THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 13, 1995 TAG: 9504130379
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MAC DANIEL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Long : 116 lines
The people of Huntersville, a 100-year-old community in northern Suffolk, have long been living on the edge.
Located in the shadow of the Suffolk water tower along Interstate 664, more than half of the 68 homes in this blue-collar community are deteriorating or dilapidated, more than a quarter are without sewer service and just as many are vacant.
But now that Huntersville has been chosen as one of two communities for an innovative city housing program, this community is preparing to help itself.
``I think it will bring us up to where we used to be,'' said Shirley Snellings, president of the Huntersville Civic League. ``This used to be a nice, clean neighborhood. Everyone worked together to keep it clean. Everyone was just as one.''
This revitalization is the first of its kind in Suffolk because it will eventually require residents - not the government - to initiate improvements in their neighborhoods. The long-term goal is to form nonprofit, community-based corporations that will coordinate and fund the work on their own.
This approach is picking up momentum nationwide. Local governments are finding that putting local residents in charge of their own communities increases the chances of success.
In the past, housing blight was fought with an infusion of city cash. Little emphasis was placed on making the community accountable for its own well-being.
Now, the city will attempt to end blight using the community as its greatest resource.
Huntersville and Hall Place, a small neighborhood within walking distance of downtown Suffolk, have been chosen by a 15-member task force as the first two communities to be part of the revitalization process.
The program, which should begin July 1, is geared toward improving the neighborhoods' housing stock, raising their quality of life and encouraging home ownership.
By forging partnerships with neighborhoods, government agencies at all levels, private nonprofit organizations, banks and the private sector, the program hopes to use grants to boost all aspects of neighborhood life - from education to security to recreation.
The participation of the neighborhood organizations is considered vital to the program's success.
Local, state and federal funding will help pay for the revitalization, but no money has been earmarked yet. The Suffolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority will coordinate the project's funding with the various groups.
Of the four neighborhoods that submitted applications, Huntersville ranked first. Hall Place ranked second.
Both neighborhoods were ranked according to the level of interest and participation in the community, the quality of housing and socioeconomic data.
The Olde Towne Civic League and the South Suffolk, Pleasant Hill and Orlando Civic League were the runners-up and will still receive some city help.
The highest-ranking submissions represent projects likely to succeed in fostering strong and growing communities, according to the final report of the Suffolk Affordable Housing Study Task Force.
With the help of the MECCA Foundation, a nonprofit housing organization based in Suffolk, and the Portsmouth Community Development Group, residents in Huntersville plan to clean up the neighborhood, remove abandoned cars, eliminate substandard housing, develop vacant land, widen and resurface local roads and receive support to carry out neighborhood development.
Residents of Hall Place, one of Suffolk's oldest neighborhoods, where absentee landlords have turned once-grand homes into dilapidated rental properties, hope to demolish these homes, turn vacant land into public space and decrease traffic through the neighborhood.
Using federal transportation grants, they hope to create landscaping that will encourage people to walk from Hall Place into downtown Suffolk.
James P. Armstrong, executive director of the Suffolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, said Tuesday that the unity in Huntersville heavily influenced the task force. The neighborhood civic league has been sponsoring community cleanups for years and, despite a grim future, has remained cohesive.
``That showed a fairly high level of involvement and interest,'' Armstrong said.
Hall Place won its place using a ``community-based, grass-roots approach to things,'' he said.
In addition to some financial help, city officials hope next year's budget will help create a position within the housing authority that would serve as a liaison between the chosen communities and the authority.
The liaison, Armstrong said, would work with the communities ``so that they can become the primary movers.''
``If there are buildings that need to be demolished, how do we identify them? How do we get clear title to the property? One governmental entity really cannot take care of 100 percent of the issues. That's what we're trying to do here.''
All of the hard work is yet to come, he said.
``It's not too difficult to take a bulldozer out and demolish property. But it is rather time-consuming to make plans in a community to get that bulldozer out.''
Javoun Smallwood, director of the MECCA Foundation, is ready for the challenge. ``We recognize that there is a lot of work,'' he said. ``But the table is set for a tremendous success there.'' ILLUSTRATION: Residents prepare to help themselves
[Color Photo]
CHRISTOPHER REDDICK
Staff
Shirley Snellings, president of the Huntersville Civic League,
discusses plans to revitalize the neighborhood with the Rev.
Malachia Pork, center, and James White. They are standing on a
vacant lot that will soon be the site of a new home.
Map
KEN WRIGHT/STAFF
KEYWORDS: REVITALIZATION HUNTERSVILLE REHABILITATION by CNB