Politics & Government

Grants Could let Residents Improve Neighborhoods

Proposal could make city money available for neighborhood beautification projects

You may not be able to build a fence to stop late-night foot traffic, but you can plant some flowers and paint a few houses under a new neighborhood improvement program proposed in Kent.

City administrators pitched the idea of a new grant program to that would make money available to a group of neighbors looking to improve their neighborhood.

Dave Ruller said the city has already beefed up city ordinances and enforcement of zoning and other codes to try and compel people to maintain their properties.

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"But we want to incentivize people to do more to take care of their neighborhoods and properties," Ruller said.

Kent Grants Administrator Bridget Susel said she managed a similar program when she worked for the city of Akron, where grants of up to $500 were made available on a reimbursement basis for residents to paint houses in their neighborhood.

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"This really changes neighborhoods," she said. "I’ve seen it. It’s amazing."

Examples she gave to council members were mostly beautification projects such as the house painting, planting flowers or erecting a sign to identify a neighborhood.

She said the idea of residents banding together to build a fence to stop late-night foot traffic in their neighborhoods likely wouldn't fit the grant concept, but strict guidelines have yet to be set.

"Our goal is basically to do initiatives that promote a sense of neighborhood, and something that would exclude or be some kind of blockade I would not think is sending the message that we want with this," Susel said. "I want something that is more broad-based, something that shows more collaboration and empowerment across multiple residents in a given area."

As for paying for the program, early talks revolved around carving out $100,000 from money the city already gives to social service agencies such as .

"And that’s still a major issue," Ruller said. "We're not talking big money" per grant.

Council approved moving forward with the grant proposal at its meeting last week. City administrators will develop a plan for how the program would work and return to council in the future for a final vote.

"I think it's a good idea when we’re starting to reinvest in our neighborhoods," Kent Mayor Jerry Fiala said.


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