COHORT II 2009 MID-YEAR PROGRAM UPDATE
The 2009 program year is the third year of a comprehensive four-year revitalization effort for Community Impact and residents of the Churchville, Glenwood and Orchard Knob neighborhoods. During the first two and one-half years of the program, residents made significant progress toward achieving the objectives they set for their respective neighborhoods. Since 2007 when the work in these neighborhoods began, residents have created a 4-year strategic action plan for each neighborhood and used that action plan as a guide to implementing programs and activities to strengthen resident relationships, build neighborhood pride, engage more residents in the revitalization efforts and improve neighborhood safety, organizational capacity and physical conditions. The following summary highlights some of the program achievements during the first six months of the 2009 program year.
Cross-Neighborhood Activity Achievements
- Rezoning – Churchville and Orchard Knob successfully petitioned the City Council to change the zoning designation of their neighborhoods from R-2/R-3 (apartments/duplexes) to R-1 (single family), promoting home ownership and discouraging further multi-unit development and conversion of single family homes to multi-family units.
- Block Leader Training – Community Impact provided training to over 40 resident block leaders on the basic responsibilities of a block leader, how to improve home safety, and how to solve chronic problems by targeting solutions and utilizing leveraging principles to maximize impact. This session provided a critical orientation to new block leader recruits and gave existing block leaders new problem-solving skills to maximize their capacity to manage neighborhood threats. These concepts informed and guided block leaders in their successful efforts to eliminate 8 of 13 known safety “hot spots”.
- Senior Forum – Over 50 senior residents participated in Community Impact's third annual Senior forum that provided them with the latest information about Medicare, Medicaid and Prescription Plans, Home Weatherization, and energy assistance through the Electric Power Board. This activity supports one of our program goals to provide senior residents with information about short and long-term home maintenance, property tax relief, predatory lending and transitional housing. Resident leaders report that seniors in the Cohort II neighborhoods have utilized the information to apply for energy assistance, and to receive at-home care assistance.
Churchville Activity Achievements
- Community Impact completed acquisition and demolition of 6 blighted duplexes on one blighted block, signed contract to purchase another blighted duplex on a different target block, thereby reducing blight on two target blocks, and the total number of significantly blighted blocks from 5 to 3.
- Through ongoing reporting and collaboration with CPD, Neighborhood Services Code Enforcement, and Zoning Enforcement, resident block leaders have eliminated 4 of 6 known crime hotspots, including a back-yard car repair operation that was attracting drug and prostitution activity. As a result of these achievements, blatant criminal activity has been significantly reduced, improving the neighborhood’s image.
- Churchville residents launched their first summer youth program that provided summer jobs and business internship opportunities for 18 youth and a positive alternative to criminal activity and other uncivil behaviors.
Glenwood Activity Achievements
- Glenwood residents provided leadership to organize a community-wide “Day-of-Service” effort involving 800 volunteers and 20 local churches to implement 115 property improvement projects across 8 neighborhoods (18 in Glenwood). In addition to meeting resident housing needs, this project also enhanced Glenwood’s image in the overall community.
- Glenwood Association raised over $9K for the Glenwood Fall Jazz Festival through funding by Community Impact, City Neighborhood Services, several local institutions and individuals. This success demonstrates Glenwood’s capacity to raise funds from a variety of sources to support community activities.
- Glenwood residents launched youth engagement program that recruited several youth to serve as block leaders, sponsored a youth summer yard service, and sponsored 8 youth to participate in summer camp opportunities. This new Glenwood youth engagement initiative provides a good first step in engaging Glenwood’s youth in revitalization activities.
Orchard Knob Activity Achievements
- Community Impact teamed with residents to complete three façade projects and initiated two more projects to enhance the curb appeal of two targeted blocks within the Orchard Knob neighborhood. With the completion of these projects, combined with positive private investment activity on the 1900 block of Oak, three of Orchard Knob's seven sub-standard blocks will be moved to a stable/healthy condition.
- Orchard Knob Neighborhood Watch Association organized and hosted a a Partnership Luncheon that resulted in six new program partners committing to provide in-kind and financial support for neighborhood activities.
- Through persistent block leader reporting and collaboration with CPD, Orchard Knob residents eliminated 2 of 5 known crime hotspots, building resident confience in the safety of their neighborhood and local police support for resident concerns.
As the Cohort II Revitalization Program approaches the second-half of the third year, the Cohort II neighborhoods have demonstrated a strong capacity to engage residents, manage neighborhood threats, and develop strong partnerships. The achievements each neighborhood has made are significant when reflecting back on the overall neighborhood conditions at program outset: two neighborhoods in decline and another in stable-declining condition. Looking ahead, our key challenge will be to begin focusing on sustainability of each neighborhood association and their block leader network, as well as maximizing each neighborhood’s position within the homebuyer market. As the physical revitalization and marketing efforts intensify, financial and program partner support will be even more critical to moving the Cohort II neighborhoods to their tipping point. Many thanks to the residents, program partners and funders for their efforts that have made this progress possible.