NRRC’s goals for Social, Cultural and Economic Development of the Near North and Willard Hay neighborhoods are as follows:

• Plymouth Avenue Vision: (four overlapping strategies to build community)

This comprehensive plan developed with community input and
participation encompasses an integrated implementation of actions that
address environmental issues, cultural transitions, housing and
economic development, and transportation enhancements.

• Retention of Affordable Rental Housing

The Hollman court decree calls for correcting the over-concentration
of poverty in our community by relocating families to the suburban
communities. NRRC continues to address the needs of low income families
still in our neighborhood. Our approach is simple in that NRRC is
positioning itself to purchase and assume controlling ownership of the
affordable housing that is left in the community, therefore retaining
its affordability and holding as community assets. Through our
management company, NRRC Properties, Inc. (NPI), we plan to assume the
property management of these properties to insure the quality
maintenance of these community assets.

• Economic Development

This goal is centered on the notion that
increased economic development requires bricks and mortar, new business
development, expansion and retention of existing businesses and new job
creation. The Northside lost over 250 jobs in 2003 with the closing of
(Target Corporation and Kodak). Business development and construction
of new commercial and retail space is necessary to build opportunities
for wealth creation and earned income for our residents. We will focus
our efforts on the re-development of the 7 contiguous Brownfield blocks
on Plymouth Avenue that include Penn-Plymouth Center and other vacant
Brownfield parcels along the avenue. Our plans include the development
for Time Warner headquarters (potentially 400 jobs), City -County
Federal Credit Union (potentially 20+ jobs), Insight News (a community
publisher), and other small retail businesses. NRRC is working in
collaboration with West Broadway area coalition and the Jordan
Neighborhood Council to develop mixed-use projects on West Broadway.

• Housing: Building wealth through home ownership

Home ownership continues to be the primary source of wealth creation
for families in America. NRRC will continue to develop affordable
homeownership opportunities through its partnerships and subsidiaries,
Heritage Housing, LLC and Mississippi Pathways, LLC respectively. In
addition, we will expand our Mortgage Foreclosure Prevention Program
services to include “reverse mortgage” training for individuals and
families seeking to remain in their current homes, but have fixed
incomes.

Equitable Development Strategy

During the past three years, NRRC has been formulating an “Equitable Development” Strategy for the Near North and Willard Hay neighborhoods. Our historical practices and new strategies are consistent with the framework shaped by Policy Link. The Equitable Development approach challenges traditional economic development and recognizes that low-income communities have not had the level of economic investment that would fully utilize the assets of their residents. Our vision is for residents to participate in and/or benefit from the regional planning and development occurring around them.

The principals of Equitable Development embraced by NRRC are:

• Integrate People and Place - People focused strategies and place-focused strategies: NRRC bases its community building work on the premise that residents have the power and vision to direct activities in their neighborhood that bring about positive social and economic change and serve as a vehicle for active and effective citizen participation. NRRC is a place-based community development corporation that is governed by residents of its community.
• Reduce local and Regional Disparities- Attention to both regional and inner-city strategies must be made: NRRC has and continues to address the economic disparities of homeownership between Whites and People of Color in the metropolitan area by providing affordable ownership opportunities in its communities. The ownership rates for people of color are below 30% verses white ownership at 71%. Near North and Willard Hay are minority neighborhoods that have the opportunity to increase ownership, but is challenged by assisting families to maintain ownership in ambiance to the dominance of predatory lending activities and practices.
• Promote Double Bottom Line Investments- Providing financial returns for investors and social and economic benefits for residents: These opportunities include developing affordable rental housing and single-family home construction and renovation, providing small business assistance and rental property management, lobbying for increased employment services, and organizing the community around quality of life concerns.
• Ensure meaningful community leadership, participation and ownership- Community residents and organizations must also have access to the tools, knowledge and resources that can guarantee meaningful participation in the development process: As part of this vision, NRRC has always played a pivotal leadership role in working with resident leaders to bring in new economic opportunities. NRRC, through its Board of Directors, which is elected by residents, provides training opportunities to enhance their leadership skills.

NRRC Contact List

Sherrie Pugh Sullivan- Executive Director (612) 277-1122

Maureen Wilson- Housing Services/ Mortgage Foreclosure (612) 277-1142

Trisha Anderson- Community Organizing (612) 277-1122

Current Officers

Chair – Ishmael Israel

Vice Chair – Wilma Mc Kinnies

Secretary - Wendy Hines

Treasure – Ray Dean

Board of Directors

The Northside Resident Redevelopment Council was established to empower the Residents of the Near North/Willard-Hay Minneapolis neighborhoods to be the primary agents for the improvement of social, economical and general livability standards of the neighborhood.

NRRC is a non-profit neighborhood organization. NRRC has been serving the Near North and Willard-Hay (NN/WH) neighborhoods since 1969. Our boundaries are Olson Memorial Highway to the south, West Broadway to the north, the city limits to the west, and the Mississippi River to the east.

NRRC’s primary goal is to bring about positive social changes, to foster self-determination, and empower residents to serve as a vehicle for active community involvement. We aim to improve the quality of life in North Minneapolis through an active, informed and self-sufficient citizenry.

NRRC is governed by a resident elected Board of Directors. Elections are held once a year and Board members serve two-year terms.

As the neighborhood’s community development corporation, NRRC has worked with residents on many housing and economic development projects in our neighborhood over the last 20 years. NRRC has developed guidelines for new housing, renovated apartment buildings and single family homes, and assisted neighborhood small businesses.

We have accomplished a great deal over the years, however much remains to be done. With a partnership between residents, local businesses, community organizations, local, state, and federal government agencies, and lending institutions, we will be successful in making North Minneapolis a thriving community.

Northside Residents Redevelopment Council,Inc.
1313 Plymouth Ave. North
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55411
Phone: (612) 335-5924
Fax: (612) 277-1154

Welcome to the Northside Residents Redevelopment Council. I am Sherrie P. Pugh, the Executive Director. As the new Executive Director, I bring new vision and an affirmation of community values to guide the organization. In accordance with the spirit of our Mission, we work to build an economically and socially healthy community that we can sustain.

As I lead the organization into the new millennium, I must acknowledge the exceptional leadership that preceded me to build our strong organizational track record. A record that consists of having:

• Developed 400 units of affordable housing;
• Built and rehabbed 100 single family homes;
• Facilitated over 24 business start-ups and relocations in the neighborhood thus creating new jobs
• Trained new scores of new entrepreneurs; and
• Assisted families in saving their homes from foreclosure and mortgage “flipping.”

Today, our challenges are to:

• Address significant community and state-wide trials of sustaining urban communities economically and politically;
• Develop SMART and livable communities that are “family friendly” and that include all of the amenities that we deserve;
• Provide housing choices to culturally and income diverse families;
• Create communities with the capacity to provide opportunities for employment and wealth creation.
• Employ technology as a means of economic empowerment; and
• Ensure that our residents – including our youth – protect and appreciate our environment.

In order to accomplish these goals NRRC works in many partnerships - with residents, community institutions, city and state agencies and the private sector. In each case we are constantly guided by the values we established collaboratively.

NRRC Staff Values

1. Self Determination
   1. Helping people help themselves
   2. Assisting people in realizing their opportunities capabilities and potential
2. Equipping individuals with information and knowledge
   1. Being a resource and facilitator
   2. Involving people in the decision- making process
   3. Connecting people to their neighborhoods and to the larger community
3. All people having the right to affordable housing
4. Being responsible to the community and accountable to the board
5. Supporting individuals in being good neighbors
6. People who are invested in the community

If you share in our vision, I encourage you to contact us. Get involved and join us as we make this journey to achieving a community of different neighborhoods that share a common theme: smart, family friendly and ours.

Business Training and Accounting Workshops

Would you like to know how to make your business ideas into business realities?
Do you have questions about running your business?
Maybe we can help.

Northside Residents Redevelopment Council offers:

• Computer Training
• Accounting Seminar
• Marketing Training
• Tax Seminar
• Neighborhood Micro-Entrepreneur Training
• What It Takes To Start Your Own Business
• Technical Assistance
• One-to-One Business Consulting
• Referral resources
• Direct Micro-loans
• Guarantee/Participating loans
• Urban Initiative Program loans
• SBA Micro-loans

Funding for the following programs is provided by
The Minneapolis Foundation

&

The McKnight Foundation