riversedge

The third evaluation of the River’s Edge at Eastside Pointe (the federally funded housing project underway at the former site of Jacob Price) is currently underway.

University of Louisville Professor John Gilderbloom, Ph.D. is the third party contractor heading the evaluation. He and his team are to study the successes and shortcomings of the HOPE VI project each year from 2011-2015. Two reports have already been completed and the team is currently working on report number three.

The Evaluation Team consists of Dr. Gilderbloom, Wesley Meares, Kela Ivonye, and Zack Schwagger.  Evaluators will examine various data sources to gage progress to-date on the HOPE VI project, including but not limited to: property values, business starts, tax revenue, crime data, and resident outcomes.  Dr. Gilderbloom also hopes to interview local service providers for their feedback on the HOPE VI project. 

(RELATED: Mold, Supervisor, Sub-Contractor Payment Issues Addressed at Covington Housing Development)

Dr. Gilderbloom is a Professor of the Graduate Program in Urban and Public Affairs at the University of Louisville and is Director at the Center for Sustainable Neighborhoods.  Recently, Dr. Gilderbloom was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Louisville, in part, for his research on the Covington HOPE VI project.  Dr. Gilderbloom competed against approximately 1200 other faculty to win this prestigious award.  

Gilderbloom’s report from 2012 stated, “It is estimated that the direct effect from the project will produce 242 jobs (a labor income of roughly $20 million), add approximately $22 million in value to the city’s industries and have an output of $40 million. The indirect effects from the project will lead to the production of 44 jobs and the generation of $1.8 million in labor income. Also, the city’s industries will gain $2.7 million in value and an output of roughly $4 million dollars. The induced effect will increase labor by 95 jobs, spawn an additional $3.4 million in labor income, add $7 million in value and have an output of more than $10 million. Overall the project will add 381 jobs to the city, generate approximately $25 million in labor income, add $31 million dollars of value to Covington and its industries, and will have an overall output over $54 million.”

You can read the full report online by clicking here (PDF).

As the third evaluation period continues, there are eighteen criteria being examined by Gilderbloom and his team: 

1.  Employment, employment/technical/vocational training and the availability of work, including the availability of work within the program:
     a.  Employment/unemployment rate (baseline and growth or decline over 
          time; compare and contrast with Covington neighborhoods and adjacent cities);
     b.  Available work by industry by SIC codes by census tract (Covington and
          comparable communities);
     c.  Analyzing help wanted ads for available jobs and kinds of job changes over time. 
 
2.  Income growth/decline:
     Personal income by census tract (baseline and growth or decline over time in Covington and comparable communities).
 
3.  Crime statistics:
     Tracking statistics by affected neighborhoods in and around Covington and adjacent cities (baseline and growth or decline over time) on the following incidents:
     a.  Auto theft.
     b.  Robbery
     c. Wanton endangerment
     d.  Burglary
     e.  Assault
     f.  Theft by unlawful taking
     g.  Rape
     h.  Homicide
     i.  Drug related offenses
 
4.  Participation in early childhood education programming and scores on Dial 3 Early Childhood measures. 
 
5.  Public education (baseline and change over time as data is available from the public school system/Hope VI Social Services Provider/U.S. Department of Education):
     a.  Graduation/Dropout rates 
     b.  Standardized test scres for elementary, middle school and high school.
     c.  Grade advancement
     d.  Continuing education:
          i.  Vocational/Technical
         ii.  University
        iii.  Community College
        iv.  Other

6.  Access and use of support services for self-sufficiency including home ownership, job training, higher education, etc. (in conjunction with the social service provider)

7. Census tract statistics (baseline and change over time) for affected neighborhoods within Covington) 

8.  Property valuation and sale baselines and changes in affected areas along with adjacent cities

9.  Business startups and expansions using Chamber of Commerce statistics and city of Covington records.

10. Condition and quality of Covington Public Housing in which residents once or currently live: Quality of management.

11. The impact of the HOPE VI program on family stability indicators, most notably parental involvement and childhood immunization records.

12. Impact of the With Every Heart Beat Life (WEHBL) program on family health factors.

13. Resident Survey in conjunction with HOPE VI social service provider. This would include gauging satisfaction of social service (case management) provider. The survey will be based on the ABT Associates survey template and the Newport and Louisville HOPE VI surveys. These three instruments will be used as possible survey questions but the survey instrument will be customized to fit the needs of Jacob Price HOPE VI residents.

14.  Design and planning of HOPE VI in accordance with project goals and objectives.

15.  The impact of the program on Historic Preservation efforts. 

16.  The impact on neighborhood infrastructure and commerce.

17.  The impact and role of citizen input on HOPE VI in the planning, design and implementation of the project.

18.  HOPE VI is in compliance with American Disabilities Act.

You can read Gilderbloom’s full report on the HOPE VI project in Newport, which he calls the greatest comeback city in America, by clicking here (PDF).

Read more about Gilderbloom by clicking here.

Photo: River’s Edge development/RCN file