Barelas Community Coalition Inc

Programs: All of the barelas community coalition's (bcc) exempt activities for the fiscal year evolved around community-based planning in the barelas neighborhood. One of the key components of this strategy is creating spaces for residents to get actively involved in all phases of the planning process. This included identifying community needs, community workshops, putting community projects into action, and negotiating with developers and city officials to leverage community power/influence to ensure the community benefits from development projects in the neighborhood. As the bcc is not a service-oriented organization but rather a community-based planning organization working to stabilize the community in the wake of gentrification and development pressures it is often difficult to quantify the impact of our work by data points alone. The bcc's impact, however, can be measured from particular quantifiable milestones in relation to community projects and the bcc's/community's involvement in planning and development in the neighborhood. The principle actions and activities of the community-based planning project evolved around four core projects the bcc worked on over the 2013 fiscal year: 1) barelas mainstreet/south fourth street economic development project; 2) permanently affordable housing and housing rehabilitation project; 3) albuquerque/barelas railyards redevelopment project; and 4) barelas community greenhouse and garden project. 1) barelas mainstreet/south fourth street economic development project: one of our main community based planning projects during the 2013 fiscal year focused on economic development and the revitalization of south 4th street, the once thriving business corridor for the barelas community. As part of our overall strategy to bring more resources and focus to the south 4th street corridor the bcc worked with community stakeholders to apply for and receive new mexico mainstreet emerging community status with the state economic development department. The designation brings planning, design strategies, economic development, and organizational support to our efforts to revive fourth street through the implementation of the mainstreet four-point approach, a community-driven revitalization strategy for historic downtowns and traditional neighborhood commercial districts. The focus of the mainstreet program in barelas is bringing merchants, residents, and local institutions together to work toward a common goal: developing and implementing an economic development plan that builds off existing attractions, resources, and businesses in the district and utilizes the community's rich history, historic architecture, and cultural traditions to create an art, culture, and food corridor that stays true to the historic character and architectural characteristics of the neighborhood. The bcc organized a number of community meetings and workshops in 2013 to help create the vision for the project with culminated in a large community platica/charrette in november where over fifty community stakeholders helped create the south 4th street cultural corridor plan with the assistance of new mexico mainstreet program associates. 2) permanently affordable housing and housing rehabilitation project 2: another main community-based planning project of the bcc involves advocating for the development of permanently affordable housing and housing rehabilitation in the neighborhood. During the 2013 fiscal year the bcc maintained a working relationship with sawmill community land trust (sclt), a nonprofit developer, to build the first four permanently affordable homes in the barelas neighborhood. Four lots were purchased by sclt in 2010 and over the last few years the bcc has worked with sclt to complete the planning and architectural design stages of the project, and to secure funding for construction costs. The project finally received full funding for construction during the 2013 fiscal year and the bcc and sclt held a joint ground breaking ceremony in october. In addition to new construction, the bcc also been working on developing a comprehensive housing acquisition and rehabilitation program in the community land trust/permanently affordable housing model for barelas and other historic communities. The primary structure for the program was developed during 2012 fiscal year while the bcc spent 2013 trying to put the program into motion. This included submitting two applications the city of albuquerque's department of family and community services to be designated as both an affordable housing development organization and a community development housing organization. Both applications are pending. The designations based on hud requirements are entry level requirement to receive city, state, and federal funding for affordable housing development. The bcc also submitted a number of proposals in response to request for proposals from the city of albuquerque, foundation grants for affordable housing, and worked on identifying additional recourses and partnerships that would help get the program up and running. 3) albuquerque/barelas railyards redevelopment project: another one of the bcc's main community-based planning projects is our ongoing involvement in the albuquerque/barelas railyards redevelopment project. The vacant 27 acre railyards site located in the barelas neighborhood is now owned by the city of albuquerque. A master developer was selected on 2011 (samitaur constructs), and the project is in the early planning/predevelopment stages. The bcc has been working to ensure community participation in every facet of the redevelopment project to maximize benefits for current residents of the neighborhood. The bcc has remained an active participant in the project representing community/local neighborhood interests through our ongoing participation in the railyards advisory board, attending and speaking at railyards, city council, and epc meetings, and work with local stakeholders and legislators to ensure community needs are outlined in the railyards master plan. 4) barelas community greenhouse and garden project. The bcc originally initiated a community garden project in 2011 to serve as a multigenerational organizing tool for community members of all ages. The majority of our community projects take several years to come to fruition and we wanted a smaller visible project that could inspire community members to participate in other long-term projects. The bcc has organized a wide range of students, seniors, and community residents who have volunteered their labor and love over the last few years. Project activities have included: cleaning the site of trash, weeds, and other debris; leveling off and plotting the site for construction; building a fence around the garden to secure the site; constructing 15 demonstration plots where we plant vegetables, herbs, and ornamental gardens; planting 7 large shade trees throughout the garden, 10 fruit trees in our small orchard in the rear of the site, and various native shrubs and bushes; constructing a grape arbor, two tables, and six benches for residents to relax and take in the site; constructing a greenhouse where we grow seedlings for free distribution; installing a drip irrigation system; completing walking paths throughout the site; and holding a series of workshops with seniors, students and residents that included planting, tree pruning, greenhouse construction, and installing drip irrigation systems. The community greenhouse and garden project has been a great success at recruiting residents of all ages and unlike some of the other long-term community planning projects allowed us to immediately show clear visual results. All told the garden project has involved over 220 volunteer residents, seniors, and students who put in a total of 3100 volunteer hours. The garden project is ongoing we have expanded its reach by connecting the greenhouse & garden site with the development of residential garden program. The project consists of the continued use of the greenhouse and garden site as a communal space to volunteer and hold gardening workshops with seniors, students and residents. The greenhouse can produce up to 7000 seedlings a year that are distributed at no cost to community residents throughout the year. The residential garden program is open to all community members but with an emphasis in terms of those receiving construction materials to help the neediest residents, such as the elderly, disabled, and single-parent households. The goal of the project is to supply materials and volunteer labor to construct residential gardens for the neediest families/residents, while supplying additional volunteer labor to help those whom may be able to purchase their own materials but lack the knowledge or physical ability to construct their own garden.