Community events are a priority for neighborhood improvements.
Located just north of the Davis-Monthan Air Force base, the “29th Street Thrive Zone” between Alvernon and Craycroft has struggled with high crime rates and concentrated poverty for decades.
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Tuesday that the area will receive a $500,000 Choice Neighborhood Improvement Grant, which will fund community-led planning projects.
Laura Lopez says the $500 thousand dollars will go towards the next phase of neighborhood improvements.
“This area really is a great place with lots of opportunity for growth. And by growth, I don't mean growing, but bringing more resources and connecting people and teaching them all about what the city can offer. Trying to bring it to their doorstep and teach them how to access it,” Lopez said.
Lopez said its refugee population is largely made up of immigrants from East Africa and Afghanistan, and that it’s important to include them in the conversation.
“It's been a long time since a lot of these residents have participated, if ever, with the government,” she said. “We're going to be focusing on housing, neighborhoods and people. Those are the themes of this Choice Neighborhood Grant. Making sure that the community is involved in new ways, so making sure that all of these events and planning measures that we do include people that historically have not been involved in the planning processes.”
According to a press release, this federal grant is given to vulnerable communities for the purpose of funding a “Transformation Plan,” a long-term outlook to “modernize existing HUD housing, improve workforce, health and education outcomes for residents and attract long-term public and private reinvestment to promote economic development.”
The area’s existing community and educational centers will lead the planning and research projects funded with the grant, according to the grant summary.
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