June 20, 2012 – In talking to local governments across Southeast Michigan, creating and maintaining quality neighborhoods for their residents to live and enjoy remains a key function. An important step is to understand the changes that have occurred. These changes may be positive (construction of new housing; rehabilitation of existing housing) or negative (increase in vacant/abandoned homes; drastic decline in housing values). By understanding these changes, communities can implement proven neighborhood strategies that work.
SEMCOG can help through the use of Community Map Books, which provide a graphic overview of selected demographic information from the 2010 Census of Population and Housing.
The City of Warren, with assistance from SEMCOG, is using Community Map Books – specifically 2000-2010 Population Change, 2000-2010 Vacancy Change, and Neighborhood Stability – to not only understand, but also respond to neighborhood changes. The city’s neighborhoods, like many throughout the region, have experienced much change as a result of the national foreclosure crisis and the transitioning regional economy. Using Community Map Books, along with local foreclosure, crime, and abandonment data, the city is proactively targeting code enforcement activities and implementing neighborhood improvement ordinances, including vacant property and rental registration ordinances, to help stabilize neighborhoods.
Jim Hartley, Administrative Supervisor at the City of Warren, states, “SEMCOG’s technical assistance in understanding and developing responses to neighborhood changes in the city has been of great help as the city continues to address the impacts of foreclosures on our residents.”
SEMCOG can assist your community in developing neighborhood and property maintenance tools to strategically address the negative impacts of foreclosure and vacancy. For more information on how SEMCOG can assist your community, visit SEMCOG's Neighborhood Stabilization Web page.
You can leverage your SEMCOG membership to help your local government become more sustainable and effective. Amy’s posts will focus on SEMCOG’s member services.
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