August 29, 2003

Dear Nokomis East Business and Property Owners:

NENA is pleased to announce the beginning of our much-anticipated Commercial Facade Improvement Program. Beginning immediately, the Nokomis East Neighborhood Association (NENA) is making matching grants available to business and commercial property owners in the four Nokomis East neighborhoods to improve and restore the visual appeal and condition of the exterior façade of commercially zoned buildings. 

Matching grants of up to $8,000, or $20,000 for multi-tenant buildings, may be used for visible, "curbside appeal" improvements that are consistent with NENA’s Commercial Façade Design Guide.  A total of $159,000 is available for the program.

We are proud to offer this program to you after more than a year and a half of research, planning and development by a group of dedicated volunteers and professionals. Funds for the program come from NENA’s Economic Development Strategy, a part the Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP). We have contracted with a professional program administrator, the Housing Resource Center-Southside (HRC), a program of the Greater Metropolitan Housing Corporation, to oversee the execution of contracts and construction details.

Please read through the following Program Summary and Steps to Applying for a Matching Grant documents. We hope that you will be as excited as we are by the possibilities for renewing and improving our neighborhood’s strong commercial base. Please contact us at 612-724-5652 for an application packet.

Sincerely,

Rita Ulrich
Executive Director

Enc.