First Suburbs Working Groups
Planning Working Group
- Take information from innovative zoning practices and incorporate into
MARC's Creating Quality Places web
site (done)
- Host a forum with developers to discuss the issue of facilitating innovative
development
- Survey local governments on regulation of rental housing and host meeting. Report
prepared and encouraging use of Crime
Free Multi-Housing program.
- Work with the Housing Choices Coalition on new ways to engage neighborhoods
and neighborhood leaders in a discussion about redevelopment and innovative
types of development
- Developing incentives to encourage remodeling of post-WW II homes
Retail Working Group
- Develop research on new trends in retail development, new players in retail
development, and particular opportunities for first suburbs. An grant application
is pending.
- Develop a joint initiative to identify and attract new retailers to first
suburbs
- Identify examples of successful redevelopments of underperforming or abandoned
strip centers
Housing Finance Working Group
- Develop a housing remodeling finance program. The coalition and CommunityAmerica
Credit Union began a low-interest
loan program in February 2007.
- Invite banks specializing in rehabilitation financing to join a lenders
consortium
Marketing Working Group
- Develop a First Suburbs Coalition logo
- Develop a media tool kit for first suburbs
- Develop story pipeline on first suburb stories
- Add web content for citizens and developers