The Neighborhood Action and Investment League (NAIL) initiative received seed money from an Angelo State University research enhancement grant.  The broad focus of the NAIL is to compile an inventory of local social development needs and prioritize them through an open and user-driven model that requires the active civic engagement of the residents of targeted neighborhoods.
 

The NAIL initiative provides a way for the have-not neighborhoods in San Angelo that are not a part of the political and economic processes of the community to become important centers of citizen participation, growth, and pride.  While there is a neighborhood revitalization program in San Angelo’s 5-year Consolidated Plan to fix and replace low-income housing, it primarily relates to homeownership.  The city lacks the capacity, however, to carry out an extensive revitalization effort and there is a paucity of acceptable rental units.  In addition, the city does not have a comprehensive plan to infuse low-income neighborhoods with the resources to spur economic growth.  Consequently, these economically distressed neighborhoods lack the basic commercial amenities necessary to support the primary needs of families to help stabilize their neighborhoods.
 

Similar to several national projects (YouthBuild USA), the NAIL initiative strives to identify social capital to provide opportunities so that neighborhoods can make changes that are right for them.  More specifically, NAIL efforts will enhance the capability of community-based organizations to obtain the necessary resources to address several key community issues at once.  The NAIL project will strive to create programs designed to strengthen the ability of residents to improve their neighborhoods and allow community development to occur naturally.  In sum, the NAIL initiative will enhance civic engagement throughout targeted neighborhoods while helping community leaders to determine whether the community is making progress and to arrange priorities.