Urban Initiatives is committed to helping local communities and jurisdictions with strategic research, planning, and policy-making that has focused on:
PROMOTING RESEARCH
Homeless Counts
design and implement “Homeless Counts and Surveys” that help counties and cities identify the extent and needs of homeless adults and children living in their communities;
Migrant Farm-Worker Surveys
design and implement “Migrant Farm-Worker Surveys” that identify the housing, economic, and social needs of migrant farm-workers in order for local communities to meet their needs;
Neighborhood Revitalization Strategies
research and implement “Neighborhood Revitalization Strategies” that help neighborhoods transform neglected streets, sidewalks, and parks into vibrant areas of arts, dance, community heritage, leisure, music recreation, and small businesses.
SHAPING POLICY
Plans to Prevent and End Homelessness
prepare and present “Plans to Prevent and End Homelessness” that focuses on designing, distilling, and directing evidence-based and best practices to effectively prevent and end homelessness in local jurisdictions;
Consolidated Plans
research and write U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) “Consolidated Plans” that are required by jurisdictions that receive HUD funding to complete an affordable housing, homeless, community and economic development needs assessment; a housing market analysis; and short- and long-term strategies to meet priority needs;
Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice
research and write U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) “Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice” that are required by jurisdictions that receive HUD funding to engage in fair housing planning and certify that it will take actions to further fair housing by removing barriers to fair housing choice;
DIRECTING RESOURCES
Grant Applications
complete federal, state, county, and local jurisdictional Grant Applications for a wide-range of community and economic development activities that include housing, homelessness, job development, and social services;
Street Vending Assessments
design and implement “Street Vending Assessments” that help low- and moderate-income venders move from the informal economy to the formal economy by gaining access to professional business, education, financial, health and safety, and other needed resources;
Entrepreneur Education
design and implement “Small Micro-Business Education Programs” that provide classroom and hands-on training for participants to acquire the knowledge and skills to become successful food-based micro-business entrepreneurs.
