Empower Residents Through Comprehensive Workforce Development and Small Business Assistance

Throughout the neighborhood planning process, residents expressed a strong interest in sustainable economic development. Residents also wanted to maintain the fabric of the community, which means strong participation from residents and resident-owned businesses in growing the local economy. The community needs assessment data showed a great interest in entrepreneurial training and local development. The four strategies listed below reflect those objectives.

Strategy 1: Build the Organizational Capacity of the Brewerytown-Sharswood Community Civic Association
             Convert a loose association of civic-minded citizens into developers and service providers in the neighborhood

• 1.1 Partner with Beech Interplex who will provide staff training on housing, small business, and job development, as well as resident leadership.
• 1.2 Rehabilitate a vacant property on Ridge Avenue to be used as a multi-purpose office building for the Brewerytown-Sharswood Community Civic Association.
• 1.3 Establish a Neighborhood Advisory Council through the BSCCA for Sharswood and develop a Strategic plan for the organization.

Performance Indicators and Metrics

• Establishment of an office for the Brewerytown-Sharswood CommunityCivic Association
• Total funds raised to complete the rehabilitation of the office
• Date of completion for the Strategic Plan

Strategy 2: Establish partnerships with organizations that provide Job training opportunities

• 2.1 Work with PHA and the City to identify a comprehensive provider of job training and resident services that can operate programs in
  the community.
• 2.2 Work with the Public Health Management Corporation to develop an innovation campus that will bring job training programs, social
• services, and over 500 jobs to the neighborhood.

Performance Indicators and Metrics

• Number enrolled in job training or other workforce development programs
• Number of residents that completed job training or other workforce development programs
• Number of job training attendees placed in jobs

Strategy 3: Establish opportunities for property owners to invest in the rehab of their homes to preserve the character of the neighborhood

• 3.1 Work with Beech Interplex to provide residents with information about the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency’s Keystone Renovate
  and Repair Loan Program.
• 3.2 Coordinate with Habitat for Humanity to provide residents with the Home Repair program.
• 3.3 Establish a partnership with local banks to provide homeowners with opportunities for low interest loans and housing counseling programs.

Performance Indicators and Metrics

• Total number of residents participating in property maintenance and rehab programs

Strategy 4: Develop a small business loan fund to support resident business development on Ridge Avenue

• 4.1 Draft a listing of neighborhood-based or resident-owned businesses that seek investment and growth.
• 4.2 Partner with a local bank to develop a loan fund dedicated to supporting resident-owned small businesses on Ridge Avenue.

Performance Indicators and Metrics

• Number of new resident owned businesses in the neighborhood
• Number of existing resident owned businesses redeveloped as part of
• Choice Neighborhoods

Partners

The following is a listing of partners that community residents identified as key to empowering residents to develop sustainable
economic growth while preserving the existing neighborhood fabric:

• Philadelphia Housing Authority
• Public Health Management Corporation
• City Planning Commission
• Habitat for Humanity
• University of Pennsylvania School of Planning and Urban Design
• Citizens Bank
• Beech Interplex
• Santander Bank
• City of Philadelphia Office of Housing and Community Development
• The Enterprise Center