West Memphis pursuing massive community development grant

Two-part process could give city $30 million to revitalize blighted neighborhoods

news@theeveningtimes.com

West Memphis City Council turned the dogs loose in pursuit of a super-sized redevelopment grant. City Director of Planning and Development Paul Luker told council members the $30 million Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant Program came in two parts and would significantly impact the southeast side of the city for redevelopment.

City council authorized hiring the consulting firm Alliance for Rural Impact that won the huge grant last year for Shreveport. Luker said the city already had a lot of the boxes checked that the federal grant administrators for.

“One of the areas that need attention is the east end of West Memphis,” said Luker. “The areas in and around the housing authority is the area we are looking at. The grant compels cities and housing authorities to work together to revitalize the neighborhoods around it.”

Luker said the city would have to complete two rounds of grant winning to land the big one.

“It’s a very competitive two-step process,” said Luker. “The first step is to make application for a planning grant. If successful, we’d enter a three-year planning period to develop a plan for the area. After that we could apply for the larger pot of money, which is $30 million currently.”

Luker brought success to the table, assuring city council.

“One of the consultants on the team we are working with was successful helping Shreveport, Louisiana in the same process, getting both the planning grant and then last year the $30 million. We’ve worked with them in the past.”

Members of the consulting team helped with plans for the East Arkansas Planning and Development District and with the city directly on updating Housing and Urban Development (HUD) fair housing plans, and with the state economic development board.

Luker said the city needed to move.

“It is a very short window, announced two weeks ago,” said Luker. “The deadline to apply is June 10. It is a very complicated grant application. They won’t charge us to do the planning grant but if we are successful they want to be the ones that do the plan that leads into the big application.”

“Do we have anybody that could write this grant?”

asked Councilwoman Helen Harris.

“We do not,” said Luker.

“I think it is a win-win for us,” said Councilman James Pulliaum.

Luker said West Memphis tailor fits the grant requirements.

“We have a compelling story with things they are looking for,” said Luker.

“We have new schools coming in there. We have a new police sub-station planned. We have a new fire station coming to that area. They like to see a good relationship with the city and the housing authority and the city with the school. We are close to an opportunity zone (South Loop) there. We have all that and that will get us some extra points on the application.”

Councilman James Pulliaum asked how a prospective land bank would fit the grant.

“If we get the planning grant we could use some of that money to help facilitate that,” said Luker.

Economic Development Executive Director Phillip Sorrell said the redevelopment in the area would dovetail nicely with the new economic development plan wrapped in the city’s GROW 2040 plan.

“We support the economic development side of it,” said Sorrell. “It fits hand in glove with what we are doing with the growth plan. There may be some significant implementation dollars in the planning phase as well. I see no down side to getting the grant application done at no cost to us with a five percent match if awarded.”