Explanation
This legislation authorizes and directs the Division of Neighborhood Services to enter into an agreement with the Greater Linden Development Corporation to support the Linden Crime Prevention Partnership. Greater Linden suffers from many of the challenges of similarly situated urban transitional neighborhoods. Negative perceptions regarding safety issues in Linden have discouraged business development and prospective homeowners. Strong crime prevention and nuisance abatement initiatives provide a heightened sense of community well being and will enhance Linden's attractiveness to businesses and current and prospective residents alike.
The Greater Linden Development Corporation has been working in conjunction with the North and South Linden Area Commissions, the Greater Linden Advisory Council, The Greater Linden Blockwatch Alliance, and the Greater Linden Business Network, the Columbus Division of Police, and City Code Enforcement in an effort to define the problem and formulate a solution. Out of the discussion came many safety initiatives that will be carried out by the Greater Linden Development Corporation including:
Greater Linden Blockwatch Alliance
To strengthen the Blockwatch network, it is the goal of the Greater Linden Development Corporation to: 1) Conduct monthly Blockwatch Alliance meetings and trainings, and schedule educational speakers for at least half of those monthly Blockwatch meetings; 2) Distribute information on the Blockwatch program to targeted neighborhoods (two to four-blocks in size) that will encourage increased participation in the Blockwatch program; 3) Continue to work closely with Greater Linden's community liaison officers from the Division of Police to provide additional training on crime prevention and safety for participating Blockwatch members; 4) Promote a "Know Nine Neighbors" campaign that encourages residents to meet their neighbors and build stronger neighborhoods; 5) And finally, implement a "Blockwalk" program encouraging Blockwatch participants to walk their streets on a regular basis, thus increasing resident involvement in community crime prevention and promoting healthy activity.
Nuisance and Weed Abatement Programs
Greater Linden Development Corporation in collaboration with Linden's Area Commissions has been developing and implementing a program in an effort to continue to take proactive steps to eliminate environmental blight throughout the year. The program includes: 1) Coordinating a neighborhood-based nuisance abatement program to assist the City in expediting due process on properties, with a particular focus on blighted properties along the community's main commercial corridors; 2) verifying and working to resolve approximately 100 reports of neighborhood nuisances during the year in collaboration with code enforcement, the health department, the division of police, or other community partners as needed; 3) Implementation of an aggressive letter campaign asking Linden property owners who are not adequately maintaining their properties to participate in Linden's improvement initiatives by cleaning up their properties; 4) A process of commending property owners who have made noticeable improvements to their properties or who consistently maintain beautiful properties will be employed. GLDC will also be encouraging absentee landlord cooperation in eliminating environmental blight and enhancing the physical appearance of properties through the Linden Landlord Link and the Greater Linden Landlord Association.
Title
To authorize and direct the appropriation of $50,000.00 within the Public Safety Initiatives Fund; to authorize and direct the Director of Development to enter into an agreement with the Greater Linden Development Corporation to support the Linden Crime Prevention Partnership; to authorize the expenditure of $50,000.00 from the Public Safety Initiatives Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($50,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Greater Linden Development Corporation has been serving the Greater Linden area of Columbus since 1994, created as a direct result of resident involvement in determining the future course of Linden through the South Linden Development Project conducted by Downtown Columbus, Inc, and;
WHEREAS, Nuisance abatement and safety in the Linden area are critically important issues that the Greater Linden Development Corporation has been committed to, and;
WHEREAS, the Greater Linden Development Corporation has been working in conjunction with the North and South Linden Area Commissions, the Greater Linden Advisory Council, The Greater Linden Blockwatch Alliance, and the Greater Linden Business Network, the Columbus Division of Police, and City Code Enforcement in an effort to define the areas for improvement, and;
WHEREAS, out of those discussions came many safety initiatives that will be carried out by the Greater Linden Development Corporation including the Greater Linden Blockwatch Alliance and Nuisance and Weed Abatement Programs, and;
WHEREAS, these projects seek to establish partnerships that are not only geared toward crime and safety, but that also enhance economic and neighborhood development as well as promote neighborhood beautification, and;
WHEREAS, because of the wide-ranging impacts of these programs, including public safety concerns, Councilmember Michael C. Mentel sponsors this legislation and deems it an appropriate use of a portion of the $2 million Public Safety Initiatives Fund created by Council in its 2006 budget amendments, and;
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City, in that it is immediately necessary to support Greater Linden Development Corporation programming for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS
SECTION 1. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to appropriate $50,000.00 within the Public Safety Initiatives Fund, 016, to the Division of Neighborhood Services, Department 44-05, OL1 03, OL3 3337, OCA 440280
SECTION 2. That the Development Director be and is hereby authorized and directed to enter into agreement with the Greater Linden Development Corporation, to support the Linden Crime Prevention Partnership, and to expend $50,000.00 for said purpose from the Public Safety Initiatives Fund.
SECTION 3. That this contract is awarded pursuant to Section 329.15 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, as amended.
SECTION 4. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same