There are a variety of strategies and approaches to address challenges in rural communities – and our Community Outreach programs can be used to help fund many of these.
Concierge Service for Small Associations
NAR will provide a “concierge” type of service to small associations, especially those with limited, or no, staff to help you address a challenge in your community using one of our REALTOR® Party Community Outreach programs.
The first step will be to submit the Rural Outreach Assistance Questionnaire to collect some basic information. After the questionnaire is submitted, staff will schedule a call with you to get additional information and a suggest a potential strategy, as listed below. We will discuss with you which community outreach grant (housing opportunity, smart growth, placemaking) or program to use. And we can work directly with a consultant to initiate the process and get you, and your partners, started.
Rural Outreach Assistance Questionnaire
Types of Strategies and Projects
Neighborhood Revitalization & Walkable Communities – Smart Growth Grant
- Organize a Better Block: a one to two-day event to implement a community’s vision to revitalize a downtown.
- Conduct a Placemaking Visioning Process: a planning process with local stakeholders based around a shared vision for what a downtown could become.
- Conduct a Main Street Downtown Analysis: a strategy to revitalize or strengthen a downtown or commercial district using the Main Street Approach.
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Conduct a Heart & Soul: a long-term (two years) process to gather the input of all residents to build stronger, healthier and more economically community.
- Conduct a WalkShop/Walkable Community Workshop: a planning and community input session to learn about walkable communities.
- Create New Public Spaces and Destinations in your Community: transform unused (vacant lots) and underutilized (open fields) sites and “eyesores” into welcoming destinations. Placemaking Grant.
Sustainable Growth & Development – Smart Growth Programs
- Organize a planning and design Charrette: a charrette is an intensive, multi-disciplinary workshop with the aim of developing a design or vision for a project or planning activity. Smart Growth grant.
- Conduct a community survey or poll: use NAR’s public opinion firm to perform a survey on the opinions of the local or state residents concerning growth, transit and/or housing related issues. State & Local Growth Polling Program.
- Create better transportation options such as integrating bicycle and pedestrian plans into Capital Improvement & Comprehensive Plans.Smart Growth grant.
- Conduct an analysis of market conditions and trends
- Host housing events & forums: Gather stakeholders to identify housing challenges and discuss ways to address these challenges.
- Hold a vacant properties forum: apply to participate in the Transforming Neighborhoods program using a pre-set template and our consultant or plan your own forum to address vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties in your community.
Legislative and Regulatory Issues – Land Use Initiative & Smart Growth Grant
- Review proposed ordinances and their impact on real estate: use our consultant to conduct an analysis of the legal, planning, economic and environmental issues surrounding legislative and regulatory land-use proposals.
- Support the development of a Complete Streets policy (making roads safe for all users)
- Contribute to the development or updating of a Comprehensive Plan