2007 MetLife Awards - Neighborhood Housing Services of Phoenix & Phoenix Police Department
Date Published: 03/31/2008
Author: Karin Anderson
Publisher: LISC
The Garfield Neighborhood is a diverse, historic front-porch community in the heart of downtown Phoenix. In the mid-1990s, Garfield had many deteriorated houses and vacant lots, poor quality rental units and drop houses for illegal immigrants. Crime problems included drugs and prostitution and a gang that was "taxing" people to live in the area. Through collaborative partnerships between the Phoenix Police Department, Neighborhood Housing Services of Phoenix, Maricopa County, many City of Phoenix departments and neighborhood associations, the Garfield neighborhood has become a success story rising above overwhelming blight and crime to bring a new life of cultural diversity and hope to an urban neighborhood. The partners developed a revitalization strategy which included: closing drug houses, instituting gang deterrence measures, improving the housing stock, installing sidewalks and curbs, paving streets and engaging residents to become involved in saving their neighborhood. The strategy resulted in a significant drop in crime and improvement in neighborhood health.
Topics: Economic Development & Safety, --Community Safety
Type: Case study / model practice