Joel Arnold Email & Phone Number

Flint, Mi, Us

Flint, Michigan, Us

I manage Communities First, Inc.'s urban planning, policy advocacy, and government relations work, focusing on empowering people and building communities through affordable housing, economic development, and innovative programming.

Flint, Michigan, Us

Philadelphia, Pa, Us

• Oversee SEAMAAC's involvement in the community-led redevelopment of Mifflin Square Park, a historic urban park in South Philadelphia. • Assist with the management of the South Philly East (SoPhiE) Food Truck, a small business incubator for immigrant and refugee chefs in Philadelphia with aims of launching their own successful food business. • Assist with SEAMAAC's role in the South 7th Street Commercial Corridor including facade improvement programs, corridor beautification, events, and other improvement activities. • Oversee SEAMAAC's management of the Growing Home Community Gardens, a community garden in Southeast Philadelphia that is home to immigrant and refugee gardeners. • Manage SEAMAAC's role in the Mifflin Square Neighborhoods Plan, a comprehensive, resident-led neighborhood vision for the community around Mifflin Square Park in Southeast Philadelphia. • Pursue grant opportunities, support nonpartisan civic engagement work, and work on all activities undertaken by the Community Development Department.

Philadelphia, Pa, Us

East Lansing, Michigan, Us

• Developed planning documents in partnership with local communities via a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) grant for the Michigan Climate and Health Adaptation Program (MICHAP) addressing climate change and related public health issues through interventions in the built environment. • Performed extensive research and literature reviews on climate change adaptation relating to public health that could be achieved via built environment interventions. • Prepared public engagement documents for community meetings including presentations, policy recommendations, and design intervention posters. • Prepared white papers for proposals to grow university involvement in pressing community development policy issues.• Wrote as lead author on an academic journal article published in Regional Studies, Regional Science covering knowledge gained from the Marquette Climate and Health Adaptation Guidebook effort.

Flint, Mi, Us

• Administered logistics of over 200 community cleanups through the Love Your Block program, 10,000 resident blight complaints, and overall City involvement in local code enforcement, neighborhood cleanup, and blight elimination activities. • Prepared annual division budgets for review by Administration and City Council. • Applied for and was successful in receiving nearly $300,000 in competitive grant funding from local nonprofits to expand the capacity of the division. • Tracked activity data for over $1 million in division grant funding, including federal CDBG funds.• Supervised staff, including AmeriCorps VISTA and NCCC service members. • Ensured Division activities were guided by the shared community vision of the Imagine Flint Master Plan. • Represented the City at dozens of community events, neighborhood meetings, city council meetings, and other public settings discussing blight elimination concerns with residents.

East Lansing, Michigan, Us

In this position I assisted the School of Planning, Design & Construction in administering and performing work on grant funded planning programs such as Mi PlacePlans, Safe Routes to School plans and other community planning initiatives. This work included: • Developing materials for public input sessions regarding placemaking and transportation plans. • Drafting report text for planning documents• Researching planning policy to support recommendations made in planning documents. • Administering public comment sessions regarding planning activities and policy proposals.

Lansing, Mi, Us

• Founded one of the largest and most active chapters of the regionwide LiveWorkDetroit!/Pure Michigan Talent Connect program at Michigan State University• Organized events on and off campus exposing over 3,000 college students across the Midwest to ongoing redevelopment and college retention efforts in the City of Detroit. • Grew the campus chapter of LiveWorkDetroit!/PMTC from 1 member to 15 active ambassadors. • Organized large events convincing speakers from various Detroit programs and initiatives to come to Michigan State and share information about how college students can become involved in the redevelopment of Detroit and urban communities across the State of Michigan.

Flint, Michigan, Us

While with Rowe, I worked for various communities around the State of Michigan in several planning capacities such as:• Updating Zoning and Sign Ordinances• Parks and Recreation Plans• Organizing Municipal Meetings• Organizing Community Engagement Events• Assisting in Project Applications• Planning Research/Crafting Model Ordinances

Flint, Mi, Us

• Assisted in the development of Flint’s first master plan in 53 years. • Worked to address issues such as vacancy rates, blight, crime, and housing needs within the new master plan document. • Completed an inventory of the condition of every commercial parcel in Flint to be used for demolition funding applications. • Administered meetings with various community subgroups addressing open space, housing, and public safety. • Organized presentations for community events and training of community organizations and neighborhood associations to assist in master plan development.

• Canvassed throughout Genesee County neighborhoods campaigning for the re-election of Representative Ananich. • Held discussions with Genesee County residents and voters addressing issues like blight, crime, urban redevelopment, and education.

Master Of Public Policy (Mpp), Urban Policy

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Social Relations And Policy/Urban And Regional Planning