SB 959 - This act creates the "Center for the Neighborhoods Fund" in the state treasury. Money in the fund will be used to establish a center for the neighborhoods at the University of Missouri - Kansas City, under the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning. The center must actively engage with the city and region in which it is located to conduct collaborative outreach and research programs reflecting community-identified priorities in the areas of education and training, family and community health, and economic development. The center must work with local governments, other political subdivisions, higher education institutions, and community organizations.
The center must work with partner organizations to build the capacity of local neighborhood organizations and associations by providing technical assistance, applied planning research, and action plans for the prioritization of neighborhood revitalization strategies. The center must work with local leaders, as described in the act. The center must support academic service-learning by providing a support infrastructure that facilitates the placement of university students in the community. The center must compile data on the service-learning placements and identify learning outcomes.
The center may establish an advisory board.
The center must submit an annual report to the Board of Curators, the Appropriations Committee of the Senate, and the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives.
MICHAEL RUFF