ANCHOR: THE CITY OF SYRACUSE SUFFERS FROM GREAT HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD DISPARITY. HOWEVER, OUR OWN ANDRONIKOS GEORGALAS TELLS US HOW A NEW PROJECT COULD BE A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
ANDRONIKOS GEORGALAS: THE CITY OF SYRACUSE IS IN NEED OF A MAJOR LIFT. THIS PAST FRIDAY, MAYOR BEN WALSH ANNOUNCED A NEW PROGRAM, THE PROUD PLACES PROJECT, THAT IS CENTERED AROUND THE IMPROVEMENT OF STRUGGLING NEIGHBORHOODS. SYRACUSE WEST SIDE CITY PLANNER KARINA FREELAND SAYS THAT THE PROJECT WILL BRING PLANNERS AND LEADERS OF LOCAL SERVICES TO WORK TOGETHER IN THE SAME AREA.
KARINA FREELAND: BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT TOOLS IN OUR TOOL BOX FOR LIKE SMALL BUSINESS LOANS, HOUSING HELP, SPECIFICALLY FOR RENTERS WE DO A LOT OF ASSISTANCE. BUT BECAUSE WE ARE ALL JUST BEING REACTIVE TO DIFFERENT TENANTS RIGHT NOW WE WANT TO HAVE A MORE PROACTIVE FRAMEWORK.
GEORGALAS: A STUDY CONDUCTED BY CONSULTING FIRM CZB FOUND THAT ONE-THIRD OF ALL CITY HOMES ARE VISIBLY IN DECLINE, WHILE ONLY A BIT MORE THAN A QUARTER OF THE HOUSES ARE DEEMED TO BE IN GOOD OR EXCELLENT CONDITION. THE STUDY ALSO FOUND THAT SYRACUSE SUFFERS GREATLY FROM HOME VACANCIES, AS ABOUT 11% OF ALL HOUSES ARE CURRENTLY UNOCCUPIED. FREELAND BELIEVES THAT THE KEY ELEMENT IN BATTLING THESE STRUGGLES WILL BE COMMUNITY.
FREELAND: SOMEONE’S HOME IS THEIR ECOSYSTEM BUT SO IS THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND YOU KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE IN SYRACUSE STAY IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD EVEN IF THEY ARE MOVING TO DIFFERENT HOMES. SO, IT’S REALLY ALL ABOUT ENGAGING THE PEOPLE IN THAT AREA TO CARE ABOUT THEIR HOUSING.
GEORGALAS: AS A RESULT, THE PROJECT KICKED OFF WITH A COMMUNITY CLEANUP EVENT AT WHITE BRANCH LIBRARY. ACCORDING TO FREELAND, THE PROJECT STARTED OFF ON A STRONG FOOT. OVER 35 MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY WERE PRESENT HERE THIS PAST SATURDAY WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO OFFER THEIR HELP. THEY ACCUMULATED OVER 48 BAGS OF TRASH AND WERE ACCOMPANIED BY NONE OTHER THAN MAYOR BEN WALSH HIMSELF. THE NEXT EVENT IS THIS SATURDAY AT THE LIBRARY. FREE FOOD WILL BE PROVIDED AND OVER 13 ORGANIZATIONS WILL COME TO TALK TO RESIDENTS ABOUT THEIR SERVICES. ANDRONIKOS GEORGALAS, N-C-C NEWS.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) — Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh announced a new program called the Proud Places Project that aims to improve lacking communities by engaging local residents in efforts of beautification and health.
The project came into fruition after a Maine consulting firm czb LLC, conducted multiple studies and surveys across the city to determine housing conditions. According to the study, one-third of all Syracuse city homes were deemed to be “visibly in decline”, while 7,500 housing units were unoccupied.
The new program is set to reinforce the Mayor’s Resurgent Neighborhood Initiative, which is a citywide housing and business growth plan. However, according to Syracuse West Side City Planner Karina Freeland, the new project’s strength relies on comradery.
“It was used to be a framework to get planners and also greater Neighborhood and Business Development staff working in the same area,” said Freeland.
Additionally, Freeland believes that the project’s success heavily relies on community engagement and support. Consequently, the project kicked off with a community cleanup event at White Branch Library. Members of the community gathered in an effort to begin improvement on the Butternut Corridor.
According to Freeland, the event exceeded expectations. Over 35 residents were present and were able to accumulate over 48 bags of trash. After the cleanup, local vendors provided free meals to the residents and provided an open forum for them to voice their thoughts behind the new project.
“We want owners to take pride in their neighborhood,” Freeland said. “People are less likely to take care of their home if they are next to an abandoned home rather than a well maintained one.”
At the moment, the project will be focused on the Butternut Corridor. The program will keep looking for properties in need of external repair and assistance. Freeland said that the program will review its success by Earth Day, hoping that by then they will have planted at least 15 trees along the corridor as well as unveiled a new public messaging mural.
