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NEWS |
Chuck Cornell, Legislator
District 12
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 20,
2008
NEIGHBORHOOD
REVITALIZATION TRUST FUND INITIATIVE TO BE CONSIDERED
Cornell Hopes Revised Resolution Will
Garner Bi-Partisan Support
Mayville – A revised resolution to
create a public-private neighborhood revitalization trust fund will be
considered at today’s Planning and Economic Development Committee
meeting. The measure was introduced by Committee Chair Chuck Cornell, who
revised a similar proposal he unveiled in April. The legislator from
“If we want to bring more
opportunity and prosperity to
Cornell says he hopes the fund
will attract enough investment to reach at least $1 million. He said the
idea to establish the trust fund came from the Jamestown Strategic Planning and
Partnerships Committee and was discussed at the joint meeting with
Cornell said in addition to
April’s joint housing meeting, he has met with several community leaders and
fellow legislators and that there is tremendous interest in the
initiative. He also said he envisions neighborhood based organizations,
such as Northside PRIDE in the City of
“When neighborhoods have a high
percentage of owner occupied homes, there are fewer problems with run down
houses and there are more residents committed to maintaining a prosperous
neighborhood,” Cornell added. “In addition, a restoration of one house
spurs additional investment by those who own home in a particular
neighborhood. It is essential that we make this investment in our
county.”
In his first term, Cornell
introduced a proposal to create a neighborhood revitalization revolving loan
fund. The measure passed the county legislature, but was vetoed by County
Executive Greg Edwards. Cornell said he is hopeful that the trust fund
initiative will gain the support of all county leaders. "I believe
county leaders of all political parties and regions of the county can come
together and in an effort to support grass roots efforts to revitalize our
county.”
The Planning and Economic
Development Committee meets at 12:30 today on the third floor of the
Establishing the
By
Planning and Economic Development Committee:
At the
Request of Legislators Cornell, Heenan, James, Hallquist, Nazzaro, Keefe:
WHEREAS, bringing greater
opportunity and prosperity to
WHEREAS, the restoration of one or
more houses spurs additional private investment by those who own nearby
properties, and
WHEREAS, The Jamestown Strategic
Planning and Partnerships Committee recently recommended the creation of a
Neighborhood Revitalization Trust Fund as a action step to improving housing,
therefore be it
RESOLVED, the Chautauqua County
Neighborhood and Housing Revitalization Trust Fund is hereby by established for
the purpose of creating a partnership with the private sector to revitalize
neighborhoods and housing throughout the county, and be it further
RESOLVED, that a committee --
composed of the Chairman of the Planning and Economic Development Committee,
the Ranking member of the Planning and Economic Development Committee, the
Executive Director of the Chautauqua Home Rehabilitation and Improvement
Corporation (CHRIC), the Executive Director of the Chautauqua Region Community
Foundation, the Executive Director of the Northern Chautauqua Community
Foundation, the Executive Director of the Gebbie Foundation, the County
Attorney or his designee, the County Director of Planning and Economic
Development or his designee, and the Chair of the Jamestown Strategic Planning
and Partnerships Neighborhood Revitalization Subcommittee -- be created to
establish the structure for such fund, and a recommendation of the
contribution, monetary or otherwise, by Chautauqua County Government, and be it
further
RESOLVED, that the committee shall
submit such recommendation to the county legislature by August 1, 2008
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