choice neighborhoods transformation plan

P A S E O G AT E W AY CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS TRANSFORMATION PLAN S U B M I T T E D T O U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD)
G R A N T E E HOUSING AUTHORITY OF KANSAS CITY MISSOURI (HAKC)
PASEO GATEWAY CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS TRANSFORMATION PLAN
SUBMITTED TO: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) GRANTEE: HOUSING AUTHORITY OF KANSAS CITY MISSOURI (HAKC)
Prepared By Wallace Roberts And Todd, LLC
July 2013
02 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND QUALITY OF LIFE PLANNING 30–43
03 EDUCATION 44–57
05 NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN 86–109
P A S E O G AT E W AY TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
06 HOUSING PLAN 110–151 6.1 Findings from 2013 Preliminary 114 Market Assessment
6.2 Overview of Paseo Gateway Housing 124 Transformation Strategy
6.3 Replacement of Chouteau Courts 128
6.4 Reducing Homelessness 146
08 APPENDIX 160–227
THE PASEO GATEWAY CNI TRANSFORMATION PLAN WAS COMPLETED THROUGH A HUD CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS INITIATIVE PLANNING GRANT AND MATCHING FUNDS FROM HAKC, THE CITY OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, AND ITS PLANNING PARTNERS.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Edwin Lowndes Executive Director
Myra Karasik Planning and Development Coordinator
Matt Coates Planning and Development Coordinator
Xinh Xan Bradt Planning and Development Coordinator
Diana Adorno-Boody Director of Resident Services
Pat Bartholome Assistant Director of Resident Services
Shontel McGee Resident Services Coordinator
KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND PLANNING PARTNERS
• City of Kansas City, MO
• Don Bosco Centers
• Full Employment Council
• Kansas City, MO School District
• Kansas City University of Medical and Biosciences (KCUMB)
• Mattie Rhodes Center
• Samuel Rodgers Health Center
• NE Chamber of Commerce
STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Housing Sara Selkirk KCUMB
Diana Adorno Boody HAKC
Grace Boswell ReStart
STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Jeremy Davis EDCKC
Jim Scott Scott Associates
Kristina Collins Consultant, Education
Health Pat Bartholome HAKC
Nando Micale Principal in Charge
Garlen Capita Project Manager and Urban Designer
Greg Meckstroth Planner and Urban Designer
Brian Traylor Planner and Urban Designer
Andrew Dobshinsky Planner
Christina Warhola Graphic Designer
Brian Heeger
Olusegun Obasanjo
Public Health
Marjorie Buchanan
Meg Sowell
OTHER CONSULTANTS
Quality of Life Planning and Community Engagement Perucca and Associates
Local Planning Consultant Jim Scott Associates
Education Consultant Kristina Collins
in surveys, interviews, focus groups, and public
meetings. And thanks to everyone who is working
to implement the strategies and recommendations
highlighted in this plan.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Through the Quality of Life Planning and stakeholder engagement sessions, participants agreed on major goals that were consistent with priorities outlined in
previous planning efforts.
Institutional Stakeholders
November 2011 Public Meeting at Don Bosco November 2011 Public Meeting at Don Bosco Quality of Life Planning Session
Following completion of the needs assessment, the team convened a visioning workshop with stakeholders, businesses, and City agencies to address issues and priorities within Paseo Gateway and create a vision for the community.
The survey asked about residents’ needs in education, health, recreation, and economic resources. Following the general survey, the HAKC Resident Services Department also conducted a more specific health survey to develop a better understanding of the community’s physical and mental well-being.
In addition to public meetings, HAKC worked with project partners to develop a Steering Committee to guide plan development and implementation.
HAKC and its project partners held a number of one-on-one meetings and conversations with neighborhood stakeholders throughout the planning process.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Quality of Life Planning Session Chouteau CourtsMulti-family Housing on Maple Boulevard
47.9% A F R I C A N A M E R I C A N
3 1 . 1 % WHITE
Population (all races)
• Diverse Community With Recent Immigrants From Latin America, Vietnam, Sudan, And
Somalia
34.7% of the population
PEOPLE & HOUSEHOLDS
22.5% S C H O O L A G E D C H I L D R E N
NEIGHBORHOODS
• Marginal & Conflicting Land Uses along with High Vacancy & Long-Term Disinvestment
• Lack of Cohesive Character & Limited Walkability
• Lack of Connectivity, Transit, & Streetscape Amenities
• High Crime & Safety Concerns
Available.
HOUSING
• 9% Vacancy Rate
$ 9 8 , 2 1 3 Median Home Value
KEY FINDINGS AND CHALLENGES
+77% R E N T A L U N I T S
PASEO GATEWAY
Several priorities emerged as important to both residents and stakeholders during the
public engagement process. Together, these priorities shaped the community’s vision and
established the framework for the transformation plan.
PEOPLE Quality of Life & Community Engagement
EDUCATION
HAKC Resident Event
Create and implement a public safety strategy.
Develop a culture where the community is free of trash and litter.
Develop higher quality public transportation.
Improve economic activity and perception of the community.
Improve housing stock in the community by enhancing home upkeep and enforcing current housing codes.
Improve access to quality public education.
Provide access to in-school and out-of-school academic enrichment programs.
Build academic support systems to increase academic success.
Expand parents’ access to supportive services.
1 2 3 4
Assure that conditions exist in which people can be healthy.
Provide access to high quality and culturally competent health care and supportive services.
1 2
Capitalize on and encourage a walkable layout, and promote multi-modal transportation.
Create economic development opportunities.
1 2 3 4
Provide one-for-one replacement of the distressed 140-unit Chouteau Courts public housing development. Revitalize housing in the three Paseo Gateway neighborhoods of Independence Plaza, Pendleton Heights, and Paseo West through infill and rehabilitation.
Reduce and its impact on Paseo Gateway.
1
2
3
PASEO GATEWAY
HEALTH
VISION The Community Health Initiative seeks to develop a set of implementable strategies to improve the health and well-being of residents so they are better able to participate fully in neighborhood revitalization efforts and benefit from the quality-of-life improvements that will result from this neighborhood transformation plan.
STRATEGY
Chouteau Court and Paseo Gateway residents by establishing
connections to culturally competent healthcare professionals
to ensure that everyone has access to a medical home. Work
with partner organizations to establish new programs that
target identified priorities, including pre-natal care and oral
health.
GOAL
neighborhoods in which all people have access to the
resources necessary to live a healthy and safe life through
access to high quality and culturally competent health care
and supportive services.
PE O
PL E
MOBILITY & RELOCATION
VISION The Mobility and Relocation Strategy will ensure ongoing support of Chouteau Courts residents through effective communication and case management that provides all families with the resources needed to evaluate and make decisions on housing choice.
STRATEGY With the completion of the Paseo Gateway Choice Neighborhoods Transformation Plan, HAKC and partners will seek CNI Implementation funds and other resources to support the demolition and redevelopment of the Chouteau Courts site. HAKC will develop a resident relocation plan that is in keeping
with HUD requirements.
sustainable new or substantially rehabilitated replacement
homes that support residents’ quality of life.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Plan expands the existing walkable street grid, proposes key
corridor improvements to link residents with neighborhood assets,
and redesigns intersections for safe pedestrian and bike access—to
encourage walking and biking and improve community health. The
Plan identifies vacant parcels for infill development to strengthen the
fabric of the neighborhood and attract investment. This revitalized
district can become a model for urban sustainability, using LEED for
Neighborhood Development as a guide.
STRATEGY Expand the existing walkable street grid and invest in key corridor
improvements that will link residents to neighborhood assets and
improve community health by encouraging walking and biking
through the redesign of intersections for safe pedestrian and
bike access. Encourage infill development in identified strategic
locations to strengthen the safety and fabric of the neighborhood
and attract investment to increase local economic development.
GOAL
Create the conditions necessary for public and private reinvestment
in Paseo Gateway so it can offer the kinds of amenities that make
it safe and comfortable—where existing residents want to live and
where it is attractive to new residents and businesses.
N EI
G H
BO R
H O
O D
This strategy seeks to improve Paseo Gateway’s housing stock
by leveraging investment in new housing and rehabilitation as
a catalyst for neighborhood wide revitalization.
STRATEGY
a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization, enhance home
upkeep, enforce current housing codes and laws, enact stricter
standards for landlords, and maintain historic standards.
GOAL
housing development with multiple mixed-income housing
sites to de-concentrate poverty. Support rehabilitation of
distressed housing throughout the targeted neighborhoods
to stabilize the existing housing stock and promote the rich
architectural heritage of the area.
H O
U SI
N G
PASEO GATEWAY
EDUCATION Underperforming schools are not meeting Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).
Improve access to quality public education by coordinating educational opportunities and building academic support for families.
• Provide access to in-school and out-of-school academic enrichment programs.
• Expand parents’ access to supportive services.
HEALTH Residents lack access to a medical home with culturally competent healthcare providers.
All residents have access to the resources to live a healthy and safe life.
• Fully utilize the existing services available to residents by establishing connections with culturally competent healthcare professionals
• Ensure that everyone has access to a medical home. • Work with partner organizations to establish new
programs that target the district’s identified priorities, including pre-natal care and oral health.
SAFETY High crime and drug activities compromise residents’ safety and contribute to a stressful neighborhood environment.
Create a safe and clean neighborhood environment for existing and future residents to feel comfortable.
• Repurpose vacant and public properties to improve the physical environment.
• Ensure new development is compatible with neighborhood character to emphasize, promote, and protect the attractive and historic character of Paseo Gateway’s neighborhoods and corridors.
• Use Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design(CPTED) in development of new sites.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Lack of community supportive services, retail, and commercial amenities.
Create the conditions necessary for public and private reinvestment into the Paseo Gateway neighborhoods.
• Focus new development initiatives and investment along major corridors, at intersections, and adjacent to existing assets.
• Provide programs aimed at increasing youth educational development and job readiness.
• Explore the creation of a Redevelopment District.
ACCESS & TRANSPORTATION
Capitalize on and encourage a walkable layout, and promote multi-modal transportation
• Implement complete streets. • Enhance bus stops, bus shelters, bike racks, trash
receptacles, and signage. • Explore the opportunity to create a transit innovation
center modeled after The KCATA Metro Center on 39th and Troost.
HOUSING Isolated and distressed public housing sites in neighborhoods with high poverty, vacancy, and disinvestment.
Replace 1 for 1 each of the 140 HAKC Chouteau Courts public housing units on multiple sites. Improve the neighborhood housing stock.
• Repurpose Chouteau Courts site. • Targeted revitalization of distressed properties. • Develop mixed-Income properties.
PE O
PL E
N EI
G H
BO R
H O
O D
S H
O U
SI N
PARTNERS FUNDING/RESOURCES SUCCESS MEASURES
Don Bosco, Della Lamb, HAKC Resident Services, Family Conservancy, KCPS, KCUMB, Upper Room, Boys & Girls Club, Girl Scouts, United Way 211, University of Missouri-Kansas City, WEB Dubois Learning Center, Frontier School for Innovation, Freedom Fire Urban Ministries
• Hall Family Foundation • United Way • HAKC • KCUMB • Grants for education
• Number of parents’ attendance at school meetings, events, and school information fairs.
• Number of children attending after-school tutoring programs. • Number of students showing improvement in reading scores. • Number and percentage of students graduating.
Samuel Rodgers Health Center, Jewish Vocational Services, Somalian Foundation, Don Bosco ESL Program, Della Lamb Supportive Services, HAKC Resident Services, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Truman Medical Center, WIC Program, KC Public Health Department Building Blocks Program - Nurse Family Partnership, Black Health Care Coalition; KC Care Clinic.
• MO Medicaid • Health Care Foundation of Greater KC • Reach Foundation • Samuel Rodgers Health Center • Children’s Mercy Hospital • Kansas City CARE Clinic • Hall Family Foundation • Community Health Charities
• Number of residents with a medical home. • Number of residents reporting stress or psychological distress. • Percentage of residents utilizing services. • Number of residents, including children, reporting good
physical health.
City of KCMO, Neighborhood Services Division Crime Prevention Program, LISC, Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Neighborhood Associations, KCMO Police, HAKC, KCMO Parks and Recreation, Northeast Alliance Together, and Nonprofit Organizations
• Competitive Grants • City Funds
• Number of residents who report that they feel safe in their neighborhood.
• Number of residents reporting that they were victims of a crime in their home or neighborhood.
• Percent change in incidents of crime
Neighborhood Associations, Downtown Council, KC Chamber of Commerce, LISC,
• KCMO CDE • Facade Improvement Loan Program (FILP) • Economic Development Corporation, HAKC,
City
• Number of successful new businesses located within the district. Number of employees and employers in the district.
• Number of residents and youth participating in educational development and job readiness training.
• Increase in individual income and family wealth. • Number of businesses receiving technical assistance. • Number of households receiving support for filing tax returns. • Number of businesses utilizing FILP.
HAKC, Private Developers, Neighborhood Associations, Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA), and Jackson County
• Federal Grants • Dollar amount of funding allocated towards public improvements and access and transportation and green infrastructure improvements implemented.
• Acres of green/recreational spaces created or improved. • Number of trees planted.
Private Developers, Paseo West Neighborhood Assoc., ReStart, Episcopal Community Services, Hope Faith Ministries , City Union Mission, Downtown Council, NE Chamber, KCPD
• PIAC • CDBG • Choice Neighborhoods • LIHTC • Section 8 / Public Housing • Corporation for Supportive Housing
• Chouteau Courts units replaced in mixed income stable neighborhoods.
• Number of distress properties rehabilitated.
Introduction
8
r e p l a c e
1 4 0 housing units + A d d i t i o n a l MIXED-INCOME HOUSING
AND MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT
2 3
Planning Area Redevelop Chouteau Courts, and build new energy efficient, mixed- income housing on select sites that can catalyze neighborhood revitalization.
Neighborhood Leverage the redevelopment of Chouteau Courts and existing neighborhood assets to transform the Paseo Gateway neighborhood into a thriving and vibrant community.
Region Translate the success of the transformation plan goals and programs to the greater Kansas City region.
INTRODUCTION
In 2011 the Housing Authority of Kansas City Missouri (HAKC) was one of 17
communities to receive a Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CNI) Planning Grant. The
CNI is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
to support comprehensive neighborhood revitalization by using the redevelopment of
distressed public housing as a catalyst for neighborhood-wide transformation. Choice
Neighborhoods replaces HUD’s HOPE VI program, going beyond the brick and mortar
redevelopment of distressed public housing to include a more comprehensive set of
strategies necessary to improve the quality of life for residents in public housing and the
neighborhoods surrounding the public housing sites. The grant was awarded through
a competitive process that evaluated the capacity of HAKC and its partners to lead
a community-driven planning process, the need to redevelop Chouteau Courts based
on the site’s structural and design deficiencies, and the overall level of neighborhood
distress based on poverty, crime, and vacancy.
OBJECTIVE
with input and participation of a large group of community
stakeholders including neighborhoods, social service
agencies, businesses, educational institutions, and local
government representatives developed this neighborhood
transformation plan to leverage the redevelopment of the
140-unit Chouteau Courts family public housing site as
a catalyst for the revitalization of the surrounding Paseo
Gateway neighborhood.
The plan aims to build on the neighborhood’s existing
assets, build on established goals, and tap into the base of
engaged stakeholders to offer a multitude of strategies that
comprehensively address the community’s needs for housing,
economic development, safety, and quality of life improvements.
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
REGIONAL CONTEXT
10
• Invested residents and businesses
• Growing and stabilizing neighborhoods
• Large inventory of vacant and underutilized land
KANSAS CITY DOWNTOWN STREETCAR
with operation planned for 2015. The planned
two-mile, north-south route will operate on Main
Street and connect major activity centers between
the River Market area and Crown Center / Union
Station. Support for the streetcar project is already
spurring analysis of possible expansion lines from
the starter line. Independence Avenue, from Grand
Avenue to Topping Avenue (4.4 miles), is one
possible route of future expansion currently being
discussed. Streetcar access along Independence
Avenue may help to further boost neighborhood
revitalization efforts in Paseo Gateway and spur
additional investment in the Independence Avenue
Business District, providing additional opportunities
for transit-oriented development.
Proximity to Downtown Business District KCUMB
12
area plans, including the 2009 Greater Downtown
Area Plan, the 2010 Truman Plaza Area Plan, and
the 2012 Paseo West Needs Assessment.
Greater Downtown Area Plan (Adopted): A small portion of the planning area overlaps the
Greater Downtown Area Plan. Adopted in 2010, the
plan sets a framework to guide future development
and public improvements in the downtown core
and to strengthen adjacent neighborhoods. The
plan’s focus on retaining and promoting safe,
authentic, walkable neighborhoods dovetails well
with Choice Neighborhoods’ priority of sustainable
neighborhood development.
Truman Plaza Area Plan: Led by the City Planning and Development
Department, The Truman Plaza Area Plan is the
overarching public document that guides planning,
development, and investment in the Truman
Plaza planning area. The plan was completed
through a comprehensive planning process that
included significant community input. The following
vision statement emerged from the planning
process: Truman Plaza residents, businesses,
and stakeholders take pride in and promote
their vibrant, self-sustained community,
affordable neighborhoods with easy access
to area services, resources, and jobs. The plan
focuses on five main goals to support this vision:
Adjacent Planning Efforts
as the ethnic and cultural hub of Kansas City; (3)
attract businesses and organizations that increase
employment for area residents; (4) capitalize on
and encourage a walkable layout of the community,
and promote multi-modal transportation; and (5)
emphasize, promote, and protect the historic
character of the area’s neighborhoods and
corridors. The Paseo Gateway Transformation Plan
builds on the Truman Plaza vision and goals.
2012 Paseo West Community Improvement Strategy: In support of ongoing business retention efforts
within the Paseo West neighborhood, the Economic
Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri
(EDC) in partnership with the City, Paseo West
Neighborhood Association, and area agencies
and service providers conducted a planning and
issue prioritization process for the Paseo West
neighborhood. Stakeholders developed the following
vision statement to guide their efforts: The Paseo West
neighborhood is important to Kansas City, Missouri’s
urban core—embracing diversity, insisting upon the
respect and cooperation of its users, projecting a
positive image to the community, encouraging a mix
of uses, and working to be the cleanest and safest
area of the city. The study was adopted on July 3,
2012 as a guide for future improvements in the area.
Stakeholders are currently focused on implementing
key recommendations to come out of this process.
• Maintain and Enhance Diversity: Continue to
encourage the neighborhood to be an area of
mixed uses, including residential, commer cial,
industrial, and social services.
a mixture of uses, continue to work together to
everyone’s benefit—through open dialogue,
mutual respect, and a joint responsibility to make
the neighborhood strong.
make the Paseo West neighborhood the cleanest
and safest neighbor hood in the urban core of
Kansas City.
residents and businesses in the area.
Other Ongoing Planning Studies: In addition to the formally adopted planning
documents, there are a number of ongoing
planning efforts which can have a direct impact
on the development of the Transformation Plan.
These include work completed by the Kansas City
Design Center (KCDC) master’s students during
the 2012–2013 academic year. In collaboration with
Northeast Alliance Together (NEAT) and the KCMO
Planning Department, the students completed an
urban vision study of Independence Avenue and
the Historic Northeast neighborhood of Kansas
City, MO. Their work was also folded into a Planning
Sustainable Places (PSP) grant awarded to Historic
Northeast from the Mid-America Regional Council
(MARC). Included in the scope of the PSP grant is a
Real Estate Market Analysis to identify the potential
market for and financial feasibility of transit-oriented
redevelopment along Independence Avenue. The
study was ongoing at the time this Transformation
Plan was completed, but it can support the plan’s
efforts to revitalize the commercial corridor.
14
Kansas City metropolitan region. While downtown
and surrounding neighborhoods continue to see
increases in population and investment, significant
physical barriers such as I-29 and I-35 have kept
spillover effects from reaching Paseo Gateway. The
area has declined as a result of movement towards
the suburbs and a loss of manufacturing since the
mid to late twentieth century. This disinvestment is
characterized by pockets of significant vacancy.
Although facing blight, crime, and vacancy,
the neighborhood’s rich architectural heritage,
abundant parks and recreational areas, and
adjacency to downtown are drawing new residents
and attracting renewed investment. Furthermore,
opportunities exist to leverage the neighborhood’s
strategic location to tap into surrounding market
trends toward urban living and to leverage existing
neighborhood assets including historic Pendleton
Heights, the Paseo Greenway, the Kessler
Greenway System, and the Scenic Byway. By
building upon access to regional transportation
modes including public transportation and the
neighborhood’s important educational and health
institutions, Paseo Gateway has the potential to
attract new residents and workers while improving
the quality of life for the existing community.
Physical Conditions Paseo Gateway is bounded by the Union Pacific
Railroad line to the north, Chestnut Trafficway
and Prospect Avenue to the east, East 9th
Street to the south, and I-29/I-35 to the west.
Independence Avenue runs east-west and forms a
major commercial artery connecting the northeast
neighborhoods from I-435 to the Rivermarket and the
Central Business District. Although Independence
Avenue has high traffic, with over 19,600 vehicles
per day,1 the commercial district faces significant
challenges and is in need of a comprehensive
rebranding and enhancement strategy.
homes of Pendleton Heights, the campus of Kansas
City University of Medicine and Biosciences, two
HAKC properties (Chouteau Courts and Riverview
Gardens), the Cliff Drive Scenic Byway, and the
Kessler Greenway System. The southern portion
of the community includes the industrial and
mixed-use areas of Paseo West and Samuel U.
Rodgers Health Center (SURHC) as well as the
Independence Plaza residential neighborhood.
Study, 2008
CNI PROGRAM
Development (HUD) Choice Neighborhoods
and economic development to transform
neighborhoods of extreme poverty into
functioning, sustainable, mixed-income
HOPE VI with a comprehensive approach that
links new and rehabilitated housing with well-
functioning services, schools, public assets,
transportation, and access to jobs through
rebuilding.
core goals:
assisted housing.
safety, employment, mobility, and education.
3. Neighborhood Transform distressed neighborhoods into
viable, mixed-income communities with access
to services, public assets, and amenities.
& M Rail Lin k
p
lwy
Hope Faith Ministries
Restart
Register of Historic Places)
Neighborhood Assets
NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXT
& M Rail Lin k
p
lwy
Hope Faith Ministries
Restart
Register of Historic Places)
Neighborhood Assets
16
NEIGHBORHOOD FACTS
Approximately 1 square mile 4,833 residents 1,828 households 1 mile from Downtown
68.3% renters Paseo Gateway
38% renters citywide
4 7 . 9 % A F R I C A N A M E R I C A N
Diverse community with Latino, Laotian, Vietnamese, Somali & Sudanese residents
31.1% W H I T E
1 0 % H I S P A N I C POPULATION
6.1% A S I A N
$ 9 8 , 2 1 3 Median Home Value
1 2 % SINCE 2000
Gateway recently experienced significant growth.
The neighborhood grew from 4,541 people in
2000 to 4,833 people in 2010. This 6.4% increase
outpaced Kansas City’s 4.1% growth over the
same time period. The neighborhood has a young
population, with school-age children making up
22.5% of the population and residents under the
age of 19 making up 34.7% of the population.2
While nearly half of the neighborhood is African
American or of African descent (47.9%), it is
culturally and linguistically diverse. The area is
home to a large number of recent immigrants
from Latin America, Vietnam, Sudan, and Somalia.
Minorities, primarily from Asia and Latin America,
represent 21% of the neighborhood’s population,
and between 2000 and 2010 the Hispanic
population grew by almost 10%.
Housing Characteristics • There are 2,037 housing units within Paseo
Gateway.
• The median home value is $98,213 representing
an increase in median value of 11.9% since 2000.
• Over two thirds of households are renters, which is
much larger than the city rate of 38%.
• The neighborhood’s vacancy rate is 9%.
2 US Census
Residents at a Public Meeting
of $18,009, down $3,430 since 2000, is far
below the city average of $43,587. Despite high
unemployment, the number of employed men and
women within the neighborhood has increased
since 2000.
Female 827(2000) vs. 1,138 (2010)
Education Paseo Gateway has seen an increase of residents
who are high school graduates as well as a
significant increase in the number of college
graduates—165 in 2000 vs. 592 in 2010. While
the area is seeing an increase in educational
attainment, the neighborhood is located within
the Kansas City Public School District. The district
has consistently performed below state standards
and below many other districts within Kansas City
with similar demographics. Although there are
21.1%
20.7%
16.6%
Professional and Managerial Services
35 %
40 %
High School Graduate, No College
9th to 12th Grade, No Diploma
Less than 9th Grade
15 %
20 %
25 %
30 %
Percent of Persons 25 or Older Attaining Each Level
and No More
Elementary, Scuola Vita Nuova, and Northeast High
School), residents in the Paseo Gateway community
send their children to at least 33 different schools
throughout the City.
The northeast section of the city has a concentration of poverty as a result of flight to the suburbs and disinvestment. A key aim of HUD’s CNI program is to reduce the concentration of poverty and allow all residents opportunities to live in a safe and thriving community.
POVERTY
18
The success of this neighborhood rebuilding effort
will require a coordinated strategy to overcome
significant obstacles and build on existing
neighborhood assets.
ASSETS CHALLENGES
Housing & Poverty
Growing & Stabilizing
Neighborhood Assets The neighborhood has a number of significant assets
that can be leveraged to support revitalization.
Historic Pendleton Heights
Pendleton Heights neighborhood, a district on
the National Register of Historic Places and one
of the city’s oldest residential neighborhoods. It
features a rich architectural heritage with Victorian,
Queen Anne, Craftsman, Italianate, and other well-
designed homes. Many of the palatial homes and
mansions were built during Kansas City’s real estate
boom in the 1800s and were inhabited by some of
the city’s wealthiest and most influential residents.
The neighborhood is also home to a number of
historic apartment buildings as well as a few post-
World War II era apartment buildings that detract
from the neighborhood’s charming character.
After a period of decline, there has been renewed
interest in restoring homes within this traditional
walkable neighborhood.
of Kansas City’s most beloved and well known
parks. Most notable among them is the Kessler
Grenway System and the Cliff Drive Scenic Byway,
considered to be the masterpiece of the famed
Kansas City Park System and design by one of
the nation’s most notable landscape architects,
George Kessler. The 4.27-mile Cliff Drive Scenic
Byway, a designated State Scenic Byway, serves
as a physical link to a number of neighborhoods
and historical landmarks and features exceptional
views from the top of the limestone bluffs.
Boulevards and Parkways
as a 100-foot parkway connecting the city’s
most notable places, is a major landmark in the
neighborhood and provides the opportunity to
redesign the Independence Avenue intersection
and rebrand the community’s image.
Pendleton Heights Entry Marker
Cliff Drive Scenic Byway
19
The Philip E. Chappell House (1836 Pendleton Avenue), listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was designed by Harry Kemp in the Queen Anne style.
Adjacency to Downtown Kansas City’s Central
Business District
In the last 10 years, more than $6.5 billion has been
invested in Downtown Kansas City. Downtown
is home to 11,088 residents,3 over 44,586 jobs
(KCMO, City Planning), and a host of new cultural
institutions and amenities.
and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine
(KCUMB-COM) and Samuel Rodgers Health
Center. Founded in 1916, KCUMB-COM is the
largest medical school in the state and has
approximately 1,000 students on it’s Independence
Avenue campus. The Samuel Rodgers Health
Center, located near the southern edge of the
neighborhood boundary, serves the community’s
health care needs. The health center is one of seven
Samuel Rodgers Health Centers in the Kansas City
region, offering comprehensive medical assistance
including medical, dental, and behavioral health
services. The new center serves an additional
7,200 patients in the community. Last year, over
19,000 patients received health services there.
3 Downtown Council 2012 Downtown Housing
Report Businesses in Paseo West Independence Avenue Retail
20
organizations committed to and engaged in the
neighborhood’s future, including: • Chouteau Courts Resident Council
• Pendleton Heights Neighborhood Association
• Paseo West Neighborhood Association
• Independence Plaza Neighborhood Council
Growing and Diverse Community
The neighborhood is growing at a 6.4% rate and includes
some of the city’s most culturally diverse residents.
Employers
Electric Company, KCTG, Palmentere Brothers
Trucking, Brink’s Incorporated, and Zahner. Zahner
products have been used in many architecturally
significant projects, including the Kauffman Center
for the Performing Arts and the National September
11 Memorial and Museum in Lower Manhattan. The
area is also home to a number of social service
agencies (The Salvation Army, Restart Inc. and
Hope Faith Ministries, and City Union Mission)
displaced by renewed investment downtown.
Available Land
redevelopment opportunities.
The former Woodland Elementary School, adjacent
to the Samuel Rodgers Health Center, is one of the
largest underutilized assets in the neighborhood and
one of the biggest symbols of neglect and vacancy.
This site presents both an opportunity, as it can be
repurposed into another educational or community
serving amenity, and a deterrent for investment
while it is vacant. KCPS has worked to reopen the
school site as an early childhood education center
during the development of the Transformation Plan.
The site will reopen as a Community School named
the Woodland Early Learning Community School.
Key Challenges The neighborhood has some significant challenges
to overcome in order to make the Paseo Gateway a
vibrant, healthy, and safe community.
Marginal & Conflicting Land Uses
challenges where light industrial businesses,
social service agencies, traditional residential
development, and blighted properties create
opportunities for loitering and crime that can cause
significant conflict.
Just over 32 acres, or 5%, of land is considered
vacant, comprised mostly of small, scattered
parcels. Due to their geographic dispersion,
vacancy affects the perception of the entire district.
Vacant Woodland Elementary School Site
A. Zahner, an internationally renowned architectural metal fabricator is headquartered in Paseo West.
The Arts Asylum, an arts incubator in Paseo West, provides affordable studio and performing spaces in a
repurposed church building.
The Royal Inn
The Capri Motel
Avenue do not meet the day-to-day needs of
neighborhood residents. As a result, the 2008
Independence Avenue Business District Market
Study found approximately $36 million of retail and
restaurant sales leaking out of the primary trade area.
Lack of Cohesive Character and Walkability
Along Key Commercial Corridors
Prospect and Spruce Avenues. The business corridor
includes a mix of commercial, residential, institutional,
and vacant properties. Over the years, the pedestrian
orientation of Independence Avenue has eroded in
favor of a more auto-oriented character. This has left
a hodgepodge of commercial properties with varying
setbacks and scales and numerous curb cuts that
make it difficult for pedestrians to traverse the area.
There is also a lack of quality retail options, creating
an opportunity to attract other market segments
that can meet the needs of residents, students, and
employees in the district.
City, Missouri, the problem is primarily concentrated
within the urban core. The 2009 violent crime
statistics for the neighborhood is 30.55 per 1,000
compared to the citywide average of 13.12 per
1,000.4 The area contains a number of crime hot
spots.
Report 2009
Century Towers
22
Westside Housing Organization and the Northeast
Chamber of Commerce, sponsored a commercial
market study for the Independence Avenue
business district. The study was conducted in
2008 by Fine Point Associates. Based on findings
from interviews and site research, a number of
assets and challenges were identified for the
Independence commercial corridor.
Assets: • High vehicular traffic (19,600 vehicles a day) means a
large number of potential customers
• Culturally diverse, independent, and one-of-a-kind businesses
• Good public transit and easy access
• 25% of area residents do not own cars, meaning more local shoppers
• Unique local attractions, including the Kansas City Museum, Cliff Drive, and Kessler Park
• Portions of the area have a compact, pedestrian- oriented layout that promotes pedestrian activity
• A neighborhood rich in architectural details
• 100% tax abatement on new improvements
• NRSA designation that targets the area for assistance and CDBG funds
Challenges: • Lack of gateways or entry ways to the district
• Image and perception of crime
• Visible loitering and issues with prostitution and drug sales
• Pedestrian safety at poorly designed and highly trafficked intersections
• Unattractive storefronts and poor signage
• Limited business hours
• Perception and concerns about health code violationsHousing on Admiral Boulevard
Neighborhood Ethnic businesses
HAKC Riverview Gardens
Diners at Pho Hoa Noodle Soup on Independence Avenue
N M
Levee Rd
os pe
ct A
E Pershing Rd
N Brooklyn Ave
E 18 Pl
N W
ab as
h Av
St on
ew al
Topping Ct
Amie Ct
M er
sin gt
on C
H ig
hl an
d Av
V irg
in ia
A ve
& M Rail Lin k
E 13 St
O liv
e St
H ig
hl an
d Av
C en
Paseo Gateway Subdistricts December, 2012
LEGEND
The Independence Avenue Business District includes 98 establishments and represents over 350,000 square feet of commercial and institutional space.
INDEPENDENCE AVENUE BUSINESS DISTRICT
24
Paseo Gateway features a variety of existing land
uses and zoning districts. The Kessler Greenway
System is the most significant natural feature in the
area and connects the northeast neighborhoods
via the Cliff Drive Scenic Byway. The neighborhood
is bisected by the east-west Independence Avenue
and the north-south Paseo Greenway. These
thoroughfares divide the district into sub-districts
with distinct land use and zoning patterns. The
neighborhood’s sub-district typologies can be
characterized as:
• Industrial fabric of Paseo West: a mix of commercial,
light industrial, truck storage, motel uses, social service
institutions, and some scattered residential
• Independence Plaza: the residential neighborhood south
of Independence Avenue extending east of the study area
• Institutional core: Kansas City University of Medical
Biosciences (KCUMB) campus and Samuel Rodger Health
• Independence Avenue: a key commercial corridor linking
downtown Kansas City to the west with traditional pedestrian
districts to the east
be considered underutilized. Due to their dispersed
nature within Paseo Gateway, these vacant
properties have a blighting influence that detracts
from the neighborhood’s character and vibrancy.
This is particularly pronounced in the Paseo West
Area, where vacant land and underutilized parcels
along the main corridors contribute to a negative
perception of the area.
in the neighborhood, some of their layout creates
super blocks which do not fit within the existing
fabric of the area.
229 acres Private Landowners
8.32 acres Samuel Rodgers
Land Ownership Breakdown- See Appendix 1.A for a detailed land ownership map, existing zoning map, and opportunity sites map.
The new 68,000 square feet, $25 million Samuel Rodgers Health facility is one of the many signs of the area’s regeneration. (Image by Rafael Architects Inc. Courtesy of Samuel Rodgers Health)
Elma St
ink
Categorized as Vacant
Neighborhood Land Use
Chouteau Courts (HAKC)
November 10, 2011
LEGEND
Elma St
G illis S
ink
Categorized as Vacant
Neighborhood Land Use
Chouteau Courts (HAKC)
November 10, 2011
LEGEND
26
infrastructure to manage stormwater in new
projects. Green infrastructure is an integrated
network of open spaces and natural areas
designed to manage stormwater and improve
water quality. It typically costs less to install
and maintain than traditional infrastructure and
can have multiple benefits, including:
• Environmental benefits: clean the air, improve
the climate, increase habitat
jobs, reduce energy costs
pair stormwater management with education.
Replacing hardscape play areas with
pervious paving and rain gardens can serve
as stormwater storage, encourage infiltration,
and provide opportunities to educate students
about stormwater management.
The Paseo Gateway is well served by parks and
open space. However, the majority of open space
lies along the northern edge of the area (the Kessler
Greenway system), resulting in open space somewhat
disconnected from neighborhoods. The Kessler Park
system begins at the western edge of the district,
connecting to The Paseo, and has 303 acres of open
space with numerous amenities—play fields, trails,
and recreation facilities. Neighborhood parks, such as
Independence Plaza Park and Kemp Playground, also
serve the neighborhood.
one of the country’s premier landscape planners, links
to Kessler Park and the Scenic Byway. At the time of
the Paseo’s development, the neighborhood was home
to some of the region’s wealthiest and most influential
business leaders. Although this park-greenway
connection has been lost as a result of road infrastructure
and adjacent blighted land uses, there is an opportunity
to redesign and reconnect the greenway and park
systems to develop a true “gateway” in keeping with
Kessler’s original vision.
of downtown. However, while the area is near the
Missouri River to the north, there is no clear connection
or sense of proximity from the neighborhood. The
neighborhood’s location near the relatively steep
topography by the Missouri River excludes the area
from 100 and 500 year floodplains.
OPPORTUNITY FOR A COMPREHENSIVE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK
Paseo Greenway
Paseo Greenway
& M Rail Lin k
p
lwy
Environmental Conditions
Maple Park
Belvidere Park
High Point
Missouri
& M Rail Lin k
p
lwy
Environmental Conditions
Maple Park
Belvidere Park
High Point
Missouri
28
and interstate highways, with direct access
to I-29/35 via The Paseo. While the highway
physically separates the neighborhood from
downtown Kansas City to the west, there are still a
number of vehicular connections—Independence
Avenue, Admiral Boulevard, and 9th Street—that
provide direct access to downtown as well as
neighborhoods to the east. To the north, access is
limited by topographical constraints and rail lines
that run along or in close proximity to the Missouri
River. To the east and south, the neighborhood is
well integrated into its surroundings via a traditional
urban street grid (See Appendix 1.A for Street
System Map). While vehicular connections exist,
pedestrian and bicycle connections across
the major thoroughfares are limited and create
hazardous conditions for neighborhood residents.
Paseo Gateway is well served by KCATA bus routes,
especially along the area’s east-west corridors that
connect to downtown. In all, 6 different bus routes
run through the area. The neighborhood’s western
half has the highest density of transit routes—most
likely due to its close proximity to downtown—
while Pendleton Heights has the lowest density of
transit within the neighborhood, with only Route 30
serving the area. The neighborhood is connected
to southern neighborhoods by Route 110. (See
Appendix 1.A for Neighborhood Bus Routes
Map)
users. Independence Avenue, one of the area’s
major thoroughfares, promotes fast moving
traffic and impedes pedestrian and bicycle
connections between neighborhoods and to
local destinations. There is an opportunity to
redesign Independence Avenue as a complete
street that more adequately balances uses—
providing space for pedestrians, cyclists,
motorists, drivers, and public transit riders in
a way that improves safety for all modes while
also making the street a more attractive part of
the neighborhood.
COMPLETE STREETS
The existing entrance into the area from Downtown on Independence Avenue
Independence and Woodland
& M Rail Lin k
p
lwy
Access to Recreational Amenities
On-Street Bike Lanes
& M Rail Lin k
p
lwy
Access to Recreational Amenities
On-Street Bike Lanes
32
Choice Neighborhoods Transformation Plan was aimed at
understanding the needs, visions, and aspirations of the
community and was designed to enable residents and
stakeholders in developing realistic, achievable strategies for
neighborhood transformation. The process was two-fold: a
Quality of Life Planning process led by GKCLISC focused on
engaging the diverse resident population, while a Stakeholder
Engagement process included surveys, visioning workshops,
focus group and steering committee meetings that went
beyond the neighborhood residnets to include a broader set
of area stakeholders.
efforts. The goals that came out of the community engagement
process and are driving the transformation plan include:
promoting clean and safe neighborhoods, celebrating the
area’s diversity, attracting new businesses and employment
opportunities, encouraging pedestrian access and multi-
modal transportation, and promoting and protecting the area’s
historic character.
Create and implement a public safety strategy designed to increase “eyes on the street,” decrease crime, and increase neighborhood safety.
Develop a culture where the community is free of trash and litter.
Develop higher quality public transportation to and from Northeast Kansas City, as public transportation continues to be an essential service for residents.
Improve the economic activity and perception of the community through the Community Improvement District (CID) along one block of Independence Ave from Paseo to Interstate 435.
Improve housing stock in the community by enhancing home upkeep, enforcing current housing codes and laws, enacting stricter standards for landlords, and keeping historic standards.
CHAPTER 2 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & QUALITY OF LIFE PLANNING
33
QUALITY OF LIFE PLANNING
trends point to a growing and diverse population with
a large minority and immigrant community. In order
to more actively engage these populations in the
Choice Neighborhoods Initiative planning process,
GKCLISC led a Quality of Life Planning process,
which ensured meaningful and representative
input from the area’s diverse residents. The
Quality of Life Planning sessions focused on the
four neighborhoods in the district: Paseo West,
Pendleton Heights, Independence Plaza, and
Chouteau Courts. Residents were guided through
a structured planning process to create a vision
for their neighborhood—a “Quality of Life Plan”—
that defined their critical needs and offered a
path towards realizing the community’s vision.
The Plan outlines strategies, budgets, suggested
partners/resources, and a timeline to implement
improvements. The plan is a living document and
is subject to change as conditions and economies
improve and as needs and opportunities arise.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Equally important is the range of other stakeholders
in the Paseo Gateway district, including
neighborhood organizations, buisness leaders,
agencies. HAKC identified gaps in existing
community representation and leadership and
contacted relevant stakeholders to reach out to
those community groups.
process, HAKC and its partners facilitated the
creation of strategies that belong to and can be
implemented by the myriad partners and resources
available within and outside of the Paseo Gateway
district.
34
35
36
QUALITY OF LIFE PLANNING
empowered through the Choice Neighborhoods
Transformation Plan process. GKCLISC has been
working with communities in the greater Northeast
to strategically focus resources that can leverage
opportunities for redevelopment. The Quality of Life
Plan process created a basis for understanding
what the needs were for these various stakeholder
groups and brought them together to find common
ground, laying the foundation for collaboration.
Recognizing that the public housing, minority,
and new immigrant communities have not been
key participants in previous planning processes,
GKCLISC enlisted Kirk Perucca Associates to
lead an inclusive Quality of Life Planning process
that leveraged the area’s diversity as an asset to
community building.
PHASE ONE
Step 1: Identify Community Leaders Working with community leaders, stakeholders
were identified and a list of individuals and groups
to include in the process was developed. In addition
to identifying leaders of established neighborhood
organizations and institutions, GKCLISC/Perucca
Working through neighborhood associations
and other neighborhood-serving organizations,
Hispanic, Somali, Haitian, and Sudanese
communities. In addition, the outreach extended to
established organizations such as The Don Bosco
Centers and local religious institutions.
Step 2: Conduct a Needs Assessment A comprehensive needs assessment was
conducted over a three month period to gain
insight into the issues that impact the community’s
quality of life. The majority of interviews were
conducted in person and generally lasted 45 to
90 minutes. This included interviews of community
leaders and neighborhood residents. Interviews
were conducted with an interpreter for participants
whose primary language was not English. The
interviews focused on six key questions:
1. What do you like about your neighborhood?
2. What do you dislike about your neighborhood?
3. If you could change one thing about your neighborhood, what would it be?
4. What are some things that would stop that from getting done?
5. Do you feel safe when you are in the Northeast?
6. If you could change one thing about your child’s school/ education what would that be?
29%
37
Public Meetings and Visioning Workshops HAKC and their planning coordinator, WRT, held a number of public meetings and work sessions to elicit meaningful input into the planning process.
June 2011 Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Launch and Site Tour As a launch to the two-year planning initiative, a full day was dedicated to introducing residents, community stakeholders, and partners to the Chouteau Courts/Paseo Gateway transformation process. Neighborhood and organization leaders introduced the planning area and basic expectations of the final plan outcomes. Also included was a bus tour of the neighborhood to place the planning area in context.
November 2011 Transformation Plan Public Meeting The planning team held a second community meeting on November 17, 2011 to present preliminary data on the study area and meet in small groups to discuss neighborhood assets, issues, and what the community would like to see in future planning for their neighborhood.
March 2011 HUD Awaards HAKC a $250,000 Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant
November 2011
Visioning Workshop Following the completion of the needs assessment, the team convened a visioning workshop with stakeholders, businesses, and City agencies to address issues and priorities within the Paseo Gateway study area and create a vision for the community.
December 2012
Transformation Plan
December 2012 Draft Transformation Plan Presentation Upon the completion of the draft Transformation Plan for Paseo Gateway, the HAKC planning team followed up with local residents and stakeholders to discuss potential implementation strategies and plan priorities.
NE ED
S AS
SE SS
M EN
June 2012 - July 2013 Steering Committee Meetings
June 2012 Transformation Plan Public Meeting In this public meeting, the planning team updated the community and stakeholders on the progress of the planning process, goals, and key findings from the needs assessment, and preliminary strategies for implementation.
PL AN
R EV
IE W
38
Step 3: Compile Findings The findings from the needs assessment and one-
on-one Interviews were compiled and categorized
into five main categories:
response items)
PHASE TWO
Conduct Quality of Life Plan Community Meetings Goals for the neighborhoods were developed in
a series of community meetings. The meetings
were advertised through direct mail invitations from
GKCLISC and local City Council representatives
as well as postings in the Northeast News, a local
independent paper.
Step 1: Conduct one-day Quality of Life Planning sessions GKCLISC/Perucca Associates conducted a one-
day session for each neighborhood to identify
neighborhood goals and concerns.
Step 2: Identify shared needs and issues Based on the input received from the individual
neighborhood sessions, shared needs and issues
were identified.
Step 3: Build consensus and create a plan for addressing issues A final meeting brought stakeholders together
from all four neighborhood groups to collectively
determine the areas of concern that are most
important and to reach consensus on the best
strategies to use in addressing those concerns. The
goals were to reach consensus, identify priorities,
and create a plan for implementation.
Step 4: Develop Plan and Circulate The community goals that emerged from the Quality
of Life Planning process help to set the framework for
the overall Paseo Gateway Choice Neighborhoods
Transformation Plan. Participation in the Quality of
Life Planning process was successful in bringing
the diverse interests together in a respectful
community discussion. Residents were surprised
to find out that although they come from different
social and economic backgrounds, they share
similar visions for a safe and nurturing community.
Quality of Life Planning Session
November 2011 Public Meeting at Don Bosco
39
surveys, public meetings and visioning workshops,
convening a steering committee and focus groups,
and holding one-on-one meetings with institutional,
civic, and community stakeholders. All meetings
were widely advertised with flyers. Invitations were
sent via e-mail to all participants of past meetings
and anyone who expressed interest at any time
during the process. Interested individuals and
those active in community affairs were targeted
and invited by phone call to extend a personal
invitation and provide background on the project.
Meetings were held in wheelchair accessible rooms
and conducted with special accommodations
for non-English speakers. Childcare and food
were provided. In addition to the meetings that
HAKC led, workshops and design sessions were
held where residents and stakeholders were
able to engage with the project team and explore
strategies and design concepts in a meaningful
way. These workshops were advertised with flyers,
by e-mail invitation, and by direct contact made
with neighborhood leaders. The Paseo Gateway
website and newsletters provided a forum for
reporting back to the community, with summary
findings posted after each meeting.
1. RESIDENT SURVEYS
In order to get a more complete picture of the needs
and concerns of the Chouteau Courts residents
and to serve as a baseline for monitoring progress
and measuring success as the Transformation
Plan is implemented, the HAKC Resident Services
Department administered an in-depth one-on-one
survey to the residents. The survey asked about
residents’ needs in education, health, recreation,
and economic resources. Following the general
IDENTIFY SURVEY RESULTS USING GREEN BOX
survey, the HAKC Resident Services Department
also conducted a more specific health survey to
develop a better understanding of the community’s
physical and mental well-being. A summary of the
survey findings follows. Full survey results can be
found in Appendix 2.C and 2.E.
Cultural Group
Location/ Proximity x x x x x x x x
Diversity x x x
Parks x
Housing Cost x x
Homeless People x x x
Vacancy/ Blight/ Neglect x x x x x x x
Lack of Amenities/ Parks x x x x x x
Section 8 Housing Density x x
Location/ Proximity x x
40
neighborhood
Close to downtown Parking
Education and Youth • Students attend a large number of schools
outside the area, and families consider them to be good to average quality. Many families are interested in enrolling their children in schools outside the district.
• Large youth population (54 respondents), 5-18 years of age.
• A number of families are interested in opportunities for tutoring.
• Need and interest in more youth focused activities in the neighborhood, including tutoring and educational training/career programs.
Healthcare and Supportive Services • A majority of respondents (44) indicated that
they go to Truman Medical Center (a not- for-profit hospital) for healthcare and a large number have Medicaid or health insurance.
• Almost all (70) have needed emergency assistance for utilities, food, or clothing.
• Asthma was considered an issue according to survey respondents.
Access and Transportation • Residents get around by walking, public bus
service, as well as relying on rides from others.
• According to respondents, the convenience of the Chouteau Courts location is what they value, along with the neighborhood’s general sense of quiet.
Living in Chouteau Courts • When asked what they like about living in Chouteau
Courts, residents indicated that they like their home’s location, their apartment itself as well as their neighbors.
• In order to make their community a better place, many residents supported improved safety and security, additional on-site features, and renovated apartments, but the majority (44) supported the demolition of the existing buildings in favor of building new apartments.
• The main aspects of living in Chouteau Courts that residents disliked the most were related to children in the neighborhood, their behavior, and the level of loud disturbances at night.
• Most survey respondents indicated that they would consider moving; either to Section 8 apartments, a different neighborhood, or other public housing sites.
Crime and Safety • Residents reported drug activity, assault,
vandalism, and theft as issues they worry about in
Chouteau Courts.
SUMMARY OF SURVEY FINDINGS- CHOUTEAU COURTS A total of 79 one-on-one surveys were administered by the HAKC to households in Chouteau Courts.
41
in July and August of 2012. A total of 45
households in the development responded
to the questions, providing information
regarding their health, education, and
access to services in their neighborhood.
Of the 45 respondents, 13 represented
families with school age children living
within the community. The survey was
administered through an in-person
that focused on general respondent and
household information, existing health
healthy behavior habits, and safety. The
insights gained through the survey will
be used along with other baseline data
to analyze future survey responses and
measure the impact of the neighborhood
transformation over time. As with the
interview of Chouteau Courts residents,
there are specific responses that can help
with immediate implementation efforts. Full
survey results can be found in Appendix
2.D.
Education and Youth • Of the 45 respondents, only 3 have earned a college
degree, but the majority (70%) have either graduated high school or earned a GED.
• Almost all (12 out of 13) families with children rely on a school bus to get them to school.
Healthcare and Supportive Services • A majority of residents (58%) use Truman for their
healthcare, followed by 7 residents who use Samuel U. Rodgers, and 6 who use Swope Parkway Health Center.
• 1 respondent indicated that they received medical insurance coverage through their employer.
• The majority (80%) are covered by Medicaid, Medicare, or a combination thereof. Only 8 respondents indicated that they have no insurance.
• When asked to describe their health in general, 82% of respondents considered it to be “Excellent” or “Fair.”
• However, 46% indicated that health problems were an issue that made it difficult to get or stay in a job.
• Only 6% of the respondents are currently employed in a permanent full time job
• 89% are unemployed and dependent on TANF, Disability, Child Support, SSI, Veterans Benefits, or Social Security. Only 1 resident indicated unemployment support as a source of household income.
SUMMARY OF SURVEY FINDINGS- RIVERVIEW GARDENS • A majority (78%) of respondents, who indicated that
they have at some point been in need of emergency assistance, relied on the United Services Community Action Agency for help with their utilities or food.
• About half (51%) have not participated in any school or job training programs in the last five years, but most residents (67%) indicated that they would be interested in attending them; particularly focused on obtaining a GED, college education and technical skills. Almost all residents (91%) said they would be willing to travel to another housing authority location to participate in these programs.
Living in Riverview Gardens • Personal sentiment toward the community was mixed,
with a variety of aspects that residents valued and a similar variety of negative characteristics.
42
• Neighborhood Institutions: KCUMB, Samuel
Rodgers, Garfield Elementary School
Parks and Recreation
City
NE Help
Don Bosco, Mattie Rhodes, Scuola Vita Nuova
• Neighborhood Organizations: Pendleton Heights
Council
2. PUBLIC MEETINGS AND VISIONING WORKSHOPS
HAKC held a number of public meetings and work
sessions to gain meaningful input into the planning
process. A wide range of stakeholders attended
the meetings and workshops. Meetings were
structured to discuss issues related to housing,
people, and neighborhoods; to report findings to
residents; and to elicit their input and feedback.
3. STEERING COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND FOCUS GROUPS
In addition to public meetings, HAKC worked with
project partners to develop a Steering Committee
to guide plan development and implementation.
The Paseo Gateway Steering Committee is
comprised of four Technical Advisory Committees
as described below.
HAKC and its project partners held a number
of one-on-one meetings and conversations
with neighborhood stakeholders throughout the
planning process. Discussions were held and are
ongoing with:
43
Job Training College readiness
Affordable Housing Relocation
Transitional Housing
CID Workforce Development Business retention and
recruitment Marketing and branding
Tech Advisory Committee
Preventative Health Exercise
discussed ideas, and devised actions and goals for
the future of the Paseo Gateway community. These
issues and goals are the basis for the strategies
contained in the Housing, Neighborhood, and
People Plans of the Paseo Gateway Transformation
Plan.
community, and stakeholder meetings; and an
inclusive Quality of Life Planning process enabled
all sectors of the community to take ownership of
the Transformation Plan. High levels of attendance
at community and stakeholder meetings allowed
vibrant and meaningful discussion about a range
of issues affecting those who live and work in the
community. The success of the Quality of Life
Planning sessions resulted in a community that
felt engaged and has ongoing ownership of the
process and its outcomes. Though the product
of this community engagement strategy is the
Transformation Plan, the Housing Authority of
Kansas City and its partners remain committed to
engaging the community long-term to implement
plans, suggestions, and strategies made by
residents and community members.
46
The Education Strategy for the Paseo Gateway aims to improve
and coordinate educational opportunities for residents of the
Chouteau Courts Public Housing development and adjoining
neighborhoods. The strategy is to work with the Kansas City
Public School (KCPS) to empower residents to adopt learning
as a life-long endeavor that will enable them to become global
citizens who are responsible for their personal economic well-
being and contribute to the well-being of their families and
communities, to be respectful of different perspectives, and
to enjoy satisfying and productive lives.
VISION
community hubs—anchor locations where residents,
students, and their families can be connected to services and
resources. This coordination of services will further educational
objectives and integrate programs and services that support
children and more effectively engage their families, leading to
stronger neighborhoods.
The goal of the Paseo Gateway Education Strategy is to
build academic support for families through a coordinated
approach of programs and services.
1 2
Provide access to in-school and out-of-school academic enrichment programs.
Build academic support systems in schools, communities, and homes so that students reach developmental milestones to increase the likelihood of future academic success.
Expand parents’ access to supportive services.
CHAPTER 3 EDUCATION
and low academic performance for decades.
Organized in 1867, the district originally served
2,150 children. Today, the district educates just
over 15,000 children, down from an enrollment of
35,000 in 1999, despite a stable city population.
On January 1, 2012, KCPS lost its state accreditation.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education (DESE) has the authority to take over
the district at any time. At this time, DESE has not
indicated if or when the State will step in. KCPS
was unaccredited by the Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education (DESE) for meeting
only 3 of 14 accreditation standards. Standards
include attendance, graduation rate, and Missouri
Assessment Program (MAP) test scores. The district
has consistently performed below state standards
and below many other districts in Kansas City with
similar demographics. However, preliminary testing
and student performance data returns from the
2012–2013 school year show that the Kansas City
Public Schools (KCPS) is positioning itself to regain
provisional accreditation as early as fall 2013. The
expected progress to re-accreditation is based in
part on data collected during the 2012–13 school
year, an increase in end-of-course exam results for
high school students, and continued achievement
in college and career readiness.
With a significant decrease in the student
population in 2010, KCPS initiated a Repurposing
Initiative— a comprehensive approach to reusing
or redeveloping 30 closed school sites. The
Woodland School, one of two public elementary
schools in Paseo Gateway, has been closed. The
remaining school, Garfield Elementary, serves a
majority of the children in Chouteau Courts based
on data collected in a recent resident survey.
Garfield is a Title 1 school with 98% of its students
enrolled in the free/reduced lunch program. Neither
Garfield School nor Northeast High School, serving
a majority of the youth in the Paseo Gateway,
is making adequate yearly progress, with MAP
Communication Arts and Math scores well below
the Missouri State standard.
partially to blame for educational needs in Paseo
Gateway, there is also recognition that children
are affected by the environment in which they
live, including poverty, crime, health, and mobility
(the number of times students change schools
for reasons other than regular grade promotion).
A poverty rate of 43%—among the highest in the
city—and the high rate of mobility—not only from
city to city or state to state, but also from school to
school—adversely affect academic progress. Paseo
Gateway has a large youth population and serves a
significant number of immigrant families, additional
factors that further add to the complexity of current
educational challenges.
2011 School Year gggggggggggg 35.9% 2012 School Year gggggggggggg 43.5%
Northeast High School
2011 School Year gggggggggggg 65.4% 2012 School Year gggggggggggg 63.5%
It is important to note that the rates listed above are for those students who have moved at least once a school year. There are cases when students move in and out of a school more than one time in a school year.
48
NEEDS
their children to at least 33 different schools, of
which only 11 are in or around the area. There are
three schools within the boundaries of the Paseo
Gateway Transformation planning area: Garfield
Elementary (KCPS), Scuola Vita Nuova (charter
school operating since 1999), and Woodland
Elementary (currently being repurposed by the
KCPS to be used as a Head Start facility and a
Community School). Of those three, only Scuola
Vita Nuova has met partial Adequate Yearly
Progress (AYP) in 2011. Northeast High School
is the public secondary school serving the area.
Census data from 2010 for the Paseo Gateway
SCHOOL ENROLLMENT 64106 64124 TOTAL PERCENTAGE Garfield Elementary 585 88 342 430 74%
Whittier Elementary 490 30 270 300 61%
Gladstone Elementary 579 2 184 186 32%
Garcia Elementary 355 110 9 119 34%
James Elementary 425 5 23 28 7%
Northeast High 1100 126 283 409 37%
East High 1039 62 115 177 17%
Scuola Vita Nuova 165 1 44 45 27%
Frontier School of Innovation 556 28 127 155 28%
Della Lamb Charter School 627 120 156 276 44%
Alta Vista**
Della Lamb Early Educ. Ctr. 88 21 6 27 30%
United Inner City Services 107 25 7 32 30%
Chart 3.1, Source: KCPS, Scuola Vita Nuova, Frontier School of Innovation, Della Lamb, UICS, & Department of Elementary and Secondary Education *denotes 2011 district enrollment numbers include Pre-K **denotes schools for which we do not currently have numbers
community indicates there are 1,086 school-age
children and 597 preschoolers. Below is a chart
detailing the numbers and percentages of children
in zip codes 64106 and 64124 attending schools
and early education centers in and surrounding the
Paseo Gateway community.
same content area or meet attendance rates
for K–8 or graduation rates for 9–12 for two or
more consecutive years are placed in School
Improvement (SI) status. Any Title I funded school
in SI status must meet certain requirements to
improve student performance. These requirements
differ by number of years the school has been in
SI status. See Chart 3.2 detailing the 11 schools in
and surrounding the Paseo Gateway community,
their AYP, SI level, and grades served.
The State of Missouri has received an NCLB waiver,
which, in part, relieves the district of its responsibility
to utilize outside supplemental educational services
(SES) providers for tutoring. Due to this change,
districts that in the past were mandated to offer
after-school tutoring through outside providers will
now have the option to decide how to meet State
standards and improve academic performance.
WHAT IS AYP?
by which schools, districts and states are held
accountable for student performance under
Title I of the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act
(NCLB), under the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act (ESEA). The law requires states
to use a single accountability system for public
schools to determine whether all students, as
well as subgroups, are making progress toward
meeting state academic content standards.
CHAPTER 3 EDUCATION
49
1. Garfield Elementary 2. Woodland Elementary 3. Scarritt Elementary 4. Gladstone Elementary 5. Northeast High School 6. Northeast Middle School 7. Primitivo Garcia Elementary 8. Alta Vista Charter Elementary 9. Lincoln College Prep High School 10. Longfellow Elementary 11. Wendell Phillips Elementary 12. Attucks Elementary 13. McCoy Elementary 14. Trailwoods Elementary 15. J.A. Rogers Middle School 16. Askew Elementary
Note as of the publishing of this plan in 2013 the following schools were closed: Askew Elementary McCoy Elementary Northeast Middle School Scarritt Elementary
Within the Paseo Gateway boundary, there is one KCPS elementary school and one charter school. Woodland Elementary School located at 711 Woodland was closed as part of the school consolidation plan, but will re-open in August 2013 as a Community School.
EXISTING KCPS SCHOOLS
50
academic performance is improved. The district has
many strategies within all performance standards
to address accreditation. One overarching theme is
an intense focus on using data for decision-making.
The district uses data of various means and can drill
down to the school level. Once the problems are
known, focused strategies will be used to address
problem areas.
Scuola Vita Nuova, there is very little tutoring offered
in the Paseo Gateway community. However, it was
the number one request from residents completing
the surveys and needs assessments. Other limited
services in the Paseo Gateway community that
residents would like to see expanded are after-
school and summer programs.
appeared satisfied with their children’s school. This
is disturbing because the majority of schools in the
community are not doing well academically and
have not done well for many years. It is imperative
that parents have access to educational material
that allows them to make informed decisions
about their children’s education. Surveys and
Evidence has shown that multiple transfers,
unstable housing situations, and interrupted
curriculum negatively impact student
between schools may experience:
A greater risk for dropping out
SCHOOL GRADES SERVED 2011 AYP YEAR AYP LAST MET SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT LEVEL Garfield Elementary PreK – 6 Not Met/Both 2009: Met/Both Level 1
Whittier Elementary PreK – 6 Not Met/Both 2007: Met/CA Level 5: Restructuring , Implementation
Gladstone Elementary PreK – 6 Not Met/Both 2009: Met/CA Level 4: Restructuring, Planning
Garcia Elementary PreK – 6 Not Met/Both 2007: Met/Both Level 5: Restructuring, Continuing
James Elementary PreK – 6 Met/Both 2007: Met/CA Level 5: Restructuring, Implementation
Northeast High** 7 – 12 Not Met/Both Never Met Non Title I: School Improvement Year 3
East High** 7 – 12 Not Met/Both Never Met Non Title I: School Improvement Year 3
Scuola Vita Nuova K – 8 Met/Math 2007: Met/Both Level 3: Corrective Action
Frontier School of Innovation* K – 6 Met/Both 1st year open was 2010 Title I: No Sanctions
Della Lamb K – 6 Not Met/Both Never Met Level 5: Restructuring, Continuing
Alta Vista 9 - 12 Met/Both 2010: Met/Both Title I: No Sanctions
Della Lamb Early Educ. Ctr. K – 6 Not Met/Both Never Met Level 5: Restructuring, Continuing
Chart 3.2, Source: Department of Elementary and Secondary Education *denotes 2011 AYP for middle/high school was met in math; met in both in 2009 & 2007 **denotes school is receiving School Improvement Grant & under KCPS discretion chose not to be Title I school
CHAPTER 3 EDUCATION
that will be addressed in this Transformation Plan.
They are:
required to spend Title 1 funds on SES or tutoring
programs, the need for tutoring remains. This
Transformation Plan will assist in implementing
programs. For example, HAKC has partnered with
Medical Students at KCUMB to provide tutoring
in the Riverview development. This project will be
expanded to Chouteau Courts in the future.
The need for improved communication between
social service agencies. The agencies lack a
systems approach to aligning community support
for education, raising student achievement,
identifying appropriate funding priorities, and
seeking funding. The resources that do exist
are seldom shared, compiled, or analyzed on a
systemic basis. By not collaborating, it can be
difficult to know what is available.
The need to relieve enrollment pressure.
There are 6,000 three- and four-year old children
within the KCPS boundaries, and the largest
growth area is located in the Northeast section
of the district. Enrollment in elementary schools
in this area has increased significantly over the
last three years, and an increasing number of
students must be bussed to school sites further
south of the Northeast area school boundaries.
In order to relieve the enrollment pressure, Head
Start classrooms within five elementary schools in
the Northeast area will be vacated at the end of the
2012–13 school year. KCPS wants to consolidate
locations within the Head Start Program to create a
more efficient and effective program delivery model
and is proceeding with plans to open Woodland
as a community school as part of its consolidation
plan. KCPS will implement a consolidation plan
that will involve the recruitment of young children,
especially eligible four-year-olds from the Northeast
area of the KCPS boundaries, for an early learning
community school beginning August 2013. The
Woodland Elementary school site, closed since
2008, will be renovated and reopened to serve 220
Head Start and Special Education Pre-K children
from the Northeast area. The community school will
be ready for the start of the 2013–14 school year.
To this end, many cities are moving towards
community schools as a model. Community schools
happen when a school district, local government,
and community partners join forces and align their
resources and expertise to make sure every child
has access to necessary academic, developmental,
health, and social supports. Through this intentional
collaboration, agencies recognize that the needs of
the whole child must be met in order for students to
succeed. Through a coordinated delivery system,
a community school offers more effective programs
and services than any one of its partners could offer
on its own.
A community school is not a program. It is a way
of doing business—a collaborative approach
to supporting student success that includes
components such as after school and summer
programming, family engagement, social services,
and physical and mental health services. With
the ultimate goal of ensuring student success,
a community school strives to be a full-spectrum
resource for families and children, reflecting the
needs of the community.
52
2011 Attendance State Kansas City Public Schools Center City School District Hickman School District Raytown School District
2011 Graduation Rate State Kansas City Public Schools Center City School District Hickman School District Raytown School District
2011 4-Year Graduation Rate State Kansas City Public Schools Center City School District Hickman School District Raytown School District
86%
55%
50%
88%
60%
55%
90%
65%
60%
92%
70%
65%
94%
75%
70%
96%
graduation rate, 4-year graduation rate, and those
who scored proficient and advanced on the MAP
in Communication Arts and Math (3rd and 8th
graders). Graduation rates are based on a formula
devised by DESE (Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education), and 4-year graduation rates
are the number of students who entered the district
in the 9th grade and graduate four years later. All
data was compiled from DESE’s website.
Northeast High School, which serves the study
area, is 1.7 miles east of Garfield Elementary. There
are five other district schools and three charter
schools within close proximity but outside of the
Paseo Gateway boundaries.
CHAPTER 3 EDUCATION
53
2011 MAP State 3rd Grade Comm Arts 8th Grade Comm Arts 3rd Grade Math 8th Grade Math
Kansas City Public Schools 3rd Grade Comm Arts 8th Grade Comm Arts
3rd Grade Math 8th Grade Math
Center City School District 3rd Grade Comm Arts 8th Grade Comm Arts
Hickman School District 3rd Grade Comm Arts 8th Grade Comm Arts
Raytown School District 3rd Grade Comm Arts 8th Grade Comm Arts
15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 55%
Woodland Elementary School
Northeast Community Center
Garfield Elementary School
54
during the needs assessment, HAKC retained an
educational subconsultant to lead a collaborative
process to develop strategies aimed at improving
educational outcomes for students and families.
The basis of these proposed strategies was
research and analysis of the schools in the Paseo
Gateway area conducted through the DESE,
reports commissioned by the Ewing Marion
Kauffman Foundation (Putting Performance on the
Map: Locating Quality Schools in the Kansas City,
MO School District and Delivering on the Promise:
How Missouri Can Grow Excellent, Accoun

choice neighborhoods transformation plan

Documents

Transcript of choice neighborhoods transformation plan