Weekly Update

Friends, 

 

In the continued spirit of building up and not out, we’re making progress on our Memphis 3.0 comprehensive plan.

 

As we’ve discussed in this space before, the Memphis 3.0 process began in November 2016 and continued for more than two years. During that time, over 15,000 Memphians participated in hundreds of community meetings to share their input on how they want their city and their neighborhoods to look in the future.

 

So, here’s a quick rundown of our most recent update on completed items, all in partnership with the City Council:

 

• Continued expenditures from the Community Catalyst Fund were made on projects in the Raleigh (Austin Peay and Yale), Whitehaven (Elvis Presley and Raines), and Binghampton (Tillman Cove) areas of the city. This includes new transit shelters (with MATA), demolition of Tillman Cove (with Public Works and HCD), new crosswalks and ADA improvements, and new public art projects (with Urban Art Commission).
• Housing and Community Development granted awards totaling nearly $1 million to eight organizations in the first round of funding from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, giving priority to projects in or near anchor areas.
• Office of Sustainability and Resilience received a $300,000 grant from the Urban Sustainability Director’s Network to invest in contractor training and workforce development for energy efficiency upgrades for low income households. The grant will be administered in partnership with HCD and Office of Business Diversity and Compliance.
• Office of Sustainability and Resilience completed and released the Memphis Area Climate Action Plan and Regional Resilience Plan.
• A TIF district was approved for the Raleigh community anchor to support the recommended development of the Raleigh small area plan (HCD, EDGE, DPD).
• Division of Parks received a $485,000 grant from the National Park Service for the redevelopment of Douglass Park to include renovation of existing facilities and construction of new play spaces. Douglass Park is an anchor in Memphis 3.0.
• The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) has launched its Uptown Lots Reimagined program to reutilize lots in the neighborhoods within the Uptown TIF. Proposals have been received and reviewed for this first round with implementation in process. As additional lots are acquired, the CRA anticipates announcing additional lots as available under the program.

 

Progress like this continues to affirm that Memphis has momentum, and we’re working every day to accelerate it to every part of our city. Recently, I met with the TN Department of Economic and Community Development, and in that meeting, they said that the State of Tennessee had incentivized more jobs in Memphis in 2019 than in any other part of our state.

We want them to say the same thing for 2020, and we’re going to keep charging ahead on the economic development front to make sure they do.

But, we must have a plan for that future growth.

Memphis 3.0 accomplishes that and does it with a neighborhood focus.

HopeWorks and Hope2Hire: This past Saturday morning I had the chance to attend the HopeWorks “A Morning of Hope” breakfast to hear from Brad Martin about the Hope2Hire program.

If you’re not familiar with these organizations, you need to be. They are both doing amazing work with those in our community who need second chance.

Here’s a link to great video about Hope2Hire.

With these great programs and our Manhood, WOWS, and Public Service Corps initiatives, we are working to tackle the difficult issue of reentry. Together, we will make a difference and give hope to those in our community who need it most.

Two Additions: Yesterday was another exciting day for our city. Two additional sites were added to the U.S. Civil Rights Trail—historic WDIA and the iconic Beale Street.

With these additions, we now have five sites on the historic trail. The list includes: Mason Temple Church of God in Christ, National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, Clayborn Temple, Beale Street, and WDIA.

For the millions of tourists who visit our city each year, these stops will give another rich look into our Memphis history. For more information about the U.S. Civil Rights Trail, visit here.

Yours,