1991 – Neighborhood residents met to organize, find a name, and apply for NRP
1992 – SENA incorporated, a Board and Officers elected, Committees established.
1993 – The SENA Newsletter was started, NRP Transition Funds approved.
1994 – Staff was hired and programs in home improvements, commercial improvements and association initiated. NRP First Step planning started, Survey and meetings establish Action groups in Housing, Commercial, Crime and Livability, Parks and Environment, and Youth, Family and Seniors. Existing committees merged into action groups. NRP steering Committee established. NRP First Step plan finished
1995 – NRP First Step plan approved and staff hired to implement it. Community meetings were held to discuss issues.
1996 – NRP First Step plan results presented to the Community at the annual meeting. Wetland Project groundbreaking was held on November 23, in the snow.
1997 – SENA sponsored Youth Computer arrived at Roosevelt Library. Wetland Project construction and planting began. Project receives CUE award.
1998 – SENA produces neighborhood brochure. NRP Full Plan approved by neighborhood vote. Plan approved by Minneapolis City Council on December 18.
1999 – Master Plan meetings for Lake Hiawatha Park began…
2000 – Implementation of NRP Full Plan strategies was underway:
- Roosevelt High School Computer lab was completed.
- Individual Crime Prevention grants were distributed
- Matching grants for improvement of local businesses were announced
Planning for the 46th Street LRT Station Area began.
2001 – SENA hosted an old-fashioned street fest to celebrate our 10th Anniversary.
2002 – SENA’s NRP Review Committee began it’s evaluation of our NRP efforts.
2003 – NRP Phase II planning began. 1st Annual Neighborhood Garage Sale was held May 3. Planning for 38th Street LRT Station Area began.
2004 – Hiawatha Light Rail line – with two stations in our neighborhoods – began service.
2005 – NRP Phase II plan was approved by the neighborhood, NRP Policy Board and the Minneapolis City Council.
2006 – SENA moved to new office space – a storefront at 1830 East 42nd Street. CURA intern Dan Allen, a Macalester student, conducted a study and produced Fighting Graffiti: An Investigation of Causes and Solutions for the Standish and Ericsson Neighborhoods.
2007 – The Graffiti Task Force received funding from Athwin Foundation and a donation of paint from Valspar to help in the battle against graffiti. SENA received a “Mobilizing Citizens for Grassroots Climate Change” grant from the city of Minneapolis.
The insecurity of NRP and Citizen Participation funding prompted the SENA Board to begin a process of strategic planning, which will continue in 2008.
2008 – The Graffiti Task Force completed 2 new murals on East 38th Street
SENA volunteers assisted in the selection of the artist who created “The Listening Vessel” art piece installed at Lake Hiawatha Park.
SENA began participating in Hennepin County Community Works meetings, which will help guide city, county and other investors in revitalizing efforts along the Hiawatha corridor.
2009 – $100,000 in home improvement funds were made available to neighborhood residents, using SENA’s NRP funds.
SENA welcomed the e-democracy Standish Ericsson Neighborhood Forum to our neighborhood.
Redesign partnered with SENA to receive a $50,000 Great Streets Business Support Grant, bringing important services to neighborhood businesses.
Twenty-five SENA bike racks were installed at businesses throughout the neighborhoods – thanks to the work of SENA’s Transportation Committee volunteers.
West of the Rail Business Association began. Amos Deinard, DVM, was elected first President.
2010 – Southside Star Community Garden asked SENA to provide organizational assistance, leading to an ongoing partnership.
The Graffiti Task Force completed two murals on East 42nd Street and one on 28th Avenue.
After several years of planning, and lots of SENA volunteer hours, the RiverLake Greenway bicycle route was completed..
The neighborhoods said good-by to Folwell Middle School, which closed at the end of the school year.
2011 – Our 20th Anniversary!
SENA Community Conversation: We Love Our Parks! was held in April, bringing many Minneapolis Parks staff and commissioners to our neighborhood for a casual conversation about our parks.
“What’s The Big Idea?” was the theme at SENA’s annual meeting. Residents were asked to bring forward their ideas for spending a $1,000 grant to the neighborhood from SENA. The winning “Big Idea” was raised garden beds at the Southside Star Community Gardens.
The SENA News won a Gold Level Award for Excellence in Neighborhood Newsletters from Neighborhoods USA. The awards were announced in May at the NUSA conference in Anchorage Alaska.
The city said good-bye to NRP – the Neighborhood Revitalization Program. The NRP was a major supporter and funder of SENA for 20 years. The Minneapolis City Council created the Neighborhood and Community Relations department (NCR) in 2010 to serve as a resource department supporting the City’s community engagement efforts and a broad vision of community engagement. One of NCR’s initial charges was to assume responsibility for administration of the Neighborhood Revitalization Program, a program established in 1991 with the goal of reversing the decay and increasing blight of the City’s neighborhoods and loss of population.
2012 – First Annual Neighborhood Tree Lighting Festival
2015 – First Hiawatha Hustle Cross Country Ski race at Hiawatha Golf Course
2016 – Twenty year SENA staff member Shirley Yeoman retires.
SENA Board engages in Strategic Planning process
2017 – Candace Miller-Lopez is hired as Executive Director.
SENA Board completes Strategic plan. After twelve years on 42nd street, SENA office moves to 4557 34th Ave S