The Johns Hopkins Gazette: November 17, 1997
Nov. 17, 1997
VOL. 27, NO. 12

  

Johns Hopkins On Board For Homewood Renaissance

Johns Hopkins Gazette Online Edition

Two years of work by the 35 neighborhoods comprising the Greater Homewood community will culminate on Saturday, Nov. 22, when representatives will meet to approve a plan addressing concerns and future needs of the area. The Homewood Renaissance gathering will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Saint Philip and James Church, and all interested citizens are invited to attend.

A Declaration of Community--outlining beliefs for a united community made up of the religious organizations, businesses and institutions of Greater Homewood--is expected to be ratified. This is the result of a community-wide planning program in which Johns Hopkins has been an active participant. Representatives of the administration, faculty and Student Council have been involved in developing the plan.

In all, 37 projects were submitted for consideration by eight task forces; this list has been narrowed to 12, upon which the group expects to focus in the next five years. The projects on the agenda are as follows:

Action Center for Excellent Schools;

Comprehensive Community Building, to develop a strategy to attack problems on several fronts simultaneously;

Renaissance Community Development Corporation, to acquire and develop commercial and residential property, provide business development services and manage loan funds;

Jones Falls Watershed Revitalization, to restore the streams of the Jones Falls to health and to introduce sculpture and paths for walking and bicycling;

Citizen Action Center, to establish a resource center to provide services, information, technical assistance, space for meetings and training for community leaders;

Marketing Campaign for businesses and for residential properties;

Baltimore Bread, a barter system through which residents will exchange services such as lawn mowing;

Redevelop Vacant Houses;

Combined Force of Business Districts for Government Services, which will inform districts about policy and legislative issues;

ViewFinders, a curriculum designed for upper elementary levels, emphasizing the connections between the environment, community and aesthetics;

Safe and Sound Service Site, comprised of youths working on the group's projects;

Financial Incentives Marketing Program, to promote existing financial incentives to increase levels of home ownership.