Home to the University of Florida, the City of Gainesville benefits from numerous neighborhood associations and grass-roots organizations that seek to improve quality of life for lower income residents through diverse housing and community development initiatives. As part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), the City receives more than $3 million annually toward these initiatives. The City is charged with administering these funds for housing rehabilitation and other public service activities, many of which are carried out by local non-profits. In 2013, Wade Trim completed the City of Gainesville’s Five-Year (2013-2018) Consolidated Plan and (2013-2014) Annual Action Plan for administration of these funds utilizing HUD’s new eCon Planning Suite. Both documents include goals, objectives and strategies for addressing housing, homelessness, community development, and special needs.
As part of the planning process, Wade Trim facilitated meetings with neighborhood associations, interviews with stakeholders, and roundtables with advisory committees to identify shared priorities. Given the high amount of community activism, one of the challenges of the project was distilling the copious amount of public input received into clear, identifiable goals for the future. Building consensus was key, and public input was supported by collection of data from HUD and the U.S. Census, including detailed information regarding the City’s estimated population, racial/ethnic composition, labor force, unemployment, composition of low- and moderate-income households, and housing market trends. Wade Trim also collected data about the City’s homeless population and those at-risk of becoming homeless, including the disabled and those with special needs. Approval of the plans required two public hearings with the City Commission and endorsement by representatives of those assisted with HUD funding. Approved in 2013, the plans will guide future decisions about where and how HUD funds are invested in the community.
