Healthy Neighborhood Advisory Committee Meeting - October 8, 2025

The Healthy Neighborhood Advisory Committee met on October 8, 2025, from 5:31 PM to 7:29 PM. The agenda included approval of minutes, summer outreach results, quantitative demographic data, discussion of grant funding focus areas, a forestry letter endorsement, and scheduling of an additional meeting.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The meeting minutes from August 6, 2025, were approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made for non-agenda items.

Discussion Items

• Mid-Year Grantee Check-Ins (5A): Staff reported one-on-one check-ins with most grantees. Key updates:
  • Madison Reading Project: funds for fall book fairs (not yet used).
  • Catholic Multicultural Center: used for milk, eggs, meat.
  • Route to Rise: programming finished, funds used for tutor mentors.
  • Boys & Girls Club: hot meals for teens.
  • The Road Home: rental assistance in Maple Glen.
  • Allied Food Pantry: milk, eggs, meat.
  • Active Youth Wisconsin: bike trailer, shoes, equipment, swimsuits.
  • Rooted (Badger Rock): gardening classes, local produce, community dinners.
  • Several organizations (Badger Prairie Needs Network, Big Brothers Big Sisters, etc.) did not respond to check-in requests. The 2025 reporting is due end of January 2026; the 2026 application period opens around December 2025 and is due early February (similar to 2025's Feb. 10 deadline).
• Summer Outreach Results (5B): Staff presented results from dot-voting posters and sticky-note comments collected at community events in four priority neighborhoods.
  • Southdale: Top priorities from dot votes included housing (affordable rent), health care, and transportation. Sticky-note comments requested opening a road connection from Deer Valley to Rim Rock, more lighting in the park, and better support/safe parks. Only 4 written responses were received.
  • Allied: Most responses (145 votes). Top dot categories: transportation (variable), but subcategory breakdown showed affordable rent/mortgage (17), more grocery stores (14), more playgrounds (14), and access to affordable health care (13). Sticky-note comments frequently mentioned safety concerns (less violence, stop stealing, control gang violence, more policing) as well as park updates, community gardens, and sports.
  • Northfish/King James Way: Dot voting indicated housing as top priority; affordable rent and access to affordable health care tied (7 each). Comments related to safety and housing.
  • Jamestown: Only 15 votes; transportation and safety were top priorities. Several committee members raised concerns about small sample sizes and potential misrepresentation. Staff acknowledged limitations and noted the data will guide the strategic plan update. The plan aims to be more targeted and measurable than the previous one.
• Quantitative Data (5C): Staff presented demographic and economic indicators from Esri (ACS/Census) for the city and each priority neighborhood. Key city-level data (2024 estimates): population ~33,000, median household income ~$87,000, 68.9% racial/ethnic diversity, 36% Hispanic (including multiracial), 16% households below $35k poverty level, 8% below Esri's poverty measure, 47% low-to-moderate income (LMI), 9% spending >50% income on rent, 6% receiving food stamps, 6% uninsured.
  • Southdale: Population 1,800; median income $44k; 72% Hispanic; 83% LMI; 23% rent-burdened; 0% food stamps (flagged as likely inaccurate given other data).
  • Northfish: Population 5,000 (largest); median income $37k (lowest); 58% Hispanic; 78% LMI (west) / 95% LMI (east); 23% rent-burdened; 18% food stamps; 14% uninsured.
  • Allied: Population 2,400; median income $68k (highest); 95% Hispanic; 12% rent-burdened; 14% food stamps; 8% uninsured. Committee noted single-family homes may skew income data.
  • King James Way: Population 3,000; median income $58k; 49% Hispanic; LMI block groups ranged 29%-74%; 4% food stamps; 6% uninsured. Data accuracy discussions included the zero food stamp figure for Southdale (suspected undercount) and the usefulness of certain indicators. Staff will add footnotes and consider omitting/qualifying problematic data.
• Grant Funding Discussion (5E): Staff initiated discussion on potential focus area changes for the grant program (2027 onward), with suggestions to add health care, child care, transportation, and translation services. No changes for 2026 were feasible due to timing.
• Forestry Letter (5F): A support letter for the City of Fitchburg's nomination for an Urban Forestry Partnership Award was reviewed. The letter highlights a partnership with Urban Tree Alliance and Operation Fresh Start to plant nearly 100 trees in healthy neighborhoods. The letter was adopted unanimously.
• Additional December Meeting (5F): The committee agreed to hold a virtual meeting in early December 2025 to discuss the draft strategic plan and grant program. Compensation for the meeting may not be available due to budget timing.

Key Outcomes

• Approved: Minutes from August 6, 2025 (unanimous).
• Adopted: Forestry letter of support for the Urban Forestry Partnership Award (unanimous).
• Scheduled: A virtual meeting in early December 2025 for strategic plan and grant discussion.
• Next Steps: Staff will compile a draft strategic plan by December, incorporating qualitative and quantitative data. The 2026 grant application will open around December 2025 with a February 2026 deadline. The HNI program moves to the new Community Services Department. The neighborhood navigator position is open (10-20 hrs/week, bilingual preferred).