Community Feedback Informs Our Work in 2026 and Beyond

At NENA, we are excited to head into 2026 stronger than ever. Thanks to the amazing residents and business owners of the Nokomis East neighborhood, we are informed on how we can best support the community by listening to results of the planning survey we conducted in 2025. With the insights we gathered, and an engaged and passionate team, NENA is looking forward to making a big impact in the year to come.

The survey, developed by a task force of the NENA board, was distributed electronically via the NENA website as well as on paper distributed through door knocking. The survey was available in three languages, English, Somali and Spanish. Community members were asked to address ten questions related to living in the Nokomis East community, in an effort to “help us to better serve and advocate for neighborhood residents.”

The quality of life in the Nokomis East Neighborhood is rated exceptionally high, with 95% of the respondents selecting Good or Very Good on the survey. Many residents emphasized their love of walkability, bikeability, and access to parks, lakes, and trails and appreciate the local businesses and the “small-town feel”. Several respondents noted that the neighborhood is family-friendly and community-oriented. Respondents were encouraged to share improvements they’d like to see. Some of those included more diverse restaurants, coffee shops, and gathering spaces, stronger crime prevention and safety initiatives, continued investment in beautification, environmental sustainability, and community events.

We asked the community to select their top three priority areas, from a list of six, for NENA to focus on in the next five years. The priorities were developed based on our current offerings, and included events, environmental initiatives, outreach and resources, housing initiatives and grant programs, issue based forums and business and neighborhood development. While each of these offerings are key to our organization, the top three choices identified by respondents were: hosting events to bring the community together, environmental initiatives like neighborhood clean up days, community gardens, and adopt-a-drain, and outreach and resources such as the Nokomis East Food Shelf, resident outreach and other equity-related initiatives.

The open ended questions allowed us to pull key themes to thread together as we look ahead to 2026. We asked, ”What events or activities would you like to see more of in the neighborhood?” Unsurprisingly based on the priority rankings, community members expressed a strong desire for community-building events that foster connection, celebrate local culture, and provide inclusive opportunities for all ages. The community is eager for more frequent, accessible, and diverse events that bring neighbors together, strengthen local identity, and balance fun with practical concerns like safety and sustainability.

Safety and well-being were other themes throughout the responses. Residents spoke up about safety issues, including crime, increased traffic, and more frequent loitering, along with a desire for a connected and welcoming community. In response to “What would you like to see the neighborhood organization focus on in the next 5 years?” Residents indicated they are looking for a balance between safety, community vitality, and sustainability, and want NENA to act as both a protector of neighborhood safety and livability, and a catalyst for community connection and growth. Residents desire a neighborhood that is safe, welcoming, environmentally sustainable, and economically vibrant.

When the survey closed, NENA’s team and board of directors went to work analyzing the data and produced a strategic framework as a result. This framework is being used as organization’s strategic direction, guiding NENA’s work in 2026, which includes:

1. Hosting neighborhood events, with an emphasis on volunteer recruitment and engagement.

2. Creating avenues for public safety issues to be included in NENA committee conversations, processes to share issues across media channels, and adding public safety resources to our website.

3. Ensure stability by fundraising through community giving and grants.

4. Prioritize outreach and inclusivity by adding ways to engage underrepresented groups in organizational decision-making and activities, broadening involvement in NENA committees, and continuing to work with businesses and residents to disperse program funds.

In alignment with these strategic priorities, we are excited to host the State of Our Neighborhood virtual event on January 28, at 6:00pm.