Mayor Joyce Craig: Rescue Plan recommendations deliver for Manchester community | Op-eds

As soon as the federal relief package passed, we turned to residents and asked how they wanted these dollars spent. My office put out a survey, spoke with community members, small business owners, non-profits, department heads and incorporated ideas from Aldermen. And while the federal guidelines won’t let us do everything residents asked for — including lowering taxes and paving roads — the strategic plan I presented to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen meets many of the needs identified, and creates a safer, healthier community for every person in Manchester.

We developed this plan by maximizing dollars on programs with the greatest impact. Nearly 75% of the $43 million is being invested right back into our community. The balance is used for grant-funded positions to do the work over the next five years.

No matter who you are — if you live, work, or visit Manchester — this plan delivers for you. We focused on the following seven key areas:

Public Safety: This plan invests more resources in preventing violent crime, solving cases sooner and increasing officer foot patrols. The plan also funds a well-planned, evidence-based program created by Manchester Police and Health Departments that places community health workers in neighborhoods throughout the city to address health concerns and respond to calls that don’t require a police officer. It funds park rangers to patrol parks and trails and addresses environmental issues in neighborhoods by helping clean up our city streets and improve lighting.

Affordable housing and homelessness: This plan adds $3 million to the affordable housing trust fund to increase the number of affordable, transitional and supportive housing units in Manchester. It provides grants to landlords who want to make improvements to their properties with a commitment that their units remain affordable and allocates funds to low-income individuals who need to make emergency repairs to their homes. It continues to fund our director of homelessness initiatives to seek long-term solutions and coordinate city response.

Small businesses and economic development: This plan allocates $2 million toward expanding our successful Small Business Resiliency Grants to include funding for COVID-19 recovery, as well as business planning, outdoor space improvements and more. It also re-establishes a Manchester Economic Development Office to serve as a link to the city and support and grow our business community. It funds a community activation grant program, providing funding for projects that bring visitors to our city and support our tourism and hospitality industries. These are suggestions I directly received from the Greater Manchester Chamber and area business leaders.

Infrastructure: This plan allocates $5 million to address sewer and drainage issues and associated road maintenance. It addresses quality of life issues such as neighborhood cleanliness, removing graffiti, increasing street sweeping, and adds an additional $1 million into paving roads and sidewalks.

Health: This plan increases healthy food access in food deserts across the city. It utilizes community health workers to become the hub for addressing neighborhood-level health concerns. It expands a newborn home visit program for every new mother in the city, providing them with support and connecting them with primary care physicians, mental health consultations, parental skills training and more.

Youth: This plan provides scholarships for Manchester graduates to attend college who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity. It leverages partnerships with businesses and trades to provide students with technical assistance and job training centered on industries located in Manchester. It funds the nationally-recognized ACERT program, connecting children who witness a traumatic event to case workers and support.

Seniors: This plan funds a dedicated resource to connect them to services. It makes investments in ADA compliant sidewalks and increased street lighting, and establishes a fund for those on a fixed income to make investments in their homes as they age.

By collecting data, measuring outcomes and making adjustments if needed, we’re ensuring these federal funds make the greatest positive impact for our city.

In a bipartisan vote last week, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen moved this plan forward. The final vote is July 20th and if approved, we can start implementing these programs this summer.

By tackling challenges and investing in prevention, this proposal sets our city up for long-term success.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to increase the health and safety of our community, with a goal of rebuilding a stronger economy. Let’s get to work.