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All About Community REInvestment Coalition
By Kathleen Greely, President/CEO
Guest Column
Community
REInvestment Coalition – Englewood SW (CRC-ESW) a newly
formed nonprofit presents a virtual conversation about
community culture and the impact of urban renewal on our
families in the Englewood District, Lucas County. Our
mission is to prevent the displacement of African-American
homeowners and other minorities from Englewood SW, by
providing pathways to affordable homeownership opportunities
and the possibility of achieving financial stability,
fostering social and civic engagement, neighborhood
leadership programs, and community fellowships.
Moderated by
community advocates, and lined with invited guests from the
Commissioner’s office, LISC, Land Bank, Department of
Neighborhoods, University of Toledo, Jack Ford Urban Affairs
Center, Healthcare of NW Ohio, Arts Commission, Creative
Placemaking, and NeighborWorks, the City of Toledo, Small
Business and Economic Development, current City Council, to
name a few.
This commUnity
Uplift, “Unpacking Dorr Street | What worked? What
didn’t?',” is a virtual conversation that took flight
during the pandemic in the first quarter of 2020. The
genesis and the idea of reinvesting in the Dorr Street
Corridor took us straight to asking the question of why the
low vibration still looms over this district, even though
the City of Toledo, Department of Neighborhoods
recently introduced a five-year Plan, including over $37M in
programs and services, 55-60% specifically for the
Englewood/Junction District.
Due to unkept
promises and remnants of urban renewal that have left this
neighborhood underdeveloped for the past forty plus years; I
am joined by several community residents and esteemed
leaders, clergy and concerned citizens who chose a
commitment to reinvest time and resources in the SW
division. CRC-ESW seeks to improve the socioeconomics,
financial literacy, homeownership, generational wealth
conversations and a quality of life for youth and families
in the Englewood District, specifically Englewood SW.
Community
reinvestment starts with transforming the conversation. What
has not worked since the 70s over here, and why? What
structures or property acquisition would allow us to
reinvest in our community, today, and be used to foster
collaboration in the Englewood district in 2021, and beyond?
Can financial literacy, generational wealth conversations,
and a better understanding of how to use Land Bank and LISC
make a difference for residents? Can someone explain "What
is an Opportunity Zone", and how do we benefit from the
opportunity?
Urban Renewal
was partially an attempt to connect suburbs to downtown in a
faster way, which resulted in tearing up our neighborhoods
in part or in some cases isolating other neighborhoods. We
can start to see great things happen in downtown Toledo, how
do we start a conversation that builds off that momentum and
targets our neighborhoods still affected and neglected today
because of urban renewal?
Our Virtual
Community Conversation about the Englewood District will be
transformed by a series of Fireside Chats, where we
identify opportunities for people who seek to learn how to
do business with the Department of Neighborhoods and Land
Bank; collaborate with financial opportunity centers;
funding resources for small businesses and community
stakeholders or make a positive change in our Englewood
neighborhoods.
A community
charette will follow the fireside chat series; an intensive
planning session where residents, designers and others
collaborate on a vision for development. It will provide a
forum of ideas and offers the unique advantage of giving
immediate feedback to residents and leaders of the
community. More importantly, it allows everyone who
participates to be a co-author of a neighborhood community
action plan.
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