MENDOTA—The City of Mendota is asking all residents and commuters to Mendota to complete a survey that will help to identify local housing conditions and needs.

The Illinois Housing Development Authority and Mendota have recently formed a partnership and are undertaking a planning effort to complete a Housing Needs Assessment as part of an overall Community Revitalization Strategy. The surveys, available in Spanish and English, are anonymous and should be able to be completed under 10 minutes.

Find the surveys by typing the following links into your browser:

English Resident Survey - https://tinyurl.com/MendotaResidentSurvey

Spanish Resident Survey - https://tinyurl.com/MendotaResidentSurveySpanish

English Commuter Survey - https://tinyurl.com/MendotaCommuterSurvey

Spanish Commuter Survey - https://tinyurl.com/MendotaCommuterSurveySpanish

If you need assistance filling out the survey or have questions, please call Mendota City Hall at 815-539-7459 or email abraboy@mendotacity.com

The IHDA provided the following information about the Community Revitalization Strategy:

“IHDA is committed to expanding the capacity of underserved communities in Illinois to identify local housing needs and to empower those communities to take steps to meet those needs. As a part of this commitment, IHDA proposes the formation of a partnership with the City of Mendota to build upon and link to existing efforts, identify strengths and needs within the community, and otherwise generate localized capacity via a Community Revitalization Strategy. This process may result in increased local capacity to connect housing and economic development and community goals and may help increase affordable housing by helping communities to minimize barriers of access to housing development tools. This pledge to develop a Community Revitalization Strategy should not be construed as a promise of funding.”

According to the IHDA, “a Community Revitalization Strategy is a deliberate, concerted, and locally approved plan or interconnected series of local efforts intended to improve and enhance specific aspects of a community. It can include economic development, housing development, or community development. A strong Community Revitalization Strategy will provide guidance for the community to bring about its long-term vision, and should include input from residents, neighborhood groups, nonprofit agencies, local businesses, educational institutions, service agencies, and other local stakeholders.”