East Gainesville revitalization workshop draws crowd
Improving transportation, parks, shops, services, community spaces and housing were the key issues discussed at an east Gainesville community workshop.
Hosted Wednesday by the city of Gainesville and East University Ave Choice Neighborhood Plan, the workshop featured east Gainesville residents voicing their thoughts about the construction of new housing and neighborhood improvements in the area that could result from a $500,000 Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant from the federal government to create a plan to redevelop the Gainesville Housing Authority’s Lake Terrace and Pine Meadows properties and improve the surrounding East University Avenue neighborhood.
“I’m very excited by the number of people that came out and we got a feel of what they wanted,” Pamela Davis, GHA’s chief executive officer said during the workshop held at Mount Carmel Baptist Church in northeast Gainesville. “The more people come out, the more input they will have. We want to know from the community what they are looking for so the plan can get us in the running for the implementation grant.”
The Choice Neighborhood includes Duval Heights and North Lincoln Heights, and the initiative’s goal is to fix old and run-down public housing and revitalize the surrounding neighborhoods.
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The planning process began in fall 2023 and will end in late 2025.
“Our community was blessed to receive this recognition,” Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward said. “The federal government took a special interest to help our city. What really matters is that you all are here to give the city and the East University Ave Choice Neighborhood Plan an opportunity to hear what you want and what you have to say.”
Tabitha Williams, GHA’s community ambassador, spoke about what she would like to see with the neighborhood upgrade.
“Healthcare and taking care of our elders and children is very important for our community,” Williams said. “We need to keep them (children) preoccupied during the summer.”
Gainesville is one of 14 cities nationwide who received the grant, said Adam Rosa, founder of COLLABO, a planning and urban design firm that specializes in innovative and equitable neighborhood revitalization projects.
“We’re excited to partner with you all today to talk about community empowerment,” Rosa said. “We really want to bring action to this vision. This shouldn’t be a document that’s sitting on a shelf. It should be brought into action.”
A successful planning process could lead to GHA being able to apply for a $30 to $50 million grant to use for reinvestment in the area, Rosa said.
The implementation process will take several years after the planning process is done, Rosa said.
Before and after pictures of a similar revitalization process in Tampa were shown at the workshop by Rosa.
According to Choice Neighborhoods (CN), the initiative seeks to benefit current GHA residents by planning to replace all 180 housing units at Lake Terrace and Pine Meadows and provide additional mixed-income housing opportunities in the neighborhood.
There was dissent from some community members about the revitalization process of the neighborhood having mixed income housing.
It will be harder for lower income residents to be selected as tenants of mixed-income housing, said community activist Chanae Jackson.
“When there is a housing crisis, people with more means have more choices for housing,” Jackson said. “I’m extremely frustrated because I sat with consultants on what we would like to see. In order to address the violence, you have to address the basic needs first.”
The community must focus on food, education and economic development, Jackson said.
“We keep doing things that are performative and our inequities are the highest in the state,” Jackson said. “When we talk about jobs and economic development, remember, you have to be specific. We’ve been having the same conversations over and over again. The people who need to be here are not here because they are working two to three jobs. We need to be knocking on doors.”
The planning process will move forward with focus groups, said Davis, CEO of GHA.
Those interested in joining the focus groups should visit gainesvillechoice.com.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Revitalization discussed at workshop in east Gainesville
