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<br />Part Two: Mitigation Succes~ Storles
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<br />North Carohna Homebuilders Association, Habitat for Humanity, and the Board of
<br />Reaitors); and business and industry (financiai institutions, mortgage lenders, media,
<br />private contractors, design professionais, and day care providers),
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<br />A leadership team has been formed, success has been defined, and a detaiied
<br />action pian has been developed, It inciudes a marketing strategy, identification of
<br />financiai incentives, and identification of specific neighborhoods for the focused
<br />pilot program, Seed funding wiil come from the NCEMD, HUD's Disaster Recovery
<br />Initiative, CDBG, Habitat for Humanity, and the City of Kinston generai fund,
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<br />Measuring Success, While it is too eariy to measure the fuil success of the Kinston,
<br />Lenoir County acquisition and reiocation project, there is compeiling evidence that
<br />it is a cataiyst to bring together muitipie organizations to pursue a broader set of
<br />goais, The project wili ieverage resources and
<br />expertise to achieve muitiple objectives,
<br />Among the iegacies of the Kinston Project
<br />wiil be the innovative partnerships and the
<br />deconstruction initiative.
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<br />As one key player observes:
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<br />'" Kinston is putting the concepts and ideals of sustainable development
<br />into actual practice.., there is a synergism at work [in Kinston] that is truly
<br />amazing to watch, and be a part oJ., , ..
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<br />- Dr. Gavin Smith, Assistant Director for Mitigation,
<br />NCEMD, March i 7, 1999
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<br />The process of putting the ideais of sustainabie deveiopment into practice has been
<br />a chailenge, due in iarge pan to the unprecedented scope of the project, and the
<br />number of agencies and organizations involved, A Kinston pianning officiai offers
<br />a different approach to administering future projects of this scope:
<br />"Perhaps what we need is a block grant program at the state level that will
<br />streamline and consolidate the delivery of services in a timely manner This
<br />is particularly true when you are dealing with a range of closely related
<br />objectives that - to reach - you have to leverage several funding sources", and
<br />this takes time, too much time, There is a tremendous opportunity to re-
<br />invent disaster recovery, with greater emphasis on sustainable development,
<br />which is something that the U.S, Congress needs to look into,"
<br />- Jacky Eubanks, Assistant Planning Director, 1'v1arch 8, 1999
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<br />In the end, the success of the Kinston,Lenoir project wiil be gauged by the differ-
<br />ence it is making in people's hves,
<br />"The Kinston project is remarkable because it will ultimately benefit the
<br />people who need the help the most, The problems here are so basic - low
<br />education and skill levels, environmental problems, people who have been
<br />flooded year after year, It is all worth it when you get the positive feedback at
<br />the closing, and see people move to a safer area,"
<br />- Joey Tayior, Resource Director, Lenoir County, March 8, 1999
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