West Side nonprofits to merge
0ST. PAUL (Sept. 9, 2011) – Two West Side nonprofits, Neighborhood Development Alliance and Riverview Economic Development Association, announce plans to merge organizations.
REDA will be merging into NeDA and will operate under its current name as a program. A completed, legal merger is expected by the end of the year.
“For the past five months, NeDA and REDA Board members have been meeting to explore the feasibility of merging and how it would benefit the West Side. During this exploration it became very clear that both organizations share similar vision, values and mission,” said Karen Thompson, Board Chair of NeDA. “Due diligence has been completed and both Boards have voted to move forward to a final merger.”
The new organization will foster a stronger West Side neighborhood by continuing to ensure affordable, safe housing for all income levels and by creating a commercial core that attracts more customers for all by redeveloping vacant and underutilized property.
“The newly merged organization will continue to be a strong community development corporation for the West Side,” said Jim Gilbert, Board Chair of REDA. “This merger will consolidate administrative functions and reduce operating costs while providing more funds for programming.”
As a program of NeDA, REDA will continue to nurture, grow and maintain a strong business association that will facilitate developments within West Side commercial districts with strong street level business opportunities. The REDA program will manage the loan program, offer the micro-entrepreneur training, provide technical assistance to business owners, and conduct other activities that foster a strong, vibrant West Side community.
Additionally NeDA will continue to strengthen the vitality of lower-income neighborhoods within the City of St. Paul, by creating and preserving housing and business opportunities for residents of all income levels. NeDA will offer homeownership and financial education and counseling, home improvement loan services, housing opportunities through building new and rehabbing existing homes as well as owning and managing rental housing.
NeDA is a non-profit community development organization whose mission is to strengthen the vitality of lower-income neighborhoods within the City of St. Paul, by creating and preserving housing and business opportunities for residents of all income levels. Over the years, our goals have expanded to include serving the Latino population in the seven county metro area.
REDA’s mission is to enhance the quality of life on Saint Paul’s West Side by cultivating a sustainable and vibrant business community. Its goals are to make the West Side a vibrant, urban commercial district; to assure that the West Side commercial district is visually appealing, safe, comfortable, and easy to get around in with regard to both public and private property; and to develop and redevelop mixed-use, privately owned space.
