FAQs
What does a Choice Planning Grant mean for Bridgeport?
PCC and the City are required to develop a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization strategy, or Transformation Plan. This Plan will become the guiding document for the revitalization of the public (and/or assisted) housing units while simultaneously directing positive transformation of the surrounding neighborhood. To successfully develop and implement the Transformation Plan, PCC and the City will work with Charles F. Greene Homes residents, public and private agencies, community and philanthropic organizations, neighborhood residents, and other identified individuals and stakeholder groups to gather and leverage resources needed to support the strategic and financial sustainability of the Plan.
What do we hope to achieve with the Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant?
The grant will be used to bring the community and planning partners together to create a viable and actionable Transformation Plan for the The Hollow neighborhood, which can be implemented utilizing a variety of local, state and national resources. The grant will also be utilized to develop and construct a catalytic early action project that will benefit all residents of the community. Charles F. Greene Homes includes 270 units of low-income housing. The CNI Plan will seek to replace 100% of those housing units within the neighborhood, or in other areas of opportunity as part of new mixed-income developments.
What are the focus areas of the Choice Neighborhood Initiative?
The Choice Neighborhood Initiative is focused on three core goals:
NEIGHBORHOOD: Transform distressed neighborhoods into viable, mixed-income neighborhoods with access to well-functioning services, high quality public schools and education programs, high quality early learning programs and services, public assets, public transportation, and improved access to jobs.
HOUSING: Transform distressed public and assisted housing into energy efficient, mixed-income housing that is physically and financially viable over the long term.
PEOPLE: Support positive outcomes for families who live in the target developments and the surrounding neighborhood, particularly outcomes related to residents’ education, health and recreation, safety, employment, and mobility.
How will these projects impact residents in the neighborhood?
PCC has assembled a strong project team, inclusive of the City of Bridgeport. Through multi-partner community collaborations and engagement strategies, PCC has been able to connect residents with resources that address their current needs. PCC has also been conscious of centering residents in its public-private partnerships and redevelopment efforts. The Planning Grant will allow PCC to leverage the City of Bridgeport’s programs, transform the Hollow neighborhood, and deliver on its future promise as outlined in The Hollow NRZ Plan, making the community a safer and more attractive place to live and raise a family.
Who is the Planning Team?
The Planning Team is led by PCC in close partnership with the City of Bridgeport. PCC and the City are supported by a Planning Coordinator - for that role they hired Borderless Studio and Collabo Planning to coordinate community engagement efforts and the development of the Plan. The Planning Team will be supported by Community Ambassadors - residents of The Hollow and the Greene Homes in planning, outreach and engagement activities.
The Plan will be guided by a Steering Committee integrated by members of The Hollow community and the City.
What are commitments from the Planning Team?
One for One Replacement
There will not be a reduction in the number of assisted housing units. If the plan receives funding to move forward with implementation, all 270 units at the Charles F. Greene Homes will be rehabilitated or replaced with new construction or housing choice vouchers.
Right to Return
Current residents of the Charles F. Greene Homes will have the first choice and opportunity to live in the revitalized housing. Any current resident who is lease-compliant will be guaranteed an opportunity to live in the revitalized housing.
How will we work with the community?
When residents are genuinely at the center of a planning process, a unique outcome unfolds. Relationships become the focal point of the work. This is because for residents, planning is personal – it’s about their children, their families, their homes, their neighbors and their streets. It is about making their day-to-day lives better in real time. As we envision, design, and seek to implement the investment and physical changes necessary to revitalize the community, local residents will be engaged from day one, so that they can help to assume a leadership role in the process.
Does the planning process include construction of new housing?
No, this process only includes planning. Construction could happen at a later date. PCC and its partners are committed to finding resources and funding to help implement the community’s Plan.
Will Greene Homes residents need to move as part of the Plan?
It is important to note that this is only a Plan.
Any and all potential redevelopment, rehabilitation, or new construction would require the necessary funding to move forward. One of the most important parts of the planning process will be working with the community to create a shared vision for improving housing options for Charles F. Greene Homes residents and the community as a whole. Improved housing could be accomplished through renovations to the existing Charles F. Greene Homes buildings, or through the construction of new housing.
How can this planning process benefit the neighborhood in the short-term?
The planning team will dedicate approximately $100,000 to identify and build an “Early Action Project” in the Summer of 2024 that will have an immediate positive benefit for the community. We need your involvement to help come up with these important ideas!