Neighborhood Development

By Rubin Jamison Skipper

Neighborhood development is one of the most important recipes to create successful communities. There are problems with crime, drugs, slumlords and tenants. Before we can have the type of neighborhoods that we can proudly raise our families in, we have to find adeqate solutions to these problems.

The owners and tenants must take pride in keeping property repaired as it needed and striving to have a clean community. We must work with waste management to prevent oversized and illegal dumping. The waste department is willing to pick up large items if it is called in. We cannot allow graffiti, if it goes up it must come down right away.

Property owners must work with the city and the code enforcement to ratify violations as soon as possible. The city has home improvement grants and other programs available to assist homeowners. It is important that the community are better informed of the availibilty of these programs.

There is a need for more recreational areas. Our kids are not safe playing in alleys and in the streets. There must be a higher priority by our city government to build playgrounds in our communities to accommodate the kids in these neighborhoods.

Neighborhoods businesses need to be more involved with the local community. The success of both depends on the help and support given by each. I will work to bring business and residential communities together. There is a lot of work to be done in our communities and I am ready for the challenge.