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Attleboro Redevelopment Authority
Challenge
The Attleboro Redevelopment Authority has sought the help of O’Neill and Associates for several different projects over the years. Initially, the ARA sought funds for a multi-million dollar assessment, clean-up and revitalization of a brownfield site located in the heart of downtown Attleboro.
In 2007, O’Neill and Associates was again engaged to provide community and government relations on behalf of the Attleboro Redevelopment’s Authority comprehensive Downtown Development Plan, which envisioned the development of more than 500 new housing units within Attleboro’s downtown, in addition to the rehabilitation of older mill buildings to expand commercial and retail opportunities in the City. The project required the approval of an Urban Renewal Plan through the Municipal Council.
Solution
For the brownfield revitalization project, O’Neill and Associates drew upon its strong knowledge of the subject matter and the federal grant-writing process to assist the Attleboro Redevelopment Authority. Most notably, O’Neill and Associates worked with the Authority to develop key messages and draft competitive grant applications to the Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. O’Neill and Associates also worked closely with the city’s Congressional representation, Congressman McGovern and Senator Kennedy, to build support for federal funding.
Next, in seeking the approval of an Urban Renewal Plan through the Municipal Council, O’Neill and Associates also worked to hone the messages about the benefits of the Attleboro Downtown Development Plan and customized these for each audience, including the Mayor’s Office, the Municipal Council, elected officials and the Massachusetts delegation, community groups, and citizens of Attleboro. O’Neill and Associates developed a comprehensive website to inform and educate the public, authored and developed collateral materials for use throughout the campaign, including fact sheets, project descriptions and presentations for community meetings.
O’Neill and Associates also collaborated with ARA officials to present at public meetings in an effort to gauge community sentiment and proactively address concerns early on. To insure that the messages reached all intended groups, O’Neill and Associates coordinated meetings between ARA representatives and key elected officials, MBTA and FTA officials, community opinion leaders, opinion groups, media outlets and other key influencers. O’Neill and Associates also monitored news coverage, identified signatories for letters of support and penned op-eds.
Results
O’Neill and Associates helped the Attleboro Redevelopment Authority secure significant funding for the brownfields revitalization project, including $270,000 from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development - Veteran’s Affairs Appropriation Bill. The Authority also yielded $200,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields Assessment Grant and $1.9 million from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Brownfields Economic Development Initiative Grant. In all three cases O’Neill and Associates worked with the ARA to craft and submit the grant applications. O’Neill and Associates also gathered support for the projects locally and federally to ensure the funding came in and the project got off the ground without a hitch.
O’Neill and Associates’ grassroots efforts also yielded a successful Municipal Council vote in favor of the Urban Renewal Plan. As a result, the Downtown Development Plan is now moving forward in Attleboro, and will be one of the Commonwealth’s leading “smart growth” communities once it is completed.
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