FPSE Buzz, January 2003

Alderman Roddy outlined his expectations for population growth, a youth-employment program, the end of gap financing, and a city manager-like role for the Housing and Economic Development Corporation; residents responded with ballots to rank their priorities for Sustainable Neighborhoods funding efforts; the Ninth District has assigned two problem properties officers; two new restaurants offer great eating; and various organizations reorted on their efforts.

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Alderman's Outlook: Once-in-a-lifetime population growth, improving property values, and a "city manager" role for the FPSE Housing and Economic Development Corporation are on tap for the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood, in the view of Alderman Joseph D. Roddy. Roddy gave his view at the corporation's January 6 meeting.
Incredible things will be happening throughout the whole 17th Ward, Roddy said. The present population is 3,700, but that will grow to fill up the neighborhood. What the right population will be is hard to say, but it could be from 5,000 to 5,500, Roddy suggested. "FPSE is a great place to live," he added.
Youth employment: Roddy also gave details of a youth employment program. He committed $100,000 for each of the next three years to the project. It should employ 10 teenagers. He hopes to get an additional $300,000 for the program. If he does, a total of $200,000 will be designated for FPSE, with the remaining funds split between the Central West End and McRee Town, which are also in the ward. He expects the program to provide trained supervision that will make the youth allies of the neighborhood as they are paid for constructive activity.
Gap financing:    The city is changing its strategy on housing, Roddy said, as "gap financing is quickly coming to an end." Instead of providing a $60,000 subsidy so that a home costing $150,000 to rehab or build can be sold for $90,000, other ways must be found to support selling homes at market value.
   Roddy suggested that value can be supported by improving infrastructure and amenities, for instance keeping the alleys cleaned, putting the sidewalks in good condition, improving safety for everybody, and making it clear that the site-managed Adams School is first rate. You need ways to make the improvements in the neighborhood without waiting for the city to do things, he said, noting that FPSE has to "compete with other city neighborhoods and with other area cities."
   With the new strategy, Roddy said that, "if anything, there should be an increase for low-income housing."
City manager-like role:    Roddy said he thought the Housing and Economic Development Corporation (H&EDC) should be like a city manager, working to provide needed services. Duties would still include recruiting developers . Added duties would be to improve services and get people and businesses to move into the neighborhood, compiling statistics, monitoring day-to-day matters for attention. Neglect of little things drives down values, he stressed.
   Roddy noted that some social service programs were at Adams Center. He said that it may be necessary to fold one of the organizations into the other. In any event, action should be "grass-roots based" with resident- and business-based committees in areas of need, Roddy said.
   Within a year Roddy wants to see a business plan that works for FPSE and fits with the plans of other ward areas.

Other H&EDC matters:

   The H&EDC Corporation revised its meeting schedule so that it will meet monthly, on the first Monday of the month.
   It also extended the terms of the officers and three board members for 60 days (through the scheduled March meeting). President Dave Renard explained that the extension was at the suggestion of the Executive Committee in order to provide continuity as the corporation hired a new executive director.
   Currently there is an at-large vacancy on the board because of the resignation of Vickie Forrest.
   As of March, Gibson Heights, Adams Grove Improvement Association and The Wedge Group must submit nominations for their seats, as per the new by-laws. The board has the final vote on board membership.

Funding efforts

Following a general neighborhood meeting on December 17 concerning priorities of Sustainable Neighborhood efforts, the Community Council and NCT reported neighborhood-wide voting on eight projects. The strongest support was for a home repair and upgrade program (180 points), greater mental health services (166 points), and affordable housing (161 points). Middle-range support was for structured early childhood development at day care centers (135 points) and coamputer-assisted reading program for first and second graders (116 points). The least support was for block and neighborhood directories (101) points, a cooperative for high speed Internet connections (99 points), and front-door improvement for businesses (89 points). See the detailed tabulation.
The results were submitted to the Sustainable Neighborhoods Development Office at a January 16 meting. Special thanks to volunteers from the Lighthouse Free Methodist congregation for helping count the ballots, especially to Lara Scott who designed on-the-spot tally sheets.

Help wanted

   As an experiment, the FPSE Community Council is attempting to revive monthly issues of the FPSE Buzz, supported by sponsors and advertisers. Constance Johnson has volunteered to work on the advertising efforts. You can reach her at 531.0285. The supervisors and a crew from the Community Service and Restorative Justice unit of the city's Family Court have agreed to do the door-to-door distribution (many thanks!).
   Still needed are information gatherers and writers. You can help by attending and reporting on one of the many meeting in the neighborhood or doing a column once every four months. The Buzz is meant to be a resource for all groups, with a calendar of the many events of interest.
   To help out, contact Bob Babione at news@forestparksoutheast.org or 371.5246.

Action at Adams center

Chuck Tyler, Adams Park Community Center executive director, said 285 family members (including 200 youth under 15 years of age) are served. The after-school program has 45 to 60 children. Chuck said no child under 16 would be turned away for lack of the one-dollar activity fee. Activities include a co-ed soccer team and a baseball team in the Spring. The center hosts many neighborhood meeting without charge.
Urban Strategies obtained a gift of $275,000 from the Gateway Foundation for a water feature at the Adams playground, Esther Shin reports. The feature will be constructed in the Spring.

Crime and problem properties

   The police and prosecutor have aimed at drug buyers coming from outside the neighborhood, Rachel Smith, neighborhood justice project director, reported at the general meeting on December 17. Recent undercover operations resulted in 17 arrests, with 8 charges filed.
   Smith introduced Officer Willard Lipe, one of the Ninth District "problem property" officers now assigned to the neighborhood. Lipe will coordinate efforts with building inspectors and other steps to get buildings fixed, or condemned, or demolished. You can reach Lipe by phone at 444.2565 or by email at wclipe@slmpd.org The second problem properties officer will be Mark West, 444.2569 or mswest@slmpd.org.
   Kabir Muhammad, of the ARCHS staff, will address gang problems in several neighborhoods, including FPSE. His telephone number is 581.4571. Kabir asks residents to report any graffiti that they see.

Security coordinator

Steve Parish started work as the FPSE security coordinator on January 6. The Washington University Medical Center has funded the first four months of the position. Parish, who will work on safety issues, was chosen by a FPSE resident committee. You can reach Steve at 633.7906 or steveparish@forestparksoutheast.org.

Fixx-Up fund

Joan Botwinick, volunteer coordinator for the Fixx-Up Fund, reports that since January 2000, the fund has helped 60 families in FPSE stay in their homes, referred multiple-problem matters to other resources, and encouraged Individual Development Accounts (IDAs). The budget is about $15,000 per year. Greater funding would help keep more residents safe in their community.

The best eating

The La Dolce Via bakery expanded in December with a coffee shop at Taylor and Arco. Coffee, light breakfast and lunch items, and pastries are featured. The hours are: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m, Tuesday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
JaBoni'S will open Wednesday, January 29 with an up-scale Italian-French menu in the bistro and Jazz in the lounge on weekends. Ramon Cuffie will be the chef and Haywood Brownlee (A FPSE resident living on Arco) and his quartet will provide the jazz. Hours will be 4 p.m. to 11 p.m in the bistro and 4 to 1:30 a.m. in the lounge. A web site with the menu and other details will soon be available via www.saucemagazine.com. JaBoni'S is at Manchester and Tower Grove.

Adams Grove Block Unit

The AGBU resumed regular meetings in January. Denie Robinson, Director of Community Organization for the Urban League explained resources and offered to help revitalize the unit. The next meeting will be at 7:00 p.m. on February 13 (the second Thursday of the month) at the New Hope Church of the Nazarene, 1211 S. Newstead (between Swan and Norfolk).

Gibson Heights N'hood Ass'n

   The association will meet on Tuesday, January 21, at 7 p.m. at Gibson Heights Presbyterian Church. The agenda will focus on security and forming block units where residents on the same block form a telephone group list and perhaps email exchanges. Discussion will be on acting defensively in response to the recent criminal activity, acting president Sonda Thompson said.
   At the November meeting, Lynn & David Moo were elected Vice Presidents and Rhonda Porter was elected Treasurer. The president and secretary positions remain to be filled.
   Being the first of the year, the annual $5 dues are due. The by-laws limit voting on issues to dues paying members who have attended meetings.

Good Neighbor Network

The next meeting for the Good Neighbor Network will be Wednesday, January 29, form 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Adams Community Center. Rick Bonasch from Metropolis invites all who are interested in creating a neighborhood-wide network of community leaders at the block level to organize neighborhood events, cleanup projects, block parties, neighborhood directories, and so on. The agenda for the January meeting includes: mapping neighborhood with potential Good Neighbor Network contacts; setting goals and action plans for 2003; and introduction of Metropolis Wash concept.

We've got meetings . . .

We have space for announcement of other meeting dates such as:

Security Task Force on the third Thursday of the month at Adams Center at 6:30 p.m.;
NCT on the third Wednesday of the month at Adams Center at 6:30 p.m.; and
Community Council on the fourth Tuesday of the month at Lighthouse Community Outreach Center, 1218 Tower Grove, at 6:30 P.M.

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