Newly elected Zone 1 City Councilwoman Angela Romine and 131st District State Rep. Bill Owen conducted a listening session with representatives of Zone 1 neighborhood associations May 27 at Woodland Heights Presbyterian Church.
The event was organized and hosted by the Woodland Heights Neighborhood Association. Twenty-four neighbors representing the Bissett, Doling, Midtown, West Central, Westside, Woodland Heights, Grant Beach and Heart of Westside neighborhoods were present to outline key concerns and establish strong lines of communication with their new representatives.
As she begins her term on City Council, Councilwoman Romine expressed her commitment to engage with her constituents. “To help the community, I have to get out and listen,” she said.
“I thought it went very well and I’ve heard the same from everyone I talked to afterward,” said Woodland Heights President Becky Volz. “We had leaders from eight of the 10 Zone 1 neighborhoods represented. We have some wonderful neighborhood leaders who are working hard to address and solve issues in our community.”
“Many are weary with the length of time it takes to get (truly) dangerous buildings/properties razed. I, for one, remain optimistic that we will make progress this coming year; that our confidence in working with City staff and City Council will increase and that we will have some of our problems resolved so we can celebrate the collaboration with our neighbors, the council, the Springfield Police Department, the Planning and Neighborhoods team within the Planning and Development department, Building Development Services and all of the organizations that support the residents and neighborhoods in Zone 1. Our challenge will be to create ways to implement our ideas,” Volz added.
Top concerns
Top concerns expressed by neighbors were nuisance properties, property crimes and squatting. In general, the group applauded efforts to address nuisance properties, but expressed concern that progress has not been consistent. Neighbors cited several specific nuisance properties that have taken years to address.
Many are encouraged by the City’s commitment to address nuisance properties by providing additional resources to the Building Development Services department to increase the number of inspectors dedicated to nuisance property enforcement. Neighbors hope that inspectors will consider each property on a case-by-case basis, regarding the nature of the violation and the capacity of the violator to address the issue.
Skyrocketing construction costs, lack of awareness of reputable repair companies, and for many, difficult financial circumstances make it challenging to address violations quickly, particularly when building codes continue to become more complex.
Councilwoman Romine noted that success in addressing these issues requires both balance and heart. Rep. Owen added that Springfield’s proposed land bank bill in the state legislature and community development corporation could become important tools to help.
He indicated that while the legislature did not provide the needed authorization in its latest session, he is optimistic about it happening next session. Councilwoman Romine applauded and encouraged private efforts to help address such properties. One example was an individual with means to purchase a vacant property, tearing it down and then selling the lot. Other examples include neighbors helping neighbors by mowing the lawn of someone in need.
Neighbors said that another broadly felt problem related to nuisance properties is trash build-up. To address this, one neighborhood is exploring the creation of a Neighborhood Improvement District, which could use revenue generated via property tax to contract with a single trash hauler for the entire neighborhood and assist with keeping sidewalks clear of vegetation. Such sidewalk improvements are sorely needed, particularly for those who are blind or wheelchair bound. A related concern is the frequent blockage of sidewalks by parked cars and construction barricades, the dangers posed by bicyclists on sidewalks and motorists not yielding to pedestrians at crosswalks.
Regarding property crimes, Neighborhood Watch efforts should be encouraged. Some believe that the current Springfield Police Department Neighborhood Watch program needs to be more flexible so that fewer individuals need to be trained for the program to receive SPD support. A lack of consequences for juvenile theft and vandalism offenders is a concern, with many hoping City Council might be able to help address this matter.
Others indicated that squatters often exacerbate property deterioration, particularly in vacant properties. It was noted that in some vacant properties, lawns are kept up and repairs are made in a timely fashion, so while all feel fewer unoccupied dwellings would improve neighborhoods, the emphasis in addressing vacant properties should be on those in poor. Rep. Owen indicated that a land bank might also help address this matter.
Vacant former public schools were discussed. All too often, Springfield Public Schools has closed school buildings with no apparent plan for the disposition of them. As a result, adjacent neighborhoods suffer. The former Doling Elementary was cited as an example, and the former Fairbanks Elementary, now a community hub, was another.
While the latter has become a valued community resource, it had been empty for years, as is the case with Doling. Unlike most closed commercial properties, vacant school buildings are often located in the hearts of neighborhoods and contribute to neighborhood deterioration. While not a direct solution, a desire for better communication and strategic collaboration between City Council and the school board was expressed. Perhaps the soon-to-be-closed former Boyd Elementary might be an opportunity for one such collaboration.
The discussion related to homelessness was perhaps the most difficult. Neighborhood leaders are torn between their desires to help those in need with concerns for damage to property, and the trash and dangerous items left by squatters. One neighborhood leader acknowledged that an important path out of homelessness begins with a home, and that perhaps funding to convert some vacant houses into transitional homes for the homeless could be one solution, citing success with a similar program in Aurora, Colorado.
In closing, Rep. Owen expressed optimism about the next legislative session and believes there is motivation to make the legislative process within the House of Representatives more efficient. Councilwoman Romine emphasized that she is on City Council to represent her constituents.
Councilwoman Romine described typical City Council agendas as being filled with staff-recommended ordinances and issues and said she desires a greater degree of communication from constituents regarding items the council is asked to act upon.
Everyone who attended greatly appreciated the time taken by these elected officials to engage neighborhood leaders, and are optimistic that this meeting was just the first, and certainly not the last such listening session.
Many thanks to them, and to Woodland Heights for making this event possible.