near eastside quality of life plan certification c2020-02

Near Eastside Quality of Life Plan

Certification C2020-02

Acknowledgments.............................................................................................................................. Executive Summary............................................................................................................................ Background Information................................................................................................................ How to Use the Quality of Life Plan................................................................................... Equity in the Planning Process............................................................................................. Plan Accountability and Tracking........................................................................................ Certified Planning Process........................................................................................................ Overview of the Planning Process.......................................................................................Timeline of Neighborhood Engagement Events............................................................Policy Agenda............................................................................................................................................Glossary.......................................................................................................................................................Neighborhood History .....................................................................................................................Guiding Principles & Values...........................................................................................................Work Plans

Arts & Culture....................................................................................................................................Economic & Workforce Development..............................................................................Education.............................................................................................................................................Equity & Engagement.................................................................................................................Health, Wellness, & Family Strengthening....................................................................Housing.................................................................................................................................................Placemaking & Infrastructure................................................................................................Safety.......................................................................................................................................................Sustainability.....................................................................................................................................

Appendices............................................................................................................................................... Engagement Infographic......................................................................................................... Quality of Life Plan Overview.................................................................................................. Governance Infographic.............................................................................................................

Table of Contents

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A. Cheryl KieheAaron KowalskiAbigail LaneAda ConwayAdam PierceAfelia JaimesAimee ScottAlec HillAlexandra HuangAlexandra HuaryAlicia BakerAlicia CollinsAlison RedenzAlli DeBruynAllie McLaughlinAllie StahlAllison BishopAmanda McCammonAmanda SanchezAmber Harter Amy LayAmy MooreAndrea Miller Andrew BowlingAndrew FryeAndrew Green Andrew NealAndrew RodockerAndrew YeeAndy KienleAndy McCleanAngela WatkinsAnita Trejo-BjorkAnn Marie HanlinAnna ChaneyAnne SweeneyAnnie CornettAnnie HollibaughAnthony D BurkeAnthony HowellAnuja Petruniw April AdamsApril Avina AshLee BaskinAshlee WeaverAshley GardnerAshley HaackAshley Virden

Acknowledgments

Austin SmithAzaria BrownBana AlfredsBarbara NicholsonBecky VillarrealBethany BangeBill LongestBill SmithBonnie EnglandBonnie OdleBrandon RandallBreanca MerrittBri DinesBrian ColeBrian JonesBrian ParksBrianna HendersonCameron RadfordCarissa Lopez-BockusCarla JamesCarley CristCarlos Hutchinson Carol BunklyCarol FranzCarrie MurphyCasey RankinCassandra AndersonChannie JonesCharene ColeCharity StoweCharles AbbottCharles LoveladyCharles NealCharles Richert Cheria CaldwellCheryl KletteChris HartleyChris SmithChris Staab Chrissy Peterson Christian MosburgChristiana LongChristine RichertChuck Heintzelman Cindy PalmerClaudia LeidyClayton HamiltonConner Burt

Connie HittleCortney CopelandCourtney CrownCynthia ColemanDana HarrisonDana LarsonDaniel PorterDaniel YoungDaphne WhitmireDarshie OwensDavid CederquistDavid Price Dean JohnsDeb Ehret Deb HobbsDebbie PidgeonDebbie Sluss Debby RileyDexter TaylorDiane GleseDion IrickDominic SenibaldiDon HowellDonald MooreDonna AdamsDoreen WilliamsDorian HodgeDoriene SmitherDorothy MackEd McKinleyEddie SmithEliza KosobuckiElizabeth GarberElizabeth WallinEllen BankstonEmily LemkeEmily MackEmily ScottEmma Berryman-MooreEric GinnsErika BurcherErin McRaeErin VollmerFiona SchichoFr Jeffrey DufresneFrank StoneFred ImnausenGabe Bockus

Gabe OjedaGabe RiosGary GeeGary MoodyGeo Ilgado Geoff DickensonGeorge HanlinGrant ChurchillGrant McFannGreg Buck Greg TowneyHannah AletheiaHannah EdwardsHarold ClaspellHeather Reid Heidi HesseHeidi LydaHillary Powers Hillary Roper Humberto RamirezIan MinerveIrma Petrosino Isaac AdamsJack HesserJack WickenkampJacob GosselinJacqueline Rooksberry Jake ChristensonJames StoneJames TaylorJames WellsJamese GilbertJamie BlackburnJane SmithJanet DanielsJason AthialyJason KirkbyJean Casmir Hill Jeffery CaldwellJen EamonJen HinesJenny PriceJerry ShepherdJesse CarltonJessica MonkJillian LainJim AldrichJim Bowden

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Jim CollinsJim LarkinJim RileyJim SpychalskiJim StoneJingo M de la RosaJoanna NixonJocelyn MinerveJodi KrumelJoe Bowling Joe MatthewsJoe SmokerJoe WerleJoel DartJoey Newsom John BritainJohn Franklin HayJomo ColeJon BergJonathan GarmanyJonathan SmithJordan FathJose Garcia Joseph DollJosh BakerJosh BowlingJosh CashmoreJosh LawrenceJosh LivingstonJosh LohmanJosh RiddickJosh VarabJosie HuncklerJudie SloanJulie CrowJulie EdwardsJulie SmithJulie Tornquist June NobleJushetter BakerJustin BrownKaileen McHughKaitlyn BugnoKamille McKinney-SutherlandKaren LightbourneKarina CollinsKarla Prado-CoronaKate AndersonKathy Souchet-DowneyKaty LinesKay GrimmKay JohnsonKayla Porter

Kenn Pascascio Kenneth JonesKenny VanDerburKhaula MurtadhaKip LinesKira ZagorcKristin Cofield Kyle MobleyKyle WhiteKylie LockettLakecia WaltonLana BrownLarry CammarataLaura DykeLauren LayLaurie KlingerLeah Berti Len BillingsleyLena BillingsleyLena BurtLeontyne PetersonLeslie AbbottLexi WhiteLisa Bowling Lisa BoylesLisa HarveyLora DykeLorenzo GipleLyndsay CrespoMace LeonardMaddy Pascascio Marguerite ToppingMaria DeLeonMaria DuenesMaria LomeliMariam AlamMario ReyesMark GrayMark SmithMarley McCleanMarsha SobieskiMartha Haynes-EatonMarvin RungeMary CoonsMary Kay Morgan Matt ConroyMatt LampingMatthew CooperMeaghan MobleyMelissa BentonMelissa GerhartMelissa MayorgaMichael Bowling

Michael HaskettMichael LockettMichael Richardson Michael WrightMichelle De la FuenteMichelle SmithMikaiyl DavisMike Bowling Mike EhretMike ScimeMisty LewisMitch RoperMJ MoriartyMonty HulseNancy BainNancy PlakeNatalia BlondetNathan EvansNicholas HunotNicole KaikisNigena LivingstonNoor Heintezelman October "Tobie" KniessOliver WilliamsOlivia Schneider Pat StarksPattie RogesterPatty RochesterPatty Werle Paul HartzerPaul NethercottPaul WrightPaula HartzerPaula WhitePhil ColemanPhil KrievensRachel DickersonRachel McIntoshRay SahmRebecca SeifertRenee DavisRhonnette CurryRichard RiddleRico Colon-RomeroRobert YoungRoberto Solis Ron NunezRon Ransom Ross JamisonRoss PippinRoxy LawrenceRuth SwisherRyan Wilson

Sally May Rose JonesSamantha SpergelSara RogersSarah EvansSarah NewsomSatchuel Cole Scott JonesScott WiederoderShannon BrownSharon AmrheinShavar GreerShelbi CummingsShirley LarnerSophia Muston Stacey MisalerStefanie KrievensStephen BallStephen OkanSteve KlineSteve ThrashStuart AlfredsSusan AdamsSusan BabineauxSusan VogtSuzanne ColemanSylvia UrichTamara GrayTammy WadlingtonTed BurksTerri BaileyTessie Lloyd-JonesTherese EdwardsThom WadeThomas HedrickTiffany BoldenTiffany KyserTim HarmonTim LarnerTimmy Morgan Tina JonesTodd BurlesonTom SissonTommy ReddicksTony DosterTosca CarranzaTracy AldrichValerieValerie DavisVeronica MorganVictor PhillipsWalter HamiltonWilliam CarterZach Adamson

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Arsenal Technical High School Arts Council of IndianapolisArts for LearningBosart-Brown Neighborhood AssociationBright by TextBrookside Community Development CorporationBrookside Neighborhood AssociationBrookside School 54CICOACircle City Industrial ComplexCity of Indianapolis Coalition for Community Schools College Mentors for KidsCottage Home Neighborhood AssociationDaystar Preschool and ChildcareDream Alive Early Learning Indiana East 10th Street United Methodist Church Children & Youth CenterEast Washington Street Library Elevate IndyEmerson Heights Community OrganizationEnglewood Christian Church Englewood Community Development CorporationEnglewood Neighborhood AssociationEnroll Indy Excel Centers Families FirstFree Wheelin'Grace Tuxedo Neighborhood AssociationGreen Picket FencesGrowing Places Indy Habitat for Humanity Harshman Middle School Health by Design Healthy Harvest MarketHoly Cross Catholic Church Holy Cross Neighborhood AssociationIndiana Commission for Higher EducationIndiana Forest AllianceIndiana Housing and Community Development Authority Indiana Recycling CoalitionIndianapolis Metropolitan Police DepartmentIndianapolis Neighborhood Housing PartnershipIndianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center Indianapolis Public Libraries Indianapolis Public Schools Indy East Promise Zone IndyChamber

Inspire 10th StreetIUPUIIvy Tech Jefferson ElectricJohn Boner Neighborhood Centers Keep Indianapolis BeautifulLatina's Welding GuildLittle Flower Neighborhoood AssociationLocal Initiatives Support Corporation LYN House Mano de AmistadMarion County Public Health DepartmentMarion County Soil and WaterMetropolitan Planning OrganizationNear East Area Renewal Near Eastside Business AssociationNear Eastside Community OrganizationNear Eastside Innovation School CorporationParamount Schools of Excellence Pathways Over PoguesPATTERNPeople's Health Project Lia Public Policy Institute Purdue ExtensionPurdue Polytechnic High SchoolReconnecting to Our WaterwaysRecycleForce ReEntry Entrepreneur Development InitiativeRenew IndianapolisShared Use Mobility Network Shepherd Community CenterSpades Park Library Branch SPARK Early LearningSpringdale Neighborhood AssociationSt Clair Place Neighborhood AssocationThe James E. Waters Community Mediation CenterThomas Gregg Neighborhood SchoolUnited Way of Central IndianaUrban Act Academy Visit Indy Washington Township Adult EducationWestminster - Holy Cross Civic Alliance Westminster Neighborhood Services Willard Park Neighborhood AssociationWoodruff Place Baptist Church Woodruff Place Civic League

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Executive SummaryThe Near Eastside is home to 20 distinct neighborhoods and over 28,000 residents. The Near Eastside is empowered by generations of community led initiatives and projects which make it a vibrant and exciting place to live, work, worship, learn and play.

In 2007, the Near Eastside took part in the Great Indy Neighborhoods Initiative, led by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation and the City of Indianapolis. The Near Eastside saw great success in creating its first neighborhood led community plan. The original plan outlined over two hundred action items to be undertaken over the next 10 years. Major plan successes included the development of over 200 units of affordable housing, significant capacity building for Near East Area Renewal, the designation of the IndyEast Promise Zone, the development of the Chase Near Eastside Legacy Center, and Thomas Gregg School #15 being incorporated as a neighborhood school.

The plan served as a guiding document for neighborhood residents and leaders alike and provided a picture of the vision and spirit of the Near Eastside. In 2018, neighborhood leaders recognized that the plan needed an update, as many of the action items had been completed and the neighborhood had seen vast changes since the creation of the original plan. The Near Eastside began the process of creating a new, refreshed quality of life plan in the summer of 2018. The Quality of Life Planning process consisted of a survey, focus groups, action teams, canvassing, a visioning day, two open houses, and over 100 meetings with neighborhood leaders.

The 2020 Near Eastside Quality of Life planning process has culminated in the creation of nine neighborhood focus areas:

1. Arts & Culture: The Near Eastside is a place where arts, culture, and creativity are valued as vital contributors to the character, quality of life, and economy of the neighborhood.

2. Economic & Workforce Development: The Near Eastside mobilizes existing assets and attracts new investment in our local residents, businesses, and places in order to maximize their full potential as we create abundant and productive linkages to our city, state, and beyond.

3. Education: The Near Eastside is a place where residents can engage in quality holistic learning opportunities throughout their lifetime.

4. Equity & Engagement: The Near Eastside is a place where neighbors choose to value each other as assets and facilitate engagement across all races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, economic statuses, ages, abilities, entry statuses, and legal statuses.

5. Health, Wellness & Family Strengthening: The Near Eastside fosters innovative partnerships to ensure all community members have access to health, wellness and family strengthening resources.

6. Housing: The Near Eastside is a place that promotes fair, equitable, and affordable housing for all, without regard to income, race, ethnicity, housing status, or class and that improves the community as a whole while not forcing others out.

7. Placemaking & Infrastructure: The Near Eastside is a place that creates, restores, and preserves a connected and accessible community through a resilient and sustainable built and natural environment

8. Safety: The Near Eastside is a safe and accessible community that promotes public safety initiatives and fosters strong relationships between a well engaged community and public safety agencies.

9. Sustainability: The Near Eastside is a place that embraces and pilots sustainability initiatives in order to mitigate the impacts of climate change and prepares businesses, residents, and spaces to become carbon-neutral by 2040.

The work plan at the end of the document summarizes the specific priorities, objectives, lead agencies, and partners for each action area.

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Near Eastside Neighborhood Map

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How to Use the Quality of Life PlanThis Quality of Life Plan brings together the neighborhood vision for a vast array of topic areas, which represents the dreams and plans of hundreds of hardworking Near Eastside residents. The plan seeks to capture not only the vision for the Near Eastside, but also the specific ways in which the vision will be implemented. Elements of the plan will guide Near Eastside non-profits and community organizations in their activities.

The plan is not designed to remain static. The Quality of Life Plan will be regularly updated through quarterly summits. When a neighbor or a neighborhood group is interested in adding a new action item to the Near Eastside Quality of Life Plan, they should first inform the community engagement staff of their intention to explore the new addition. Next, the neighbor would bring their idea to the relevant community action team for discussion. If the community action team supports the action item, it will go to the quarterly Quality of Life summit for a vote. The neighbor or group will then present their idea to the summit and the summit will vote on whether or not to add it to the plan. If this idea is approved by those present at the summit, the group or individual will then work with the community engagement staff to finalize the language and partners for the action item. Additionally, the group will meet with the relevant community action team at their next meeting to discuss the action item and their plan to move it forward. Groups and individuals can also propose a vote to remove or change an item at the summit after relevant community action team approval. For more information about updating the plan, see the governance infographic on page 80.

Equity in the Planning ProcessRecognizing that the planning process has significant implications for the future of the neighborhood, specifically marginalized neighbors, the 2019 planning process had a strong focus on inclusivity. Neighborhood leaders prioritized inclusivity and equity through new outreach methods, including open hours at coffee shops where neighbors could stop by at their convenience and talk one on one with Quality of Life Plan leaders, resident-led interviews, and an increased focus on engagement through previously established groups. The neighborhood also hired five community organizers to ensure that historically marginalized voices -- including seniors, African American/Black neighbors, Spanish-speaking neighbors and renting neighbors – were heard throughout the process.

Although neighborhood leaders strived to be as inclusive as possible, not every single neighbor was included in the planning process and the plan is not perfectly equitable. In order to continue to promote equity in the planning process, this plan designates the creation of nine community action teams, which will guide the implementation of the plan alongside the designated lead agency.

Background Information

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Community Action TeamsThe Near Eastside Quality of Life Plan will be managed by nine community action teams, who will work with an individual lead agency and a variety of implementation partners. The community action teams will ensure that neighborhood voices are heard throughout the implementation of the plan and that neighborhood leaders continue to pursue increased equity in the implementation of the plan. The teams will also provide expertise and neighborhood thought leadership on their respective focus areas.

The nine action teams are listed below:

Any neighbor can join a community action team, but the community action team will be limited to 15 residents per year. Additionally, neighbors can only serve on one community action team per year. Lead agencies and implementation partners can also nominate neighbors to be on the community action teams. Every community Action Team will nominate and vote on a President and a Secretary. The President and the Secretary will be nominated by the group and elected by a simple majority. The President will be responsible for leading communication between the CAT and the lead agency, and setting the agenda for each meeting. The Secretary will be responsible for taking notes, taking attendance, and recording action items from each meeting. Each CAT would be welcome to elect additional leaders and create subcommittees as deemed necessary.

Neighbors will commit to working on their CAT for a one year term. After one year, the community action team members would be welcome to move to another team. Residents can stay on their current community action team for more than one year if the 15 person capacity has not been met. If the 15 person capacity has been met, priority will be given to new members. CATs will meet bi-monthly with a representative from their lead agency, but the community action team will be encouraged to meet more often, as is deemed appropriate by the team.

Each community action team will work closely with one lead agency. These agencies are committed to focus their efforts on Near Eastside Quality of Life Plan goals by working with the community action teams and neighborhoods on relevant projects. Lead agency designation does not imply decision making authority over community action teams, plan adjustments, or implementation partners. Lead agencies will assist the community action teams with identifying resources, meeting space, and creating connections between agencies, organizations, and individuals. Implementation partners will work with the lead agencies to track plan progress and they will work with the community action teams to implement projects relevant to their agency.

Quality of Life Plan lead agencies are listed below:

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Plan Accountability and Tracking

Each Quality of Life Plan action item will be tracked through the following benchmarks:

1. Engage Residents & Community Partners: Residents and partners will be engaged to identify wants, needs, goals, and desired outcomes. Residents and partners will also be engaged to access relevant expertise and resources.

2. Assess & Plan: For each action item, the relevant group will assess current conditions as necessary and develop a collaborative plan to achieve the goal.

3. Gather Resources: The relevant group will identify funding opportunities and any other resources necessary to implement the action item.

4. Implementation: After these steps are complete, the relevant group will Implement the collaborative plan & report on their progress.

Information about these benchmarks will be collected and posted on the Quality of Life Plan website quarterly in order to keep residents up to date and engaged in the progress of each action item. These benchmarks will be used in light of traditional performance metrics to allow for greater flexibility in implementation by individual neighborhood groups and to increase transparency for neighborhood members.

In addition to the quarterly benchmark report, the lead agencies will compile an annual report on the state of Quality of Life on the Near Eastside. This report will include a variety of high level indicators designed to demonstrate positive progress in the quality of life on the Near Eastside.

Certified Planning ProcessDuring the planning sessions, planning groups regularly consulted with other City-wide comprehensive plans, including the Thrive Indianapolis Plan, the Marion County Transit Plan, the Land Use Plan, the Marion County Pedestrian Plan, and the Marion County Comprehensive Plan. When they were relevant to neighborhood goals and ideas, these plans often inspired and informed the Near Eastside Quality of Life Plan. The residents and leaders of the Near Eastside recognize the value in collaborating to reach the many overlapping goals between these existing plans and the Near Eastside Quality of Life Plan.

Additionally, the Near Eastside Quality of Life Plan aligns with the Indianapolis Plan 2020 Bicentennial Agenda values of healthy, resilient, inclusive, and competitive. Our guiding principles of economic mobility, resilience, equity, and sustainability provide the Near Eastside lens on these City-wide principles. The Plan 2020 principles and the Quality of Life guiding principles are represented in the action items throughout the plan. Any changes to the plan will also represent these values.

Overview of the Planning ProcessThe planning process commenced with the distribution of a neighborhood survey, outreach to neighborhood leaders, and fundraising for the hiring of a process facilitator. The survey was distributed via the Near Eastside news, social media platforms, survey collection boxes at small businesses, neighborhood associations, and canvassing events. Also, neighborhood leaders, business owners, and residents took part in appreciative interviews which were later analyzed to determine themes regarding neighborhood dreams and concerns.

Shortly after the planning process commenced, the Near Eastside Quality of Life Plan Open House took place. This event was designed to reorient long time and new neighbors to the previous Quality of Life Plan and generate excitement for the new plan. Neighborhood members spoke to leaders of the previous Quality of Life Plan about what had been achieved regarding each focus area, what remained unfinished, and what ideas neighborhood members had for the future of the plan.

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Over the summer of 2019, five community organizers were hired. The community organizers led canvassing events and neighborhood outreach. The community organizers knocked on over 7,500 doors and held multiple focus groups with residents to increase engagement and promote participation in Near Eastside Visioning Day.

Visioning day took place at Arsenal Technical High School, where over 250 neighborhood members attended and worked in 30 table groups to identify their priorities and ideas for the plan. The 30 topics discussed were as follows:

• K-12 Education • College and Career Readiness• Early Childhood Development• Afterschool and Out of School Time

Activities • Mental Health• Physical Health • Health Equity • Growing a Healthy Community• Growing Healthy Families • Senior Citizen Quality of Life• Industrial Site Redevelopment• Business Development and Retention• Affordable Housing • Homeowner Repairs• Vacant Properties

• Resident Displacement• Economic Development• Economic Mobility and Workforce

Development• Youth Leadership• Being and Embracing a Multi-Cultural

Neighborhood• Creating a Sense of Community• Access to Healthy and Affordable Foods • Public Infrastructure Improvements • Public Transportation• Greenspaces• The Role of Arts in the Community• Climate Change • Encouraging Environmental Sustainability• Infrastructure Safety Initiatives• IMPD/Neighborhood Relations

After Visioning Day, neighborhood members worked in 8 – and later 9 –action groups to create the new Quality of Life Plan. The Quality of Life Plan had an additional open house where neighbors and stakeholders could review the work done so far and provide comments on the plan’s content. Afterwards the plan was edited and released for an open comment period. The plan was approved and certified by the City of Indianapolis on June 16, 2020. page 12

Building the PlanCommunity Engagement

1,010neighbors surveyed

250+Quality of Life Visioning Day Attendees

Hired 5 part-time community organizers to focus on under-represented groups

7,500doors knocked on

10,000Visioning Day mailers

45Canvassing Volunteers

Timeline of the 2020 Quality of Life Plan

September 2018 -September 2019

June 2019 - August 2019



May 2019

September 2018 - May 2019

January 2019 - June 2019

The first Quality of Life Plan Open House took place on May 7th, 2019 with 70 attendees. The open house was designed to increase awareness of the Quality of Life Planning process and educate neighbors on the content of the past Quality of Life Plan.

Quality of Life Plan representatives promoted the Quality of Life Plan survey and upcoming events at Feast of Lanterns, Super Saturday, IMPD East District Community Day, Shepherd’s Fall Festival and other community events.

• Spanish speaking neighbors: April Avina• African American/Black neighbors:

Jonathan Garmany• Renting neighbors: Olivia Schneider• Senior neighbors: Tiffany Kyser• East of Rural neighbors: Chris Staab

Over 100 middle school and high school students participated in facilitated conversations regarding the Near Eastside and their priorities for the future. Additionally, teachers were invited to share feedback on the plan during their lunch breaks.

Outreach at Neighborhood Events

Community Organizers are Hired

Quality of Life Open House

Outreach with Neighborhood Schools

Neighborhood Survey

Canvassing

Appreciative Interviews

A neighborhood survey was distributed via newsletters, neighborhood associations, community events and collection boxes at local neighborhood spaces. The survey had over 1,000 respondents.

Community organizers and neighborhood volunteers went door-to-door in all Near Eastside neighborhoods to talk with neighbors about the Quality of Life Plan and administer the Quality of Life Plan survey.

70 neighbors and stakeholders took part in appreciative inquiry interviews. These interviews were recorded, transcribed, and later analyzed to determine major themes that should be included in the new Quality of Life Plan.

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Focus GroupsCommunity organizers conducted focus groups with specific groups of neighborhood residents to understand their priorities for the Quality of Life Plan and gain insight on specific topics.

August 2019 -February 2020

Timeline of the 2020 Quality of Life Plan

August 2019

October 2019 - December 2019

October 2019 - February 2020

February 2020

September 2019

June 2020

Coffee Breaks were held at Rabble Coffee and Spades Park Library to allow neighbors to talk one on one with neighborhood leaders about the drafted plan content and provide their feedback.

10,000 Visioning Day promotional postcards were sent to Near Eastside neighbors, with a focus on low-income areas of the neighborhood.

150 neighbors participated in three Quality of Life Planning Sessions. At the planning sessions, neighbors gathered in 8, and later 9, planning groups, where they dove deep on a specific topic area.

Visioning Day Mailers

Planning Sessions

Coffee Breaks

Near Eastside Storytelling Night

Quality of Life Plan Open House

Quality of Life Visioning Day

Plan Celebration and Certification

The neighborhood participated in a second open house, where neighbors could view the drafted content for the plan and provide their comments. The plan was placed on the walls around the room so that neighbors could read through it and talk with the facilitators about their feedback. The Quality of Life Open House had 100 attendees.

Near Eastside Quality of Life Visioning Day was held on September 7th, 2020 and had 250 attendees. The day began with a large group visioning activity to identify the neighborhood vision for the Near Eastside. Neighbors then met in 30 groups around identified topics.

The official plan certification took place on June 16th during a facebook live celebration. At the event, the plan was formally presented by the City of Indianapolis and adopted by the near Eastside.

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September 2019Four long-time Near Eastside neighbors were invited to share their experience living on the Near Eastside. Long time and new neighbors gathered at Hoy Polloy to share stories.

Implementation Begins

Many of the action items in the Near Eastside Quality of Life Plan require substantive policy change in order to be implemented. The list below represents the action items which would require policy change, and the associated changes required. Although the lead agencies listed in the plan may not be able to formally lobby for these changes, it is understood that the Near Eastside neighborhood supports these changes, based on the community engagement that took place during the creation of the plan.

Policy Agenda

Action # Action Item Policy Change

Education 1.2 Advocate for increased funding for early childhood education.

Increase funding for early childhood education.

Education 2.2 Ensure that Near Eastside Schools have enough seats to accommodate Near Eastside students.

Prioritize Near Eastside student attendance at Near Eastside schools.

Education 3.4 Every school provides services and supports to ensure a high degree of social-emotional well-being, health and wellness among students.

Provide on-site mental health treatment and primary health care services for students, and implement a referral system for services that cannot be provided on-site.

Provide a nurse and social worker in every school.

Provide professional development to teachers on social-emotional learning, physical fitness and nutrition, and mental health.

Housing 3.1 Advocate for freezing of taxes for long-term homeowners.

Freeze property tax rate for long-term homeowners.

Housing 4.4 Advocate for higher taxing rate for vacant land or properties to discourage land speculation that kicks in two years after purchase.

Increase property tax rate for vacant structures or land to discourage land speculation.

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Action # Action Item Policy Change

Education 1.2 Advocate for increased funding for early childhood education.

Increase funding for early childhood education.

Education 2.2 Ensure that Near Eastside Schools have enough seats to accommodate Near Eastside students.

Prioritize Near Eastside student attendance at Near Eastside schools.

Education 3.4 Every school provides services and supports to ensure a high degree of social-emotional well-being, health and wellness among students.

Provide on-site mental health treatment and primary health care services for students, and implement a referral system for services that cannot be provided on-site.

Provide a nurse and social worker in every school.

Provide professional development to teachers on social-emotional learning, physical fitness and nutrition, and mental health.

Housing 3.1 Advocate for freezing of taxes for long-term homeowners.

Freeze property tax rate for long-term homeowners.

Housing 4.4 Advocate for higher taxing rate for vacant land or properties to discourage land speculation that kicks in two years after purchase.

Increase property tax rate for vacant structures or land to discourage land speculation.

Placemaking & Infrastructure 1.2

Advocate for and install multi-modal transit amenities and spaces for placemaking activities and programming on commercial corridors such as 10th, Washington, New York, Michigan, etc. in concert with businesses and community spaces present.

Prioritize planning practices that incorporate multi-modal transit amenities and space for placemaking activities on commercial corridors such as 10th, Washington, New York, Michigan, etc.

Safety 2.6 Work with existing service providers to advocate for and increase availability of job opportunities for neighbors who were formerly incarcerated.

Eliminate hiring practices that prevent individuals who were formerly incarcerated from obtaining employment.

Sustainability 1.2 Advocate for and seek funds to provide low-cost weatherization on Near Eastside homes.

Increase public funding available for weatherization services.

Sustainability 1.6 Advocate for policies and legislation that make renewable energy generation more feasible for residential and commercial buildings alike.

Allow net metering with wide applicability, including in situations which would expand its benefits to low-income neighbors, such as multi-family, commercial, and mixed-use developments.

Reduce fixed charges for energy bills by investor-owned utilities like IPL, which currently disincentivize solar installation.

Sustainability 3.2 Advocate for an increase in lead testing in residential backyards or community garden plots.

Increase public funding available for lead testing in residential land.

Sustainability 4.3 Advocate for policies that allow innovative zoning to accommodate growing structures (like hoop houses) and methods.

Relax zoning laws in residential areas to allow for temporary growing structures and methods.

Sustainability 5.4 Advocate for city-wide free or low-cost curbside recycling and composting programs and offer the Near Eastside as a demonstration community for pilot models.

Provide city-wide free or low-cost curbside recycling and composting.

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Area Median Income – this is a number released annually by the federal department of Housing and Urban Development. Many affordable housing developments require that tenants make under a certain percentage of this number.

Out of School Time – this refers to any activity for students that takes place when school is not in session. This could refer to after school or summer programs.

Crime Prevention through Environmental Design – strategies for manipulating the physical environment to prevent crime and create safer neighborhoods

Trauma-informed Care – a model of programming that takes into account the whole person, including past trauma and resulting coping mechanisms

Two-generational programming – programs that involve children and adults from the same household to more effectively interrupt the cycle of poverty

Social-emotional learning – education that helps adults and children understand and manage their feelings and moods, set goals, develop empathy, and maintain positive relationships

STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Math

community action team – created as a part of the 2020 Quality of Life Planning effort; to help push Quality of Life Plan goals forward, community action teams will meet monthly with the lead agencies for their respective section and provide a neighborhood voice to the implementation of the Quality of Life Plan

Latinx – a person of Latin American origin or descent, usually used as a gender-neutral or nonbinary alternative to Latino or Latina

Weatherization – the practice of protecting a building and its interior from the elements, generally to reduce energy consumption

We know some terminology can be confusing or unclear. Below is a glossary of terms we’ve compiled to help you read and understand the Near Eastside Quality of Life Plan.

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Glossary

Neighborhood History

The Near Eastside of Indianapolis has a storied history consisting of a variety of neighborhood driven efforts. The timeline below consists of a brief summary of the history of the Near East Side.

▶ 1838 - National Road meets Washington Street. ▶ 1850 - Indiana State Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb opens at Washington Street and State Avenue—

now Willard Park. It remains at that location until 1911. ▶ 1863 - United States Arsenal opens at 1500 East Michigan Street; later becomes Arsenal Technical

High School.• A portion of the southwest corner of the Highland-Brookside area is platted for residential

development due to demand for housing brought about by economic boom during the Civil War.

▶ 1870 - City purchases Brookside Park from heirs of Indianapolis attorney Calvin Fletcher. ▶ 1871 - Mule cars installed on Massachusetts Avenue. ▶ 1872 - James O. Woodruff plats Woodruff Place. The town’s population is 20 by 1880 and 161 by 1890. ▶ 1873 - Indiana Women’s Prison opens at 401 North Randolph Street with 17 prisoners. It is the first

prison in the U.S. built to house female convicts. ▶ 1876 - Woodruff Place property owners successfully petition for incorporation of subdivision as a

town. ▶ 1878 - Washington Irving School #14 opens at 1229 East Ohio Street; additions made in 1899 and 1927. ▶ 1880 - A small business district begins to build up along the 900 and 1000 blocks of East Washington

Street. ▶ 1890 - Fire station constructed at 1030 East Washington Street.

• John Greenleaf Whittier School #33 erected at 1119 North Sterling Street, additions in 1902 and 1926.

▶ 1891 - Anheuser Busch Beer Agency opens at 920-924 East Ohio Street. ▶ 1895 - Thomas D. Gregg School #15 erected at 2302 East Michigan Street.

• Bishop Chatard responds to frequent demands by east-side Catholics for a church of their own. He appoints Rev. William Quigley, assistant pastor of St. Patrick’s, to found Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church.

▶ 1896 - Dr. Albert E. Sterne locates Norways Sanitorium near Woodruff Place (at corner of present-day 10th and Sterling Streets) in former Stoughton A. Fletcher home, Clifford Place.

▶ 1896 - Englewood Christian Church begins services in January and a year later buys land that housed later church buildings, including the current church constructed in 1962.

▶ 1897 - Brookside School # 54 constructed at 3150 East 10th Street.page 19

▶ 1898 - The New Telephone Company organizes as a competitor of Central Union and builds a branch exchange at Beville Avenue near Michigan Street.

• Brookside Park becomes city park with 80 acres.• Highland Square becomes city park at the corner of Marlowe and Highland Avenues.

▶ 1902 - Holy Cross School opens at 1417 East Ohio Street.• 59 charter members found Tuxedo Park Baptist Church.

▶ 1904 - Marietta Glass and Refrigerator Co. locates manufacturing firm at 16th Street and Sherman Drive. Plant covers 64 acres and employs 225 by 1907. Company manufactures cathedral glass, sky lights, etc., and refrigerators and store fixtures.

• Group of citizens purchase 75-acre arsenal grounds on Michigan Avenue for use as the Winona Agricultural and Technical Institute. The school closes in 1909.

▶ 1905 - Lucretia Mott School #3 opens at 23 North Rural. ▶ 1906 - Wonderland Amusement Park opens at the corner of East Washington and Gray Streets, the

former location of the Indianapolis baseball grounds. The park includes 24 buildings and a 125- foot electric tower.

▶ 1907 - Willard Park opens at 1901 East Washington Street. ▶ 1909 - Indianapolis Public Library Branch #3 opens at 2822 East Washington Street. ▶ 1910 - St. Philip Neri Convent erected at 530 North Rural Street.

• Brookside School #54 erects new building at 3150 East 10th Street; additions in 1915, 1921 and 1928.

▶ 1911 - Wonderland Amusement Park is raided by the police due to its suspected “Blind Tiger,” a place where illegal intoxicants are sold. It is destroyed by fire in August.

• East 10th Street Methodist Episcopal Church erects building at 2327 East 10th Street.• Emerson Heights, located on Emerson Avenue between 10th and Michigan Streets, was

planned and developed as a streetcar community in the 1910s. ▶ 1912 - Although the Board of School Commissioners has not yet received a favorable ruling in their

litigation to acquire Winona Agricultural Institute, Arsenal Technical High School opens under Principal Milo Stuart.

• Indianapolis Public Library Branch #6 opens at 1801 Nowland Avenue. ▶ 1913 - St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church erects building at 2195 North Avondale Place. ▶ 1914 - St. Paul A.M.E. Church is established at 1825 East 25th Street. ▶ 1915 - First German Reformed Church established at 3102 East 10th Street.

• St. Peter Lutheran Evangelical Church constructs building at 2525 East 11th Street. ▶ 1920 - Wealthy families in Woodruff Place and Near Eastside neighborhoods begin to move to the

suburbs as noise, pollution, and car traffic intrude on the area from downtown.• Garfield Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church erects building at 300 Grant Avenue; addition

on 4100 East New York Street in 1952.• Woodruff Place Town Hall erected at 735 East Drive.

▶ 1921 - Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church erects new building at 1401 East Ohio Street.• St. Therese-Little Flower Catholic Church took possession of land at 4720 E. 13th Street,

where they dedicated the combined church and school in 1926. ▶ 1922 - Robert Browning School #73 opens at 4101 East 30th Street; additions in 1922, 1928, 1957, 1960. ▶ 1924 - Theodore Potter Fresh Air School #74 reopens at 1601 East 10th Street after being restored.

• Tuxedo Park Baptist Church erects building at 29 North Grant Avenue after previous building burned.

▶ 1926 - Woodruff Place Baptist Church erects building at 1739 East Michigan Street. ▶ 1927 - Brookside Community Park Building erected.

• Rivoli Theatre opens.• Calvin N. Kendall School #62 opens at 910 North Wallace Street, additions in 1924 and 1927.

▶ 1929 - P.R. Mallory and Company opens a production facility and headquarters at 3029 East Washington Street, former location of Wonderland Amusement Park.

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▶ 1930 - The Great Depression affects Woodruff Place and surrounding wealthy neighborhoods as families find it difficult to maintain large, single-family homes and begin to divide them into apartments. An administration building, cottages, hospital, and chapel are added to the Indiana Women’s Prison.

• Parkview School #81 opens at 3126 Brookside Parkway North Drive.• Arsenal Technical High School has 242 teachers, 6,000 students, and 12 buildings.• Christian Park Community House constructed.

▶ 1936 - James E. Roberts School #97, specializing in “crippled” students, opens at 1401 East 10th Street. ▶ 1937 - Arsenal Technical High School has an enrollment of 7,000, making it one of the largest high

schools in the nation.• Thomas Carr Howe High School, located at 4900 Julian Avenue, is named in honor of

educator Thomas Carr Howe. ▶ 1940 - Highland-Brookside area reaches population zenith with 41,856 residents. ▶ 1953 - City of Indianapolis begins to charge Woodruff Place $25,000 annually for police and fire

protection. ▶ 1955 - Eastside residents form a delegation to protest against selling Highland Park and turning it

into an Air Force Reserve Training Center. Mayor Alex M. Clark is convinced to invest $20,000 in new facilities at the park.

▶ 1962 - Woodruff Place loses court battle to remain an incorporated town. On March 20, residents hand over the town hall keys to city officials.

▶ 1966 - P. R. Mallory and Company has 8,000 employees, 1,500 of whom work at its Indianapolis facility. ▶ 1969 - A study of the Highland-Brookside area by the Metropolitan Planning Department proposes a

15-year plan for major physical and social improvements in the neighborhoods. Study shows housing deterioration, conflicting land-use patterns, and significant transportation and street deficiencies. Substandard health, rising crime rate, a moderate level of welfare dependency, and “some racial tension” were also mentioned.

▶ 1970 - Near East Side Community Organization (NESCO) forms to coordinate the activities of smaller neighborhood organizations in the area.

• Construction of I-70 along western and northwestern portion of area negatively impacts the neighborhoods near the interstate. Residents are concerned that highway will divide neighborhood.

▶ 1971 - Near Eastside Multi-Service Center is formed. ▶ 1972 - Woodruff Place is added to the National Register of Historic Places.

• Peoples Health, (which opened as the NESCO Free Clinic.) organized in a house at 26 N. Oriental Street.

▶ 1973 - The United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana asserted jurisdiction over IPS schools to force IPS and township schools to integrate. This came after IPS Schools did not comply with the 1971 mandate to eliminate de jure segregation in schools.

▶ 1975 - Woodruff Place introduces first Flea Market.page 21

▶ 1976 - Holy Cross Catholic Church membership drops to its lowest level due to the loss of many longtime residents.

• Arsenal Technical High School listed on National Register of Historic Places.• Eastside Community Investments (ECI) forms to address issues of decaying housing and

economy. ▶ 1977 - Father James Byrne of Holy Cross Catholic Church becomes president of Eastside Community

Investments. ▶ 1978 - Holy Cross Catholic Church sees a resurgence of membership with an increase in young

parishioners; average age of the parish council members is 34, although nearly half the parish members are older.

▶ 1979 - Lilly Endowment funds the Near Eastside Church and Community Ministry Project. Project becomes self-sufficient within 4 years.

• The Woodruff Place Civic League bought their first multi-unit house, reduced it to a single family unit and sold it with covenants attached. Since then WPCL has purchased over 24 multi-unit houses, some having more than 10 apartments, and turned them into single-family, owner-occupied homes.

▶ 1980 - Eastside Community Investments participates in a program to renovate 12 two-family residences in the NESCO area and sell them to low- to moderate-income families who will pay their mortgage by renting the other side of the double.

• Near East Side Community Federal Credit Union is organized. ▶ 1982 - Holy Cross-Westminster neighborhood named as a Community Development Block Grant

Target Area.• Eastside Community Investments, Inc. holds an open house at 1210 East Ohio Street—a

former home of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club—to display the area’s revitalization efforts.• Holy Cross-Westminster neighborhood selected by the National Reinvestment Corp. to

be a Neighborhood Housing Service area, which provides low-interest loans for home rehabilitation and assists the neighborhood in attaining long-term goals.

▶ 1984 - Cottage Home residents hold first annual Cottage Home Block Party. Cottage Home Neighborhood Association is organized and named. It is bounded by East 10th, Oriental, and Michigan Streets, and I-70.

▶ 1985 - Holy Cross Church, with help from Eastside Community Investments, turns one of its buildings into apartments for low-income elderly and handicapped residents.

• Aetna Life and Casualty Co. and Indiana Mortgage Corp. offer low-interest home mortgage loans to low- and moderate- income residents in Highland- Brookside area. The program makes $650,000 available in the neighborhood, enough for about 30 mortgages.

▶ 1988 - Nearly one-half of the homes in the Holy Cross-Westminster neighborhood are rentals. ▶ 1990 - A portion of Cottage Home neighborhood is placed on National Register of Historic Places. ▶ 1992 - Indiana Women’s Prison houses 350 inmates and has a staff of 240 full-time employees. ▶ 1993 - Tom Abeel founded the Woodruff Place Lawn Chair Brigade. They have marched in NESCO, St

Patrick’s Day, July 4, and 500 Festival parades. ▶ 1994 - Eastside Community Investments begins renovation work on former Nabisco Blue Bonnet

Margarine Factory at 1102 Roosevelt. The renovated facility will be known as the New East Industrial Center.

• The Near East Side Multi-Service Center was renamed the John H. Boner Community Center in honor of a long-time director.

▶ 1995 - Rivoli Park Neighborhood Association (Michigan to 10th; Rural to Tuxedo) holds first organizational meeting. Twenty- four residents attend.

• Indianapolis Public Schools Board votes to close Thomas Carr Howe High School. Protests by students and area residents do not stop the closing.

▶ 1996 - CIDONE Industries joins New East Industrial Center. CIDONE, in which the Eastside Community Investments has an investment, creates up to 20 jobs for neighborhood residents.

• IPS Board of School Commissioners approves recommendation to use Thomas Carr Howe High School as a second alternative-placement center for middle school students.

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▶ 1997 - Eastside Community Investments divests its menu of Programs Investing in People because of cash flow problems. Some programs are transferred to carefully chosen alternate service providers.

▶ 2000 - Treasured Homes, LLC, forms to buy vacant and at-risk properties with the goal of returning them to owner-occupancy status and to maintain architectural and neighborhood integrity. By 2007 the group had resold 13 homes in and near the Springdale Neighborhood.

▶ 2001 - Woodruff Place became a locally- designated historic district. ▶ 2002 - East 10th Street Civic Association is organized. An early project is 10 East Main Street, which is

not only a FOCUS corridor, but also is one of two designated urban “Main Street” sites in Indianapolis.

▶ 2003 - Indy-East Asset Development is formed as a new Community Development Corporation.• The Feast of Lanterns, a historic east-side festival held at Spades Park, is revived by NESCO

after a six-decade hiatus. ▶ 2004 - NESCO’s History and Preservation Committee organized in response to the demolition of

Brookside School 54. They hold the first of many programs including the Near East Side Pub Crawl and Simply Divine: Sacred Architecture Tour.

▶ 2005 - Near Eastside Collaborative Taskforce is organized by community leaders to promote greater collaboration and systemic change.

▶ 2006 - The Near East Side is selected as a GINI (Great Indy Neighborhoods Initiative) Demonstration Neighborhood.

• The Near Eastside Housing Tax Increment Financing (HoTIF) was created to stimulate economic development growth in an area bounded by Oriental, 12th, Rural, and Washington Streets.

▶ 2007 - The John H. Boner CommunityCenter moves into their newly-constructed 29,000 square foot addition to the Brookside Building at 2236 E. 10th Street.

• The Near East Side completes its first Quality of Life Plan and begins implementation. ▶ 2012 - The Near Eastside Quality of Life Plan is included in the 2008 Super Bowl bid. This ambitious

plan helps Indianapolis become a Super Bowl Host City for the first time. ▶ 2015 - The Near Eastside is selected as a federal Promise Zone. The Promise Zone designation

encourages collaboration between the neighborhood and the federal government on neighborhood identified priorities.

▶ 2019 - The Lilly Endowment, Inc. awards the Near East Side $4.3 million to create an Arts + Design district on East 10th Street.

• The former P.R. Mallory site begin redevelopment as the new site of Purdue Polytechnic High School and Paramount School of Excellence Middle School. The site requires over $15 million in funding for renovation and environmental remediation.

▶ 2020 - The Near East Side completes its second Quality of Life Plan with 9 focus areas, including the addition of objectives related to arts, health, sustainability, and equity.

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Equity The Near Eastside Quality of Life Plan promotes a society and its systems (e.g. education, criminal justice, health care, housing, the economy) that are just, fair, and inclusive, providing all people with the opportunity to reach their full potential and live vibrant, productive lives.

We believe in building relationships and partnerships that dismantle racism and poverty, among other conditions, and shift power to marginalized communities.

• We believe each individual brings talents and skills that can improve the makeup and sense of belonging within the community.

• We believe in ongoing learning, self-reflection, candor and transparency about equity and justice in our work.

• We believe in evaluating our decision-making and strategy through the lens of equity and justice.

• We believe that institutions must prioritize time and strategic use of resources in order to advance equity and close disparities.

• We believe in fostering a culture of open-mindedness, compassion, and inclusiveness among individuals and groups.

• We believe in providing effective leadership in the development, coordination, implementation and assessment of programs and services to promote diversity and understanding of differences.

• We believe that community action teams and groups created to give guidance should be representative of the Near Eastside neighborhood in race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, economic status, age, ability, entry status, and legal status.

Guiding Principles and Values

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SustainabilityThe Near Eastside Quality of Life Plan encourages the use of sustainable practices to preserve, protect and restore the natural environment in order to meet the needs of the present without compromising the abilities of the future generation.

• We believe in ensuring that neighbors have enough resources for a comfortable life and have adequate access and opportunities for improvement.

• We believe in reducing the negative impacts and enhancing the positive effects of our built environment.

• We believe in developing the physical environment of the neighborhood with regards to local settings and conditions including the given landscape, historical background, social significance, economic situation and political factors, especially those that disproportionately affect our marginalized neighbors

• We believe in empowering neighbors to understand environmental characteristics, enhance transparency and enable better-informed decision making.

• We believe in developing an understanding of energy, material and nutrient flows in the neighborhood, reducing the overall consumption and ensuring efficient use of resources.

• We believe in the meaningful involvement of neighbors with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental strategies and policies and in the equitable distribution of environmental benefits.

ResiliencyThe Near Eastside Quality of Life Plan promotes environments, strategies, and approaches focused on healing recovery, and growth designed to support neighbors who have experienced trauma in addressing and managing the impact of adversity to reach their fullest potential.

• We believe in building a more socially cohesive community that creates a sense of belonging, purpose and trust.

• We believe in empowering all community members including those who are the most vulnerable, marginalized or isolated to participate in decision-making, goal setting and project realization.

• We believe that organizational operations and decision-making should be conducted with transparency to build and maintain trust.

• We believe in fully integrating a trauma-informed mindset into community and organizational policies, procedures, and practices.

• We believe in providing the necessary resources and infrastructure, while addressing the environmental conditions in the community, to ensure the physical and psychological health of our neighbors.

• We believe in promoting wellness practices and building social emotional learning competencies including self-management, self-awareness, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making to help neighbors develop to their fullest potential.

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Economic MobilityThe Near Eastside Quality of Life Plan encourages neighbors to meet their economic goals and move towards economic independence by emphasizing the provision of education services, reducing barriers, improving access to supports, and providing employment opportunities that offer upwardly mobile career pathways enabling them to elevate their economic position and transfer wealth to future generations.

• We believe in fostering an environment of individual and community wealth building focusing on the equitable distribution of wealth while enhancing access to opportunities inclusive of wealth-building products and services, public programs, and initiatives that are created and implemented with inclusive growth and ownership in mind.

• We believe in programs that foster an equitable distribution of wealth.

• We believe in strengthening our systems and incentives for skill building, career exposure, job search, hiring and advancement, starting in youth and continuing through adulthood, and broadening them to create more career on-ramps and pathways.

• We believe that all workers should be provided with substantial opportunities and support for increasing their existing skills, capacities, income and assets over time to facilitate upward mobility and financial stability.

• We believe that public policies should remove barriers to work created by place, race, class, gender, disability, re-entry status, and age.

• We believe that employers are critical partners in creating work opportunities, promoting economic mobility, and building workforce capabilities.

• We believe that work, supplemented by support and benefits, should provide sufficient income, economic security and stability for workers and their families to live in dignity.

• We believe in supporting neighbors in building strong connections, networks, and relationships that can be mobilized to connect to economic opportunities and improving self-sufficiency.

• We believe that employers can benefit from shifting systems to value the skills, culture, and communities of our neighbors.

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Arts & Culture Lead Agency: John Boner Neighborhood Centers

Priority #1 Invest in physical spaces for arts, culture and creative expression.

Action 1.2: Grow and develop programs and resources to support individuals with significant barriers to employment, including adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities, returning citizens/re-entry, immigrants and refugees.

Implementation Partner:

John Boner Neighborhood Centers

Supporting Partner/s:

RecycleForce, Keys to Work, Exodus Refugee, Noble of Indiana, Project Lia, Indianapolis Public Library Career Center, Brookside CDC, Jump IN for Healthy Kids

Priority #2 Create a culture of art and art appreciation.

Action 2.1: Increase arts education opportunities for Near Eastside youth in school and during out of school time. As a part of this process, create an inventory of current arts-based programming and sites available on the Near Eastside.


Arts and Culture Community Action Team or Arts-Centric Entity


Arts Council of Indianapolis (Any Given Child Initiative), Eastside schools, Arts for Learning, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, community-based arts organizations, Near Eastside faith-based institutions, Indianapolis Public Library, John Boner Neighborhood Centers

Action 2.2: Create opportunities for youth to explore a wide range of creative industries focused on skill development and career exploration.




Arts Council of Indianapolis (Any Given Child Initiative), Eastside schools, Arts for Learning, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, community-based arts organizations, Near Eastside faith-based institutions, Indianapolis Public Library, John Boner Neighborhood Centers

Action 2.3: Make art visible throughout the Near Eastside through engaging and unique public art that is distinctive and creates beauty throughout the entire Eastside, with an emphasis on art and beauty in unexpected places.




Arts Council of Indianapolis, Eastside schools, Arts for Learning, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, community-based arts organizations, Near Eastside faith-based institutions, Indianapolis Public Library, John Boner Neighborhood Centers

Action 1.1: Engage Opportunity Youth (age 16-24) in meaningful employment and career exploration opportunities.


Employ Indy (Indy Achieves)


Purdue Polytechnic High School, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Arsenal Tech Future Center, Project Indy, Job Ready Indy, Indianapolis Public Library, Dream Alive, Brookside CDC, LYN House

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Action 2.4: Implement artfully designed wayfinding throughout the Near Eastside that highlights the uniqueness and identity and history of Near Eastside neighborhoods.




Near Eastside Neighborhood Associations, Arts Council of Indianapolis, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, IndyGo, John Boner Neighborhood Centers

Action 2.5: Implement public art in collaboration with IndyGo and utilize the Blue Line as an opportunity for engaging public art.


IndyGo


Arts Council of Indianapolis, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, IndyGo

Priority #3 Cultivate and support creative talent.

Action 3.1:

Develop and implement economic development strategies that position the Near Eastside as a destination for creative small batch manufacturing focused on increasing employment opportunities for individuals in new media, industrial sewing, carpentry and welding disciplines.


Englewood CDC


LISC, PATTERN, Project Lia, Latina’s Welding Guild, Circle City Industrial Complex, Indy Chamber, Visit Indy, Riley Area Development Corporation, Ruckus

Action 3.2: Create and implement a comprehensive arts and creative marketing strategy that promotes and elevates existing Near Eastside creatives and the unique arts and culture assets.




Indy Chamber, Visit Indy, LISC

Action 3.3: Increase the number of Near Eastside locations, spaces and venues where creatives can network, perform and sell their work


Arts and Culture Community Action Team


Eastside Businesses, Faith-Based Institutions, Indianapolis Public Library, IndyParks

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Economic & Workforce Development Lead Agency: Englewood Community Development Corporation

Priority #1 Increase access to talent and workforce development programming in order to increase self-efficacy and social capital.

Action 1.1: Engage Opportunity Youth (age 16-24) in meaningful employment and career exploration opportunities.


Employ Indy (Indy Achieves)


Purdue Polytechnic High School, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Arsenal Tech Future Center, Project Indy, Job Ready Indy, Indianapolis Public Library, Dream Alive, Brookside CDC, LYN House

Action 1.2: Grow and develop programs and resources to support individuals with significant barriers to employment, including adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities, returning citizens/re-entry, immigrants and refugees.




RecycleForce, Keys to Work, Exodus Refugee, Noble of Indiana, Project Lia, Indianapolis Public Library Career Center, Brookside CDC, Jump IN for Healthy Kids

Action 1.3: Increase the number of residents participating in certificate programs, trades-training programs or apprenticeships, and on-the-job training.




LISC, Arsenal Technical High School, trade unions, Employ Indy, Ivy Tech, United Way of Central Indiana, Noble, IndyPL Career Center, Brookside CDC, Jump IN for Healthy Kids

Action 1.4: Create and promote resources for job seekers to identify employment opportunities, meet employers, develop soft skills, and have job-readiness resources as well as resources to support them once employed.




Employ Indy, major/anchor employers, IndyPL Career Center

Action 1.5: Introduce financial services options including loans and other financing programs that serve to empower residents’ and business’ financial sustainability as opposed to predatory lending options that may currently exist.


Shepherd Community Center


John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Englewood CDC

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Priority #2 Support businesses in maintaining and expanding their business on the Near Eastside.

.Action 2.1: Support the microenterprise technical assistance ecosystem to help aspiring businesses connect to space, capital, and a variety of technical assistance.


Edna Martin Christian Center


NEAR, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, LISC, Small Business Administration, SCORE, Indy Black Chamber, Ruckus, Business Ownership Initiative, Source River West, Englewood CDC, NEAR

Action 2.2: Develop tools and resources to specifically support industries necessary for thriving neighborhoods like groceries, pharmacies, child care, etc. and generally provide capital access tools and resources to growing Near Eastside businesses.




Bankable, Small Business Administration, private banks, Build Fund, Business Ownership Initiative, LISC, City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development

Action 2.3:

Focus attraction efforts and scaling support efforts to growth industries/targeted clusters like Business to Business, Food production, sustainability, light manufacturing and other industries that have good and promising jobs as well as favorable sectors like sustainability or social enterprises.


LISC


NEAR, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Riley Area Development Corporation, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, industry groups like Indiana Manufacturers Association, Develop Indy, Indy Chamber

Action 2.4: Support existing businesses to grow in place and expand within the area and provide support to businesses at risk of closure or sale with succession planning to prevent loss of jobs and facilitate opportunities for employee ownership models.




LISC, NEAR, Englewood CDC, co-op organizations, Employ Indy, City of Indianapolis, Develop Indy

Priority #3 Support the development of key locations to increase opportunities for economic activity throughout the Near Eastside.

Action 3.1: Redevelop key corridors, such as East Washington Street, 10th Street, and North Mass by coordinating the reuse of vacant, blighted, or contaminated sites such as the Rivoli, into high quality, diverse, and dense destinations for a variety of land uses.


LISC


Riley Area Development Corporation, Develop Indy, City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Englewood CDC

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Action 3.2: Activate centers of former employment, such as Sherman park, Black Mountain and Ruby Park, into future sites of economic productivity through brownfield remediation, infrastructure enhancement, and business attraction.


Englewood CDC


Renew Indianapolis, LISC, Indy East Promise Zone, Develop Indy, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, NEAR

Action 3.3: Market the Near Eastside as a destination where there are established businesses and where key growth industries exist.


Near Eastside Business Association


John Boner Neighborhood Centers, NEAR, Englewood CDC

Action 3.4: Build and maintain a positive business ecosystem with strong business associations and accessible tools/resources.




Indy Chamber, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Small Business Administration, LISC, City of Indianapolis, Develop Indy

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Education Lead Agency: Near Eastside Innovation School Corporation

Priority #1 Ensure that all families have accessible, affordable, high-quality early childhood education opportunities for every child.

Action 1.3:

Increase the number of high-quality providers (at least PTQ level 3), with a particular emphasis on expanding seats in existing providers and a focus on infant to two-year olds, and decrease costs to families. Increased high-quality professional development (CDA and other) is part of high quality.




East 10th Street Children & Youth Center, Daystar, Thomas Gregg Neighborhood School, Office of Early Childhood and Out of School Learning, Early Learning Indiana, United Way of Central Indiana

Priority #2 Students and families can choose to successfully complete their P-12 education at high quality Near Eastside neighborhood schools.

Action 2.1: Ensure that families are knowledgeable about their options for high-quality schools in the Near Eastside.


Education Community Action Team


Indianapolis Public Schools, Neighborhood Schools

Action 1.1: Update the 2017 assessment of early childhood education for the Near Eastside to identify remaining needs and service gaps for children birth to five years old, including gaps related to developmental screenings, family engagement, and home visitation.




First Steps, Early childhood providers, Indianapolis Public Library

Action 1.2: Advocate for increased funding for early childhood education.




Thomas Gregg Neighborhood School, Office of Early Childhood and Out of School Learning, Early Learning Indiana, United Way of Central Indiana

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Action 2.2: Ensure that Near Eastside Schools have enough seats to accommodate Near Eastside students.




Near Eastside schools, Indianapolis Public Schools, Enroll Indy

Action 2.3: Develop and maintain a data and information sharing system about Near Eastside students and schools, particularly for the purpose of providing early warning about students who are struggling.




Indianapolis Public Schools, Neighborhood Schools, IUPUI

Action 2.4: Every Near Eastside school is fully trauma informed and trauma responsive. Each school will utilize the early warning data system to support trauma response.




Indianapolis Public Schools, Neighborhood Schools, IUPUI

Action 2.5: Ensure Near Eastside schools support and provide programming and opportunities for students with disabilities and students at-risk to gain a high-quality education.




Schools, Enroll Indy

Priority #3 Increase collaboration between schools, community, and families to support students and families in a collaborative, two-generation approach that will support students from cradle to career.

Action 3.1:

Facilitate paths for teachers and OST instructors to acquire new teaching and learning skills that will enable them to support effective leaders, collaborate with other teachers, provide ambitious instruction, create supportive environments for learning, and involve families and the community in student education so as to implement the John Boner Neighborhood Centers two-generation educational model with greater fidelity.




Thomas Gregg Neighborhood School, Brookside School 54, and Harshman Middle School, Other neighborhood schools, Community partners, Students and Families. Coalition for Community Schools, Indianapolis Public Library, LYN House

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Action 3.2: Develop and implement family and community engagement programming and supports to ensure financial and social stability and high levels of engagement among families.




Near Eastside Schools, Indianapolis Public Schools, Families First, IUPUI Office of Family, School and Neighborhood Engagement, Indianapolis Public Library

Action 3.3: Expand the Housing Stability for School Success Initiative, providing housing and other supports to overcome high student mobility.




NEAR

Action 3.4: Every school provides services and supports to ensure a high degree of social-emotional well-being, health and wellness among students.




Indianapolis Public Schools, People’s Health Center, Marion County Department of Health, Eskenazi-Midtown

Priority #4 Increase student retention and completion for K-12 students and ensure that all students undertake and complete a high quality post-secondary education, including college, certifications, military, apprenticeships, and entrepreneurship.

Action 4.1: Ensure all eligible students have the opportunity to enroll in 21st Century Scholars and maintain their eligibility for scholarships.


Elevate


School counselors, Dream Alive, College Mentors for Kids, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Afterschool Providers, Indiana Commission for Higher Education

Action 4.2: Beginning in elementary school, provide information to encourage families to lead students to seek post-secondary education.


Elevate


Schools, families, Indiana Commission for Higher Education, Out-of-School providers

Action 4.3: Schools and partners prepare students to apply and transition to post-secondary education. Advocate for and support high schools (Arsenal Technical and Purdue Polytechnic) to encourage college going and post-secondary preparation.


Elevate


Arsenal Technical High School, Purdue Polytechnic, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, IUPUI, Ivy Tech, IU-Bloomington, Elevate Indy, Indianapolis Public Library, Indiana Commission on Higher Education

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Action 4.4: Ensure that every student understands and considers all post-secondary educational options, including certifications, apprenticeships, military, public service, and entrepreneurship.


Elevate


Local schools, Indiana Commission on Higher Education

Priority #5 Provide Quality Out-of-School Time (OST) options for every child to provide extended learning for students and support families with the assurance of a safe, welcoming learning environment for their children out of school.

Action 5.1: OST Programs have capacity to support every student and family seeking participation and families know about their options.


Brookside CDC


Near Eastside Afterschool Providers, Summer Youth Program Fund, Indiana Department of Education, Indiana Office of Early Childhood and Out of School Learning, Indianapolis Public Library, Indiana Afterschool Network

Action 5.2: Increase quality of learning experiences for young people in out-of-school time programs through quality improvement, professional development, in-school/out of school alignment, and elevating afterschool educator positions.


Brookside CDC


Indiana Afterschool Network, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Westminster Neighborhood Services, Brookside Play, LYN House, East 10th Street Children and Youth Center, IndyParks, Indianapolis Public Library

Action 5.3: OST programming will increase student’s abilities to employ social and emotional skills, maintain physical fitness, have access to and consume nutritious foods and beverages, and care for their mental health.


Brookside CDC


Growing Places Indy, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Jump IN for Healthy Kids

Action 5.4: Ensure that every child has opportunities to participate in STEAM and arts and culture programming.




Out of School Time Providers, Schools, Neighborhood Artists, Arts for Learning

Action 5.5: Ensure that every child has opportunities to participate in entrepreneurship out of school time programming.


Brookside CDC


Out of School Time Providers, Schools, Neighborhood Artists, Arts for Learning, LYN House

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Action 5.6: Increase out of school time opportunities for middle school and high school youth, including volunteer and mentoring opportunities.




Arsenal Technical High School, Purdue Polytechnic High School, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Westminster Neighborhood Services, East 10th Street Children and Youth Center, Indianapolis Public Library, EmployIndy, IndyParks

Action 5.7: Provide opportunities for teens to develop employability skills particularly through their participation in the Job Ready Indy program.


Brookside CDC


Neighborhood Schools, Out of School Time Providers, EmployIndy, Indianapolis Public Library

Priority #6 Build educational community on the Near Eastside.

Action 6.1: Strengthen bonds and communications between neighborhood residents and educators by creating a Near Eastside Educators Council and regularly convening school leaders.




Indianapolis Public Library

Action 6.2: Attract high-quality teachers to Near Eastside schools by recruiting them to live and work in the neighborhood, and by preparing current neighbors to become teachers.


NEAR



Action 6.3: Strengthen bonds between neighborhood youth and schools through increased service learning and by creating a Near Eastside Student Council.




Schools, Neighborhood Associations

Action 6.4: Strengthen bonds between neighborhood residents and students by engaging older adults as mentors for youth and to support neighborhood education efforts.




John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Indianapolis Public Schools

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Priority #7 Increase options for adults to undertake training and education to fulfill career and personal goals

Action 7.1: Provide and expand high-school (HSE) equivalency options in the neighborhood




Washington Township Adult Education, Excel Centers, Indianapolis Public Library

Action 7.2: Link adults with certification and learning opportunities to fulfill career and personal goals




Indianapolis Public Library

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Equity & Engagement Lead Agency: Westminster Neighborhood Services

Priority #1 Ensure planning groups integrate equity and engagement to dismantle unjust systems, such as racism, poverty, and sexism on the Near Eastside.

Priority #2 Ensure equitable and accessible forms of meetings and communication that reaches all neighbors.

Action 2.1:

Develop a list of institutionalized resources and grass roots community resources that reach underrepresented Near Eastside neighbors in order to plan equitable meeting spaces, and employ an equitable outreach strategy that includes physical and digital outreach.


Identified by Equity & Engagement Community Action Team


Englewood CDC, Christian Park Foundation, Outreach, Horizon House, Project Lia, Indianapolis Public Library

Action 1.1: Ensure that the Community Action Team reflects the diversity of the neighborhood and can equitably represent the voices of those experiencing marginalization on the Near Eastside.


Equity & Engagement Community Action Team


Westminster Neighborhood Services, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Neighborhood Associations

Action 1.2: Develop equity guidelines that are rooted in asset-based community development principles for lead agencies and CATs to audit the actions proposed to fulfill Quality of Life goals.




Westminster Neighborhood Services, John Boner Neighborhood Centers

Action 1.3: Actively work with other Quality of Life Community Action Teams to provide assistance and guidance for inclusive community development on the Near Eastside.




Other Community Action Teams, John Boner Neighborhood Centers

Action 1.4: Issues of inequity that present themselves throughout the fulfillment of the 2020 Quality of Life Plan are mediated through listening, advising, and facilitating a pathway forward for an equitable Near Eastside that supports all of its neighbors.





page 42

Action 2.2: Develop an equitable community outreach strategy that all Near Eastside agencies can employ for projects and events that includes canvassing, fliers, newsletters, and social media and is youth-friendly.



Supporting Partner/s: Indianapolis Public Library

Action 2.3:

Hold meetings in community spaces that are a part of diverse community members’ everyday life, such as the Near Eastside Latinx community, in order to ensure diverse community members are represented and part of planning the Near Eastside’s future alongside Near Eastside organizations and agencies.




Project Lia, St. Philip Neri, Shepherd Community Center, Indianapolis Public Schools, Near Eastside Innovation School Corp, Food Drives, Indianapolis Public Library

Action 2.4: Create bi-lingual and visual means of communication for neighbors experiencing language and literacy barriers.




St. Philip Neri, Shepherd Community Center, Englewood CDC, Indianapolis Public Library

Priority #3 Work with Community Action Teams, agencies, and organizations to strategize on grants and grassroots development to remove barriers.

Action 3.1: Equity & Engagement Community Agency Team works with agencies and organizations to identify grants and projects that can help remove barriers for neighbors experiencing marginalization.




Neighborhood Associations, Westminster Neighborhood Services, John Boner Neighborhood Centers

Action 3.2: Near Eastside leadership and neighbors attend training to engage with racial bias, such as Undoing Racism offered through Child Advocates.




All Near Eastside Agencies

page 43

Priority #4 Facilitate empowerment and sense of belonging by increasing representation of neighbors experiencing marginalization through leadership and engagement opportunities.

Action 4.1: Provide leadership opportunities for neighbors experiencing marginalization on the Near Eastside.





Action 4.2: Near Eastside organizations should complete a leadership analysis to assess and reflect on if they represent the neighborhood they serve and take action steps to do so.




Westminster Neighborhood Services, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Indianapolis Public Library

Action 4.3: Support existing programs that work to support community members facing citizenship barriers.





Priority #5 Seed youth leadership involvement

Action 5.1: Make connections with youth leadership to develop youth involvement strategies that embrace diverse leadership strategies and reflect the demographics of the Near Eastside.




Englewood CDC, Westminster Neighborhood Services, Near Eastside Innovation School Corp, Indianapolis Public Schools, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Outreach, other mentorship programs

Action 5.2: Create environments and communication opportunities where all youth feel safe and involved in the future of the Near Eastside.




Englewood CDC, Westminster Neighborhood Services, Near Eastside Innovation School Corporation, Indianapolis Public Schools, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Outreach Inc.

page 44

Action 5.3: Foster soft skill development with youth that builds civic involvement.

Performance Measures:

Increase in internships, mentorship opportunities and employment for youth in civic and community development agencies.




Englewood CDC, Westminster Neighborhood Services, Near Eastside Innovation School Corporation, Indianapolis Public Schools, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Outreach Inc., Indianapolis Public Schools

Action 5.4:

Create a network of peer mentors throughout the Near Eastside with existing groups to support youth through similar life experiences, such as homelessness, youth parenting, food insecurity, discrimination, harassment, and other issues that disproportionately face youth experiencing marginalization.




Englewood CDC, Westminster Neighborhood Services, Near Eastside Innovation School Corp, Indianapolis Public Schools, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Outreach Inc.

page 45

Health, Wellness, & Family Strengthening Lead Agency: Westminster Neighborhood Services

Priority #1 Improve mental and behavioral health and wellness among neighbors.

Action 1.1: Increase access to mental health services and substance abuse treatment.


Westminster Neighborhood Services


Faith-based Organizations, Community Based Organizations, Marion County Public Health Department

Action 1.2: Provide mental health and substance abuse wraparound services at supportive housing sites.





Action 1.3: Provide education on coping skills and Wellness Recovery Action Plans.




Woodruff Place Baptist Church, Faith-based Organizations, Community Based Organizations

Action 1.4: Launch a community-based initiative to address trauma and promote resiliency.





Action 1.5: Train community service providers in trauma-informed care.




Westminster Neighborhood Services, Faith-based Organizations, Community Based Organizations, Local Schools, Service Providers

Action 1.6: Train educators, police officers, first responders, and others to identify and respond to mental health and substance abuse issues.




Westminster Neighborhood Services, Faith-based Organizations, Community Based Organizations, First Responders, Service Providers, Indianapolis Public Library

page 47

Action 1.7: Provide public education about Adverse Childhood Experiences and related public health issues.




Westminster Neighborhood Services, Indianapolis Public Library, Faith-based Organizations, Community Based Organizations, Service Providers

Action 1.8: Create a mental health taskforce and expand behavioral health teams.





Priority #2 Improve physical health and wellness among neighbors.

Action 2.1: Reduce the incidence and severity of infant and maternal mortality, heart disease, diabetes and cancer.




Faith-based Organizations, Community Based Organizations, Marion County Public Health Department, Indianapolis Public Library

Action 2.2: Launch a Near Eastside pilot of the Ornish Reversal Program alongside SNAP-ed and Purdue Extension training programs to reverse heart disease in Near Eastside residents.




Faith-based Organizations, Community Based Organizations, Service Providers, Purdue Extension, Indianapolis Public Library

Action 2.3: Increase opportunities for physical activity by assisting with enrollment at local gyms, forming neighborhood walking groups and providing open air fitness programming for all ages in parks and public spaces.




Faith-based Organizations, Community Based Organizations, Indianapolis Public Library, Marion County Public Health Department

Action 2.4: Host a neighborhood contest to log walking miles in connection with the Near Eastside Games.




Faith-based Organizations, Community Based Organizations, Indianapolis Public Library, Marion County Public Health Department

page 48

Action 2.5: Provide public education on healthy diets, cooking on a budget, gardening and related topics.




Faith-based Organizations, Community Based Organizations, Indianapolis Public Library, Marion County Public Health Department, Purdue Extension, Jump IN for Healthy Kids, Service Providers

Priority #3 Reduce poverty and stabilize families.

Action 3.1: Support families in achieving housing stability and provide homelessness prevention and intervention services.




Horizon House

Action 3.2: Provide prevention and intervention services to address child abuse and neglect, including training on attachment-based parenting.




Community Based Organizations, Service Providers

Action 3.3: Provide prevention and intervention services to address domestic violence.





Action 3.4: Create a safe, familiar place for families to come for guidance on tough issues and obtain counseling-like services from a familiar neighbor or community member.




Faith-based Organizations, Community Based Organizations, Service Providers

Action 3.5: Establish an employer/employee mutual assistance fund for addressing emergency expenses.


Englewood CDC


Faith-based Organizations, Community Based Organizations

page 49

Priority #4 Support families in achieving their health and wellness goals.

Action 4.1: Provide public education on healthy family dynamics, healthy relationships and personal empowerment.




Parents Anonymous, Community Based Organizations

Action 4.2: Provide opportunities for families to build social relationships and connect with others through support groups, learning circles, parent/ladies/youth cafes, “Let’s Talk” groups, recreational clubs and volunteer and civic participation opportunities.


JBNC


Brookside Community Development Corporation, Indianapolis Public Library, LYN House, Community Based Organizations, and Service Providers

Action 4.3: Offer classes to engage families in health activities together (e.g. cooking, arts and crafts, games and fitness).




Bright by Text, Indianapolis Public Library, Community Based Organizations, and Service Providers

Action 4.4: Create intergenerational programming in public spaces and in partnership with service providers such as PACE and Horizon House in order to promote intergenerational interaction among older adults who are marginalized or vulnerable.




PACE, Westminster Neighborhood Services, Community Based Organizations, and Service Providers

Action 4.5: Provide a healthy family mentoring program and/or provide community health workers for families at risk.





Action 4.6: Increase access to resources, home visiting services, supportive networks, and other supports for seniors and caregivers to address specific needs throughout the lifespan.


Englewood CDC


Faith-based Organizations, Community Based Organizations, Service Providers

page 50

Action 4.7: Increase opportunities for Near Eastside youth to participate in local recreational activities through Near Eastside sport leagues.


Englewood CDC


Indy City Futbol, Englewood Recreation, Friends of Brookside and Spades Park, Arsenal Technical High School

Priority #5 Improve food access and food security among neighbors

Action 5.1: Open an affordable grocery store or co-op.


Healthy Harvest Market


Grocery Store Operator/s, Financing Organization, Indianapolis Public Library

Action 5.2: Develop a comprehensive 10-year food strategy for the Near Eastside.


Health and Wellness Community Action Team


NEAR, Westminster Neighborhood Services, Indianapolis Public Library, Jump IN for Healthy Kids, Community Based Organizations addressing food needs

Action 5.3: Create incentives for locally-owned food businesses to locate in the Near Eastside.


NEAR


John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Englewood CDC, Indianapolis Public Library, Jump IN for Healthy Kids, and Community Based Organizations

Action 5.4: Create a food incubator and curriculum that promotes youth empowerment and entrepreneurism.


NEAR


Indianapolis Public Library, Jump IN for Healthy Kids, Community Based Organizations, Service Providers

Action 5.5: Collaborate with the Indy Food Council and others to address food access issues.




John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Westminster Neighborhood Services, Indianapolis Public Library, Jump IN for Healthy Kids, Community Based Organizations, Organizations Addressing Food Needs, NEAR

page 51

Action 5.6: Overcome transportation barriers to food access by providing transit to markets, creating a mobile market, and/or creating a food ordering platform.


NEAR


John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Westminster Neighborhood Services, Community Based Organizations, Organizations Addressing Food Needs, Transportation, and/or Technology

Action 5.7: Collaborate with existing organizations and their outreach efforts to cohesively market and promote food resources in the community.




Indianapolis Public Library, NEAR

Action 5.8: Invest in local food production.


NEAR


Englewood CDC, Jump IN for Healthy Kids, Indianapolis Public Library, Local Food Producers

Action 5.9: Encourage farmers markets to donate food surplus to food pantries.


NEAR


Farmers Markets and Food Pantries such as Gleaners

Action 5.10: Create a food desert box.


NEAR


Indianapolis Public Library, Local Businesses, Organizations, and Neighborhood Groups

Action 5.11: Host community meals.


NEAR


John Boner Neighborhood Centers, V3, Indianapolis Public Library, Neighborhood Groups, East 10th United Methodist Church

Action 5.12: Create employer-sponsored incentives rewarding healthy food choices or subsidies for healthy food such as Wholesome Wave.


NEAR


Marion County Public Health Department, Indianapolis Public Library, Community Based Organizations, Healthcare Organizations, Employers

page 52

Action 5.13: Provide support for urban farms, community gardens, and container gardens and connect them to IUPUI free-lead testing and Spades Park Library’s seed library.


Growing Places Indy


Englewood CDC, Westminster Neighborhood Services, Indianapolis Public Library, Neighborhood Groups, IUPUI

Priority #6 Build a community that fosters health and wellness.

Action 6.1: Complete a feasibility study for a wellness hub that would comprehensively and holistically address needs in a welcoming and accessible location and provide one-on-one support for high-need individuals and families.




Westminster Neighborhood Services, NEAR, Englewood CDC, Marion County Public Health Department, Service Providers

Action 6.2: Attract development to the Near Eastside that supports neighbors’ access to healthy food, financial support, childcare, fitness, rehabilitation, counseling, and related products and services in their neighborhoods.




Westminster Neighborhood Services, NEAR, Englewood CDC, Marion County Public Health Department, Service Providers

Action 6.3: Publish a living resource guide, calendar, and brochure of health tips and distribute these widely in print and online in formats that incorporate various methods of learning.




Faith-based Organizations, Service Providers

Action 6.4: Regularly complete a community health needs assessment in conjunction with Marion County health assessment.




Faith-based Organizations, Service Providers

Action 6.5: Provide health services, information and outreach through schools and workplaces.




Westminster Neighborhood Services, Marion County Public Health Department, Local Schools, and Service Providers

page 53

Priority #7 Improve health equity in the community.

Action 7.1: Provide targeted, accessible and culturally-specific health outreach, navigation and advocacy by placing Promotoras, health navigators, social workers, and related workers in positions throughout the community




Westminster Neighborhood Services, Marion County Public Health Department, Local Schools, Faith-based Organizations, Community Based Organizations, Local Organizations, and Service Providers

Action 7.2: Build health access and health literacy by providing comprehensive health and mental health education and screenings and inviting health and wellness organizations to participate in community events.




John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Englewood CDC, Marion County Public Health Department, Faith-based Organizations, Service Providers

Action 7.3: Raise awareness of health inequities by organizing an annual health fair and related health and wellness events at schools, libraries, parks, and other public places while utilizing a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens.




Marion County Public Health Department, Faith-based Organizations, Community Based Organizations, Local Schools, Local Libraries, Local Parks, Service Providers

Action 7.4: Identify and address the public health impacts of climate change and environmental justice for our Near Eastside community.


Englewood CDC


John Boner Neighborhood Centers, NEAR, Westminster Neighborhood Services, Marion County Public Health Department, Community Based Organizations, Service Providers, Neighborhood Groups

Action 7.5: Ensure underrepresented groups have access to primary care by providing gap coverage or free or grant-based coverage and assisting in enrollment.




Marion County Public Health Department, Faith-Based Organizations, Service Providers

page 54

Housing Lead Agency: Near East Area Renewal

Priority #1 Develop quality affordable and market-rate homeownership opportunities.

Action 1.1: Develop market rate homes for homeownership.


Housing Community Action Team


Private Developers, NEAR

Action 1.2: Develop homes for buyers at or below 120% AMI and, when possible, include in the community land trust, particularly in areas that have already experienced or are in the process of experiencing a rapid increase in property values.


NEAR


Community Land Trust, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Englewood CDC

Action 1.3: Utilize the Edge Fund offered by Renew Indianapolis or the Mortgage Accelerator from Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership to leverage the buying power of low-moderate income buyers.


NEAR


Renew Indianapolis, Inc., Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Englewood CDC

Action 1.4: Support volunteer driven affordable housing development through Habitat for Humanity and Fuller Center.





Action 1.5: Make intentional efforts to market available housing and urban living to historically marginalized communities.


NEAR



Action 1.6: Encourage dense homeownership developments, including condominiums or developments similar to Beville Greens.


Englewood CDC


John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership, MIBOR

page 56

Action 1.7: Explore developing a lease-purchase project that will convert the renters of the units (either attached or detached units) into homeowners.


Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership


NEAR, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Englewood CDC

Action 1.8: Develop permanent affordable housing, creativity incubator and/or live/work spaces for diverse groups of artists to gather, create and collaborate.


NEAR



Priority #2 Develop quality affordable and market-rate rental opportunities.

Action 2.1: Develop carriage houses for low-moderate income households in areas experiencing a rapid increase in property values in order to increase density and enable homeowners to stay in the neighborhood.


NEAR



Action 2.2: Support the development of high quality mixed-income and market rate apartments.


Englewood CDC


NESCO, Neighborhood Associations, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, NEAR, Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership

Action 2.3:

Support the development of transitional and integrated permanent supportive housing, such as the Horizon House Permanent Supportive Housing Proposal and the integrated permanent supportive proposals being proposed by Englewood CDC (St. Lucas Lofts and PEP Housing).


Englewood CDC


Living World Baptist Church, Gratus Development, Horizon House

Priority #3 Develop mechanisms that allow for long-term affordability and maintain affordability for existing homeowners.

Action 3.1: Advocate for freezing of taxes for long-term homeowners.


NEAR


Englewood CDC, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, NESCO








NEAR






NEAR





Englewood CDC



Action 2.3:



Englewood CDC






NEAR










NEAR






NEAR





Englewood CDC



Action 2.3:



Englewood CDC






NEAR



page 57

Action 3.2: Develop a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) where our community is able to invest in and control the development of properties in their community.


Englewood CDC


NEAR

Action 3.3: Develop an independent community land trust that will maintain permanent affordability, with local control and representation on the CLT.


NEAR


Englewood CDC, John Boner Neighborhood Centers

Priority #4 Develop a robust home repair program that is able to coordinate multiple sources of funding and volunteer work groups.

Action 4.1: Identify a central organization to coordinate the promotion of the multiple sources of homeowner repair funds and applications.


Englewood CDC


Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership, Shepherd Community Center, NEAR

Action 4.2: Identify a central organization to coordinate the promotion and applications for various volunteer home repair programs.


Englewood CDC


Shepherd Community Center, NEAR

Action 4.3: Develop a pilot program that provides repairs for homes occupied by renters.


Englewood CDC


NEAR, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, NeighborLink

Action 4.4: Advocate for higher tax rate for vacant land or property that begins two years after purchase to discourage land speculation.


NEAR


Englewood CDC

page 58

Placemaking & Infrastructure

Lead Agency: Near East Area Renewal

Priority #1 Create stronger commercial corridor connectivity to create a connected and accessible community.

Action 1.1: Build stronger and safer connections for cyclists and pedestrians within and to commercial corridors such as 10th Street, Washington Street, New York Street, and Michigan Street.


Department of Public Works


Neighborhood Associations, Central Indiana Community Foundation , City of Indianapolis, Mayor’s Bike Council

Action 1.2: Advocate for and install multi-modal transit amenities and spaces for placemaking activities and programming on commercial corridors such as 10th, Washington, New York, Michigan, etc. in concert with businesses and community spaces present.


NEAR


City of Indianapolis Department of Public Works, Arts Council of Indianapolis, IndyGo, City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development, Big Car, Indiana State Department of Health, Free Wheelin’, Near Eastside Business Association, NESCO

Action 1.3: Encourage neighborhoods to employ walk audits as a strategy to improve the safety of pedestrians in the neighborhood.


Health By Design


City of Indianapolis Department of Public Works, Neighborhood Associations, Marion County Public Health Department, Community Health Network

Action 1.4: Install bike maintenance stations at local parks and along bike trails and paths.




City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development, Bike and Ped Coordinator, Indy Parks, FreeWheelin’, Bike Indianapolis

Action 1.5: Develop opportunities for placemaking which supports the development of mixed use and diverse businesses on the Near Eastside.




Arts Council, Harrison Center for the Arts, Indy Parks, Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center

page 60

Priority #2 Prioritize pedestrian-centered development to improve access to daily needs for all individuals.

Action 2.1: Increase accessibility to corridors in the form of Mobility Hubs [a hyper-local, centralized location for transportation/other services to facilitate easier access around the Near Eastside and the City].


IndyGo


City of Indianapolis, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Englewood CDC, Pacers Bikeshare, Metropolitan Planning Organization, Shared Use Mobility Center

Action 2.2: Increase pedestrian-centered access to transit (and other forms of transportation) on Near Eastside corridors.


City of Indianapolis


IndyGo, Health by Design, Mayor’s Bike Council, NEAR, Indianapolis Power and Light

Action 2.3: Ensure all corridors are safe for residents, including individuals with ADA requirements.




IndyGo Mobility Access Committee, City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development, Disabled Affairs Department, NSILC, Accessibility, AARP, IndyGo

Action 2.4: Prioritize nodal development where there is a 10-minute walk to goods and services through a variety of transportation means (public transit, car-sharing, ride-sharing, bicycles, scooters, walking, etc.).


NEAR


Department of Public Works, IndyGo, Pacers Bikeshare, City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development, NEBA, Marion County Public Health Department, LISC, Indy Parks

Action 2.5: Explore temporary pedestrian-only zones (such as blocks, parking spaces, or other auto-oriented areas which are shut off to traffic for a short amount of time to program the space).


Placemaking & Infrastructure Community Action Team


Harrison Center, City of Indianapolis, Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, Metropolitan Planning Organization

Action 2.6: Prioritize the number of streets to become Complete Streets.




Neighborhood Associations

page 61

Priority #3 Maintain and improve transit stop infrastructure to create a connected and accessible community.

Action 3.1: Implement environmental best practices when developing transit stop infrastructure.


IndyGo


City of Indianapolis Office of Sustainability, Arts Council of Indianapolis, Department of Public Works, Neighborhood Associations, Near Eastside Business Association

Action 3.2: Prioritize the safety of cyclists and pedestrians, especially those going to and from transit stops.


City of Indianapolis Department of Public Works


Health By Design, Neighborhood Associations, IndyGo, Indianapolis Power and Light

Action 3.3: Encourage the development of placemaking and improved wayfinding at transit stops.


Arts Council of Indianapolis


IndyGo, Big Car, Harrison Center, Indiana State Department of Health, Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, Neighborhood Associations, Near Eastside Business Association

Action 3.4: Improve lighting, clean streets and sidewalks, and clean up CSX railroad track areas along Near Eastside corridors (trash, overgrown shrubbery, etc.).




Safety Community Action Team, Neighborhood Associations, Indianapolis Power and Light, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful

Priority #4 Maintain infrastructure to preserve a connected and accessible community

Action 4.1: Address the capacity, maintenance, and sustainability of infrastructure (alleys, sidewalks, roads, curbs, etc.) that support the development of mixed use and diverse businesses on the Near Eastside.




Office of Sustainability, IndyGo, NEAR, Neighborhood Associations, Near Eastside Business Association

Action 4.2: Address the capacity, maintenance, and sustainability of utility infrastructure to serve all residents – water, sewer, gas, lighting, etc.




Citizen’s Energy, Indianapolis Power and Light, Office of Sustainability, Reconnecting to Our Waterways, Englewood CDC, Jefferson Electric, Marion County Soil and Water

page 62

Action 4.3: Provide training opportunities to empower neighbors to address code enforcement violations through Acela.


NESCO


Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, City of Indianapolis – Mayor’s Action Center

Action 4.4: Extend protected bike lanes on either New York Street or Michigan Street (or both) to improve connectivity between downtown and out towards Irvington.




City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development, Bike and Ped Coordinator, Bike Indianapolis, Bike Indiana, relevant neighborhood associations

Priority #5 Improve access to natural spaces for people of all abilities.

Action 5.1:

Increase efforts to make the Near Eastside a walkable, connected and vibrant community with a focus on connected pocket parks, each Near Eastside resident living/working within a 10-minute walk from a greenspace, and aesthetic streetscape improvements that include lighting, multi-model infrastructure and wayfinding.


NEAR


Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, City of Indianapolis, Arts Council of Indianapolis, Big Car, Indy Parks

Action 5.2: Determine greenspace opportunities in each neighborhood [i.e. pocket parks, linear parks, community gardens, playgrounds, etc.].


Keep Indianapolis Beautiful


Renew Indianapolis, Green Picket Fences, Indiana Forest Alliance, Indy Parks, Feast of Lanterns, Friends of Brookside and Spades Park

Action 5.3: Increase concentration of pocket parks/open spaces on corridors which connect to heavily traveled corridors.


Keep Indianapolis Beautiful


NEAR, Reconnecting to Our Waterways, Indy Parks, City of Indianapolis, Friends of Brookside and Spades Park, Lanterns Foundation

Action 5.4: Develop parks infrastructure for adults as the end user (adult exercise equipment or senior-specific exercise equipment).


NEAR


CICOA, AARP, Indy Parks Foundation, Cummins, Friends of Brookside and Spades Park, Indy Parks

page 63

Priority #6 Improve access to natural spaces for people of all abilities.

Action 6.1: Determine a scope of work for trail development for Pogue’s Run Trail.


Pathways Over Pogue’s


City of Indianapolis Department of Public Works, Reconnecting to Our Waterways, Englewood CDC, Friends of Brookside and Spades Park

Action 6.2: Improve the connectivity of the community infrastructure by leveraging Indy Connect and other community-based groups.


NEAR


City of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center, Metropolitan Planning Organization

Action 6.3: Create a Near Eastside Connectivity Master Plan that connects Near Eastside assets, major transit corridors, trails and parks.


NEAR


City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development, Department of Public Works, Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center, Metropolitan Planning Organization, Indy Parks, IndyGo, Central Indiana Community Foundation, United Way, LISC

Priority #7 Maintain existing parks on the Near Eastside to sustain the built and natural environment for future generations.

Action 7.1: Pursue sustainable funding sources for programming or maintenance of current parks.


NEAR


Indy Parks, Cummins, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Reconnecting to Our Waterways, Lanterns Foundation, Friends of Brookside and Spades Park

Action 7.2: Highlight the benefits and unique value of Near Eastside parks to community.


Indy Parks


Englewood CDC, NEAR, Reconnecting to Our Waterways, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Lanterns Foundation, Friends of Brookside and Spades Park, Kan-Kan Cinema

Action 7.3: Expand real estate development opportunities around parks.


NEAR


Near Eastside Business Association, Reconnecting to Our Waterways Englewood CDC Near Eastside Business Association, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Friends of Brookside and Spade Parks, Kan-Kan Cinema

page 64

Safety Lead Agency: John Boner Neighborhood Centers

Priority #1 Develop and implement strategies to strengthen interpersonal relationships and collaborative efforts among residents, service providers, and law enforcement.

Action 1.2: Encourage neighbors to utilize the James E. Waters, Jr. Community Mediation Center through social media and promotion at local events and neighborhood meetings.


James E. Waters, Jr. Community Mediation Center


Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Neighborhood Associations, NESCO

Action 1.3: Encourage participation in Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Adopt-A-Block as a form of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).


NEAR


Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Neighborhood Associations, NESCO

Action 1.4: Encourage and promote opportunities for officers to engage directly with the community (ex. coffee with a cop, roll calls, walks, youth activities, afterschool program engagement) to improve neighborhood relations.




Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Mediation Center

Action 1.5:

Promote cross-attendance at meetings so that an increased number of neighbors attend IMPD meetings and an increased number of officers attend neighborhood meetings in order to increase the understanding of IMPD and neighborhood role in the community.


NESCO


Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, neighborhood associations

Action 1.1: Encourage neighborhoods to form a CrimeWatch block club.




Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Neighborhood Associations, NESCO

page 66

Action 1.6:

Create a joint training for community members and IMPD to engage in cultural difference training that is grounded in the history of the Near Eastside (Similar to Implicit Bias Training, Undoing Racism, etc…) and determine accountability measures for equitable law enforcement particularly around race & adolescents/juvenile youth.


Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department


Peace Learning Center, Child Advocates

Action 1.7: Encourage IMPD to proactively engage with the youth community by coordinating opportunities for engagement.





Priority #2 Create and implement crime prevention and intervention projects and programs.

Action 2.1: Coordinate events with the Neighborhood Enhancement Team Outreach (NETO) through the City of Indianapolis Office of Public Health and Safety.




Office of Public Health and Safety, Neighborhood Associations

Action 2.2: Train IMPD officers to do referrals to community services/supports when responding to a quality-of-life call.




Meditation Center, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Shepherd Community Center, Brookside CDC

Action 2.3: Partner IMPD with social workers who can join/participate in calls to assist with hand-offs/support services.




James E. Waters, Jr. Community Mediation Center, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Shepherd Community Center, Brookside CDC

Action 2.4: Explore strategies to equip IMPD officers to respond to calls in a trauma-informed manner.





page 67

Action 2.5: Explore strategies to increase Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department awareness of substance abuse use disorder responses.




Marion County Public Health Department, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, People’s Health Center

Action 2.6: Work with existing service providers to advocate for and increase availability of job opportunities for neighbors who were formerly incarcerated.


Brookside CDC


Project Lia, Recycle Force, Re-Entry Entrepreneurship Development Initiative, Riley Area Development Corporation

Priority #3 Educate and empower neighbors on how to best address safety concerns in the community.

Action 3.1: Provide safety preparedness trainings (Community Emergency Response, Narcan, environmental testing, and trainings, etc.).


NESCO


Marion County Community Emergency Response Team, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department

Action 3.2: Provide Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) trainings.


NESCO


James E. Waters, Jr. Community Mediation Center, NEAR

Action 3.3: Encourage neighbors to become Community Mediators at the James E. Waters, Jr. Community Mediation Center.




John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Shepherd Community Center, Englewood CDC, NEAR

Action 3.4: Expand Shalom Project at Shepherd Community Center.





page 68

Sustainability Lead Agency: Englewood Community Development Corporation

Priority #1 Create a sustainable and resilient built environment.

Action 1.2:

Advocate for and seek funds to provide low-cost weatherization on Near Eastside homes through strategies such as LEED and energy star performance assessments, workshops or programming which teach at-home techniques to determine existing weatherization performance, and neighbor assistance programs like Caulk of the Town.


NEAR


Englewood CDC, Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, Department of Education, Indianapolis Office of Sustainability

Action 1.3:

Encourage more effective outreach by Indianapolis Power and Light in order to make businesses aware of free prescriptive and custom rebate programs to save energy. As a part of this process, ensure up-to-date materials advertising incentive programs are regularly distributed at business association meetings and available at key organizations and online.




NEAR, Englewood CDC, Indianapolis Power and Light

Action 1.4: Engage local universities to participate in service learning and design competitions in order to drive new thinking and energy into making the Near Eastside more resilient, then seek funding to implement promising solutions.


Ball State University – CAP IC


Englewood CDC, IUPUI Office of Sustainability, Purdue Polytechnic High School, Environmental Resilience Institute, Butler Center for Urban Ecology and Sustainability

Action 1.5: Explore more widespread renewable energy generation opportunities for non-residential community-serving properties so that benefits of clean energy and future savings may directly impact Near Eastside neighbors.


Solar United Neighbors


NESCO, Jefferson Electric, Indianapolis Power and Light

Action 1.1: Conduct a Near Eastside environmental assessment of historical pollution and climate change risk to prioritize climate change risk to ensure that environmental sustainability projects with benefit neighbors who are most impacted.


NEAR


Englewood CDC, Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, Department of Education, Indianapolis Office of Sustainability

page 70

Action 1.6:

Advocate for policies and legislation that make renewable energy generation more feasible for residential and commercial buildings including policies that allow for net metering, lower fixed charges by investor-owned utilities, and offset the initial cost of renewable energy generation equipment.


Solar Energy Taskforce


Solar United Neighbors, Jefferson Electric, Citizens Action Coalition, Sierra Club, Indianapolis Power and Light , Indianapolis Office of Sustainability, Englewood CDC

Action 1.7: Maximize the number of permeable surfaces as a mechanism for heat and pollution reduction, including strategies such as green rooftops, green walls, rain gardens, and tree lawns.




Purdue Extension, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, V3 Companies, NESCO, NEAR

Action 1.8:

Advocate for policies and legislation that make renewable energy generation more feasible for residential and commercial buildings including policies that allow for net metering, lower fixed charges by investor-owned utilities, and offset the initial cost of renewable energy generation equipment.


Solar Energy Taskforce


Solar United Neighbors, Jefferson Electric, Citizens Action Coalition, Sierra Club, Indianapolis Power and Light , Indianapolis Office of Sustainability, Englewood CDC

Priority #2 Reduce carbon emissions by improving multi-modal transportation options.

Action 2.1: Coordinate with multi-modal advocates to increase the number of protected bike lanes on the Near Eastside.


Englewood CDC


City of Indianapolis Department of Public Works, Health by Design, IndyGo, Metropolitan Planning Organization, NEAR, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, NESCO

Action 2.2: Support land uses and developments which maximize employment and housing density, thereby minimizing neighbors’ reliance on transportation and maximize walkability.


Englewood CDC


IndyGo, City of Indianapolis, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, NEAR

Action 2.3: Support Blue Line transit-oriented development overlay district as a model for future city-wide districts including the prioritization of welcoming outdoor public spaces, multimodal transportation options and pedestrian passages.


Englewood CDC


NEAR, IndyGo, City of Indianapolis, John Boner Neighborhood Centers , NESCO land use

page 71

Action 2.4: Encourage businesses to adopt commuter incentives for employees using multi-modal or alternative transportation.




NEAR, John Boner Neighborhood Centers, Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership, IndyGo

Priority #3 Support the restoration and stewardship of natural environments and green spaces.

Action 3.1: Pursue grants or incentive programs for homes and businesses to capture rainwater in rain barrels and cisterns in order to reduce flash flooding.


NEAR


Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Reconnecting Our Waterways

Action 3.2: Advocate for an increase in lead testing in residential backyards or community garden plots.


NEAR


Purdue Extension, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, various neighborhood associations, Indianapolis Public Library Seed Library, IUPUI Lead Testing Program

Action 3.3: Focus on litter abatement and increased neighborhood engagement related to beautification, tree planting, and the use of native plants.


NESCO


Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, various neighborhood associations

Priority #4 Develop a sustainable local economy.

Action 4.1: Establish a Near Eastside small-scale food producers’ coalition to bring together gardeners for resource and expertise sharing.




Fruit Loop Acres, UpLift Produce, Paramount School of Excellence, Jump IN for Healthy Kids

Action 4.2: Create a data-rich resource map, including contact information, type/size of operation, etc. of existing small-scale food producers and include on lead agency or Quality of Life Plan website.


NEAR


Healthy Harvest Market, Fruit Loop Acres, UpLift Produce, Paramount School of Excellence

page 72

Action 4.3: Advocate for policies that allow innovative zoning to accommodate growing structures (like hoop houses) and methods.


NESCO


Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, various neighborhood associations

Action 4.4:

Create a youth sustainability club and provide engagement in various sustainability learning opportunities and competitions and seek funding for the club to hold quarterly field trips to local and municipal locations such as food production sites, renewable energy installers and recycling operations, etc. and to register in applicable competitions.


Paramount School of Excellence


Purdue Polytechnic High School, Thomas Gregg Neighborhood School, Englewood CDC, Arsenal Technical High School

Action 4.5:

Implement job training for clean energy careers and expand partnerships with sustainability-related businesses and organizations to offer green job opportunities. Prioritize training for those exiting homelessness or incarceration, those with disabilities, and low-income individuals.


Jefferson Electric


RecycleForce, Englewood CDC, John Boner Neighborhood Centers

Action 4.6: Recruit business leaders to serve as a pilot group to implement Thrive Indianapolis initiatives on the Near Eastside.




Englewood CDC, NEAR, City of Indianapolis Office of Sustainability

Priority #5 Create systems for individuals and families to engage in sustainable practices through effective use of public services and educational opportunities.

Action 5.1: Seek funding to employ a full-time resiliency director to more fully implement sustainability initiatives and to identify new sustainability solutions as they emerge and present them for adoption at Quality of Life summits.


Englewood CDC


John Boner Neighborhood Centers , NEAR, Indy Parks

page 73

Action 5.2:

Highlight businesses and residents who integrate sustainability into their everyday lives through the Quality of Life Plan newsletter, other forms of communication, and through the creation of an annual Near Eastside sustainability award which is given to an individual and/or group embodying environmentally sustainable actions or furthering environmentally sustainable projects.


Englewood CDC


John Boner Neighborhood Centers, NEAR, Indy Parks

Action 5.3: Identify and build on existing educational programming to include environmental sustainability topics such as recycling best practices and disaster preparedness.




RecycleForce, Red Cross, Indy Recycling Coalition, Jefferson Electric, Indy Parks

Action 5.4: Advocate for city-wide free or low-cost curbside recycling and composting programs and offer the Near Eastside as a demonstration community for pilot models.


NESCO


Englewood CDC, NEAR, Indiana Recycling Coalition, City of Indianapolis Office of Sustainability and Department of Public Works

Action 5.5: Promote awareness of and develop financial assistance program for equitable resiliency initiatives, including weatherization, LEDs, and homeowner repair.


Englewood CDC


Indianapolis Power and Light, NEAR, City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development

Action 5.6: Create a physical asset map, including such resources as available indoor showers and beds at local businesses and homes that can be used should neighbors become displaced en masse by a natural, public health, or other disaster.




Englewood CDC, NEAR, Near Eastside Innovation School Corporation

page 74

What is a Q

uality of Life Plan?

Where did the N

ear Eastside Quality of Life Plan

come from

?

Our G

uiding Principles and Values

The Q

uality of Life P

lan (Q

LP) is a n

eigh

bor-led

initiative th

at outlin

es the g

oals of the N

ear Eastsid

e. Bu

ilt by th

e com

mu

nity, th

e QLP

iden

tifies op

portu

nities su

ch as: b

etter edu

cation, im

proved

hou

sing

, broad

er job ch

oices, an

d safer streets to m

ake the n

eigh

borh

ood a b

etter place to live, w

ork and

play. A

diverse g

roup

of comm

un

ity org

anization

s, leaders, an

d resid

ents w

ork togeth

er to create the Q

LP w

hich

serves as a vision for th

e comm

un

ity’s fu

ture.

The N

ear Eastsid

e Qu

ality of Life Plan

is the resu

lt of a year-long

plan

nin

g p

rocess wh

ich

inclu

ded

a variety of activities desig

ned

to give voice to th

ose wh

o live, work, w

orship

, learn

, and

play on

the N

ear Eastsid

e. From su

rveys to sum

mits, in

terviews to focu

s grou

ps,

thou

sand

s of Near E

astside n

eigh

bors w

ere asked to h

elp id

entify an

d p

rovide in

pu

t on th

e focu

s areas and

priorities th

at serve as the fou

nd

ation for th

e plan

over the n

ext decad

e.

Equ

ity: The N

ear Eastsid

e Qu

ality of Life Plan

prom

otes a society and

its systems (e.g

. ed

ucation

, crimin

al justice, h

ealth care, h

ousin

g, th

e econom

y) that are ju

st, fair, and

in

clusive, p

rovidin

g all p

eople w

ith th

e opp

ortun

ity to reach th

eir full p

otential an

d live

vibran

t, prod

uctive lives.

Sustain

ability: Th

e Near E

astside Q

uality of Life P

lan en

courag

es the u

se of sustain

able

practices to p

reserve, protect an

d restore th

e natu

ral environ

men

t in ord

er to meet th

e n

eeds of th

e presen

t with

out com

prom

ising

the ab

ilities of the fu

ture g

eneration

.

Resilien

cy: The N

ear Eastsid

e Qu

ality of Life Plan

prom

otes environ

men

ts, strategies, an

d

app

roaches focu

sed on

healin

g recovery, an

d g

rowth

desig

ned

to sup

port n

eigh

bors w

ho

have exp

erienced

traum

a in ad

dressin

g an

d m

anag

ing

the im

pact of ad

versity to reach

their fu

llest poten

tial.

Econom

ic Mob

ility: The N

ear Eastsid

e Qu

ality of Life Plan

encou

rages n

eigh

bors to

meet th

eir econom

ic goals an

d m

ove toward

s econom

ic ind

epen

den

ce by em

ph

asizing

th

e provision

of edu

cation services, red

ucin

g b

arriers, imp

roving

access to sup

ports, an

d

provid

ing

emp

loymen

t opp

ortun

ities that offer u

pw

ardly m

obile career p

athw

ays enab

ling

th

em to elevate th

eir econom

ic position

and

transfer w

ealth to fu

ture g

eneration

s.

1,010

neig

hb

ors surveyed

250+

Qu

ality of Life V

isionin

g D

ay atten

dees

7,500

doors kn

ocked on

45

canvassin

g volu

nteers

Arts an

d C

ultu

re V

ISION

: The n

ear Eastsid

e is a place w

here arts, cu

lture, an

d creativity are

valued

as vital contrib

utors to th

e character, q

uality of life, an

d econ

omy

of the n

eigh

borh

ood.

Econom

ic & W

orkforce D

evelopm

ent

VISIO

N: Th

e Near E

astside m

obilizes existin

g assets an

d attracts n

ew

investm

ent in

our local resid

ents, b

usin

esses, and

places in

order to

maxim

ize their fu

ll poten

tial as we create ab

un

dan

t and

prod

uctive

linkag

es to our city, state, an

d b

eyond

.

Edu

cation

VISIO

N: Th

e Near E

astside is a p

lace wh

ere youn

g p

eople receive an

ed

ucation

that en

ables th

em to learn

, thrive, an

d su

cceed in

their ad

ult

lives and

residen

ts can en

gag

e in q

uality h

olistic learnin

g op

portu

nities

throu

gh

out th

eir lifetime.

Equ

ity and

Eng

agem

ent

VISIO

N:

The N

ear Eastsid

e is a place w

here n

eigh

bors ch

oose to valu

e each oth

er as assets and

facilitate eng

agem

ent across all races,

ethn

icities, gen

der id

entities, sexu

al orientation

s, econom

ic statuses,

ages, ab

ility, entry statu

s, and

legal statu

s.

Health

, Welln

ess & Fam

ily Stren

gth

enin

gV

ISION

: The N

ear Eastsid

e fosters inn

ovative partn

ership

s to ensu

re all com

mu

nity m

emb

ers have access to h

ealth, w

ellness an

d fam

ily stren

gth

enin

g resou

rces.

Hou

sing

V

ISION

: The N

ear Eastsid

e is a place th

at prom

otes fair, equ

itable, an

d

affordab

le hou

sing

for all, with

out reg

ard to in

come, race, eth

nicity, h

ousin

g

status, fam

ilial makeu

p, sexu

al orientation

, gen

der id

entity, im

mig

ration

status or class an

d th

at imp

roves the com

mu

nity as a w

hole w

hile n

ot forcin

g oth

ers out.

Placem

akin

g &

Infrastru

cture

VISIO

N: Th

e Near E

astside is a p

lace that creates, restores, an

d p

reserves a con

nected

and

accessible com

mu

nity th

roug

h a resilien

t and

sustain

able

bu

ilt and

natu

ral environ

men

t.

Safety V

ISION

: Th

e N

ear E

astside

is a

safe an

d

accessible

comm

un

ity th

at p

romotes p

ub

lic safety initiatives an

d fosters stron

g relation

ship

s betw

een a

well-en

gag

ed com

mu

nity an

d p

ub

lic safety agen

cies.

Sustain

ability

VISIO

N: Th

e Near E

astside is a p

lace that em

braces an

d p

ilots sustain

ability

initiatives in

order to m

itigate th

e imp

acts of climate ch

ang

e and

prep

ares b

usin

esses, residen

ts, and

spaces to b

ecome carb

on-n

eutral b

y 204

0.

Plan

Focus A

reas

near eastside quality of life plan certification c2020-02

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