Chatham Square: Case Study in Community Development Through Community Organizing - Presentation Transcript

Chatham Square A Case Study in Healthy Neighborhood Approaches to Community Development

Chatham Square (CS) Community Foundation Goals: Increase neighborhood stabilization and revitalization Develop replicable strategies for neighborhood stabilization and revitalization

CS Theoretical Base Dr. Felton Earls Study on urban neighborhoods and crime* Local governments should support the development of cooperative efforts in low-income neighborhoods by encouraging neighbors to meet and work together Most important influence on a neighborhood's crime rate is neighbors' willingness to act for one another's benefit, and particularly for the benefit of neighborhood children Cities that sow community gardens may reap a harvest of not only kale and tomatoes, but safer neighborhoods and healthier children *Neighborhoods and violent crime: A multilevel study of collective efficacy Crime as Science (A Neighbor at a Time) Dan Hurley NYT January 8, 2004

CS Theoretical Base Healthy Neighborhood Framework:* Image: Residents are confident about the future of the neighborhood, and outsiders think its a good place to live and work even if they choose not to live there Physical Conditions: Properties recipients of reinvestment; in- between properties (neither obviously public nor private) are in a high state of repair. i.e. curb strips, planter boxes Neighborhood Management: Neighbors manage change and threats; problems that arise are solved; public institutions are held accountable and are accountable; detrimental behaviors are considered outside the norm are curtailed Market: Ideally demand exceed supply; since not happening inmovers need to be at least as good or better for the neighborhood as outmovers while quality housing opportunities for people of modest means are maintained *Fall Creek Consulting Health Neighborhood Group

CS Theoretical Base Healthy Neighborhood Key Components:* Real estate market- barometer of neighborhood healthy Make neighborhoods places where it makes economic sense for people to invest time, money and energy Help residents participate in the real estate market instead of protecting them from it Affordable housing is a tool for revitalization Progress measured by tracking quality of life indicators and neighborhood confidence not units produced or people served outcomes not outputs Residents defining outcomes while practitioners offer insight, strategies and tools to get there work about achieving outcomes not delivering programs *Fall Creek Consulting Healthy Neighborhood Group

CS Theoretical Base Relational Culture Organizing Key elements:* Leaders and participants get to know each other beyond tasks and agendas People engaged around their own interests New activities based on peoples real energy People who know and trust each other take action in a variety of ways Community life is made stronger and more dynamic Partner: Connecticut Sponsoring Committee (Elm City Congregations Organized) Local organization practicing relational culture organizing * Relational Culture Organizing: Planting Seeds, Rev. Louise Green

CS Neighborhood Fair Haven, New Haven

CS Neighborhood Fair Haven, New Haven Chatham Square Downtown

CS Market\\ Community Descriptors* 3,500 people 1,100 households 42% Hispanic Median Income $33k Solid housing stock, mostly 2 and 3 family structures *2000 census data

CS Market\\ Community Descriptors Scenes from 2007 Atwater St. Block Party

CS Community Analysis: needs work Drug sales out of houses and at the park Houses in need of repair Homeownership: lower than city average south and west of park Public infrastructure (sidewalks, park, public lighting) Street litter, especially on the Clinton Avenue side of the park Traffic flow and noise

CS Community Analysis

CS Community Analysis: merits recognition Committed residents Diverse community (cultural, economic, ethnic, racial) Five parks and three gardens Historic buildings ~ residential and commercial Great 2 and 3 family housing stock Home-Buyer Incentive programs: Yale, Mary Wade Home, Community Foundation Proximity to bus routes, highway, waterfront, parks Three local grocery stores Two commercial corridors Rehab of Quinnipiac Terrace Housing Projects New owner-occupied housing ~ ECCO housing Elderly services ~ Mary Wade Home

CS 2007 Neighborhood Association Plan* *Community approved plan :January,2007

CS Selected Results: Image Image: Residents are confident about the future of the neighborhood, and outsiders think its a good place to live and work, even if they choose not to live there Neighborhood branded 15 positive hits Channel 3 Channel 8 New Haven Register ~ Sunday September 16 New Haven Independent Festival in partnership with the City of New Haven Childrens photo exhibit (6-11 years)

CS Selected Results: Image

CS Selected Results: Physical Condition Physical Conditions: Properties recipient of reinvestment 38 homes repaired through incentive program 16 during pilot phase (last quarter 2006) 22 in 2007 Partnership with homeowners and HRI 6 homes repaired w/o program assistance Investing made sense to homeowner 4 lower income homeowners offered assistance Partnership with homeowner and City of New Haven

CS Selected Results: Physical Condition

CS Selected Results of Work: Management Neighborhood Management: Neighbors manage change and threats; problems that arise are solved quickly; public institutions are held accountable and are accountable; behaviors outside the norm that are a detriment to reinforcing confidence in the neighborhood are curtailed. Community identified: traffic calming Community raised funds locally Foundation matched and donated City matched combined total Traffic calming study ~national expert ~ Dan Burden of Glatting, Jackson, Kercher Anglin, Inc

CS Selected Results of Work: Management Pictures: New Haven Independent

CS Selected Results: Market Market: Ideally demand exceed supply; since not happening inmovers need to be at least as good or better for the neighborhood as outmovers while quality housing opportunities for people of modest means are maintained 3 home purchases totaling $700,000+ in sales directly connected to the association 14 realtors attended neighborhood tours

CS Selected Results: Market The information I learned on the tour of Chatham Square contributed directly to the sale of a house on Atwater Street Bruce Peterson, Realtor, H. Pierce Realtors 149 Clinton Ave. picture Source MLS listings Darden said her plans are to stay in the neighborhood, get her kids enrolled in the local schools, do some home fix up. Her career plans now call for her to stay at Mary Wade, of course; she is also going to get her registered nurses degree, too. Darden quote and picture source: New Haven Independent

CS Resident Survey Baseline survey: October 2006 Follow up survey: September 2007 40 residents participants 1/3 survey participants - residents who attend meetings 2/3 self-selected - festival attendees and door knocking

How would you rate the quality of life in your neighborhood? 25 20 15 2006 2007 10 5 0 Great Good So-So Bad Terrible

How would you rate the image (reputation) of the neighborhood? 20 18 16 14 12 10 2006 8 2007 6 4 2 0 Great So-So Terrible

How would you rate the physical condition of the neighborhood? 25 20 15 2006 2007 10 5 0 Great Good So-So Bad Terrible

How often do you go to the Chatham Square park? 16 14 12 10 8 2006 6 2007 4 2 0 Every day At least Once a I rarely go once a week month or to the park more

Chatham Square ~ cost Includes the salary for part-time community organizer $80,000/year

Chatham Square: Conclusions Approach can be replicated Working with West River Neighborhood Milwaukee Foundation ~ five neighborhoods Good investment $80k donation generated $828,000 private and public donations and investment includes home purchases

Chatham Square: Lessons Affirmed Identify leaders People who get others to follow Build on success Look to the edges, not the extremes Look at it from the other persons perspective Connection their dream to your reality Collect the stories Be the bearer of the good news for change New possibilities for work Always linked to new people or new energy Seek funders interested in outcome not output Success measures by outcome not output

Chatham Square: Conclusions

Chatham Square A Case Study in Healthy Neighborhood Approaches to Community Development