转变社区

大学大道走廊联盟 把10

弗雷德里克·琼斯和他的妻子 在梅森街住了近30年,听过很多传闻吗, 但直到最近10年,他们才看到任何行动.

“Speaking about it is no longer the issue; activities are actually being done,琼斯说. 

琼斯是大学大道走廊联盟(UACC)的成员。, a group of more than 80 community stakeholders brought together by 澳门最大十大赌网app to improve the neighborhood. 今年10月,该组织将庆祝成立10周年.

The footprint of the coalition is McLaren Flint on the west to the University of Michigan-Flint on the east and from Hurley Medical Center/Whaley Children’s Center on the north to the Flint River and Chevy Commons on the south. 

琼斯说,人们多年来一直在谈论这个社区的各种项目, 但在UACC介入之前并没有什么进展.

“凯特林一直是这个地区的支柱,因为它已经完全采用了这个地区,琼斯说. “由于凯特林对UACC的态度和影响,这是一个巨大的变化. It has been instrumental in propelling some of the plans that have been on the back burner for a lot of years.”

自UACC成立以来, 已经完成了340多个清理项目, 数百所房屋已经修复, 超过12所房子被粉刷过, 此外,还为社区安全安装了500多盏路灯. 犯罪热点减少了一半,联合政府的成员增加了340%.

 

 

声音的多样性

杰克的股票, 凯特林的对外关系部主任, said he is proud of what the group has achieved in 10 years despite some daunting challenges that included the Flint Water Crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. 达拉斯加特林,UACC联合创始人和马车镇事工的执行董事,同意. He said he is proud the group was able to sustain many of its efforts during the pandemic because much of the work is focused on building relationships and neighboring, 哪种面对面的方式最好.

UACC doesn’t have a charter or a leadership team of officers to encourage a “diversity of voices and keeps things from bogging down in process and procedures,他说. 

Members meet monthly at a site within the footprint to discuss projects and what’s going on at their respective organizations. 会议的第一个小时包括午餐和联盟成员的演讲, 邻里领导或社区组织.

“The last half hour of the monthly meeting is to share what they want to share or ask what they want to ask,加特林说. “... 那些月度会议就像一个锚, 由于显而易见的原因,我们在COVID期间维持得很好.”

在疫情最严重的时候, 这群人实际上见过几次面,但在天气允许的情况下,他们会尽量在室外见面. 会议从中午持续到下午1:30.m. 欢迎大家在结束时间之后留下来聊天, 但正式的结束时间是1:30,以避免开会时间过长带来的恐惧感. 会面致死:我们也想避免这种情况,”加特林说.

He compared the coalition’s progress to a person starting a fitness plan because you have to take small steps every day. 

“The one thing that describes the 大学大道走廊联盟 is how we can look back together and say, ‘哇, 我们完成了所有这些?’”加特林说.

None of the larger transformations would have taken place if the coalition members hadn’t started acting as caretakers of the corridor, 他说, 注意到这需要每个人的辛勤工作.

一开始, 居民和社区成员有时持怀疑态度, “but sustained effort and some little successes building into bigger successes makes people believe that the people around them are also interested in the same problems they are,加特林说.  

杰克·斯托克,凯特林对外关系部主任
大学大道走廊联盟由澳门最大十大赌网app于2012年成立, bringing together residents and area institutions to work collectively to beautify and draw investment to the area.
大学大道走廊联盟

资金

斯托克说,总的来说,该组织的工作“预算有限”.

Various participating agencies step up each month to sponsor UACC’s monthly meeting and pay for lunch. Other organizations and neighborhood associations have donated different tools over the years for clean-ups, 比如耙子, 袋子和手套.

UACC还动用了多年来获得的补助金来支持其工作. 

In 2014, the group received a $1 million Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation (BCJI) Program federal grant to be used over three years to focus on crime prevention and blight elimination along the corridor. The first year of the grant was spent gathering data and conducting research to find neighborhood hot spots and identify sustainable solutions to make a change. 该小组重点关注以下几点:疫病/犯罪热点, 改善社区卫生, 稳定土地利用, 建立休闲娱乐场所, 加强沟通联系,支持区内教育.

也是在2014年, 它获得了通过环境设计预防犯罪(CPTED)的150美元,从疾病控制和预防中心获得了1万美元的资助. 它在三年的时间里每年发放5万美元. 禁毒会原则侧重于四个方面:领土加强, such as landscaping and beautification; natural surveillance, such as trimming bushes and trees to improve safety and visibility; maintenance; and access control, 这说明了通过园林绿化限制和引导人们接近物业的重要性.  

该组织利用CPTED赠款资金提供了300个LED太阳能运动灯, 99个车道运动传感器, and 30 security cameras to homes and businesses of the corridor; plan neighborhood block parties; and teach others how CPTED can create a safer, 欢迎社区. 联合行政协调会还协助在前莫特公园市政高尔夫球场安装了一个圆盘高尔夫球场, 现在是莫特公园游乐区.

斯托克表示,如果该组织没有遵循CPTED的原则,就不会取得如此大的成功.

“这非常有效,”他说. “It’s not crime prevention with a billy club but by saying we can improve our community by doing good together and supporting each other.”

The results were published in the July 2019 article "社区-Engaged Neighborhood Revitalization and Empowerment: Busy Streets Theory in Action" in the "American Journal of 社区 Psychology."

转换

除了清理区域和增加照明,小组也移除了很多东西. 在过去的十年里, 澳门最大十大赌网app(澳门最大十大赌网app)夷平了走廊上70多处破败的房屋,并替换了其他房屋.

“现在凯特灵, 就其本身而言, 是否像公园一样维护它们以确保它们被修剪, 修剪过的,没有用作垃圾场,斯托克说, 注意走廊邻里组织, 企业和志愿者也提供帮助.

最大的项目包括:

  • transforming a former convenience store at the corner of University and Chevrolet across the street from the 校园 Center into Einstein Bros. 百吉饼和弗林特警察服务中心
  • replacing a former party store and dilapidated homes at North Grand Traverse and University Avenue with a commercial building that now houses Jimmy John’s and Little Caesars Pizza
  • 从弗林特市手中收购了历史悠久的阿特伍德体育场. 对结构和座位进行了升级, along with the addition of new turf — the same type of turf used at Ford Field and Michigan Stadium.   

The group also has a graffiti squad to clean up vandalism and replace it with murals created by artists in a partnership with the Flint Public Art Project. 

In 2013, UACC成员和各社区服务组织也加入了学生的行列, faculty and staff in the Service Saturday program to volunteer one Saturday a month (weather permitting) to help in the corridor.

大学不仅仅是在清理这个区域. 它还鼓励员工住在里面. In 2016, 澳门最大十大赌网app设立了员工购房和装修援助计划. 

该项目为员工提供15美元的补贴,000 forgivable loan for purchasing and occupying a home in one of three designated neighborhoods or a $5,000 forgivable loan for exterior improvements to employees who already live in the designated areas. 这些社区位于历史马车镇区, Mott Park Neighborhood and Glendale Hills — all within the boundaries of the University Avenue Corridor.

UACC前后
阿特伍德,爱因斯坦的《前后》

接下来是什么?

虽然该组织能够在疫情最严重的时候生存下来, 加特林说,需要进行一些重组,以重建一些丢失的联系.

“There’s an energy; there’s a celebratory energy that needs to be rekindled.他说. “Like gatherings of people at events and festivals and parties and all of those kinds of great connecting things.”

股票对UACC的未来持乐观态度. 

Kettering continues to be careful with the businesses and organizations that occupy its properties to ensure they are family-friendly and will benefit the community. 2021年,州长. 格雷琴·惠特莫尔(Gretchen Whitmore)宣布了在霍尔地区雪佛兰(Chevy)建立州立公园的计划, 斯托克说,这将是该地区的一大亮点.

“这对整个社区来说都是一种邀请,”他说.

琼斯希望看到一些空地成为新建住宅、共管公寓或联排别墅的地块. 

“随着感应和新建筑的需要, 这将彻底改变这个地区,他说. “... 我们正处在一个重大突破的尖端.”

He said the new building at the corner of Grand Traverse and University Avenue will be a “cornerstone of things to come.”

“我们这里需要更多的学生, 我们需要更多这方面的专业人士, 但如果你没有地方让他们住, 他们怎么能搬到这里来?琼斯说. 

Stock recognizes there is still work to do and that sustainability is huge in getting residents’ trust and continuing the momentum. 

“社区是弗林特振兴的关键,”斯托克说. “还有一些社区还有很多工作要做. 只要凯特林是社区的一员, 我们将尽自己的一份力量来支持和改善弗林特周围的社区. 我们有一套很好的价值观, 我对我们在过去十年中所采取的方向感到鼓舞.”

访问 大学大道走廊联盟脸谱网 了解他们在社区的努力,以及你可以如何提供帮助.