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BLDG Memphis issues housing and transit survey to Memphis mayoral, city council candidates

NEW TRI-STATE DEFENDER — As many Memphis residents lament a lack of mayoral debates, BLDG Memphis is taking a different approach to capturing candidates’ policy plans for the public record.

Published

4 years ago

September 14, 2019

Oakland Post

Photo by: Element5 Digital | pexels.com

By Cole Bradley

As many Memphis residents lament a lack of mayoral debates, BLDG Memphis is taking a different approach to capturing candidates’ policy plans for the public record.

“We hope to get a commitment from anyone who’s potentially going to be in office for the next four years that we will be growing resources for community development work in neighborhoods across Memphis,” said BLDG Memphis’ executive director, John Paul Shaffer.

On Saturday, September 7, Shaffer and his team sent links to the BLDG Memphis 2019 Memphis City Candidate Questionnaire to all 64 Memphis mayoral and city council candidates. The survey will remain open for responses until the end of early voting.

Early voting runs September 13-28. Final voting and election day are October 3.

BLDG Memphis plans to make candidates’ responses available to the public as they are submitted.

Candidates were contacted by email or Facebook where available. Candidates were also sent notice by mail to their home addresses. Candidates who did not received an electronic link and would like one can contact engage@bldgmemphis.org.

The 2019 Memphis City Candidate Questionnaire consists of three questions.

The first asks candidates if they support the newly established Memphis Affordable Housing Trust Fund and support increasing the fund from a recurring source for long-term sustainability.

The newly created trust fund will spend $1 million in its first year to address owner-occupied home repair and single-family home renovation for re-sale and rent to families earning less than 80% of the area median income. There’s flexibility to address other housing needs like affordable multifamily units in the future.

The second and third BLDG Memphis candidate questions address transportation and safety.

The first states that Memphis is the most dangerous city in Tennessee for pedestrians and asks how candidates will address safe streets across all modes of transportation.

The final question notes that Memphis 3.0’s new Transit Vision calls for a $30 million annual increase in public transit funding for an expanded network of higher-frequency routes. It then asks candidates if they will support efforts to find the necessary funding to implement the Transit Vision and serve Memphis neighborhoods more effectively.

Shaffer said polling not just mayoral candidates but city council candidates too was especially important because even without formal debates, mayoral candidates receive more focus and a bigger platform to express their positions. City council candidates, on the other hand, get less attention and aren’t asked to articulate positions or policies as frequently.

As a result, the council competition often comes down to name recognition.

“We’re putting these questions out there for candidates running for local office to just get a sense of where they stand on these two issues that are very important to our membership and our network,” said Shaffer.

BLDG Memphis is comprised of a coalition of local organizations, including 28 nonprofit community development corporations working in neighborhoods across Memphis and 20 supporting agencies in the economic development and financial sectors.

BLDG Memphis does not endorse or provide financial resources to candidates for public office, but it has been working to expand its policy work to reflect its members’ biggest ongoing concerns in their communities’ development.

Housing and transportation are consistently among those concerns.

The organization felt a non-partisan questionnaire could provide unbiased information to their members and the public.

“BLDG Memphis members are mostly made up of community development corporation leaders, neighborhood leaders, individuals in the community. They’re representing different neighborhoods and community groups from Raleigh down to Whitehaven,” said Amy Schaftlein, executive director of United Housing, a BLDG Memphis coalition member.

United Housing developed the candidate question regarding the affordable housing trust fund. United Housing’s work centers on improving access to quality affordable housing in Memphis and they believe the trust fund is a critical step towards investing in the city.

“It’s time for the city to say, ‘We do know that poor housing has caused many other areas of our city’s [living], health and public safety costs to increase,’” said Schaftlein.

Shaftlein said that the current $1 million allotment for the trust fund can only fund renovation and building for around 18-20 houses, which is why the question posed to candidates asked if they would support expanding the trust fund.

“While we’re super excited about the creation of a housing trust fund and having it funded this year, there’s still a lot more that needs to be done that that’s not going to cover,” she said.

Shaffer and Shaftlein both said they hope all candidates will respond to the questionnaire so their positions are on record and BLDG Memphis’ city-wide membership and all of the voters they represent can hold future leaders accountable to the promises they make today.

“[BLDG Memphis’ membership] is a very diverse group, but we all have one thing in common and that is we love our neighborhoods, we love our city,” said Shaftlein.

“We want to make sure that the things we think can move us forward are being discussed and brought to the forefront of discussion and the election. It’s important work and we want to hold everyone who is elected accountable to what they say they’re going to support.”

Visit the Memphis Public Library’s Informed Voter pages here to learn about the races and candidates in Memphis’ upcoming election and encourage their participation in the BLDG Memphis housing and transit survey.

This article originally appeared in the New Tri-State Defender

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WATCH LIVE! — NNPA 2023 National Leadership Awards Reception

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Welcome to the NNPA 2023 National Leadership Awards Reception
The post WATCH LIVE! — NNPA 2023 National Leadership Awards Reception first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 day ago

September 22, 2023

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The post WATCH LIVE! — NNPA 2023 National Leadership Awards Reception first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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OP-ED: Delivering Climate Resilience Funding to Communities that Need it the Most

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Just last month, FEMA announced nearly $3 billion in climate mitigation project selections nationwide to help communities build resilience through its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) national competition and Flood Mitigation Assistance program. In total, more than 50% of these projects will benefit disadvantaged communities, and in particular, 70% of BRIC projects will do the same.
The post OP-ED: Delivering Climate Resilience Funding to Communities that Need it the Most first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 days ago

September 22, 2023

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By Erik A. Hooks, FEMA Deputy Administrator

We know that disasters do not discriminate. Yet, recovery from the same event can be uneven from community to community, perpetuating pre-existing inequalities. Recognizing these disparities, FEMA and the entire Biden-Harris Administration have prioritized equity when it comes to accessing federal programs and resources.

The numbers tell the story.

Just last month, FEMA announced nearly $3 billion in climate mitigation project selections nationwide to help communities build resilience through its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) national competition and Flood Mitigation Assistance program. In total, more than 50% of these projects will benefit disadvantaged communities, and in particular, 70% of BRIC projects will do the same.

These selections further underscore the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to equity and reaffirm FEMA’s mission of helping people before, during and after disasters, delivering funding to the communities that need it most.

Building on this momentum and our people-first approach, FEMA recently announced the initial designation of nearly 500 census tracts, which will be eligible for increased federal support to become more resilient to natural hazards and extreme weather worsened by the climate crisis. FEMA will use “Community Disaster Resilience Zone” designations to direct and manage financial and technical assistance for resilience projects nationwide, targeting communities most at risk due to climate change. More Community Disaster Resilience Zone designations, including tribal lands and territories, are expected to be announced in the fall of 2023.

These types of investments have, and will yield a significant return on investment for communities nationwide.

For example, in my home state of North Carolina, the historic community of Princeville, founded by freed African American slaves, uses BRIC funding to move vulnerable homes and critical utilities out of flood-prone areas.

In East Harlem, BRIC dollars will provide nature-based flood control solutions to mitigate the impacts of extreme rainfall events in the Clinton low-income housing community.

While we are encouraged by these investments, we know more must be done.

Not every community has the personnel, the time or the resources to apply for these federal dollars. Fortunately, FEMA offers free, Direct Technical Assistance to help under-resourced communities navigate the grant application process and get connected with critical resources. Under the leadership of FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, this assistance has been a game-changer, reducing barriers and providing even more flexible, customer-focused, tailored support to communities interested in building and sustaining successful resilience programs.

In Eastwick, Philadelphia, FEMA’s dedicated support helped the city with outreach to multiple federal agencies. Together, we built a comprehensive community-led flood mitigation strategy. When applied and implemented, this will make this community more resilient to hazards like flooding, which was negatively affecting many neighborhood blocks.

In DePue, Illinois, we worked hand-in-hand with communities to improve their ability to submit high-quality funding applications for hazard mitigation projects. We are happy to share that DePue is the first Direct Technical Assistance community to be selected in the BRIC national competition. And, we know they will not be the last. Thanks to this assistance and their ambition, DePue was awarded more than $20 million to build a new wastewater treatment plant, which will reduce flooding and raw sewage back-up into the basements of homes.

In total, our agency is working with over 70 communities, including tribal nations, to increase access to funding for mitigation projects that will make communities more livable and resilient.

With extreme weather events becoming increasingly intense and frequent due to climate change, we must keep pressing forward and continue investing in ways to better protect ourselves and our neighbors. And we are encouraged that local officials are engaging with us to learn more about the benefits of the BRIC non-financial Direct Technical Assistance initiative—just last week, we saw hundreds of participants nationwide register for a recent webinar on this important topic.

We want to see even more communities take advantage of this initiative, and, ultimately, obtain grants for innovative and forward-looking resilience projects. To that end, FEMA recently published a blog with five steps to help local communities and tribal nations learn more about the benefits of this non-financial technical assistance to access federal funding. I hope your community will take action and submit a letter of interest for this exciting opportunity and increase meaningful mitigation work throughout the country.

With the pace of disasters accelerating, communities can utilize federal resources to reduce their risk and take action to save property and lives. FEMA stands ready to be a partner and collaborator with any community that is ready to implement creative mitigation strategies and help build our nation’s resilience.

The post OP-ED: Delivering Climate Resilience Funding to Communities that Need it the Most first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Tale of Two Underground Railroad Communities

ARIZONA INFORMANT — Prior to the Civil War, many communities in the Ohio River Valley were a part of an elaborate system that provided resources and protection for enslaved persons from Southern states on their journey to freedom. Once someone crossed the Ohio River, they traveled along unknown terrain of trails to safe houses and hiding places that would become known as the Underground Railroad.
The post Tale of Two Underground Railroad Communities first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 days ago

September 20, 2023

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By Christopher J. Miller, Sr. Director of Education & Community Engagement, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

Christopher J. Miller

September is International Underground Railroad Month.

This proclamation began in the State of Maryland in 2019, and now more than 11 States officially celebrate one of the most significant eras in U.S. history. With the signing of Ohio HB 340 in June 2022, Ohio became the 12^th state to designate September International Underground Railroad Month.

Many history enthusiasts and scholars hope the momentum of the proclamation spreads to other states so that all our forebears of freedom are remembered.

Examining this era, you find that the Ohio River Valley is instrumental in the many narratives of freedom seekers. These stories are critical to our understanding of race relations and civic responsibilities.

Before the Civil War, many communities in the Ohio River Valley were part of an elaborate system that provided resources and protection for enslaved persons from Southern states on their journey to freedom. Once someone crossed the Ohio River, they traveled along unknown terrain of trails to safe houses and hiding places that would become known as the Underground Railroad.

Gateway to Freedom sign

The Underground Railroad was comprised of courageous people who were held to a higher law that confronted the institution of slavery with acts of civil disobedience by helping freedom seekers elude enslavers and slave hunters and help them get to Canada.

Many communities were a force for freedom along the more than 900-mile stretch of the Ohio River Valley, but I would like to focus on two significant communities.

Southern Indiana was a major part of this history. It was originally believed that there were from Posey to South Bend, Corydon to Porter, and Madison to DeKalb County, with many stops in between.

In further examination, the Underground Railroad in Indiana was a web of trails through the forests, swamps, briars, and dirt roads. The city that is often overlooked in reflecting on the history of the Underground Railroad is New Albany, Indiana.

By 1850, New Albany was the largest city in Indiana, with a population of 8,632. Free Blacks accounted for 502 of that population. Across the river, Louisville was Kentucky’s largest city, with a population of 42,829. A quarter of the 6,687 Black population were free in Louisville.

Town Clock Church (aerial view)

Louisville and New Albany would grow to become a significant region for Underground Railroad activity. People like Henson McIntosh became a prominent community member and major Underground Railroad conductor. McIntosh was one of approximately ten Underground Railroad agents in New Albany who used their wealth and influence to impact the lives of freedom seekers crossing the Ohio River.

The Carnegie Center for Art & History is an outstanding resource that continues to preserve New Albany’s role during the Underground Railroad era. Approximately 104 miles east along the Ohio River is another institution that plays a critical role in elevating the profile of the Underground Railroad on a national scope.

Inside Town Clock Church New Albany Indiana safe house

The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is located on the banks of the Ohio River in Cincinnati, Ohio.

By 1850, Cincinnati would grow to be the 6^th largest city in the Union, with a sizable Black population.

The Freedom Center is prominently located in the heart of a historic Black community called Little Africa. Although the community no longer exists, its legacy lives on through the Freedom Center.

As with New Albany, the community that resided along the banks of the river served an important role in the story of the Underground Railroad. Little Africa was the gateway to freedom for thousands of freedom seekers escaping slavery.

Although there were Underground Railroad networks throughout the country, Ohio had the most active network of any other state, with approximately 3,000 miles of routes used by an estimated 40,000 freedom seekers that crossed through Little Africa.

Despite the growth of enslavement leading up to the Civil War, communities such as Little Africa and New Albany reveal the realities regarding race relations and a model for the dignity of human life through their respective efforts to be kind and resilient friends for the freedom seekers.

For More Information:

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center – https://freedomcenter.org/

Cincinnati Tourism – https://www.visitcincy.com/

Carnegie Center for Art & History – https://carnegiecenter.org/

Southern Indiana Tourism – https://www.gosoin.com/

The post Tale of Two Underground Railroad Communities first appeared on BlackPressUSA.