The future of College Hill is being shaped by a small group. Want to join them?
The College Hill Ministerium (group of ministers who support Christ’s Community in College Hill) is sponsoring a series of strategic planning sessions to improve the economic and human relations climate in the community. Anyone with an interest in these areas may join. The group--which is diverse and includes a variety of business owners, concerned citizens, and civic leaders--is open to anyone who wishes to join, and meets every few weeks at the Recreation Center on Belmont. The next meeting is May 10, 7:00-9:00 pm.
The following shows the work the group has done so far, and where we’re going next. (Note: The items below are the perceptions of individuals in the group, not the consensus of the whole group. Our approach is to honor the perspective of each person; we will examine whether perspectives are “factual” or not when we go deeper into the planning process.)
Join us and help to shape the future of our community!
STEP 1: What sort of future do we want to create in College Hill? (Our “Objectives”)
- Different groups work together with an “Us” consciousness (not “We” and “Them”)
- No anger or divisive expressions of concern across ethnic/racial groups in community
- Make sure volunteers / Citizens on Patrol act to assist citizens and business owners, and are viewed positively by all groups
- Common engagement and commitment by all groups to build the community
- Accountability by all in building the community
- Don’t give power for direction of the Ave to a small / limited group
- Keep inviting me to meetings
- Avoid rejection of business “types” that fit minority customer base
- Open communication and dialogue
- Share honestly about what the issues are. (e.g. Why are authorities checking up on certain businesses?)
- All members hear each others’ feeling and concerns.
- Communications about economic, financial investments are shared among all groups
- Stop incidents of MBEs (Minority Business Enterprises) being investigated / harassed, funding of infrastructure for MBE being delayed or scraped (e.g. parking lots), etc.
- Successful business community
- Common vision
- Diverse products, services, entertainment, goods offered to customers
- Develop all areas of the Ave community equally / fairly
- Provide mutual opportunities to build businesses (e.g. Invite me to your store opening so I can make contacts, I can promote my offerings, and I can learn about your place to promote it to my customers, etc.)
- Help “young guys on the corner” get jobs: Employment.
- Hire local skilled people for projects in the community (instead of outsiders)
- Jobs: Collect info on openings in District, offer to kids on the block
- Job program that transfers “Ave” skills/trade into kids of CH.
- Revive (continue) vocational programs at the high school
- We have all types of businesses, being visited by a diversity of customers
- Our businesses are making money
- Our businesses are being shopped by a customer base outside our community
- Our community has a positive image; it attracts others
- We have increased foot traffic, facilitated by places (e.g. a diversity of businesses) for customers to stop (e.g. parking) and shop
- We have fewer vacant storefronts
- We have a safe community
- Local youth are employed by local businesses (so that youth have jobs)
- Businesses work together to promote a positive atmosphere and shared clientele amongst themselves
Step 3: What does our community have to work with, and against? (# votes in parentheses)
| Internal STRENGTHS we can leverage ·
· Existing businesses / Award winning & unique · History / tradition · Home owners / good housing stock · People – diverse and willing to work together (1) · Good schools; being rebuilt & renovated · Job opportunities (2) · Youth & Elderly in community (4) · Pleasing facades · Size of Ave & College Hill · Community involvement & pride · Activities · Public services and areas (1) · Green space · Space for new businesses (3) · Streetscape · New firehouse (green bldg) · Active Citizens on Patrol; vols actively clean Ave · Opportunities for new development (8) · Opportunities for weekend entertainment · Area is central (20 mins to most other areas, 5 mins to interstate, central on bus line) (3) · Hamilton & N.Bend is 2nd busiest intersection in city · Community Center · Community organizations (CHCURC, CHBA, Forum, Gardens, CH Housing team) · Churches work well together | Internal WEAKNESSES we need to address ·
· Business district too long · High poverty (1) · Empty / not well maintained storefronts / extremely visible vacant corners · Few businesses open at night / Need reasons to come out at night. · Need more parking · No common vision · No common view of good business practices (customer service, training, etc.) · Perception of crime (1) · Need more diversified involvement in community groups (3) · Not enough opps for youth (training, jobs, entertainment) · Role models for youth · Inadequate crosswalks · Bars on business windows · Loiterers · Jobs for adults · Existing communication within community groups does not reach outside of group (1) · Lack of communication (4) · Lack of understanding (4) · Lack of funding for new business and improvement (3) · Negative media coverage · Don’t know the truth about funding issues, façade program, city money, parking lot issue, flyers that are racially divisive (4) · Lack of knowledge of running a new biz |
· Fill vacant spaces with viable new businesses (3) · Cross-promos (i.e. community night)(2) · City council support · Organize / better leverage active groups (i.e. CHURC, Ministerium, etc) · Stimulus money (i.e. community garden, contractors of schools)(2) · Expand types of restaurants (i.e. Italian, African, etc.)(1) · Define who we are as businesses & area (1) · Opportunities for children · Bargain rental / ownership prices for store areas property · Invest in your neighborhood (3) · Grocery store, hardware, etc. – variety of stores to be able to stay in your neighborhood to shop · More places for young people to go other than hanging out on the streets (1) · Role model to city (1) · Understand and Agree instead of fighting (2) · Interact with youth · Networking · Think outside the box · Learn from each other · Create & engage in mutual pride in College Hill Community (2) · Attract people from other communities to live, play, work and do biz in CH (4) · Mentor, encourage and employ youth and other CH residents (1) · Marketing opportunity including current & future community events & assets (1) · Gain from other communities assets, e.g. from the Comet to the College Hill Coffee shop · All businesses and building owners clean up their act for the good of the community · Mend fences with each other |
· Perception of unsafe place (10) · Bad economy · Loitering of youth / adults (1) · Other areas are attracting more customers (1) · Trash · Drugs (2) · Guns (1) · Gangs (1) · Ignorance (1) · Business closing / foreclosures · Negative media attention (1) · Graffiti · Isolation by race (1) · Perception of excessive policing · Not working together to lobby for funds for the community · Racial tension (stereotyping, “all blacks are poor & whites are rich snobs, etc) · Generational tension · Cultural differences · Lack of support among biz owners · Feeling of hopelessness · Sense of entitlement & disrespect of others · Economic apartheid (2) · Inability to relate to another’s reality · Misjudgments, misconceptions (e.g. re contractors, local workers, etc) (2) · Anger · People are more threatened by [site than by] conversation (?) |
Next Step: How can our community leverage our strengths and external opportunities, and overcome our weaknesses and external threats, to achieve each objective (e.g. creating a successful business community)?
Join us for this important next step! The next meeting is May 10, 7:00-9:00 pm at the College Hill Recreation Center.
