The Neighborhood Enhancement Program empowers residents to propose and select modest, city-funded capital projects to enhance their neighborhoods. The program rotates through the city's 14 NEP neighborhood areas over the course of seven years, serving two areas each year. The $5 million program allocation is distributed among each of the neighborhood areas, according to the number of households in each area.
Hear what your neighbors have to say about NEP and learn about the process from the video "What is NEP?"
Happening Now
Newport NEP in project voting phase through July 22
Newport residents - 10 resident-submitted projects are on your ballot. Now’s the time to vote for your top three projects. For specific project details, please review the documents posted below.
Next step: Cast your vote!
Simply return the POSTAGE PAID ballot that each Newport household received in early June to determine which projects will be funded with the $282,000 budget allocated for your neighborhood area.
Deadline for voting is Friday, July 22, 2022.
Voting is BY MAIL ONLY and limited to ONE BALLOT PER HOUSEHOLD ADDRESS
Somerset NEP in project scoping phase, and balloted projects will be announced in September.
The project submission stage for NEP in the Somerset neighborhood area closed May 18. City staff are now evaluating the ideas that residents submitted against NEP criteria and will present those projects eligible to be included on a ballot at an open house in September. Look for a voter’s pamphlet and ballot to arrive in Somerset mailboxes in early September.
Sequence
When NEP comes to your neighborhood area, it follows a sequence.
- Solicitation: Residents submit project ideas (mail, website or kick-off meeting).
- Scoping: Staff review project ideas using screening criteria and generate ballot projects.
- Preview: Residents review ballot projects at public open house.
- Voting: Households in the neighborhood area receive ballots in the mail to vote for three projects of their choice.
- Implementation: The city implements projects that receive the most votes within five years.
