VISION:
In
the best neighborhoods, the ones we mean to nurture, people know
that “the heart is more important than the head” (from
Streets of Hope). Residents recognize one another and
count friends and family among their neighbors. They have a sense
of concern and responsibility for the neighborhood and its people
that is translated into action.
In the best neighborhoods:
Schools
with small enrollments are one core of neighborhood life.
The schools have strong parent and resident involvement. They
work in partnership with the neighborhood to achieve high shared
aspirations for youth, educate adults, and solve community problems.
Residents are welcome to use the gym, recreational fields, auditorium,
and meeting rooms.
The
school site is the place where human service agencies
collaborate to address the needs of families. Their staffs realize
that people turn first to friends and neighbors when they have
problems. These informal helping systems are sought out and strengthened.
Many
housing options exist for people in different stages
of life and income levels. Housing values are neither rising rapidly
(gentrification) nor falling (decline). Quality is maintained
through upgrading by residents made possible by private capital
or well-crafted affordable housing subsidies.
Local
businesses such as grocery and other retail stores, professional
offices, bookstores, restaurants, and coffee shops are within
a walk of home. Neighborhood life forms a network of relationships
that helps people find jobs, start new businesses, and raise capital.
People
ensure public safety by looking out for each other, and
creating partnerships with the police and public agencies to solve
crimes and reduce the causes of crime.
The
neighborhood is well kept. Problems that arise (housing
deterioration, trash, or abandoned autos) are dealt with quickly
by responsive agencies. The neighborhood has a comforting sense
of place expressed through its physical character.
The
best neighborhoods are not utopias. They are places where
people care about one another enough that there are few problems
that cannot be solved by working together.
