BLOOMINGTON – Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI) has launched a new housing initiative aimed at addressing the persistent need for infill and small-scale development, including home rehabilitation, as identified in the 2023 Indiana Uplands Housing Study Update. This critical need was highlighted across all 11 counties within the Uplands region.
To tackle this challenge, ROI has partnered with the Incremental Development Alliance (IDA), a national nonprofit organization renowned for its expertise in empowering local communities to strengthen their neighborhoods through small-scale real estate development.
The initiative kicked off in January with informational sessions held in Bloomington, Jasper, and Salem. These sessions introduced the concept of incremental development and gauged interest from various stakeholders. A subsequent workshop in March brought together a diverse group of individuals, including aspiring developers, municipal planning and zoning staff, local economic development professionals, investors, and banking representatives, all key players in the development ecosystem.
The culmination of these incremental development trainings was a four-week virtual boot camp. During this intensive program, 20 participants honed their skills by refining potential projects through the crucial phases of financing, zoning, and design. This rigorous process resulted in each participant developing a comprehensive “pitch package” ready to be presented to potential investors and bank representatives. The boot camp also provided valuable opportunities for participants to practice their pitches with IDA faculty and receive personalized feedback during dedicated office hours.
ROI is committed to expanding access to this vital training. Additional scholarships are available for individuals residing in the Uplands region who are interested in attending a future virtual incremental development boot camp.
For any inquiries regarding the incremental development initiative or scholarship opportunities, interested parties are encouraged to contact Julie Halbig, Vice President for Economic and Community Development at ROI, via email at juliehalbig@regionalopportunityinc.org.
