The Pensacola Young Professionals (PYP) want to establish a Community Development Corporation. It’s first task will be to develop a strategic plan.
“This Corporation will assemble private and public stakeholders currently serving to address gaps in our community to develop and implement a community development strategic plan,” said the group in a press release yesterday. “This strategic plan will allow the community and leaders to better connect resources, funding opportunities, and volunteers, and allow community organizations to sustain and grow their current efforts.”
On July 19, the Escambia Board of County Commissioners passed a resolution in favor the establishment of a CDC.
PYP said the CDC was part of its 2018 Quality of Life survey, the Mason Dixon poll conducted each summer to the community’s attitudes of the overall quality of life in our community. The results showed that 69 percent of the respondents supported the creation of a CDC.
How familiar are you with the difference between economic development and community development?
Very Familiar = 23%
Somewhat Familiar = 55%
Not too familiar = 17%
Not familiar = 5%
How would you rate the coordinating of economic and community development by government, community and business leaders in Escambia?
Excellent = 6%
Good = 27%
Only Fair = 45%
Poor = 19%
DK = 3%
Do you support or oppose the creation of a community development corporation in Escambia, County?
Support = 69%
Oppose = 23%
Undecided = 9%
For more information or to be a part of this Community Development Corporation, please contact PYP at info@pensacolayp.com .
What is a CDC?
The National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations defines as: “These nonprofit, community-based organizations aggregate resources, ideas, and actors with the shared goal of improving the future of a place to the benefit of the people who live there. They are most commonly located in low-income, under-served neighborhoods that have experienced a significant lack of investment. Traditional activities include real estate development, business and economic development, and community organizing.”
Community-Wealth.org: “Community Development Corporations (CDCs) are nonprofit, community-based organizations focused on revitalizing the areas in which they are located, typically low-income, underserved neighborhoods that have experienced significant disinvestment. While they are most commonly celebrated for developing affordable housing, they are usually involved in a range of initiatives critical to community health such as economic development, sanitation, streetscaping, and neighborhood planning projects, and oftentimes even provide education and social services to neighborhood residents.”
One of the older CDC is Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation in Boston, which was formed 1977 by a grassroots group that have successfully stopped a I-95 highway extension project. Check it out.