getting arizona involved in neighborhoods: oct. 18 gsaturday, oct. 18. neighborhood organizations...

Fall 2014

G.A.I.N. stands for GettingArizona Involved in

Neighborhoods and isArizona's answer to NationalNight Out (NNO), which isheld in August. Due tosoaring temperatures inAugust, communitiesstatewide decided to observe NNO in Octoberand renamed it G.A.I.N.

G.A.I.N. is a day of celebration for thesuccesses of crime prevention throughcommunity involvement. Block Watches,apartment communities, schools,neighborhood groups, parks and businessesacross Phoenix participate in events to:

• Show support for the efforts of thoseinvolved in the fight against crime

• Heighten crime and drug preventionawareness

• Generate support for, and participation in,local anti-crime programs

• Strengthen neighborhood spirit andpolice-community partnerships

• Send a message to criminals letting themknow that neighborhoods are organizedand fighting back

This year’s G.A.I.N. event will be held onSaturday, Oct. 18. Neighborhood organizationsare invited to the upcoming G.A.I.N. kick-offevent from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4,at Metrocenter Mall, inside near Macy’s. Co-hosted by the Phoenix Police Department, thisevent will offer neighborhood groups, blockwatches, and members of the publicopportunities to learn about programs andresources available to them.

NSD Kudos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2‘Paint Phoenix Purple’ in support of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Feedback needed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Graffiti Free Phoenix Efforts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Storm recovery efforts/SBA disaster loans available . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Keep furry friends leashed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Lead Poisoning Prevention Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5VITA Volunteers Recruitment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Neighborhood news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Ins ide This I s sue

Registration forms are available online atphoenix.gov/police/neighborhood-resources/gain. Neighborhood organizationsare encouraged to register prior toWednesday, Oct. 1, to receive a free CrimePrevention bag filled with prizes to take withthem to their neighborhood G.A.I.N. event.

For more information, call 602-495-0597or email Officer Deb Iodice [email protected].

City staff attendednumerous G.A.I.N. eventslast year to support Phoenixneighborhoods.

Where do you want busservice? How can we

make our roads better? Tellus all of that and more.Your ideas are needed!

The new website,talktransportation.org, hasbeen launched and is readyfor your input. The PublicTransit and StreetTransportation departmentsare ready to hear from youfor your vision for thefuture of our services.

Your ideas will guide the city as we developa long range, public transportation plantogether.

No cost to participate and you can evenearn prizes! Register today attalktransportation.org.

Share your feedback

Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhoods: Oct. 18

City of Phoenix - Neighborhood Services DepartmentBelieving in Neighborhoods, Believing in People

NSD Kudos

The city of Phoenix NeighborhoodServices Department, with funding from

U.S. Department of Housing and UrbanDevelopment (HUD), designed theNeighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP)as an innovative, multi-faceted deliveryapproach to revitalize communities affectedby the foreclosure crisis.

Results and ongoing accomplishments ofthe successful program include:

• 395 homes rehabilitated to energyefficiency building standards

• 191 successful homebuyers citywidereceived down-payment assistance

• 102 demolition projects completedusing green methods and strategies

• 13 rehabilitation home projectsleveraged with FHA 203K Program

• Rescued subdivision featuring 14newly constructed, solar-powered,single-family homes meeting NationalGreen Building Standard Gold

Feedback needed

NSD is requesting residents’ help toidentify housing and community

development needs in Phoenix for thenext five-year period. Comments will besummarized and used to complete aneeds assessment for the 2015-2020Consolidated Plan. To view the currentplan, visit phoenix.gov/nsdsite/Documents/nsd_rp_conplan.pdf.

The Consolidated Plan serves as a five-year roadmap for spending decisionson certain United States Housing andUrban Development (HUD) and otherassociated funds used for a wide varietyof programs that benefit low-and-moderate income persons. The plan willcover the time period from July 1, 2015,through June 30, 2020. The plan also willcontain a yearly action plan that willidentify programs and activities fundedthrough the following HUD formula grantfunds:

• Community Development BlockGrant Funds (CDBG)

• HOME Investment PartnershipsProgram (HOME)

• Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)• Housing Opportunities for Persons

with AIDS (HOPWA) Residents can share input via email to

[email protected], leave acomment on our hotline at 602-262-7281or complete an online survey atsurveymonkey.com/s/95ZXVJZ.

‘Paint Phoenix Purple’in support of NationalDomestic ViolenceAwareness Month

One in four women andone in seven men

have experienced domesticviolence in their lifetime.In October, the city ofPhoenix will “PaintPhoenix Purple” inobservance of NationalDomestic ViolenceAwareness Month.

Residents can showtheir support for the

second annual campaign with displays of purple– installing a purple light bulb in their porch,wearing purple clothing on Fridays, tying apurple ribbon on their car antenna and more.Together, Phoenix residents can raise awarenessabout domestic violence and its impact onfamilies.

Displaying purple throughout the communitysends a strong message that there is no placefor domestic violence in our homes,neighborhoods, schools or workplaces.

For more information about the PaintPhoenix Purple campaign, visitpaintphoenixpurple.org.

If you or someone you know is in need ofvictim services, call the Family Advocacy Centerat 602-534-2120 or the National DomesticViolence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

Recently NSD receiveda 2014 NationalAssociation of Housingand Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) Award ofMerit in recognition for "NSP Impact on PhoenixCommunities". NAHRO provides annual awardsfor agencies to receive national recognition forinnovative housing and community developmentprojects, programs, and services.

These awards provide additional opportunitiesto inform the public of the best in housing andcommunity development; and to create a resourcebank of information on significant innovativeactivities performed by housing andredevelopment agencies and communitydevelopment departments. This year 186programs across the nation received recognitionfor their innovative solutions to community needs,but NSD's program was the only one recognizedfrom Arizona.

Congratulations to the hard work our NSP teamand partners have dedicated to this endeavor.


Graffiti Free Phoenix Efforts

We all hate what graffiti does to ourcommunity. It lowers property

values, creates fear, it’s unattractive tothe eye and uses valuable resources(staff and volunteer time) to remove it.

The past few months, NSD has beenworking closely with key partners,including city departments, governmentagencies, other cities, utility companiesand Anti-Graffiti Task Force members tohelp reach a goal of a graffiti freePhoenix.

Below are a few items NSD staff hasbeen busy working on:

• Developing technology for use byfield staff in other departments toefficiently report graffiti

• Expanding its youth andneighborhood graffiti awarenessoutreach program, including 30+presentations scheduled at Phoenixschools

• Coordinating and standardizinggraffiti-related reporting metricsacross department and agencylines.

• Increasing use of social media to educate thecommunity about the ease of reporting graffiti andvolunteeropportunities

• Revamping theexisting BlightBuster Volunteerprogram andcurriculum tomake it easierfor volunteers tolearn andcontinueparticipating

• Testing newgraffiti removalproducts thatdo the job arecost effectiveand areenvironmentallyfriendly

• Created newNeighborhood College workshops focused on thehistory of graffiti and how Police graffiti detectivesare working to solve graffiti cases, as well as a newpressure washer certification class, and much more.

Residents interested in becoming involved as a memberof the Anti-Graffiti Task Force are encouraged to contactAubrey Gonzalez at 602-534-2393. For moreinformation, visit phoenix.gov/nsd and click on ‘GraffitiFree Phoenix’.

Neighborhood College: Det. TimReese taught the first Graffiti101 class to 30+ residents.

How you can help:• Report graffiti in your community

by calling 602-534-4444, ext. 1 oremailing [email protected] (besure to include the address if youknow it),

• Download the free smartphoneapp (MyPhxAz); use it to reportgraffiti and other blight violations

• Volunteer to remove graffiti byhosting a community clean up

• Keep your own property graffitifree

• Take a free Neighborhood Collegeworkshop and learn how to use apaint sprayer or pressure washerto remove graffiti.

Graffiti Buster Gary Newremoves graffiti usingpressure washer.

Neighorhood College: NSD’s GaryNew and George Cota teachresidents how to use a pressurewasher and paint sprayer.

Thank you to Blight Buster Volunteer Lakrysia Hardeman andNSD’s George Cota for their assistance during the mediainterview.

Det. Reese with 3TV’s TessRafols after a live TV segment.


C A L E N D A R

OCTOBER8 Talking Trash 101

9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, NorthGateway Transfer Station, 30205 N.Black Canyon Highway. The transfer station is one-half milenortheast of the Dixileta Drive exit(exit 220). Enter at gate 3 and followthe road around to the visitor's area.

16 HOA Records andDocuments6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Phoenix CityHall, 200 W. Washington St.

16 Landlord/Tenant Workshop:Know Your Rights6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, SouthMountain Senior Center, 212 W. Alta Vista Road

28 Social Media 1016 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Burton BarrCentral Library, 1221 N. CentralAve., Lecture Room, fourth floor

NOVEMBER8 Got Conflict? Five Styles for

Responding to Conflict9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Burton BarrCentral Library, 1221 N. CentralAve., Lecture Room, fourth floor

15 Paint Sprayer Training(Hands on!)8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, NSD WestFacility, 3325 W. Flower St.

DECEMBER4 Code Compliance 101

6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, NSD WestFacility, 3325 W. Flower St.

6 Power Washer Training8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, NSD WestFacility, 3325 W. Flower St.

To RSVP, view class descriptions or formore information on the Neighborhood

College workshops offered below, call 602-534-4444 ext. 4 or visit

phoenix.gov/nsd/neighborhoodcollege.

Storm recovery efforts/SBAdisaster loans available

For many residents, the monsoon storms broughtunexpected stress as their homes received minor

to significant damage. In response to the stormdamage, the city opened Recovery InformationCenters, which served as a one-stop-shop forresidents to connect with volunteer, communityorganizations and government agencies to helpidentify available resources for recovery efforts.

In addition, low-interest federal disaster loans areavailable to Arizona residents and business ownersaffected by the severe storms and flooding thatoccurred Aug. 12-19, 2014, in Maricopa County.Representatives from the U.S. Small BusinessAdministration (SBA) will be on hand at thefollowing Disaster Loan Outreach Centers toanswer questions about SBA’s disaster loanprogram, explain the application process and helpeach individual complete their application. Thecenters will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.Monday-Friday until further notice. Noappointment is necessary.

Locations:• Travis L. Williams Family Services Center,

4732 S. Central Ave., Phoenix• Daisy Mountain Fire Station #141,

43814 N. New River Road, New RiverDisaster loans up to $200,000 are available to

homeowners to repair or replace damaged ordestroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters areeligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replacedamaged or destroyed personal property.

Applicants may apply online using the ElectronicLoan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website atdisasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Disaster loan informationand application forms also are available from SBA’sCustomer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955or emailing [email protected] who are deaf or hard-of-hearing maycall 800-877-8339. The filing deadline to returnapplications for property damage is Monday, Nov.10, 2014. The deadline to return economic injuryapplications is June 9, 2015.

For more information about SBA’s disasterassistance programs, visit sba.gov/disaster.

Keep furry friends leashed

Just a reminder . . . dogs are required to be on a leash at all timesin Phoenix except for designated areas. Please review Phoenix City

Code 8-14 for additional information and enforcement action thatwill be taken when dogs are found at large. The state also has aleash law and penalties for violating it.

For more information about the city’s designated off-leashlocations, visit phoenix.gov/parks and click on the “Visit a Park” link.


Lead Poisoning Prevention Week

Did you know that hundreds ofthousands of children living in

the U.S. have elevated blood leadlevels that may cause significantdamage to their health? They candevelop behavior and learningproblems (such as hyperactivity),slowed growth, hearing problemsand aggressive patterns ofbehavior. Stopping a child’s exposure to lead fromleaded paint, house dust, or any other source is thebest way to prevent the harmful effects of lead.

To raise awareness of the consequences of leadpoisoning among parents and pregnant womenwho live in homes built before 1978, the city’s LeadHazard Control Program (LHCP) is participating inNational Lead Poisoning Prevention Week from Oct. 19-25.

Parents can reduce a child’s exposure to lead in many ways. If your home was built before 1978,here are some simple things you can do to help protect your family:• Mop smooth floors (using a damp mop) weekly to control dust• Vacuum carpets and upholstery to remove dust, using a vacuum with a HEPA filter or a “high efficiency”

collection bag• Take off shoes when entering the house• Pick up loose paint chips carefully with a paper towel; wipe the surface clean with a wet paper towel• Frequently wash your child’s hands and toys to reduce exposure• Get your child tested. Even if your young children seem healthy, ask your doctor to test them for lead.

Neighborhood news

Four Phoenix neighborhoods received outstandingrecognition for their neighborhood newsletters at the

2014 NeighborhoodsUSA Annual Conference held inEugene, Ore. Congratulations to the honorees: PiersonPlace Historic District (Pierson Place Times); GarfieldOrganization (Garfield News); Roosevelt ActionAssociation (Historic Roosevelt Times); and the MuseumDistrict Neighborhood Association (Midtown Muse).

Kudos to all the volunteers for your award-winningwork to keep your neighbors in the know!

The goals of National Lead Poisoning Weekare to:

• Raise awareness about lead poisoning• Stress the importance of screening the

highest risk children younger than 6 yearsof age (preferably by ages 1 and 2)

• Highlight efforts to prevent childhood leadpoisoning

• Urge people to take steps to reduce leadexposure

This year's National Lead Poisoning PreventionWeek theme, "Lead-Free Kids for a HealthyFuture," will focus on the importance of themany ways parents can reduce a child's exposureto lead and prevent its serious health effects.

For more information, contact the city’s LeadHazard Control Program at 602-495-0700 or call1-800-424-LEAD (5323).

The city’s Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)Campaign is seeking individuals who will

become Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)Volunteers. VITA volunteers help low-incomeworking individuals and families by preparing theirtaxes and claiming the federal Earned Income TaxCredit.

Volunteers are needed for the upcoming season.The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), in partnershipwith the city of Phoenix, will be conducting freetraining sessions from November to January atlocations around the city.

Below is a list of sessions available:• 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7, John F. Long

Family Services Center, 3454 N. 51st Ave.

VITA Volunteers Recruitment• 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Oct. 22,

Travis L. Williams Family Services Center,4732 S. Central Ave.

• 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4, John F. Long Family Services Center, 3454 N. 51st Ave.

• 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, Travis L. Williams Family Services Center,4732 S. Central Ave.

Last year, volunteers helped prepare thousandsof returns resulting in millions of dollars toPhoenix residents. One hour of your time maybe worth more than $1,800 to a working family!

For more information, call 602-534-0543,email [email protected] or visit phoenix.gov/eitc.

NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DEPARTMENT200 W. Washington St., fourth floor

Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611

PRSRT STDUS POSTAGE

PAIDPHOENIX AZ

PERMIT NO 5715

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Mayor Greg Stanton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Jim Waring, District 2Vice Mayor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 602-262-7445

[email protected]

Thelda Williams, District 1. . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Bill Gates, District 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Laura Pastor, District 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Daniel Valenzuela, District 5 . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Sal DiCiccio, District 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Michael Nowakowski, District 7 . . . . . . . [email protected]

Kate Gallego, District 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

To receive this information in alternative print/audio formats, contact the Neighborhood Services Department, 200 W. Washington St., fourth floor, Phoenix AZ 85003.

Voice number 602-534-4444 | TTY 602-495-0685

Contact NSD Phoenix City CouncilNeighborhood Services Department . . 602-534-4444

or . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Report Code Violations /Graffiti / Illegal Signs/Abandoned Shopping Carts . . . 602-534-4444 ext. 1

or . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]. . . . . . . . . via free smartphone app ”myPHXAz”

Landlord/Tenant Counseling. . . 602-534-4444 ext. 3 or . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Neighborhood College . . . . . . . . . . . . 602-534-4444or . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Neighborhood Stabilization Program . 602-262-6602or. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

phoenix.gov/nsd/PhoenixNeighborhood

@PHXNeighborhood

City of Phoenix Neighborhood Services