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WHAT WE DO
- Community Services Liaisons
- Community Planning and Human Capital Development
- Economic Development
- Enhanced Schools
- Fund Development
- Healthy Living
- HOPE VI Community and Supportive Services
- Resident Leadership
- Senior Programming
- Supportive Housing
- Policy Development
Community Services Liaisons are Urban Strategies’ social service specialists who support residents and management companies in neighborhoods across the country. Liaisons work with residents to develop community awareness and participation in activities on the property and within the larger community. They also assist residents in self-improvement, self-sufficiency, and community building. Urban Strategies developed the Community Services Liaison position to assist neighborhood management companies and public housing authorities in supporting their residents in new mixed income communities.
Urban Strategies currently employs Community Services Liaisons in St. Louis, Minneapolis, Memphis, Chicago and Atlanta.
Community Planning & Human Capital Development
Urban Strategies works with Public Housing Authorities, city government officials, foundations and other stakeholders to conduct community engagement processes around neighborhood conditions and human services needs. This process includes resident surveys, service and amenity assessments, and focus groups with key stakeholders.
Through the community engagement process, stakeholders’ priorities are identified, and Urban Strategies ensures success by integrating a human capital plan with the planned physical revitalization plan. Because we are mindful of the existing and authentic strengths of a community, our human capital plans focus on collaboration, building on community assets while avoiding duplication of services.
Residents in revitalizing communities desire nearby retail outlets for convenience, necessity, and employment. Retail sales outlets also attract new residents.
Communities engage Urban Strategies to develop neighborhood-based economic development plans, including new commercial enterprises and enhancements to existing commercial and retail efforts. We have the expertise to design business and implementation plans, capacity studies and funding/capital access plans to help communities build vibrant commercial corridors.
We believe that improving schools is central to every reemerging community.
For more than ten years Urban Strategies has worked in neighborhood elementary schools to establish and maintain mixed-income communities and support social, economic and racial integration. We have worked in partnership with the Atlanta, District of Columbia, Memphis, Minneapolis, and St. Louis Public School Districts to lead improvements in physical infrastructure, governance, curriculum, technology and community engagement in neighborhood schools and support academic achievement as a tool for ensuring positive economic mobility.
Funding is critical to the work of rebuilding communities. In conjunction with community planning efforts, Urban Strategies develops strategies for building human capital– and economic development plans.
Urban Strategies also designs innovative funding strategies that combine public and private resources. By leveraging and reallocating existing resources, identifying key partnerships, and locating new sources of funds, we actively avoid placing further burdens on cities that may be facing scarcities of resources.
Limited access to health insurance, physical and mental health issues, and the lack of health education are significant barriers for low income families attempting to achieve self-sufficiency.
Urban Strategies designs community health initiatives that are directly linked to key physical and mental health indicators. We recently launched a health initiative that examines funding cuts to health policies and tracks the health of families in our communities over time. Anecdotal and quantitative data on the impact of healthy living on community vitality is often a basis for raising new funds to support healthy living initiatives.
HOPE VI Community & Supportive Services
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s HOPE VI Program requires that a plan for Community and Supportive Services be put in place to help residents of redeveloping neighborhoods make progress toward self-reliance.
Urban Strategies works with Public Housing Authorities across the country to creatively design and implement services that address the specialized needs of individuals and families and link them to a variety of relocation services. We also design comprehensive plans in collaboration with the community so that the plan reflects a community’s values and vision for future strength.
A sustainable community must have empowered residents who have the ability to assist in the planning and implementation process.
Urban Strategies works directly with residents representing past and emerging community leadership to ensure that the local voice is broad and deep. We engage and cultivate prospective resident leaders to build their capacity to lead through targeted training programs, and we achieve our goals by building relationships with residents, earning trust and demonstrating excellence in our product.
Senior living facilities are only as successful as the programming and services put in place to support their residents, and we are committed to continuously expanding our knowledge about aging, improving the design of senior facilities, and providing superior services to our senior population.
Urban Strategies works with McCormack Baron Ragan Management Services and with Public Housing Authorities across the country to assist in the physical design of senior housing facilities and develop programs that enhance and support the independent living of elderly residents. Urban Strategies has conducted research into successful senior living and has considerable experience crafting and implementing policy affecting seniors.
Certain populations sometimes require additional care due to physical disability, developmental limitations or homelessness, and Urban Strategies is committed to maximizing opportunities for all to achieve success where they live.
Urban Strategies works with organizations representing populations who have special housing needs to design frameworks and financial structures that help residents to live independently with both pride and appropriate support systems.
Because of our successful track record in to rebuilding communities, Urban Strategies works with cities and foundations to evaluate the success and policy implications of certain third-party programs and services. We are currently developing several policy papers around our work in healthy living initiatives and school enhancement.
© 2007. Urban Strategies Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Urban Strategies, Inc. • 1415 Olive Street – Suite 209 • St. Louis, MO 63103 • (314) 421-4200