how can we work together toward more home ownership?

A few days ago, I stood at our backyard fence and visited with our neighbor who has lived in the Walnut Neighborhood since the 1950's.  We were discussing how a neighborhood is sure made stronger and more stable through residents who own their homes.  Better upkeep...longer-term neighbors....more shared concern...a greater chance to build relationships and community and to discover together the passions and employ the gifts of those in the neighborhood.   I've really enjoyed hearing the stories from longtime Walnut neighbors about the ol' days when everyone knew everyone in the neighborhood, and when blocks were closed off for parties.

As Link friends have spent time with youth development efforts in the neighborhood, I have experienced the challenges first-hand of the transient nature of a neighborhood that primarily has rental property.  In the early days of Youth Art Team, we had eight children from the neighborhood on the team.  They could walk over to Harvest Church for Youth Art Team meetings.  There was a relational connection due to proximity and the fact that children played together in the neighborhood.  These young residents even went door to door a few years back to help give voice to the neighborhood's desire to keep the playground that was going to be removed in the land purchase by CVS Pharmacy.  These students exercised leadership, and I could see such ownership and neighborhood pride developing as they contributed to something larger than themselves.  The same is true as I watched these students plan and paint a "Love is Power" mural in the neighborhood.  It was super cool to see the relational and empowerment dynamics developing within those who literally lived right in the neighborhood.

Fast forward a few years, and only two of the Youth Art Team members still live right in the neighborhood. Many have moved to other rentals in the Cedar Valley, and we now travel around the community in order to pick up and bring the students together.  Though community and relationships can certainly still be strong, there are just some things that are missed now due to the physical moves across our city.

So, home ownership...how can we help increase the number of houses that are home-owner occupied in a distressed neighborhood?  And how do we do this in a healthy manner...without just a bunch of folks of middle to upper middle income turning over the neighborhood?  How do we create a mixed income strategy so that those of lower income do not get pushed out of the neighborhood?  How do we help everyone flourish and together work toward a neighborhood revitalization that includes physical property, a reconciling social fabric, and a thriving Christian community?  There are others around the country asking the same questions and developing models for this kind of church-based neighborhood development.  I am praying that Christ will open doors for the gathering of people and gifts who can be about this together in the beautiful historic Walnut Neighborhood.