NEWPORT NEWS — The city recently hosted a workshop to educate the community about the Marshall-Ridley Transformation Plan.
Two residents and several city staff and partner organizations attended the free event.
The Choice Neighborhood Initiative is a program by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to revitalize the communities, in this case, the southeast community of Newport News, according to the CNI’s website.
“The purpose of the presentation is to provide some background information for those who are new to CNI, whether they are new residents in the neighborhood, new employees or members of some of our many partner organizations, longtime residents who are newly engaged with CNI, or anyone else who would like an introduction or orientation,” Kim Lee, spokeswoman for the city, wrote in an email. “The plan is to offer the presentation as needed to residents and community groups throughout the CNI area.”
Earlier this year, HUD Secretary Ben Carson awarded Newport News $30 million for community services, housing options, recreational opportunities and parks. Norfolk also received $30 million for projects in the Tidewater Gardens community.
Several programs of the initiative include the Brooks Crossing Innovation and Opportunity Center, a workforce development and STEM center which opened in August and a plan to rebuild the Ridley Place apartments, a Section 8 housing complex run by the city’s Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
“The event at Pearl Bailey was the first time we have offered the presentation to the general public, as opposed to a specific community group,” Lee said. “There is currently no set schedule, but we will continue offering the CNI 101 Workshop as needed.”
Lee said the information provided at the workshop was shown to the Virginia Department of Health as well as Neighborhood Leadership Series.
