Swearengin on rejuvenating neighborhoods
Rejuvenating our aging neighborhoods and reducing the concentration of poverty in those neighborhoods is extremely important. According to research compiled by the Brookings Institution, Fresno has the highest number of neighborhoods in concentrated poverty of any other large city in the United States. We cannot be a top-tier city in California if we do not address the conditions in these neighborhoods. The No Neighborhood Left Behind project implemented by Mayor Autry is a first step that is helping to address the basic infrastructure in 71 of Fresno’s oldest neighborhoods. However, there is so much more to do.
I have been working with business and community leaders in southwest Fresno on a demonstration project called the “93706 Asset Map” that will serve as a model for rejuvenating aging neighborhoods in south and central Fresno. The 93706 Asset Map will result in an economic development plan that is customized to the unique assets of the 93706 area. The revitalization effort in the El Dorado Park neighborhood is another good example that can be used as a model for other parts of the City. The guiding principles of these projects are that (1) there are no “silver bullets” to improving distressed neighborhoods, and (2) positive, sustainable improvements to neighborhoods have to start at the grass-roots level and build from there. I will institute this approach to neighborhood redevelopment on a broad scale and will encompass other areas of the city impacted by concentrations of poverty.
Some of the obstacles to revitalizing our older neighborhoods are outdated planning policies. We must make sure that our land use plans support the revitalization goals. Unrestricted development can hurt our efforts. When the City demands quality for our neighborhoods, investment will follow.
Regarding large-scale versus small-scale efforts, as outlined above, I believe the most successful approach starts at the grass-roots level. However, once that foundation is in place and a vision and plan are developed for the area, large-scale investments from the private sector will be required to implement the plan.