OCTOBER 19, 2018 — Neighborhood Preservation, Inc., is proud to report on the Memphis Neighborhood Preservation Summit 2018. At the Summit, community stakeholders interested in inspiring, connecting, and convening with the actors interested in revitalizing and empowering Memphis neighborhoods joined together for a day of learning and celebration.
The Memphis Neighborhood Preservation Summit 2018 was held on Friday, October 19, thanks to the generous sponsorship of Tennessee Housing and Development Authority and the Chamber’s Circle. The morning portion included breakout sessions designed by members of the Blight Elimination Steering Team.
Attendees were able to participate in:
>Putting Data to Use: What Users are Doing with Property Hub Data to Understand Issues and Shape Policy
>What’s the 311? Working with Code Enforcement to Resolve Property Problems
>From Eyesore to Asset: How to Reclaim and Reuse Vacant and Abandoned Space
>How the Neighborhood Preservation Act Helps Neighborhoods and its Applicability in Your Neighborhood
Breakout session presenters included Justin Entzminger, Austin Harrison, Dr. Eun Kyong Shin, Ronald W. Spahr, Debra Hardaway, Beth Wall-Flanagan, Kevin Crutcher, Jared Myers, Archie Willis, Steve Barlow, and John Cameron.
Darrell Greene of Fox 13 emceed the luncheon awards ceremony, which was catered by Central BBQ. After a moving invocation by Ephie Johnson, Mayor Jim Strickland and Mayor Lee Harris made remarks on the importance of Memphis neighborhoods and kicked off the presentation of awards to members of the Memphis community.
Awards were given to individuals for their exceptional work in leadership, grassroots organization, high property maintenance standards, and dedication to preserving neighborhoods in the City of Memphis.
Following the awards portion of the ceremony, keynote speaker Dr. Mustafa Santiago Ali highlighted the importance of the neighborhood supporting work being done in our City as well as the environmental justice issues around the nation. Dr. Ali ended with a call to action to improve the health of our communities and to not give up our power or our desire to create change.
Tina Stacy with the Urban Institute ended the Summit with a presentation of the findings from a year-long study of code enforcement and public health. The resulting report, titled “Strategic Housing Code Enforcement and Public Health: A Health Impact Assessment in Memphis, TN” can be found on our website www.npimemphis.org
Congratulations to the following Memphis Neighborhood Preservation Summit 2018 Award Recipients!
Steve Lockwood; Britney Thornton; Eddie Williams; Loeb Properties and Cecil Humphreys; Patrice Thompson; Representative Mark White; The Honorable Judge Larry E. Potter
We hope to see you at the next Summit in 2020.
Imani Jasper is the Project Coordinator at NPI. From Cornell University, she graduated Cum Laude in 2016 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Urban and Regional studies and earned her Master’s degree in City and Regional planning in 2018. She has worked in New York City and Cleveland on a variety of urban issues.