NHSSF & Brownsville Relationship:

NHSSF began working in the Brownsville community and its surrounding areas in 2005 by hosting its annual Community Paint and Beautification Day (CPBD) within the neighborhood. Brownsville was selected because it is an area with a strong residential base that has many assets but is in need of support as negative economic changes have had harsh effects on its homeowners and its neighborhood fabric. Within the Brownsville neighborhood, NHSSF is working to help stabilize its real estate market by funding the development of affordable homes with NSP2 funds; NHSSF is aiming to also become engaged as a stakeholder that supports the development of community building and organizing activities within this community.

Event Overview:
During our annual Community Paint and Beautification Day we help existing homeowners with limited incomes to improve their homes by providing free painting for the exterior of the house and landscaping for their yards. The Community Paint and Beautification Day project is one component of the strategy that we have to help stabilize transitional neighborhoods in South Florida. Our vision is that this work will contribute to the stabilization of the neighborhood to empowering homeowners with a sense of pride in their home and community, and helping revitalize their neighborhood by bringing beauty and stability to the community’s physical conditions. The home improvements also help preserve real estate values in a community that has been hit hard.

In 2009 Citizens for a Better South Florida (CITIZENS) joined NHSSF as the landscaping partner for the event. Their involvement has evolved the focus of the event to include a sustainable environmental education component. They met with each homeowner during the planning process to encourage the choice of native plant species and educate homeowners about long term care of the newly planted landscaping. In 2012, we will also be working with Earth Advisors Inc. to further guide and develop the landscaping services.

Scope of Work:
Homes within the Brownsville neighborhood are selected through an application process. The painting and landscaping needs of each home are assessed, and any minor repairs that are needed are reviewed by NHSSF’s General Contractor. These minor repairs include preparation of the house’s exterior walls for painting and minor repairs to the property’s exterior (fascia, caulking, etc.). Homeowners will be able to select exterior paint and trim colors based on pre-determined color swatch. Landscaping will include native plants that thrive in the Florida climate with consideration given to plants and vegetation that require little water to remain healthy. All homeowner participants will be required to attend a workshop on environmental landscaping for energy conservation at a later date.

2012 Community Paint and Beautification Day Vision:
Our vision for the 2012 Community Paint & Beautification Day is to build upon the neighborhood stabilization efforts that have been underway since 2005. The project will concentrate on a target area of approximately 3 blocks, an area where we are supporting physical improvement projects, developing new affordable housing, and developing resident leaders and community engagement. Landscape education will be provided through our partnership with Citizens for a Better South Florida. We are recruiting volunteers and sponsors to support our efforts in exterior painting and landscape restoration of 10 – 15 homes on Saturday, March 10th, 2012.

Target Area:
The target area is within the Brownsville neighborhood of unincorporated Miami-Dade County, which has been NHSSF’s target neighborhood for community stabilization work throughout the past 8 years. NHSSF has been focusing on a specific area within Brownsville as part of its NSP2 neighborhood stabilization efforts, and this is defined by these boundaries: NW 27th Ave. – NW 32nd Ave. and NW 54th St. – NW 48th St./Terr.