Summary of City of Erie Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy

Prepared by City of Erie Department of Economic and Community Development, February 2006

(Primarily excerpts relevant to Historic Little Italy Neighborhood)

Goal: To formalize and prioritize existing planning and community development efforts, including, but not only:

	The City’s Weed and Seed initiative
	The ERA’s Central City housing plans
	The City’s Main Street and Enterprise Zone programs

Purpose:

	Create opportunities for employment
	Improve the housing stock
	Provide necessary human services

Within an NRSA:

	Employers don’t need to track LMI statistics for hires or job applicants.
	For LMI purposes, housing units assisted as part of the strategy may be considered to be a part of a single structure – provides greater flexibility.
	Increased flexibility for program design and reduced record-keeping requirements.
	Public services may be exempt from the public services cap.
	Must be predominately lower income and residential in nature. 70.6% of parcels in Center City NRSA are residential. 71.7% of the NRSA population are LMI.

Multiple previous City plans and documents were reviewed and incorporated into the Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy. Comparing overall NRSA demographics with Little Italy only:

	Population – NRSA – 20,183, Little Italy 2,728
	LMI – NRSA 71.1%, Little Italy 76.1%
	Population change 1990 to 2000 – NRSA +2.8%, Little Italy -6.9%
	Vacant housing units in 2000 – NRSA 13.4%, Little Italy – 19.3%
	Renter-occupied housing – NRSA 66.6%, Little Italy – 70.1%
	Multi-family housing units (% of total) – NRSA 66.4%, Little Italy 69.3%
	Median Housing Value – NRSA $38,671, Little Italy $27,900 (City $65,900)
	Median Household Income – Little Italy $20,085, City $28,387
	MHI increase 1990 to 2000 – Little Italy $56.9%, City 28.8%
	Unemployment – NRSA 7.9%, Little Italy 7.9%, City 4.9%
	Not in labor force – NRSA 46%, Little Italy 44%, City 39%
	High school degree or higher – NRSA 57.8%, Little Italy 57.7%, City 75.3%

Land use and building conditions statistics in Little Italy neighborhood:

	Over 65% of all structures are single-family residential
	Almost 10% are commercial
	20% are considered to be in “Good Condition – No Rehab Work Required”
	44% are classified as “Minor Rehabilitation Needed”
	Over 20% (about 220 structures) classified as “Major Rehab Needed”
	Over 1% (10+ structures) classified as “Economically Infeasible to Rehab”
	9% of the parcels in the Neighborhood were vacant

Primary Little Italy Neighborhood Assets include:

	Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and Community Center
	St Paul’s Catholic Church
	St Paul’s Neighborhood Free Clinic
	The Sisters of St. Joseph Neighborhood Network
	Community Shelter Service
	The Bethesda Trinity Center

Other neighborhood assets:

	Proximity to downtown
	Strong neighborhood watch group
	Active business district
	Abundant, affordable housing stock
	Home to a diverse population
	Infusion of new developments
	Proximity to Saint Vincent’s Hospital
	Abundant vacant infill development opportunities