeka’s NIAs

Topeka’s first NIA was the Tennessee Town NIA, created in December 1976. It was formed when neighborhood residents came together to save and make better a historically African-

American neighborhood that was founded in 1879.

One of the Tennessee Town NIA’s early efforts was in helping to access federal funds to enable the renovation of the historic Buchanan School, pictured here, which became the Buchanan Center and has housed nonprofits throughout its existence. It now houses Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc., Cornerstone of Topeka, Inc. and Breakthrough House, Inc. The Buchanan School was one of Topeka’s four segregated grade schools in the landmark 1954 US Supreme Court Brown v. Topeka Board of Education decision.

Topeka’s Neighborhood Improvement AssociationsWhere We’ve Been: Creation of Topeka’s NIAs

By 2000, there were 17 NIAs across Old North, Northeast, East, Southeast, and Central Topeka. Theywere Central Highland Park, Central Park, Chesney Park, East End, East Topeka North, East Topeka South, Hi-Crest, Historic Holliday Park, Historic North TopekaEast, Historic Old Town, Jefferson Square, Monroe, North Topeka West, Oakland, Quinton Heights-Steele, Tennessee Town and Ward Meade.

By 2019, four more NIAs had been formed. They are Downtown Topeka, Highland Acres, Likins-Foster, andValley Park.

Topeka’s Neighborhood Improvement AssociationsWhere We’re At: What NIAs Do

● Topeka’s NIAs and their volunteer members make invaluable and essential contributions

to to the betterment of the lives of their low-to to moderate-income residents and the city of Topeka generally.

● Topeka’s NIAs and their volunteer members encourage neighborhood participation and

action to improve their housing, infrastructure, parks, safety and businessdevelopment, among other goals, through forming partnerships with public and privateentities and other local individuals and organizations.

● Topeka’s NIAs and their volunteer members form relationships with one another,thereby working to advance often common NIA goals throughout the city.

Topeka’s Neighborhood Improvement AssociationsWhere We’re At: What NIAs Do

In addition to NIAs forming strategic relationships withone another, their members often form friendships that last a lifetime that feature family, faith, other social issues, hobbies, and the like.

The years and, for some, the decades of NIA service have created strong and warm bonds that have endured the test of time, even after a friend has passed on. What NIAs do is rooted first and foremost in the proposition that low- to moderate-income individuals and families MATTER not only to their neighborhoods and cities but to humanity. They are deserving of being loved and supported by everyone.

Topeka’s Neighborhood Improvement AssociationsWhere We’re Headed: NIAs Leading the Way

The “bottom up” planning paradigm that is gaining favor across our nation has always been in place in Topeka through its NIAs. Organizations like Strong Towns are traveling our nation to speak on policy making that starts and ends with the people working WITH elected and appointed officials.

At times throughout the 40+ years of NIAs in Topeka our goals have been at odds with those of the City. If NIAs and the City are to truly move forward as PARTNERS, then the City must accord to NIAs the respect a true partner deserves.

Topeka’s Neighborhood Improvement AssociationsWhere We’re Headed: NIAs Leading the Way

Given the research organizations like StrongTowns has conducted about the generally untapped potential of low-income neighborhoods in cities across our nation (https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2017/1/10/poor-neighborhoods-make-the-best-investment), if Topeka’s future is to be a successful one then it MUST include working with NIAs to make a better city for everyone, even if NIAs may not the shiny baubles that normally attract the attention of city policy and decision makers.

An example of that myopia is downtown redevelopment. Downtown is surrounded by NIAs and includes the Downtown Topeka NIA, yet those NIAs don’t often hear any plans that pertain to them even though they are good investments and improving them would enhance downtown redevelopment.

Topeka’s Neighborhood Improvement AssociationsWhere We’re Headed: NIAs Leading the Way

It’s been said that there are “three Ps” that every successful business must manage: people, process and product. There are also three Ps for every successful NIA: planning,

partnerships and perseverance.

Planning: NIA members come together to identify neighborhood challenges, meet with people who can help with meeting those challenges, create plans to meet those challenges, and implement and assess those plans.

Partnerships: work with public, private and nonprofit entities to address challenges.

Perseverance: accept that change often is incremental. Keep on keepin’ on!

Topeka’s Neighborhood Improvement AssociationsWhere We’re Headed: NIAs Leading the Way

Thank you all SO MUCH for your attendance today and for your support of NIAs! For more information on NIAs, please go to the City’s website at www.topeka.org. Click on Government, then click on Departments. Next, click on Neighborhood Relations. Under Community Engagement are listed multiple NIA links.

Margaret Meade’s famous and enduring quote seems appropriate here, and we’ll close with it:

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”

Topeka’s

Neighborhood

Improvement

Associations

Topeka’s

Neighborhood

Improvement

AssociationsThank You!