Solving Blight
From large cities like Detroit and Cleveland, to countless small towns across the country, any place can struggle with Blight. When any city experiences events that change the economy drastically, the effects are felt far beyond downtown. Globalization, rapidly changing technology, and other econimic shifts have left cities across the nation reeling from factory closures and job losses. This has resulted in a shrinking tax base and massive budget shortfalls. Soon, infrastructure becomes unmanagable, residents aren’t able to maintain properties, and people start to leave. Even as the local economy stabilizes over time, the ripple effect on our residential neighborhoods can last for decades.
Here’s the simple truth: If blight is left unchecked, it will spread.
Our simple system will help you and your city to stop the spread now, stabilize your neighborhoods, and ultimately eliminate blight once and for all. The best part is, this program is 100% volunteer led. You don’t need your city’s support (althought that does help)! House by house and block by block, you can start making changes today that will positively affect your city for generations to come.
Getting Started
Step 1 – Start With Data
A simple system to map your entire town (Video Included):
Data is the key to the process. You may perceive a problem that isn’t there and no two people have the same perception of a problem, but the data does not lie. It is the great equalizer in the constant arguments between the believers and the naysayers. If we can all start with data, then a real conversation can begin on how to solve the problem.
Step 2 – Analyze
Once you have your data, you can begin to analyze problem areas and patterns. Hopefully you will have noticed areas where work can begin and you are beginning to see hope in what previously looked like an insurmountable problem.
Remember, you’re playing a long game here. The issues in our cities were not created in a day and they won’t be solved in a day. Over time, small changes will add up to create massive transformation. Years from now, your town will be unrecognizable from the town you live in now. Just keep moving forward.
Find the simplest 10% of projects (your low hanging fruit) and the most difficult 10% (the ones that will need the greatest intervention) and then move on to the next step.
Step 3 – Organize
Chances are, you can’t make the changes you’re hoping for by yourself, so in this step, we will begin to organize the other awesome individuals and groups in your community to show them the data, and begin to come up with a plan to move forward together.
Start by making an inventory of your community groups that would be most likely to help tackle some of these projects. This would be your local churches, civic organizations, lead businesses, etc. Begin to make calls, send emails, and follow up with direct messages to explain the system to your community groups and see if they would be willing to take on a project or two (or 10…or 20…). Have a meeting with the leaders of those groups to decide how you will get materials, organize labor, cover insurance, and coordinate with property owners.
This step should also include the beginning of heavy social media marketing to get more individual volunteers. Perhaps there is a new group that could form of the people who want to focus solely on this long-term project. There is probably way more talent and passion in your community than you currently realize. They just need vision and direction, which is exactly what you will provide for them!
One of our most successful projects was organized by our local Habitat for Humanity. The community completed 20 projects in one day with volunteers from many churches and organizations across the County. Chances are, you have many people that are waiting to help make the city better. Your job is to find them!
Step 4 – Delegate and Empower
Now it starts to get really exciting! Assign groups to projects. Put dates on the calendar along with tasks for each project. Tasks might include submitting a volunteer list, promotion, buying materials, making sure leaders are in place who know what they are doing. Calling experts to help teach and train volunteers in a trade (painters, contractors, power washers, etc.).
Promote, promote, promote! Use social media to give multiple weekly updates and reminders. Use community calendars, local newspapers, tv, radio, and anything else you can use to promote positivity and to increase engagement.
Don’t be afraid to start small. In the beginning, we had less than a dozen people who simply set out the cut grass at abandoned properties. We still promoted it, documented the change, and celebrated the small victories. Chances are, most of the people in your city won’t want to engage with this effort until they know that it’s going to last. They’ve seen things start and fizzle out quickly and they will be skeptical until they see some lasting change. That’s ok. You’ll win them over soon. “Here we go again…” will change to “Here we GO!” in time. Stay positive and be consistent in your positive attitude and your relentless pursuit of improvement, no matter how small.
Step 5 – Hold Accountable
Several times during your work season, make sure projects are ready to move forward. Are the leaders, volunteers, and materials ready for the project day?
On the project day, be present! Get your hands dirty and help if possible. Find a way to bless your volunteers. (T-shirts, lunch, water, etc.) The little things go a long way. Remember, we’re not trying to simply complete a project, we’re trying to build a community. That means relationships are the primary goal here. Projects are still important, but are secondary to building community.
After the project. Who will handle any loose ends on projects not fully completed? Do we need to reschedule? Do it right away. What problems came up and how can we avoid them next time? What tools would make the job easier in the future? Which volunteers could be leaders? How can we share what was done?
Step 6 – Track Progress
At the end of the working season, you should complete your community survey again. Track how many properties were completed, how many improved, and the net improvement. This is pivotal data to communicate to all of your groups, volunteers, and local media.
At the end of 2020, we completed a survey of the progress for the year. We were shocked to find how much progress was made during a year that was very difficult to gather volunteers. The community still came together to make amazing progress, but we would have never known how much until we gathered updated data
Step 7 – Celebrate
Invite all of your volunteers to come and celebrate together. Invite the whole community and give awards for the top volunteers. Show pictures, videos, and share testimonies of the progress that was made. It doesn’t matter what you do, but try to make it a big deal, because it is! For many years your town may have been going backwards, but that stopped now and you’re moving forward. That’s worth celebrating!
When we began Summer of Serve (Our weekly volunteering days on every Saturday through the summer) in 2014, we always made sure to build in a celebration after our last Saturday of work. Food, music, and rest together are so important. It’s easy to forget all that’s been done, so it’s a great time to review the work completed, recognize exceptional volunteers, and congratulate everyone on the progress, no matter how big or small.
Our final workday and simple celebration in 2018
Step 8 – Feedback and Planning For Next Year
Survey your groups, leaders, and volunteers on what they would like to see changed next year. Make sure to actually make some of the changes and communicate them if necessary. People need to know that their feedback is valuable and made a difference. They will be more likely to give feedback in the future and that is too important to waste.
Review your map. Did you accomplish what you set out to do? Is there a street or neighborhood that you could focus on next year? Is there a type of project that you’re really good at? How could you do more of those? Is there something that you struggled with? What experts could you call to make it easier next time? What equipment do you need or want that would make things run more smoothly? Do you need to fundraise to make this sustainable? How will you do that and when? Put it on the calendar now.
How can you use marketing better next year? How can you communicate better with volunteers? How can you find more leaders? What would make the celebration more fun and impactful? How can you make it bigger and meet the goal faster? What relationships do you need to keep active between now and next year? Make a plan and write it down. Put dates in your phone and continue to make progress weekly, even in the down time.
Step 9 – Rest
This can be an all-consuming adventure that will wear you down. Burnout is real and rest is vital to avoid it. You and your leaders must create down time to recuperate. Don’t neglect it and don’t apologize for it. Take some time away. You’ll come back filled with passion and creativity to do it all again next year.
We’ve made it a familiy goal to take some time in a quiet place for at least a week each year to recooperate and forget about all of the goals for a little bit. If you can’t get away, at least take several days at home with a good book or explore your local trails. You will accopmlish more if you take time to rest.
One of my favorite places to get away from it all.
Need help getting started?
We’d love to partner with you to change your town. Contact us by email or reach out on social media and we’ll set up a time to discuss the best way to help you move forward. Don’t wait! Your city needs you and you have all you need to get started making a positive difference today. Every journey begins with a single step, and we’d love to walk alongside you on this amazing adventure.
Recent Updates on Solving Blight
Western Pennsylvania Town Begins Blight Remediation Program
Apollo PA starts their journey to clean up blight!
Borough officials from Apollo PA reached out to GCITW last month in order to begin the process of starting a local initiate to stop the spread of blight.
For several decades following the closure of local manufacturers, the town has struggled to stabilize their residential neighborhoods. Borough Council is trying to make things better, and they are making progress, but it’s increasingly difficult to continue progress with shrinking budgets.
Just a half hour north of Apollo, Kittanning PA has been making progress through the GCITW system. They have documented a 24% improvement in their residential housing in just two years through a community led initiative. Apollo is hoping to make similar progress through local partnerships including churches, other non-profit organizations, business, and Borough Council support.
Please join us in praying for them as they move forward and make sure to check back for updates.
Do you have a story of good news in your town? Submit an article with a picture or video and we’ll share it here! We’re all about sharing ideas and spreading positivity and we’d love to have you join us on the journey to revitalize small towns across the nation.