What is the Neighborhood Revitalization Inititaive?

WCA has recently partnered with the Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio to launch a Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative on the Westside. On a national level, Habitat has implemented NRIs in communities across the country, supporting residents in organizing around shared priorities, advancing equitable policy changes, and leading community-driven projects. WCA is the first partner with our local Habitat to work on an NRI.

A core principle of the NRI is that it is community-led. That means the direction of this work will be shaped by Westside residents themselves. As the initiative develops, WCA will be creating more opportunities for neighbors to share input on what would make the Westside a better, safer, and more connected place to live, work, and spend time.

This is a long-term effort (expected to span at least five years), and we are currently in the early stages. We’ve had multiple broader community engagement events this year, both in-person and online. 

Over the coming months, we’ll use what we hear from neighbors to shape a plan that reflects our shared priorities. This will be a long-term effort spanning several years, but we’re hopeful that, together, it will lead to meaningful and lasting change on the Westside.

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee for the NRI is made up of Westside residents who regularly attend the WCA meetings. At each meeting, updates about the NRI are shared out by committee members. Ongoing updates are also shared via our newsletter.

To catch up on the updates that have been shared so far, check out the general WCA meeting minutes starting in December 2025.

Share Your Ideas

Take our current survey and share your thoughts about what we need on the Westside here: https://bit.ly/wcanri

Upcoming Events

October 24 - WCA & NRI Open House (1-4 pm)

Past Events

July 11 - Community Forum (2-3:30 pm)

Following our outreach event during Porchfest, our first community forum focused in on the future of the Westside.

This forum was the first opportunity for people with connections to the Westside to share their ideas, identify neighborhood needs and priorities, and help shape goals for our community. More importantly, it was a chance to connect with neighbors and work together to turn those ideas into action.

September 23 - Virtual Community Forum (6:30-8 pm)

This event was similar to our first forum, but focused in more on the buckets or areas the NRI steering committee has identified as high priority:

• Safety & Accessibility

• Physical Environment & Structures

• Housing

• Commercial & Social Spaces

• Community Building & Togetherness

Westside Porchfest 2026