Memo- Blake Rd Corridor Collaborative (Spring 2010, Vol.1 No.1)
M E M O
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council
From: Tara Beard, Community Development Coordinator
Date: June 11, 2010
Subject: Blake Road Corridor Collaborative Update
Efforts to revitalize and improve livability in the Blake Road Corridor began in an organized
way in 2005 with the creation of the Blake Road Corridor Stakeholders Collaborative. Initiated
by Hopkins Police Chief Craig Reid, many partners were brought in to find and create resources
to address increases in crime and a lack of youth activities. This original Collaborative received
funding to do a community-wide assessment of the needs and concerns in the area that was
completed by the Wilder Foundation in April 2008.
The Wilder assessment included face-to-face interviews with over 300 residents and information
gleaned through the many stakeholders in the Collaborative. It concluded with recommendations
for further action that City staff categorized into three parts: Public Safety and Youth Activities,
Redevelopment and Physical Improvements, and Social Services and Community Engagement.
These categories are interconnected but have different needs and different leadership structures.
Hopkins Police Department and Hopkins Public Schools continue to lead efforts that increase
community policing, reduce crime, and provide structured activities for youth. Hopkins
Planning and Economic Department lead efforts toward redevelopment and infrastructure
improvements and have completed a small area plan for the area and received funds to build new
sidewalks on the Corridor. Community Services has strengthened housing inspection codes to
bring more accountability to residential property owners in the area.
The final category, Social Services and Community Engagement, included recommendations for
improving connections between Corridor residents and existing social services in Hopkins, and a
way to engage the community in a grassroots way. Social Service leaders in the community,
Resource West and Intercongregation Association (ICA) stepped up to take on these endeavors
with generous help from Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). Together they have
created a new Blake Road Corridor Collaborative (BRCC) that builds on past and current work
in the Corridor and strives to empower residents and businesses to work together with local
government and organizations to create the changes in their neighborhood that they would like to
see.
LISC funded a consultant and other costs in the creation of a Community Action Plan to address
needs and concerns in the community. Alvaro Rivera was hired in February of 2010 to
implement the Community Action Plan and continue outreach and organization in the
neighborhood.
nd
June 22’s worksession presentation will be an update on the BRCC including the status of the
implementation of the Community Action Plan and next steps.
Attachments:
BRCC Community Action Plan
Blake Road Newsletter, Spring 2010