Love in the Name of Christ of Southern Chautauqua County (LOVE Inc.) Executive Director Susan Justham said the Raffa’s contacted LOVE Inc. looking for help with the major repairs needed, “As we continued to hear the story we realized there were more and more needs under this family’s situation. We put it out as a prayer request to the churches that we work with. One person stood up and said, ‘You know, I might be able to help with that.’ Which led to conversations with many, many others between the Office of Development, from Business Church, from churches trying to sponsor the cost and materials. It’s been amazing to see what God has done putting this all together.”

Justham said this has been a 6-month project, “I’m trying to help them, you know, handle those code issues that have come and trying to help with other issues we’ve come across as well like removing brush. When you’re in your 70s, how do you remove brush? So simple projects all the way down to roof repairs as what we have majorly going on behind us.”

The Raffa’s property is located in the Arnold Walnut Renaissance Block Challenge cluster and they were able to join that cluster. For every dollar they spend on this project, the JRC will match them up to $2,000.

Volunteers at Friday’s event included folks from Zion Covenant Church, Love INC, Personal & Home Development, LLC, Jamestown Renaissance Corporation, the Chautauqua Landbank, Habitat For Humanity, and the City of Jamestown.

Representatives from the Jamestown Renaissance corporation were at the Strategic Planning and Partnership Commission meeting on May 15 to offer details about various neighborhood revitalization initiatives that are currently underway.

JAMESTOWN – Representatives from the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation were in city hall Wednesday morning to go over its various neighborhood revitalization and improvement projects with the city’s Strategic Planning and Partnership Commission.

Among the programs being highlighted was the recently launched Renaissance Block Challenge 2.0 – which is focused on targeted neighborhoods in the city, including Lakeview Avenue, Allen Park and UPMC Chautauqua hospital, along with two areas on the west side and also the south side of the city.

Property owners in the designated areas are eligible for a matching grant up to $2,000 to help with covering the cost of exterior projects.  Since the block challenge was first launched eight years ago, an estimated 500 properties have been improved and more than $500,000 has been invested in home improvement projects.

Other projects highlighted by the JRC on Wednesday morning included the Unite North Main Gateway Project, the Paint Jamestown program, the Historic District program, the Garden Recognition program and the housing stakeholders meetings – which take place to discuss current policy and laws involving residential property owners in the city.

To learn more about the programs, visit the Health Neighborhoods page at the the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation website.

The Strategic Planning and Partnership Commission was created by the city council as an official commission of the city to consider, develop and make recommendations for strategic initiatives in Jamestown.

Jamestown Renaissance Corporation’s Neighborhood Project Manager Mary Maxwell and others present details from the JRC’s Housing Market Analysis and Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Review to members of the Jamestown City Council Housing Committee during the committee’s Aug. 21 meeting.

JAMESTOWN – Four target area neighborhoods have been identified as the focus for any new strategies needed to help shore up housing value and market stability in Jamestown.

The Jamestown Renaissance Corporation shared details of its recently completed Housing Market Analysis and Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Review report with members of the Jamestown City Council’s housing committee on Monday night.

Representatives from the JRC went over the report prepared by Peter Lombardi from czb LLC, which offered details on the impact recent intervention programs had on target neighborhoods over a five-year period, as well as what new neighborhoods should be focused on during the next several years.

Examples of intervention programs include the Renaissance Block Challenge, the GROW Jamestown gardening and landscape program, and the establishment of Lakeview Ave. as a state and nationally recognized historic district. Each effort was largely funded by a combination of $1.25 million in program funding from the JRC ($350,000) and private investments by the property owners ($900,000).

According to the report, the neighborhoods that benefited from intensive intervention saw the average sale price of a single-family home increase by 5 percent. However, homes in neighborhoods that saw intermediate or only a small amount of intervention saw the average sale price go down by 13 percent. The average sale for homes in neighborhoods that didn’t get any intervention saw an increase of just under 2 percent.

As a result of the study findings, the JRC said it’s next round of intervention programs will focus on four neighborhoods in the city where there is a strong market area located next to a soft or very week housing market area: The Northside/Lakeview Focus Area;  the Western Gateway Focus Area; the Hazeltine/Forest Focus Area; and the Allen Park/Hospital Focus Area.

Some individuals in attendance raised questions about the report, as well as the conclusion that further investment should be provided in areas where there is a strong housing market. Patrick Morris, executive director of CODE, questioned why the funding isn’t being applied exclusively to neighborhoods that have seen housing prices decline, rather than also using the money in areas that have stability or seen a market increase.

“Our goal is to get the best value for the money we invest in a broader sense,” explained JRC board member Leonard Faulk. “One focus that we have is how do you develop an increased tax base? Part of our goal is how to we get people to have more confidence in the future so they are willing to invest more of their own money in housing improvements. That’s why we focus on areas where property owners can also invest their own money, instead of areas where property owners have little to no money to invest.”

Another attendee questioned the return on investment, considering more than $1.25 million in total investment had been made in the past target areas, with the 5 percent increase in housing prices in only some of the targeted areas being the final result, while other areas that saw a lesser amount of investment actually saw a decrease in housing prices.

Due to time constraints, a thorough discussion on the impact of the programs couldn’t take place. However, the report will also be presented to the full city council at an upcoming work session.

The JRC will be also be posting the housing report at jamestownrenaissance.org.

JAMESTOWN – The Jamestown Renaissance Corporation (JRC) has announced the neighborhoods invited to submit final applications for the 2017 Renaissance Block Challenge (RBC).

The participating neighborhood clusters will be Weeks/Hotchkiss streets, Dearing Avenue, Widrig Avenue, Front Street East, and Front Street West.

In their final applications, participants are asked to outline the exterior improvements they wish to complete this year and acquired written estimates for their projects. Each property is eligible for matching funds for exterior improvements up to $2,000.The program encourages and rewards neighborhood groups to work together in an effort to reinvest in their own communities.

Final applications are due by Wednesday, March 8.

Aside from matching grant funding, participating homeowners have access to discounts from sponsoring hardware stores and garden centers as well as discounts on coordinated purchasing of materials, services, and design.

Funding for the Renaissance Block Challenge’s matching grants is being provided by the John A. and Oscar Johnson Memorial Trust.

The Renaissance Block Challenge is a program that offers matching funds to home owners up to $2,000 to put towards exterior home improvements. The program encourages and rewards neighborhood groups to work together in an effort to reinvest in their own communities.

City residents who would like to need to form a neighborhood cluster with a minimum of five property owners which can include homeowners, landlords, and businesses. Once a group has formed, the pre-application process can begin. Aside from matching grant funding, participating homeowners have access to discounts from sponsoring hardware stores and garden centers as well as discounts on coordinated purchasing of materials, services, and design.

Pre-applications for neighborhoods will be available on the JRC website beginning this Thursday, October 1. The early application start is due to a recent $250,000 grant from the Johnson Foundation.

A workshop geared to helping residents through the application process will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 13 and Thursday, Oct. 15 at the Lillian Vitanza Ney Renaissance Center. Both will begin at 6 p.m.

For more information, visit www.jamestownrenaissance.org or call 664-2477, ext. 224.

According to the JRC, since 2011, 27 clusters have participated in the program, with almost 300 property owners investing more than $775,000 in exterior improvements and repairs.

The program gives property owners access to matching grants and other assistance to complete a wide range of exterior improvements. Five neighborhood clusters located on Beechview, Dearborn, Ellis, Euclid, and Hotchkiss were chosen for this year’s finalists.

The five groups include 86 property owners and are a mix of owner-occupants and landlords.

The Renaissance Block Challenge is a component of the neighborhood revitalization plan adopted by Jamestown’s City Council in December 2010. It is managed by the JRC.

Funding for the Renaissance Block Challenge’s matching grants is being provided by the John A. and Oscar Johnson Memorial Trust.

For more information on the Renaissance Block Challenge or to see updates on this year’s projects, please visit www.jamestownrenaissance.org or call 664-2477. You can also see updates on the JRC’s Facebook page.

The Neighborhood Renaissance Block Challenge encourages groups of neighbors to collaborate on exterior improvements to their properties in order to boost confidence in Jamestown’s neighborhoods and inspire others to reinvest.

Participating property owners in a Renaissance Block are eligible for the following assistance, regardless of income:

• Matching funds (a dollar-for-dollar match, up to $2,500, for exterior improvements)
• Access to discounts from sponsoring hardware stores and garden centers
• Discounts from coordinated purchasing of materials or services
• Design assistance

Those who wish to take part in the program need to take part in the pre-application process prior to Friday’s deadline.

To learn more about the program, visit the Jamestown Rennaissance Corporation’s Block Challenge page.

This will continue to fund our neighborhood revitalization efforts for years to come!

During a media conference at the Jackson Center, officials announced that the Johnson Memorial Trust is pledging an initial $250,000 investment in the Renaissance Block Challenge. The program involves homeowners in participating neighborhoods to partner together and apply for up to $2,500 in a matching grant to pay for exterior property improvements.

According to JRC officials, a total of 22 neighborhood clusters have already benefited from the program, with improvements made to 142 properties.

The media conference also involved JRC officials presenting the Realizing Jamestown’s Renaissance community report. It can be found online at www.jamestownrenaissance.org.

It’s all part of the Renaissance Block Challenge, a neighborhood revitalization effort of the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation (JRC) that uses small matching grants to support physical improvements and build stronger connections between neighbors.

To apply for Renaissance Block status in 2014, neighbors must form a cluster of at least five property owners who intend to make exterior home improvements during 2014. A simple pre-application listing those properties is due by March 14.

Copies of the pre-application can be found at the JRC’s Web site, www.jamestownrenaissance.org, or requested from Mary Maxwell, the JRC’s Neighborhood Project Associate, at 664-2477 ext. 224.

Since 2011, 15 neighborhood clusters with nearly 150 participating property owners have received Renaissance Block status. Those properties have invested $400,000 into eligible improvements, including painting, porch repair, landscaping, and a wide range of other upgrades. Each participant has received up to $1,000 in matching funds to offset their expenses, and access to discounts from local garden center and hardware stores.

The program has been supported in the past by the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, the Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation, the Lenna Foundation, Northwest Savings Bank, the Chautauqua County Housing Trust Fund, the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce and the Darrah Fund. Businesses that have provided special discounts to participants have included Brigiotta’s, Mike’s Nursery, Chautauqua Brick, Everydays True Value, and Sandberg Kessler.

Standing in front of St. Elia’s newly repainted church are, from left to right: Nicholas Manno of St. Elia’s, Mayor Sam Teresi, Dolores Parsons of St. Elia’s, Randy Sweeney of the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Jennifer Satalino of Northwest Savings Bank., Dr. Lillian Ney of the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation’s (JRC) Board of Directors, Jason Stronz and Peter Lombardi (JRC staff), and Linda Swanson of the Sheldon Foundation.

JAMESTOWN – What started as a church repainting project on Palmer Street in Jamestown has blossomed into a model for neighborhood revitalization thanks to church leaders, surrounding property owners, and Jamestown’s Renaissance Block Challenge.

St. Elia’s Albanian Orthodox Church, a small congregation at the corner of Palmer and Sprague on the city’s South Side, had been planning to repaint their Carpenter Gothic-style church when they learned about the Renaissance Block Challenge—a program of the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation (JRC) that offers matching funds to groups of neighbors who work simultaneously on exterior improvement projects.

Church officials were able to put together a group of neighborhood property owners who were committed to making exterior improvements this year, and JRC then chipped in to help offset some of the cost.  Now in its second year, the Renaissance Block Challenge provides up to $1,000 to match the work of property owners on everything from painting and porch repair, to landscaping, walkways, and new front doors.

A total of seven Renaissance Blocks were selected for participation this year after an application process, including the group led by St. Elia’s. The others are on Lakeview Avenue, Chestnut Street, the Forest Heights neighborhood, the Royal/Woodworth and Harding/Todd areas of the Westside, and at the corner of Newton and Bowen.