Authorizing the participation of Philadelphia in the 2024 cohort of the Pennsylvania Blueprint Communities Program.

WHEREAS, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh (FHLBank Pittsburgh), partners with the Pennsylvania Downtown Center (PDC) to implement the Blueprint Communities® initiative which serves as a catalyst for revitalizing older communities and neighborhoods by building strong local leadership, collaboration, and development capacity; developing sound local and regional planning skills; and encouraging coordinated investments in targeted communities by public and private funders; and

WHEREAS, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh supports PDC in providing program grant funding and community revitalization training which emphasizes a team approach and will provide the educational components necessary for communities to begin developing long-term, strategic plans. Focusing on such fundamentals as leadership, capacity building, goal setting and strategic planning, the revitalization training will provide the necessary knowledge and skill-based learning for communities to initiate a community renewal and growth effort; and

WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia supports and promotes neighborhood and/or community revitalization, including adaptive reuse of older buildings, investment in public infrastructure, active transportation, supporting community engagement activity, building local leadership, developing collaborative partnerships, and practicing sound local and regional planning skills; and

WHEREAS, The City Council of Philadelphia seeks to support the development of a Blueprint Communities® Plan; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphia proposes to support the community developed Blueprint Communities® Plan; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby authorizes Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, to participate as the local government representative on the Blueprint Communities® community team.

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