Residents and business owners benefit from neighborhood marketing and branding initiative

WASHINGTON, July 29, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Seventeen communities from around the country have been selected for an initiative that will help them attract and retain residents, businesses and investment, announced NeighborWorks America, a national nonprofit corporation that creates opportunities for people to live in affordable homes, improve their lives and strengthen their communities.

The 17 organizations will work intensively over the next year with expert marketing consultants and local stakeholders to develop marketing plans for their target neighborhoods. These plans will include strategies to reposition the neighborhoods' images and brands in their regional housing markets.

"A community needs a positive story to create a sense of pride and catalyze investment," said Ascala Sisk, director of the Stable Communities Initiative at NeighborWorks America. "Despite negative perceptions, these neighborhoods have strengths upon which they can build. Through this program, NeighborWorks America is helping communities to bolster these strengths and spread the word about those assets in a way that resonates."

NeighborWorks America launched the Neighborhood Marketing Program in 2012 and has been working with 16 organizations through the first round of the initiative to create strong neighborhood brands and rebuild market demand. The first round participants have been implementing a range of creative strategies to promote their neighborhoods, including hosting neighborhood events and new logo launch parties, and creating neighborhood associations. Visit www.stablecommunities.org/marketing for highlights and to watch a video that demonstrates how these marketing tactics are improving internal and external perceptions.

The second round of the program is made possible with a $750,000 donation from the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation. Additional funders include Capital One Foundation and Citi.

"At the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation, we focus our support on neighborhood revitalization efforts in meaningful ways throughout the communities we serve," said Connie Wright, assistant director with the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation.  "We recognize that a key component of community revitalization is to develop an effective local neighborhood marketing plan that creates a positive connection to the community.  The Neighborhood Marketing Initiative is designed to help distressed communities achieve that goal and the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation is delighted to support NeighborWorks America and its network members with this vital work."    

The second round Neighborhood Marketing Program participants and their targeted neighborhoods are:

• Houston, TX: Avenue Community Development Corporation, Near Northside/Northside Village
• Charlotte, NC: Charlotte-Mecklenberg Housing Partnership, Seversville
• St. Paul, MN: Dayton's Bluff Neighborhood Housing Services, Payne-Phalen
• Flint, MI: Habitat for Humanity of Michigan, Grand Traverse District Neighborhood
• Orange, NJ: Housing and Neighborhood Development Services, Valley Arts District
• Goshen, IN: La Casa, Chamberlain Neighborhood
• Chelsea, MA: The Neighborhood Developers, Shirley Avenue
• Barberton, OH: Neighborhood Development Services, Downtown Barberton
• Woonsocket, RI: NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley, Our Neighborhood Planning District
• Lincoln, NE: NeighborWorks Lincoln, Clinton Neighborhood
• Sacramento, CA: NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center Sacramento Region, Oak Park
• Salt Lake City, UT: NeighborWorks Salt Lake, River District North Temple
• Roseburg, OR: NeighborWorks Umpqua, Southeast Roseburg
• Roxbury, MA: Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation, Blue Hill Avenue
• Pocatello, ID: Pocatello Neighborhood Housing Services, Old Town Neighborhood
• Baltimore, MD: St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center, Belair-Edison
• Providence, RI: West Elmwood Housing Development Corporation, West End

For more information about the NeighborWorks America Stable Communities Initiative, including the Neighborhood Marketing Program, visit nw.org and www.stablecommunities.org.      

About NeighborWorks America
For 35 years, NeighborWorks America has created opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to homeownership and to safe and affordable rental housing. In the last five years, NeighborWorks organizations have generated more than $19.5 billion in reinvestment in these communities. NeighborWorks America is the nation's leading trainer of community development and affordable housing professionals.

SOURCE NeighborWorks America