Seventh annual Neighborhood Summit focuses on ‘Growing Cincinnati’

The 7th annual Cincinnati Neighborhood Summit 2009 will be held January 24 from 8 AM to 2 PM at Xavier University’s Schiff Banquet and Conference Center.”Growing Cincinnati” will give citizens and community leaders the opportunity to interact with elected officials from the city, county and state and to learn how their colleagues are addressing community challenges in the areas of housing, economic development, and community building.Laketa Cole, Cincinnati councilmember and chair of the Neighborhoods Committee, will open the summit with an introductory greeting, followed by Mayor Mark Mallory, who will lead a session on the importance of the Census to the community.Breakout session topics will include: Housing: Section 8 and CMHA, reuse of foreclosed and abandoned properties, promoting homeownership, organizations addressing the foreclosure crisis, and the Neighborhood Stabilization ProgramEconomy and Work Force Development: 2010 Census and Shop 52, Agenda 360, the upcoming 2009 Comprehensive Plan, the future of transportation, and work force developmentCommunity Collaboration and Best Practices: Developing a neighborhood art center, community collaboration, form-based codes, reducing violence, and making your neighborhood more green Registration for the Neighborhood Summit is required by January 16.On January 23, Congressman Steve Driehaus will speak at a kickoff dinner about the promising changes on the horizon for the City and how we can all play a role in its growth.Community volunteers also will be presented awards for their efforts.Reservations are also required for the dinner, at a cost of $20.The Cincinnati Neighborhood Summit 2009 is sponsored by Invest in Neighborhoods, Inc., the Community Building Institute, and the Cincinnati Department of Community Development.  Support is provided by Xavier University and the Murray & Agnes Seasongood Good Government Foundation.Writer: Kevin LeMasterSources: Jason Barron, City of Cincinnati; Laurel Bauer, media relations coordinator, Xavier University