On June 26, Cincinnati City Council authorized a payment of $28,027.77 to Invest In Neighborhoods (IIN) as a moral obligation to several community councils under the Neighborhood Support Program and the Neighborhood Business District Support Program.
The City has typically contracted with IIN to administer the programs, but decided to move administration of the programs into the Department of Community Development for fiscal year 2013.
The funding owed is for projects funded by IIN between January and April 2013, while a contract between the City and IIN was being negotiated.
The City made the decision to move the programs in-house in April, due a change in the fiscal year from a July to June cycle and uncertainty in the City's general fund budget, estimated at the time to be $35 million in the red.
Community councils rely on the grants, typically less than $5,000 per year, to fund neighborhood projects such as streetscapes, beautification, safety initiatives, and marketing.
The projects being funded include:
- IIN, $13,472 .60 for processing both programs;
- Camp Washington Community Council, $2,560 for newsletter and community phone and internet costs;
- Carthage Civic League, $1,111.88 for February and March newsletter costs and liability insurance for community council events;
- East Price Hill Improvement Association, $608.06 for landscaping costs, event space rental, and newsletter costs;
- East Walnut Hills Assembly, $1,150 contribution for insurance premiums and National Night Out expenses;
- Lower Price Hill Community Council, $1,426 for newsletter production for March and April, security cameras at the police substation, and cleanup tools;
- North Avondale Business Association, $200 for March and April coordinator expenses to update membership, meetings, and by-laws; landscaping expenses; and charrette planning;
- Pleasant Ridge Development Corporation, $1,257.42 for insurance premiums and parking lot fees;
- Riverside Civic and Welfare Club, $2,130.45 for a P.O. Box fee, insurance premiums, and special event expenses for a community fundraiser;
- Spring Grove Village, $847.46 for newsletter printing and watering flowers in public spaces;
- West Price Hill Civic Club, $764 for insurance premium expenses;
- Walnut Hills Area Council, $2,500 for landscaping of common areas and gateway, tool rental, and phone and internet expenses for the police substation.
Budget shortfall endangers neighborhood grant programs (4/29/13)
Program set for 2013 Neighborhood Summit (1/25/13)
Motion: Changes require board to evaluate NSP, NBD programs (5/29/12)
Application period open for NBD grant program (4/11/12)
Funding identified for three City projects (2/14/11)
