NENA Currents
			2011 NENA Board Election Results:  NENA held it's 2011 Annual Neighborhood Meeting and Board elections on may 24. NENA welcomes new Board members: Eric Rehm (Minnehaha), Anrea Javi (Morris Park), Bill Koncak (At Large) and, Will Teevan (At Large). At the 5/26 Board meeting, Kent Knopp-Schwin was elected Board Chair, George Jelatis was elected Vice-Chair, Eric Rehm became Secretary and Betty Jones continues as Treasurer. Board list (5/27/11) Sorry, NENA is no longer offering matching grants for the Commercial Facade Improvement Program.(5/27/11)

NENA is a 26 year-old nonprofit volunteer organization whose goals are to promote neighborhood improvement and revitalization, and to encourage citizen participation in civic affairs. Since 1996, NENA has been the designated group to receive Minneapolis Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) funds for the four south Minneapolis neighborhoods of Keewaydin, Minnehaha, Morris Park and Wenonah. (Nokomis East map)

NENA volunteers and staff have developed over 20 programs in the areas of Housing, Environment, Neighborhood Development & Planning and People Services & Safety. The programs are part of NENA’s Neighborhood Action Plan (NRP Full Plan), funded by NRP. NENA's Neighborhood Action Plan strategies were designed by neighborhood volunteers with much input from residents, and ratified by a community-wide vote in 1998.

At any given time, a number of programs are in various stages of planning and implementation. Volunteers often work with partner agencies to implement projects. For example, Housing Task Force members work on guidelines for our home improvement loans while Center for Energy and Environment administers the program; the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board oversees the implementation of the Lake Nokomis Naturescape project, but neighborhood gardeners work to keep it looking good. These are just a few of our partnerships where volunteers provide the inspiration and energy that make things happen in Nokomis East.

As a neighborhood organization, NENA also tracks and responds to community issues and concerns. Besides this Website, which is updated nearly daily, NENA also produces a quarterly newsletter that is mailed to all Nokomis East addresses. We regularly write a column in the Longfellow/Nokomis Messenger which highlights events and issues important to the neighborhood.

We hold 6-10 town meetings each year to provide information on topics of interest and to give residents an opportunity to share their ideas, comments, and concerns. Past town meeting topics have included Lake Nokomis Improvement projects, Light Rail Transit, school closings, crime and safety issues, affordable housing projects, and NRP Phase II. We also host special public meetings on topical issues or neighborhood concerns. Recent topics have included the affordable housing project on the Veteran's Affairs Medical Center campus and the Minnehaha Place condominiums project.

Discussing neighborhood issues is an important part of NENA's Town Meetings.

NENA Mission Statement
	The mission of Nokomis East Neighborhood Association is to better the quality of life and build a sense of community pride by sponsoring actions which help our environment, businesses and homes. NENA creates and manages solutions by leading a community-based process that advocates for the neighborhood and empowers members of the community.