Urban Planning Project from ACC Guest Speaker

Hi- this is Dirk, from the ACC meeting. I would really appreciate any support your group could offer to my project. I am in need of some leadership on the construction, planning, and design team. I currently have some help from USGBC, NAWIC, and engineering students, some of whom are grad. students. But they are always telling me that we need urban design people, and other types of architecture, engineering, etc. students.... it is a really ambitious project.

We are going to renovate a property between 13th Street and Main, in the vicinity of University, in order to create the facility I described to you at the ACC meeting: an environmentally sustainable boarding house where UF students will provide educational mentoring to 5-10 previously homeless residents. It's a great learning opportunity, and resume booster, for everyone involved- especially at this stage, where volunteers and interns will actually be able to say that they helped to create it.

As far as specific needs from the students, I'm not sure, because I don't know a lot about what you guys do. But we do have a meeting on March 5 in Rinker with the Construction, Planning, and Design team. We are also going to look at our prospective properties on March 1 to do a preliminary renovation evaluation and cost analysis. I'd love to have your students involved in both or either.

Hope to hear from you soon. Good luck at your meeting on Monday, and let me know what comes of it. I'm attaching the Team Objectives chart, which describes briefly some of the objectives of our Planning team. Cheers,


Dirk Sampselle
President, Citizens for Social Justice
Liaison from the Alachua County Commission to the University of Florida
Intern, Gainesville/Alachua Office on Homelessness
UF '08, Political Science

"We must be the change we wish to see in the world." -Mahatma Gandhi

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Team Objectives

Educational Curriculum Development

• Work with Dr. Repetto to adapt Dare to Dream for the homeless population
• Work with Dr. Dorene Ross as a consultant on reading list and curriculum development
• Work through the ECC, Assistant Dean Vernetson, and Dean/Dr. Ann Ho-Becks in New Student Programs to implement the Center for Citizen Learning as a component option of First Year Florida.
• Create a dedicated number of volunteer positions for this facility
• Work with Dr. Bernard Oliver (Alliance) to recruit potential volunteers
• Work with Nursing, SIFE, and Fine Arts to create comprehensive learning options
• Look at Santa Fe’s GED tutoring program, and consider either outsourcing GED tutoring or using that program as a “best practices model”

Medical Affairs

• Develop Intake procedures
• Create partnerships with established Medical facilities
• Develop consultancy relationships with counselors and physicians
• Consult area and national programs for best practice models
• Recruit students for the health educational component of the program

Construction, Planning, and Design

• Create Schematic Plan based on Green and Econ. sustainability principles
• Consult area Real Estate agents about property donations and/or foreclosures
• Brainstorm/review restoration possibilities for older buildings
• What is needed if we buy a building that needs significant remodeling?
• Keep all building planning in accordance with “boarding house” zoning restrictions
• If we build, who will build? If we buy, who will remodel?
• Brainstorm feasible conceptual layouts for the facility:
• Tutoring and teaching areas
• Central kitchen?
• Separation between males and females

Property Management

• Locate feasible properties
• Determine zoning law restrictions

Financial Planning

• Create financial plan and business proposal by March 31
• Review financial requirements for each viable grant

Legal Affairs

• Oversee development of 501(c)3 tax status
• Write Bylaws
• Oversee Articles of Incorporation
• Create Resident Intake Contract
• Advise the President and Program Coordinator on zoning laws and legal issues that face the organization, such as those related to fundraising, University laws, city ordinances, construction codes, etc.

Marketing & PR

• Market the upcoming discussion forum
• Work with fundraising team on marketing their projects
• Network Business Partnerships for resident workers

Website Development

• Create a website for Citizens for Social Justice

Fundraising

• Fundraise:
• T-Shirts- Political Quotes + SSJ logo, bank loan->proceeds go to CCL
• Business Match Program, link with possible graduation certificate promo
• Drop Boxes in local businesses
• Concert Fundraiser
• Discussion Forum w/Donation Request
• Date Auction
• Partner with Greeks for a Dance Marathon
• Club party- cover charges are donations
• Walk/run for charity
• Good Will Gators
• Ben & Jerry’s
• Door2Door
• Churches

Grant Writing

• Source Federal and Charitable Trust grants
• Green/Sustainable, Historical Preservation, Community Development, Education

Homeless Community Relations

• Recruit homeless residents