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HomeMy WebLinkAboutID-3149 City of Palo Alto COLLEAGUES MEMO September 24, 2012 Page 1 of 2 (ID # 3149) DATE: September 24, 2012 TO: City Council Members FROM: Vice Mayor Scharff, Mayor Yeh SUBJECT: COLLEAGUES MEMO FROM MAYOR YEH AND VICE MAYOR SCHARFF REGARDING COUNCIL CONTINGENCY FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,000 FOR NEIGHBORHOOD GRANTS (ITEM CONTINUED FROM SEPTEMBER 18, 2012) Recommendation That the City Council appropriate $25,000 from the FY 2012-13 City Council Contingency Fund to support Neighborhood Grants. Background Strong neighborhoods have been a long tradition in the City of Palo Alto. When a Palo Altan meets another Palo Altan, often one of the first questions asked is which neighborhood they live in. It reflects a sense of community and identity within the city. It's also a tradition that benefits from renewal in Palo Alto. Over 65,000 people call Palo Alto home. Many have been here for decades with families that have lived here for generations. Some have just moved into the community from nearby. Some have recently immigrated from another country and are creating roots here in Palo Alto. Neighborhoods are well-positioned to bring people together to experience their community through neighborhood watch programs to deter crime, to support each other's day-to-day activities like gardening and dog walking, and to prepare a localized response in the event of an emergency or natural disaster. As a community, the relationships neighbors have are always in need of renewal and are built through pro-active efforts. Looking at 2010 Census data shows that over the last two decades Palo Alto has experienced significant demographic shifts in its population. Two trends stand out. First, the graying of our population: 17 percent of Palo Altans are now over 65 years old. Second, the growing Asian population: Nearly 30 percent of Palo Altans now identify themselves as Asian or Asian- American. The benefit of new or reaffirmed relationships with neighbors can be understood from a city perspective. Recently, the Police Department has been responding to a spike in burglaries by September 24, 2012 Page 2 of 2 (ID # 3149) increasing police presence in impacted neighborhoods. It is essential that community members have existing relationships with their neighbors to serve as an extra set of eyes and ears to support the public safety for all generations and cultures in each neighborhood. More neighborliness will enhance the quality of life for all of us in Palo Alto. Research on social capital indicates that creating options for neighbors to gather and interact, through their local parks or block parties, increases the sense of community experienced. Conclusion The importance of supporting and investing in our neighborhoods directly through a grant program is important for the community in Palo Alto that will have positive benefits from a city perspective and support the sense of neighborliness. To support this effort, we ask colleagues to join us in directing staff to develop a pilot neighborhood grant program funded for the first year through $25,000 from the FY 2012-13 City Council contingency fund. Staff would design a grant program that would include the following characteristics: 1) Clearly state which associations or groups are eligible to apply for the grant. This should not develop into an entitlement for any particular group and safeguards should be put in place such that it does not. Furthermore, new and innovative ideas for neighborhood events should get preference. 2) Allow neighborhood associations or groups to submit a basic application to fund events or activities in their neighborhoods. 3) Events to be funded would bring both long-standing and new neighbors (moved within last 5 years) together in their neighborhoods and would seek to incorporate interaction between generations and cultures. 4) Include a cap to the amount each neighborhood association or group could apply for through the grant to insure multiple grants to different neighborhoods. 5) Staff should have the pilot program ready to go by the beginning of 2013.