Bill Text: FL S0132 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Statewide Legacy Communities Initiative [EPSC]
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Failed) 2010-04-30 - Died in Committee on Community Affairs [S0132 Detail]
Download: Florida-2010-S0132-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2010 SB 132 By Senator Bullard 39-00181-10 2010132__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to the Statewide Legacy Communities 3 Initiative; providing findings, intent, and 4 definitions; establishing the Statewide Legacy 5 Communities Initiative; providing criteria and 6 declarations concerning the initiative; providing 7 criteria governing the services and activities to be 8 supported under the initiative; providing requirements 9 and goals concerning the provision of such services or 10 assistance; creating the Urban Empowerment Corporation 11 within the Department of Community Affairs; providing 12 criteria concerning the creation, purpose, and duties 13 of the corporation; providing that the corporation is 14 an instrumentality of the state for purposes of 15 sovereign immunity; providing that the corporation is 16 not a state agency; providing that the corporation is 17 subject to specified laws concerning open records and 18 meetings requirements; exempting the corporation from 19 a specified law concerning procurement; providing that 20 the corporation is subject to specified laws 21 concerning ethical requirements; prohibiting the 22 corporation from creating subsidiaries; providing that 23 the corporation does not supplant, replace, or direct 24 existing operations or other programs; providing for 25 the department to approve the corporation’s articles 26 of incorporation; providing criteria concerning such 27 articles; providing for management of the corporation 28 by a board of directors; providing criteria for 29 appointment and operation of the board of directors; 30 requiring that the board of directors develop and 31 implement a plan of action; providing criteria 32 concerning the plan of action; requiring that the 33 board of directors provide annual reports to the 34 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker 35 of the House of Representatives; requiring that the 36 corporation establish a legacy consulting team that 37 meets specified criteria; specifying the deliverables 38 that the team is to provide for legacy communities; 39 providing criteria for the funding of proposals 40 concerning the statewide initiative; requiring that 41 the corporation issue requests for proposals; 42 providing criteria for the issuance of such requests; 43 providing criteria for the review and approval of 44 proposals; requiring an objective scoring process; 45 requiring acceptance by the residents of a legacy 46 community; providing requirements for the board of 47 directors concerning the revitalization plans of 48 legacy communities; designating a pilot legacy 49 community; providing objectives concerning the 50 designated community; specifying additional 51 communities to be included in the initiative; 52 providing criteria concerning the revitalization plans 53 of legacy communities; providing an appropriation; 54 providing an effective date. 55 56 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 57 58 Section 1. Legacy communities; economic development; 59 governance; community initiative; pilot project; additional 60 communities; revitalization plans.— 61 (1) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.—The Legislature finds that: 62 (a) Many historically and culturally rich communities of 63 color throughout this state have contributed significantly to 64 the state’s cultural and economic development. Some of these 65 communities developed through the maritime, transportation, and 66 agricultural labor of African-Caribbean immigrants whose 67 descendants are residents of this state. Each such community has 68 a healthy, vibrant, and productive history, replete with 69 contributions in entertainment, art, industry, and trade, and an 70 interactive communal life that attracts families, tourists, and 71 commerce. 72 (b) These communities are now often hidden beneath the 73 debris of many years of blight and disinvestment. These 74 communities have the unique potential to be rediscovered and 75 rebuilt through reinvestment, creating a cultural magnet 76 industry that will again attract families, tourism, and 77 commerce. 78 (c) Because legacy communities share a similar plight, 79 similar assets, similar risks, and similar opportunities, the 80 approach to their survival and growth should be the same. 81 (d) A single legacy community cannot generate sufficient 82 power to command or leverage resources that are sufficient to 83 address its needs and potentialities. But collectively, legacy 84 communities can create industries that attract and leverage 85 resources on a scale that is large enough to foster the building 86 of economic wealth and to promote self-sufficiency and 87 sustainability for future generations. By joining forces, the 88 legacy communities and the individuals and businesses of those 89 communities can avoid becoming extinct through displacement and 90 instead become positioned to revive, prosper, and leave their 91 legacy for future generations. 92 (e) Legacy communities are at risk of massive displacement 93 due to gentrification. Families are at risk, businesses are at 94 risk, and therefore the community is at risk. These communities 95 are being discovered and appreciated by new residents and others 96 who are willing to invest under current conditions and develop 97 the economic potential. The result is escalated land values, 98 higher taxes, and numerous rental conversions that make it 99 difficult to accommodate persons having low incomes, those 100 living on a fixed income, the working poor, and the unemployed. 101 When low-income residents are displaced, the community’s culture 102 is also displaced, and there is a change in the community’s 103 character, a loss of place, and an erosion of the community’s 104 stability and economic foundations. Civic and sacred places are 105 abandoned. Businesses shrink into oblivion. Educational 106 institutions change drastically as the population shifts. 107 Eventually, culture, race, and social status are lost to the new 108 community and the history of the place becomes a forgotten 109 memory. In the process, families are devastated. 110 (f) Gentrifying communities have a unique opportunity to 111 capture the benefits of change and revitalization efforts 112 without unnecessary and unwanted displacement of a community’s 113 residents. Because change is introduced and development is 114 imminent, communities that have been devastated can become 115 renewed for existing residents and for those new residents who 116 are willing to become a contributing part of the community. New 117 residents can become a healthy part of a gentrifying community 118 if their participation does not result in displacement and if 119 the existing residents, culture, and assets are valued, 120 respected, and empowered. The opportunity exists to rebuild the 121 community as a mixed income, diverse, and culturally sound place 122 to live, work, and play, and in which the historical character, 123 culture, populace, and assets of the community are recognized as 124 foundational and irreplaceable. In such communities, everyone 125 benefits from the improvements and everyone participates. 126 (2) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.—Through this act, the Legislature 127 intends to: 128 (a) Create a statewide initiative by which the projects and 129 activities of individuals, community organizations, and 130 businesses in a legacy community implement the legacy-community 131 strategies as planned. The statewide approach, known as the 132 “Legacy Communities Initiative,” shall provide the linkages so 133 that each legacy community is able to appropriately publicize 134 the community, share and leverage resources, and reinforce 135 common interests and projects. 136 (b) Enable sustainable funding for the initiative for 10 137 years in order to help ensure that the initiative’s activities 138 and strategies are not short-circuited by a lack of funding. 139 (c) Broadly ensure support and accountability and help 140 minimize the challenges within the local community which have 141 traditionally hindered legacy communities in their respective 142 rebuilding efforts. 143 (d) Foster opportunities for participating legacy 144 communities to share information and expertise, collectively use 145 best practices, and benefit from networking with similar 146 communities. 147 (e) Initiate creative financial benefits so that many 148 legacy communities may be served by common resources and shared 149 expertise. Using collective purchasing, the revenue of legacy 150 communities will increase, creating employment that, with 151 increased tourism, will help to sustain the communities’ 152 economies. 153 (f) Conserve revered historical places and cultural 154 legacies, recognizing that legacy communities are unique 155 benefactors contributing to the proud and rich heritage of the 156 state and nation. 157 (3) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term: 158 (a) “Corporation” means the Urban Empowerment Corporation. 159 (b) “Department” means the Department of Community Affairs. 160 (c) “Legacy community” means a historic and culturally 161 distinct community that is established in an area of this state 162 and developed by capturing and cultivating the people’s 163 cultures, skills, beliefs, interests, and values. 164 (d) “Pilot legacy community” means the legacy community 165 designated to initiate the legacy communities revitalization 166 plan to develop, implement, and establish a model for subsequent 167 legacy communities to follow. 168 (e) “Revitalization plan” means a written document, 169 developed through stakeholder interaction, which presents a 170 snapshot of a community’s priorities, needs, people, places, 171 character, and story; sets forth a strategy to address and 172 resolve established needs and problems; and describes how the 173 community will preserve, protect, build, and sustain its people 174 and places, its past, and its future. 175 (4) STATEWIDE LEGACY COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE.—There is 176 established the Statewide Legacy Communities Initiative. 177 (a) The statewide initiative is established to support and 178 fund projects and activities undertaken by individuals, 179 community organizations, and businesses in legacy communities 180 implementing the legacy community strategy. The statewide 181 initiative shall provide the linkages that each community needs 182 in order to be able to appropriately publicize the community, 183 share and leverage resources, and reinforce common interests and 184 projects. 185 (b) The statewide initiative shall provide support and 186 accountability and help to minimize challenges within the local 187 community which have traditionally hindered legacy communities 188 in their respective rebuilding efforts. The statewide initiative 189 shall also serve to standardize the processes and participatory 190 requirements, thereby equalizing the opportunities for all 191 communities involved. 192 (c) The statewide initiative shall provide sustainable 193 funding for a period of years as specified in state 194 appropriations, which must ensure that the activities and 195 strategies of the legacy communities initiative will not be 196 discontinued due to a lack of resources. 197 (d) The statewide initiative shall foster opportunities for 198 participating communities to share information and expertise, 199 collectively use best practices, and benefit from networking 200 with similar communities. The Legislature expects that the 201 participating communities will be served by common resources and 202 shared expertise, will share in collective purchasing, and will 203 help sustain their economies by increased tourism, revenues, and 204 employment. The collective power of revitalized communities and 205 reinstated industry can reverse the effects of years of 206 disinvestment. 207 (5) STATEWIDE LEGACY COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE SUPPORTED 208 SERVICES.—Funding for the Statewide Legacy Communities 209 Initiative shall support certain designated services and 210 activities for legacy communities. The scope of such services 211 and activities includes: 212 (a) Creating community land trusts. The objective of each 213 community land trust is to ensure that the community property 214 remains under the jurisdiction of the community and to preserve 215 the property for generations in the future. The initiative’s 216 land trust specialists shall provide technical assistance to any 217 existing community land trust in a legacy community or help to 218 develop a new community land trust based on the core values of 219 the statewide initiative. 220 (b) Training, organizing, and supporting faith-based and 221 partner community organizations in fostering a system of 222 communication, community education, advocacy, leadership, and 223 family support in each legacy community. The objective is to 224 increase the capacity of faith-based groups to work with 225 community-based organizations, resident groups, and resource 226 partners in order to achieve the community’s goals. Consultants 227 may aid faith-based and community organizations in accessing 228 resources and building cooperation among residents, businesses, 229 and youth toward building together and protecting their assets, 230 culture, families, land, and legacy. 231 (c) Promoting youth initiatives that help reintroduce 232 traditional values and behavioral mores to the community’s 233 youth. The Statewide Legacy Communities Initiative shall support 234 programs to help youth to improve academically, personally, and 235 socially, at home in the family and in the community. Activities 236 provided under this strategy must foster skill development and 237 opportunities to be constructively involved in community 238 building and career development. The legacy consulting team 239 shall assist the new legacy community in accessing or enhancing 240 programs that mentor, train, and help youths build their 241 community and develop marketable skills that are transferable 242 between communities, help youth become employed in the larger 243 society, and provide youth with investment education, budget and 244 financial counseling, leadership skills, community building 245 opportunities, and home-building training. 246 (d) Preserving the culture of gentrifying communities. The 247 Statewide Legacy Communities Initiative shall support legacy 248 consultants in assisting each legacy community in developing and 249 marketing cultural programs, festivals, story-telling programs, 250 educational activities, and other activities that preserve and 251 promote the culture of the community and its people. Technical 252 assistance shall be provided to help the legacy community 253 identify its own cultural industry where the existing residents 254 and businesses build on the strength of what they have 255 traditionally had in their hands, their homes, and their hearts. 256 The legacy community shall be coached in marketing natural 257 assets to create trade that is built on the culture, traditions, 258 and talents of the community. 259 (e) Providing economic development and wealth-building 260 resource programs and activities. The programs shall be designed 261 to help the community develop and access nontraditional economic 262 resources and funds. These programs must involve economic 263 sources other than the government or private foundations to 264 provide self-sustaining and self-generating methods to build 265 wealth and support for the community and put people to work in 266 meaningful ways that keep assets and resources in the 267 communities so that they are shared by families and sustainable 268 through future generations. 269 (f) Involving community residents in the design and 270 development of their own communities. Using professionals, the 271 legacy consulting team shall engage the community in design 272 workshops to build consensus and participation in planning and 273 community design and introduce the community to tools such as 274 community-sponsored ordinances, rezoning, special districts, and 275 other neighborhood conservation processes. 276 (g) Integrating community builders with other contractors 277 to develop a team of local community builders who can continue 278 to carry out the activities and provide leadership in the 279 community to sustain its efforts. The technical assistance team 280 shall coach the community and its nonprofit organizations to 281 develop the programs, fund the efforts, and engage the community 282 in its own revitalization. 283 (h) Providing each legacy community with technical 284 assistance support to identify eligible property, prepare 285 acquisition applications, and physically redesign local 286 properties to reflect the culture of the community and promote 287 mixed-use and mixed-income development through resident 288 ownership mechanisms. Each legacy community shall receive 289 technical assistance to address current and future environmental 290 issues in their communities and to incorporate environmental 291 planning solutions in the design and physical revitalization of 292 their communities. 293 (i) Developing and implementing a marketing strategy that 294 links legacy communities with their cottage industries through a 295 continuous cultural corridor. The strategy shall engage support 296 and promotion by African and Caribbean-American icons and 297 companies willing to underwrite portions of the campaign. 298 (j) Advocating leadership and empowerment efforts. Such 299 efforts shall, through screening, selection, and support of 300 community representatives who are knowledgeable about community 301 concerns and responsive to residents’ needs, be proactive in 302 creating opportunities for families in the community. The legacy 303 consulting team shall educate the community through small group 304 discussions and family-based dialogue on the importance and 305 process of participating in civic activities. 306 (k) Reclaiming underemployed men and bringing them back 307 into wholeness and leadership in the legacy community and in 308 their families. This is an imperative that the Statewide Legacy 309 Communities Initiative must address. A principal goal of the 310 statewide initiative is for all legacy communities to focus on 311 the reversal of crime and substance abuse, emphasizing 312 intervention and diversion from crime. Each local legacy 313 community shall place a strong emphasis on supporting black men 314 who are displaced from the home and disproportionately 315 represented in institutions. The statewide initiative shall 316 support local legacy communities in developing a variety of 317 strategies to help prevent youth from becoming involved in 318 gangs, crime, and substance abuse. The statewide initiative 319 shall also support efforts to strengthen families and build 320 healthy marriages, emphasizing rites-of-passage activities, 321 constructive counseling, and mentoring programs. Male role 322 models must be actively recruited from fraternities, faith-based 323 groups, black civic organizations, elders, trade groups, male 324 celebrities, and neighborhood male activists. The legacy 325 consulting team shall work with existing organizations and 326 assist them in accessing resources and links to other similar 327 programs to maximize their efforts in this area. 328 (l) Empowering women, the seniors, and families to work 329 with existing organizations and assisting them in accessing 330 resources and links to other similar programs. Legacy community 331 consultants shall work with nonprofit organizations to help 332 women cope with the issues that most affect them and their 333 children, including, but not limited to, domestic violence, 334 economic development, women’s health care, child-rearing, and 335 support for single mothers. 336 (m) Fostering traditional cultural values. The Statewide 337 Legacy Communities Initiative shall train families to implement 338 historically known spiritual principles and principles of 339 Kwanzaa every day and to remember the values taught by the 340 ancestors which spiritually guide and keep people healthy, 341 cohesive, wise, and compassionate. Consultants shall work with 342 existing organizations and assist them in accessing resources 343 that link them with proponents of community culture and 344 traditions to help re-teach these values and to help incorporate 345 them into the daily behavior and traditions of the legacy 346 community. 347 (6) STATEWIDE LEGACY COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE; URBAN 348 EMPOWERMENT CORPORATION; ORGANIZATION.— 349 (a) There is created within the Department of Community 350 Affairs the Urban Empowerment Corporation. 351 (b) The corporation shall be a not-for-profit corporation 352 registered, incorporated, and operated in accordance with 353 chapter 617, Florida Statutes. 354 (c) The corporation shall serve as the coordinating 355 organization for the development and implementation of the 356 Statewide Legacy Communities Initiative. The purpose of the 357 corporation is to assist in carrying out the duties and 358 responsibilities set forth in this section. The corporation 359 shall operate to fulfill its purpose and, in the best interests 360 of the state, the corporation: 361 1. Shall be a corporation primarily acting as an 362 instrumentality of the state pursuant to s. 768.28(2), Florida 363 Statutes, for the purposes of sovereign immunity; 364 2. Is not an agency within the meaning of s. 20.03(11), 365 Florida Statutes; 366 3. Is subject to the open records and meetings requirements 367 of s. 24, Art. I of the State Constitution, chapter 119, Florida 368 Statutes, and s. 286.011, Florida Statutes; 369 4. Is not subject to the provisions of chapter 287, Florida 370 Statutes; 371 5. Shall be governed by the code of ethics for public 372 officers and employees as set forth in part III of chapter 112, 373 Florida Statutes; 374 6. Is not authorized to create corporate subsidiaries; and 375 7. Does not supplant, replace, or direct existing 376 operations or other programs. 377 (d) The articles of incorporation of the corporation must 378 be approved in a written agreement with the Department of 379 Community Affairs. The articles of incorporation must provide 380 that: 381 1. The corporation shall provide equal employment 382 opportunities for all persons regardless of race, color, 383 religion, gender, national origin, age, handicap, or marital 384 status; 385 2. The corporation is subject to the public-records and 386 public-meetings requirements of s. 24, Art. I of the State 387 Constitution; 388 3. All officers, directors, and employees of the 389 corporation are governed by the code of ethics for public 390 officers and employees as set forth in part III of chapter 112, 391 Florida Statutes; 392 4. Members of the board of directors of the corporation are 393 responsible for the prudent use of all public and private funds 394 and that they will ensure that the use of funds is in accordance 395 with all applicable laws, bylaws, and contractual requirements; 396 and 397 5. The fiscal year of the corporation is from July 1 398 through June 30. 399 (e) The affairs of the corporation shall be managed by a 400 board of directors who shall serve without compensation. Each 401 director shall have one vote. The chair of the board of 402 directors shall be selected by a majority vote of the directors, 403 a quorum being present. The board of directors shall consist of 404 five members appointed by the Governor. The Governor shall 405 appoint the members by September 1, 2010. 406 (f) The board of directors shall provide a copy of the 407 corporation’s annual report to the Governor, the President of 408 the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the 409 Secretary of Community Affairs. 410 (g) The corporation shall develop and implement a plan of 411 action that: 412 1. Facilitates meetings between prospective investors and 413 eligible organizations in the corporation; 414 2. Provides for hiring full-time staff members, including 415 an executive director, who understand relevant community 416 development issues needed to ensure that appropriate services 417 are provided to each legacy community participating in this 418 initiative and who can promote legacy communities to investors 419 who respect the community’s efforts to preserve its heritage; 420 and 421 3. Develops cooperative relationships with publicly 422 supported organizations, private corporations, and private 423 foundations that work together to provide resources or special 424 knowledge helpful to the legacy community’s economic and social 425 growth. 426 (h) By December 1 of each year, the corporation shall issue 427 an annual report of its activities. The report shall include: 428 1. An assessment of compliance with its plan of action and 429 information on any assistance and activities provided by the 430 corporation to assist legacy communities. 431 2. A description of the benefits, economic and social, to 432 this state resulting from the corporation’s work. 433 3. Independently audited financial statements, including 434 statements that show receipts and expenditures during the 435 preceding fiscal year for personnel, administration, and 436 operational costs of the corporation. 437 (i)1. The corporation shall establish a legacy consulting 438 team to ensure that appropriate resources, services, and 439 programs are provided to each legacy community participating in 440 the Statewide Legacy Communities Initiative. 441 2. The corporation shall consist of experts who shall 442 assist legacy communities in developing a revitalization plan to 443 bring together residents, property owners, and business persons 444 to plan for a long-term investment in the legacy community. The 445 legacy consulting team shall work to identify community needs, 446 develop specific strategies for revitalization in each 447 respective legacy community, and engage resources to meet the 448 needs. The legacy consulting team shall provide deliverables for 449 each legacy community which include: 450 a. Assessment of needs and capacity. 451 b. Consultation and advisement. 452 c. Community and board education. 453 d. Community builders training. 454 e. Development or enhancement of existing programs and 455 services that embrace strategies of the statewide initiative. 456 f. Resource development. 457 g. Revitalization plan assistance. 458 h. Establishment of linkages within the legacy communities 459 network. 460 i. Establishment of linkages to resources and potential 461 partners outside the legacy communities network. 462 j. Liaison and interface activities with the Legislature. 463 k. Expertise and technical assistance in the funding 464 application and awards process. 465 l. Troubleshooting, mediation, and facilitation of local 466 processes. 467 m. Promotion of legacy communities and the initiative. 468 n. Assistance with evaluation and corrective actions. 469 (7) STATEWIDE LEGACY COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE; APPLICATIONS; 470 REVIEW; FUNDING.— 471 (a) The corporation shall issue requests for proposals to 472 fulfill the purposes of the Statewide Legacy Communities 473 Initiative as described in this section. The corporation shall 474 review the proposals in a committee appointed by its board of 475 directors, which shall make a recommendation for final selection 476 based on an objective scoring process, with published criteria 477 developed by the board of directors of the corporation before 478 issuance of the request for proposals. A proposal may be 479 approved in three phases: prestartup and development, 480 implementation, and sustainability and replication. Final 481 approval of the selected proposal must be by the board of 482 directors of the corporation and consistent with the published 483 criteria it developed before issuing the request for proposals. 484 (b)1. In order to be eligible for assistance, a proposed 485 legacy community seeking to implement the Statewide Legacy 486 Communities Initiative must demonstrate acceptance of the 487 initiative by the community’s residents. 488 2. The corporation shall review the revitalization plan of 489 each legacy community. For those communities accepted into the 490 initiative, the corporation shall act as a mentor for the legacy 491 community, develop marketing information concerning the 492 community, and use its local resources to attract capital 493 investment, government grants, and foundation assistance. 494 (8) DESIGNATING PILOT LEGACY COMMUNITY.—That portion of 495 Miami-Dade county known as Coconut Grove is designated as the 496 initial statewide pilot legacy community. 497 (a) Coconut Grove is the epicenter for promoting Caribbean 498 culture in this state. The Coconut Grove area celebrates the 499 contributions of Caribbean immigrant populations from Key West 500 to Tallahassee. The legacy communities initiative shall identify 501 and empower the immigrant Caribbean communities. In Miami-Dade 502 county, Coconut Grove was the first such settlement for these 503 populations, the largest of which were Bahamians. It is 504 historically and culturally the first Caribbean community in 505 Florida, and its recent increasing diversity adds to the 506 richness of this community as a Caribbean epicenter. 507 (b) In Coconut Grove, the objectives are to: 508 1. Preserve the Bahamian-Island culture and character in 509 the businesses, community places and events, daily life, and the 510 built environment; 511 2. Promote and support the Island District Merchant’s 512 Association and wealth-building strategies; 513 3. Support home ownership and protect residents from 514 displacement; 515 4. Protect and support community-based organizations and 516 strategies that assist families, youth, elders, and individuals; 517 and 518 5. Facilitate cohesiveness, effective advocacy, and 519 community involvement in the revitalization process. 520 (9) SPECIFYING ADDITIONAL COMMUNITIES.—Additional 521 communities that must be included in the Legacy Communities 522 Statewide Initiative along with the pilot project in Coconut 523 Grove include Brownsville, Little Haiti, Liberty City, Overtown, 524 Lemon City, Opa Locka, Carol City, Cooper City, South Miami, Key 525 West, Bahama Village, Del Ray, West Palm Beach, Belle Glade, 526 Riviera Beach, Pleasant City, Eatonville, Orlando, Port St. Joe, 527 and Jacksonville. 528 (10) REVITALIZATION PLANS OF LEGACY COMMUNITIES.—Each 529 legacy community’s revitalization plan must: 530 (a) Set out assumptions and objectives and serve as the 531 framework for the revitalization of the community. 532 (b) Be usable as a communication and marketing tool. 533 (c) Be formulated by a diverse team of professionals and 534 stakeholders to address the many different complex issues facing 535 the Coconut Grove pilot project and other legacy communities. 536 (d) Describe the legacy community’s history. 537 (e) Set forth statistics and current conditions with 538 respect to family status, income, jobs and employment 539 opportunities in the community, current zoning issues, public 540 transportation, conditions in local education, social services, 541 housing, economic development, community cohesion, the culture 542 of the community, environmental justice issues, visual themes in 543 the community, historical and preservation issues, community 544 involvement, key community interest areas, community relations 545 challenges, and the community’s social and economic history, 546 culture, collective character, current composition, and assets. 547 (f) Describe the process for community involvement which 548 provides a forum for residents to become informed about civic 549 affairs and actively involved in making decisions that 550 ultimately affect their community, and define ways in which the 551 process must be improved or changed to make members of the 552 community equal partners in the dialog concerning revitalization 553 projects in their neighborhoods. 554 (g) Be developed in response to needs of the community as 555 indicated by empirical data, surveys, focus group feedback, 556 economic indicators, prior studies, community input, historical 557 background, community asset mapping, stakeholder input, resource 558 partnership input, and demographic profiles. 559 (h) Define strategies concerning the services and 560 activities described in subsection (5) and identify standards 561 for effective delivery of such services and activities. 562 (i) Be reviewed and receive comments from each identified 563 stakeholder. 564 (j) Set forth the community’s needs and opportunities, the 565 need for revitalization and its importance to the community, 566 partnerships, resources and assets, goals for revitalization, 567 proposed projects and activities, the process and essential 568 strategies for addressing needs, timeframes and benchmarks for 569 various phases of developing the local legacy community, 570 committed or potential resources, budget projections, benefits 571 and returns on investments, deliverables, local recommendations, 572 an evaluation process, anticipated outcomes and results, and 573 proof of sustainability. 574 Section 2. The sum of $__________ is appropriated from the 575 General Revenue Fund to the Department of Community Affairs for 576 the purpose of paying salaries and other administrative expenses 577 necessary to carry out the provisions of this act relating to 578 the Statewide Legacy Communities Initiative during the 2010-2011 579 fiscal year. 580 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.
