TRANSFORMING NEIGHBORHOODSSolutions for youth in the Genesee/Bailey Community

AREA YOUTH CONCERNS

Youth rivalries, through school, gang activity, and social media High concentration of youth culminating at the intersection of

E. Genesee and Bailey, which usually leads to fights. Youth having no alternative choices for after school programs

outside of the local boys and girls club. Youth who want to attend are deterred from going to the local

boys and girls club due to fights and gang activity. Youth who are not enrolled into a program are potentially

susceptible to participating in dangerous and risky behaviors.

YOUTH STATISTICS In a 2013 survey, 15.8%of middle school students and 51.1 %

of high school students in the district acknowledged having had sexual intercourse – from that number 21.6% middle school and 30.8% high school students did not regularly use a condom. This is 20% higher than the state average (Vis Evaluations, 2013).

In 2013, there were 239 juvenile arrests in the City of Buffalo for youth under the age of 16 (DCJS, 2015).

In 2014, there were 1,469 arrests of 16 and 17 year olds in Erie County (DCJS, 2015)

YOUTH STATISTICS CONTINUED In 2014, Buffalo was named one of the 10 most dangerous cities

in the United States, and the most dangerous city in New York State due to the high concentration of poverty and gang activity, mostly concentrated on the East Side of Buffalo(WKBW, 2015).

Gangs such as the Bailey Boys and LRGP plague the East Side of Buffalo, and are mostly comprised of teenagers, who serve as foot soldiers for daily criminal activity.

In Cuomo’s 2015 failing schools study, the East Side holds 16 of the 27 failing schools, with almost all In in 141st district, which holds the E. Genesee/Bailey neighborhood. Many offer little student support or positive activities (OGC, 2015).

YOUTH SOLUTIONS PART 1: SAFETYFOLLOWING THE PROVIDENCE, RI STREETWALKER MODEL

STREETWORKER PROGRAM Created in the early 1990’s, the program was based on the

Martin Luther King Jr. Kingian Nonviolence Model for Conflict Resolution, which started in Boston, Massachusetts

The Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence modified the original program in 2002 to curb youth violence and restore safety to the area

The program “this means taking a chance and investing time, money and faith in former gang members - particularly teenagers who had been jailed or those who pushed drugs on the streets of Providence (Nico, 2007)

The program has been replicated by seven other U.S. cities due to it’s success.

STREETWORKERS PROGRAM The program was initiated in 2003 Over $200,000 is provided by the Office of the Mayor, Project

Safe Neighborhood (a federal funding source from the U.S. Department of Justice) and Lifespan. The program also receives funding from both public and private donors.

Partners include Providence Police Department, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Rhode Island Hospitals, Providence Public Schools, Chamber of Commerce, Family Service of Rhode Island, Local Initiative Support Corporation, among others.

Employ over a dozen Streetworkers to resolve conflicts in the streets, teach nonviolence in the schools and provide crisis counseling to victims, friends and families. (Nico, 2007)

DUTIES OF STREETWORKERS: Provide positive presence on the streets Help resolve neighborhood and youth conflicts by providing

nonviolent tools and solutions Pro-actively prevent crises Respond to crises 24-hours a day Provide safety and prevent retaliation after a crisis occurs Assist youth in making informed decisions to prevent

impending violence Assist youth who have dropped out of school Provide court advocacy to youth Connect youth with advocacy programs by enabling fast-

track service placement into schools, recreation centers and health centers

Assist in the resolution of family conflict Provide a bridge between neighborhood residents,

businesses, and youth

RESULTS Major crimes in Providence, RI have down 30% since 2002 and

continue to decrease. The most serious violent crimes fell to 27% between 2002 and

2006. Only 11 murders occurred in Providence in 2006, the cities lowest

rate since 1971 Due to it’s success, in 2013, the city was awarded a 100,000 to

increase streetworkers in their community Streetworkers have increased public relations between the police

and the public and have changed public perceptions about ex-criminals and rehabilitation

Streetworkers now train at the police academy and new sergeants at supervisory meetings and share their personal experiences (Nico, 2007)

YOUTH SOLUTIONS PART 2: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTTHE PURPOSE BUILT MODEL

THE PURPOSE BUILT MODEL Tom Cousins, Atlanta Philanthropist, was shaken deplorable

conditions of the East Lake projects. He partnered with the Atlanta Housing Authority to replace the

projects and develop an approach that is “geographic, holistic, and specific to the unique set of assets and deficits that exist within neighborhoods (Franklin & Edwards, 2012)

The criteria for the Purpose Built Communities require: A housing development of concentrated poverty that, when

transformed is large enough scale to transform the neighborhood The opportunity to create a neighborhood public charter or

contract school accountable to the community Strong civic and business leadership willing to ensure long-term

success and sustainability of the community

THE PURPOSE BUILT LOGIC MODEL PREMISE

If a neighborhood… creates high quality mixed-income housing Develops cradle-to-college education with local

control Delivers workforce development and other social

services Offers infrastructure and services that enhance

quality of life Is directed by a community-based organizationThen the neighborhood becomes… A community that is safe and economically

sustainable with rising incomes and property values that can attract middle income families to its high performing schools

RESULTS

The Purpose Built Model has since been replicated in 10 cities across the United States, in Nebraska, Indiana, Ohio, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas.

Today, about 70 percent of the adult residents of the mixed-income development are employed

Violent crime is down 90% and crime overall is down 73% Income from families has more than quadrupled as house values

have increased 3.8 times the city average The East Lake golf course has created 179 jobs

Over 300 students who graduated from the Drew school have went to college since 2008 (Cousins, 2013)

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE E. GENESEE/BAILEY AREA: WHITE HOUSE NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE

As Buffalo, as well as many other high poverty areas, do not have the same unique dynamic as East Lake, The Purpose Built Model has been modified and in now being utilized utilized as a framework for federal funding

The White House Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative (NRI) was launched in 2010 in a effort to develop a place-based approach to help neighborhoods in distress transform themselves into neighborhoods of opportunity (Donovan, Duncan, & Sebelius, 2012).

NRI engages the White House Domestic Policy Council (DPC), White House Office of Urban Affairs (WHOUA), and the Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Education (ED), Justice (DOJ), Health and Human Services (HHS) and Treasury in support of local solutions to revitalize and transform neighborhoods

WHITE HOUSE REVITALIZATION INITIATIVEHas three grant programs: Promise Neighborhoods- provides

educational opportunities to revitalize neighborhoods

Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation-community organization strategies to address violence

Choice Neighborhoods-revitalizes distressed housing to transform neighborhoods.

Over 50 cities, have utilized this grant money thus far and so far they appear to be need based grants

WHITE HOUSE NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE BMHA was awarded a Choice

Neighborhood grant in 2013 and has already started the implementation process for the Commodore Perry District

BMHA-PCN project will replace 222 units with 495 mixed income units over five years; with a long term goal of 414 public housing units with approximately 415 mixed-income units over a period of ten years.

The neighborhood will also contain a community center called the Life Chances Center, which will have a wide range of programs including a pre-school, a field house and gym, a banquet room, and an aquatic facility (BMHA, 2013).

PROPOSAL As the E. Genesee/Bailey Community is in the 141st district, I

would like to appeal to Assemblymember Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes. I would also appeal to 63rd District Senate Member Timothy Kennedy. I would like recommend a comprehensive plan that incorporates appealing to Tom Cousins and the Purpose Built Community organization in regards to assistance with the creation of a reimagined community. I also would like to include recommendations for funding this, which would include applying for a grant from the White House NRI as well as fostering community support to businesses. Finally, I would like to include appealing to the DCJS about a plan for implementing a Streetworker program in the district as well.

REFERENCES Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority (2013). The Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority Perry

Choice Neighborhood Transformation Plan. Retrieved from http://www.bmhapcn.com/the-perry-choice-neighborhood-transformation-plan

Collins, T. (2013, September 13). Tom Collins: The Atlanta model for reviving poor neighborhoods. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://eastlakefoundation.org/sites/eastlakefoundationorg/files/1189-WSJ_9.14.13_TGC.pdf

Commission on Youth, Public Safety, & Justice (2015). Final Report on the Governor’s Commission on Youth, Public Safety, and Justice. Retrieved from https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/ReportofCommissiononYouthPublicSafetyandJustice_0.pdf

Division of Criminal Justice Statistics (2015). New York State Arrests Among 16-17 year olds in Erie County. Retrieved from http://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/crimnet/ojsa/youth-arrests/erie.pdf

Division of Criminal Justice Statistics (2015). New York State Arrests Under the age of 16 2009-2013 in Erie County. Retrieved from http://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/crimnet/ojsa/jj-reports/juvenile-arrests-2009-2013.pdf

REFERENCES Donovan, S., Duncan, A., & Sebelius, K. (2012). Fighting poverty through community

development. In I. Galloway & E. Seidman (Eds.) Open Forum: Voices and Opinions from Leaders in Policy, the Field, and Academia. San Francisco: Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco & Low Income Investment Fund

Franklin, S., & Edwards, D. (2012). It takes a neighborhood: Purpose built communities and neighborhood transformation. (2012). Fighting poverty through community development. I. Galloway & E. Seidman (Eds.) Investing in What Works for America’s Communities. San Francisco: Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco & Low Income Investment Fund

Nico, A. (2007). The Institute for the study and practice of nonviolence and the Providence police department. New York: Local Initiatives Support Corporation.

Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo (2015). The state of New York’s failing schools -2015 report. Retrieved from https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/NYSFailingSchoolsReport.pdf

Via Evaluation (2013). Buffalo Public Schools High School Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey Report, 2013. Retrieved from http://sabres.buffalonews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2014/11/Youth-Risk-Behavior-Report-High-School-2013.pdf

WKBW (2015, February, 9). Buffalo named most dangerous place in New York State. Retrieved from http://www.wkbw.com/news/buffalo-named-most-dangerous-place-in-new-york-state