Why HOPE, when you have a CHOICE?

The City of Memphis has been the benefactor of multiple federal grants to revitalize their distressed neighborhoods through the Hope VI program as well as the Choice Neighborhoods program. A well-known byproduct of many redevelopment projects carried out in distressed neighborhoods is the gentrification of the preexisting community. More than many other cities of its size, Memphis has been awarded five Hope VI grants. The city has also been awarded a planning grant for the Choice Neighborhoods program in pursuit of an implementation grant that will provide funds for further revitalization efforts. With the wealth of experience granted upon the Memphis Housing Authority (MHA), have they been able to tackle the issue of gentrification?

Efforts to relocate

“According to Memphis Housing Authority, 2,465 of 2,812 units in the five HOPE VI developments were demolished and 1,299 people were relocated. Of that number, 555 were relocated to other public housing, 522 used vouchers for new housing, and 222 relocated private-owned housing (Jones, 2008).” In 2011, the Cleaborn Homes public housing projects, containing 460 public units were destroyed. Of the 460 units, 419 were occupied (MHA, 2011). There were 195 available housing units after the demolition of Cleaborn Homes with 29 of them managed by the MHA and 146 of them privately managed (MHA, 2011). In order to provide the opportunity for all of the remaining residents to move back into the neighborhood, 224 units within the new development will have to be public housing. Another factor to consider in regards to gentrification are section 8 housing choice vouchers that encourage those who wish to move out of a neighborhood in search for a new environment. This still won’t provide enough housing being that 5,966 of the 6,057 vouchers were already used in 2010, leaving only 91 remaining vouchers (MHA, 2011). If these were used up to assist in the relocation of residents, then there are still 133 units needed to relocate the former residents of the Cleaborn Homes. The Choice Neighborhoods program offers a possible solution to combat displacement.

Is there a solution?

The Choice Neighborhoods program differs from that of Hope VI by enabling cities to address whole neighborhoods rather than focusing on a single public housing project. The Vance neighborhood, located in the Downtown area, encompasses two public housing projects. These are the Cleaborn Homes, the last public housing project to receive a Hope VI grant within the city, and Foote homes. Located just outside of the neighborhood is University Place, formerly known as the Lemoyne Owen Gardens.

The rest of the neighborhood contains a host of vacant properties that are suitable for rehabilitation. These properties can house displaced residents within the same neighborhood while keeping the community intact. There are 22 properties currently owned by the Shelby County Land Bank that are zoned for multi-family residential uses with a total area of 177,382 square feet. If a generous 2,000 square feet were allotted for each residential unit, then there exists a possibility to provide 88 housing units. If these units were all two stories, then 176 units are available. The maximum height allowed for multi-family properties is 45 feet. Although it’s possible yet improbable, space is available to construct 352 housing units using county owned property if construction on these properties were 4 stories in height.

There is an overwhelming amount of vacant historic properties available for rehabilitation as well. Some of these are owned by absentee landlords that choose not to invest or lack the ability to invest in their properties. On the intersection where Tate Avenue and Walnut Avenue meet exists a vacant multi-family complex with 38 housing units available. An additional 7 units on St. Paul Avenue provide suitable relocation units once rehabbed. Redevelopment on these properties scattered throughout the neighborhood removes the common eyesores associated with abandonment such as unmaintained lots, illegal dumping, broken windows, graffiti, and unstable structures. These lots also provide a breeding ground for rodents and pests that pester the community.

Benefits associated with the rehabilitation of these various properties include the reduction of gentrification as well as an increase in aesthetical value. Buildings of historical value will blend in with the newer properties providing a mix of housing types. The former residents of Cleaborn Homes will actually see a new neighborhood in the same location rather than a new neighborhood somewhere else. Will this work?

Sources:

Jones, T. (2008, October). The audacity of hope?. Memphis Magazine, Retrieved from http://www.memphismagazine.com/Memphis-Magazine/October-2008/The-Audacity-of-Hope/

City of Memphis, Memphis Housing Authority. (2011). Three-year strategy for 2011-2013 and fy 2011 action plan. Memphis: City of Memphis.