There’s a lot of buzz about the Liberty Property Trust news that they’ve had to write down the value of their new waterfront development by almost a third. Chief executive William Hankowsky described it like this:
“We had a very strong business plan going in,” Hankowsky said. “It just sort of basically hasn’t played itself out the way we had anticipated.”
There’s a lot to be written here — but I want to start with the basics: the more we know about development, the more we realize that in general, it’s a better strategy to focus on the types of quality-of-life issues that can support thriving city life rather than game-changing attractions like stadiums.
For years that lesson has been ignored in Camden, as the lure of suburban dollars has led to a waterfront separated from local community. While there are some signs that this is changing, too often it feels like the core lessons — that development depends on a core of healthy neighborhoods, and that ensuring healthy neighborhoods in Camden requires a collaborative effort with existing residents — are ignored.
But there are groups doing that work. One of my favorites, Camden Lutheran Housing, just started it’s fifth year of the decorative boarding program.
The program is simple: take abandoned homes and board them up in ways that add to neighborhood attractiveness rather than detract from it. Blighted homes are so difficult for neighborhoods — they are a logistical nightmare for homeowners, are often unsafe (especially for those who end up living in them) and they make it harder to build healthy, safe neighborhoods.
The decorative board-up process addresses that from the bottom-up, while simultaneously ensuring that houses retain enough value to eventually be renovated and lived-in. It’s an ideal grassroots development strategy, one that addresses a core need for current residents, while also building infrastructure so that a neighborhood can thrive in the future.
In other words, it’s the type of program Camden needs more of.
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I was apart of the first cohort of “Team Camden” that participated in the Decorative Board Up process in North Camden. This beautification process was eye opening when we went inside of some of the homes. While inside some of the homes we witnessed that some were in the process of redevelopment but the Great Recession hit and the projects were scrapped. For example, one home at 8th and State had brand new framing installed throughout with a brand new toolbox inside but the investor had to pull out during the financial crises. In response to Ms. Devenney, in an unofficial poll I took from North Camden residents during our project they were quite thankful of the beautification. As a result of the outreach done by CLHI to property owners and our beautification, two homes were renovated and occupied by tenants. The Decorative Board Up process is a low skill job creator, grassroots organizing and organic community building at its best!
Thanks Felix!
While the painted boards on vacant homes do look “nice” (compared to bare boards), I’m not sure I totally agree. Does CLHI own the houses it paints? In conversations with stubborn residents of North Camden who live on mostly boarded up streets, the painted flowers don’t spur much optimism.
CLHI certainly engages in good beautification projects, but how much are they really helping to secure North Camden? It’s primed for redevelopment, and other than cosmetic campaigns, I never got the impression that CLHI was doing all that much. They also work closely with Wells Fargo, as does PBCIP… which, of course, leaves me a bit suspicious.
Thanks Emily! I’m a bit more impressed with CLHI than that — think their work with the block supporters program is authentic and meaningful. I’m also higher on the decorative board program — in part because I think it can help stabilize neighborhoods and is an important alternative to demolitions which leaves neighborhoods in no-man’s land. But appreciate the feedback — and agree that many local nonprofits are making difficult decisions about funding sources/priorities etc.
Emily, we welcome your criticism and would be happy to give you a tour of what we are doing in North Camden, if you’re interested. We at CLHI are just one of many organizations working hard to make North Camden better. Check out our IG (@clhi_north) or website (clhi.org) to see some of it in action.
Wells Fargo is funding the collaborative implementation of neighborhood plans, and we certainly appreciate that in North Camden. This support, combined with other sources of funding (like NJDCA’s NRTC) makes it possible for CLHI and our partners to provide local jobs and implement community-based projects that make a difference for North Camden residents and families.
Last year, we hired two interns to study the effectiveness of Decorative Board Up in North Camden. They spoke to over 40 residents one-on-one (consented and recorded) and created a qualitative study that helped us improve the program in 2018. At the request of residents, we worked in more community art (where kids and local residents got to help paint) and incorporated the beautification of a blighted but occupied building on N. 7th Street by the intersection of Grant. We are also expanding to incorporate more maintenance, like trash removal and mowing in and around abandoned properties to minimize physical blight, per the request of residents. I share this so you know that the opinions of the residents we serve are very important to us.
Also worth noting – Decorative Board Up helps preserve North Camden’s housing stock. We are often boarding wide-open windows/doors and preventing houses from being exposed to the weather. The more homes that can be renovated instead of demolished, the better. We have enough vacant lots.
If you ever want to talk more, my email is jfranzini@clhi.org and my office number is (856) 342-8088. Here anytime!
Love this response .
I am so in agreement. The quote is telling: “We had a ….business plan”… I wonder if the community participated in the development of the plan. You can’t come in and plan for people’s lives, homes and communities without their input. You can’t plan for communities that you don’t understand, value and respect. You can’t develop a plan for others, expect them to carry out your plan, and then blame them when your plans fall through.
Thanks! We covered a bit of the “community input” elements of the plan — it was sparse. And let me know if you’d ever like to submit a guest post! You’re always welcome to share your thoughts here.