s. apopka action plan merge

8/2/2019 S. Apopka Action Plan Merge

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Safe Neighborhood

South ApopkaAction PlanAugust 2009


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South Apopka Safe Neighborhood 1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Orange County Mayor

Richard T. Crotty

Board of County Commissioners

S. Scott Boyd, District 1

Fred Brummer, District 2

Mildred Fernandez, District 3

Linda Stewart, District 4

Bill Segal, District 5

Tiffany Moore-Russell, District 6

Orange County Government

Ajit Lalchandani, County Administrator

Melvin Pittman, DirectorCommunity and Environmental Services Department

Lavon B. Williams, ManagerNeighborhood Services Division

Orange County Safe Neighborhood Program

Arthur Hall, Safe Neighborhood Program Coordinator

South Apopka Safe Neighborhood

Rogers Beckett, President

Pastor Hezekiah Bradford, Vice president

Allison Moore, Secretary

Pastor Richard King

Jackie Massey


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements Page 1

Table of Contents Page 2

Introduction Page 3

Location Page 4

History Page 5

Citizen Participation Strategy Page 6

Demographics Page 6

Land Use Page 11

Transportation Page 11

Parks and Recreation Page 12

Public Services Page 12

Community Projects Page 14

Community Issues Page 15

Action Plan Page 16


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INTRODUCTION

A landmark neighborhood revitalization tool which targets Orange Countys older andtransitioning neighborhoods, the Safe Neighborhoods Program is designed to assist residents in

reclaiming their communities before crime and deterioration create blighted and slum conditions.The program focuses on partnering citizens with the Sheriffs Office, Orange CountyDepartments and Divisions, the private sector, community stakeholders and others tocollaboratively preserve and stabilize neighborhoods.

In summer 2000, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners pre-selected eight SafeNeighborhood communities. Designated community representative from each communitycompleted and submitted Safe Neighborhood applications. The Safe Neighborhoods SelectionCommittee reviewed and ranked each application based on defined selection criteria.

The Safe Neighborhood Program is structured around reclaiming transitioning communities. A

transitioning community is one that may not appear distressed on the surface, but may displayelements that can contribute to its decline. In addition to rising incidents of crime, a communityin transition exhibits increased code enforcement violations and some minor structural disrepair.

With characteristics that epitomize a transitioning community, South Apopka can be considereda model Safe Neighborhood community. During the past several years, South Apopka hasexperienced increases in crime, visual decay, declining property values and diminishingcommunity unity. However, the community is energized by enthusiastic residents and businessowners who are committed to reclaiming their community. This combination offers the idealsetting for revitalizing South Apopka through the Safe Neighborhood Program, which iscommitted to partnering the necessary people, groups, agencies and organizations to ensuresuccessful community rebuilding.

Community residents, business owners and stakeholders will work with Orange County leadersand staff to develop a Safe Neighborhood Action Plan. The Action Plan will provide a profile ofeach community including demographic information, land use and zoning data, communityinfrastructure and so forth. The Action Plan will further define each communitys core issuesand propose projects and programs to address specific issues.

The Action Plan will guide the revitalization of the Safe Neighborhood community within itsfirst year. Thereafter, the Action Plan will establish the foundation for a more detailed andcomprehensive Safe Neighborhood Plan. The Safe Neighborhood Plan will be developed andrefined with critical input from each community.


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LOCATION

The South Apopka Safe Neighborhood lies within and directly adjacent to the City of Apopka. Itis located in Orange County Commission District 2, in the Northwest area of the county. The

area is approximately 15 miles from downtown Orlando. It is bounded by U.S. 411 to the North;Sheeler Road to the East; Cleveland Road to the South and Marden to Bradshaw Road to theWest (Map 1). The area consists of property located within the City of Apopka limits andportions of unincorporated Orange County. However, most of the projects will concentrate inthe unincorporated area. The South Apopka Safe Neighborhood is approximately 2.1 squaremiles.


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HISTORY

South Apopka has a rich history of families and events-it is a close community bound bycommon heritage. The communitys early development occurred in the late 1800s and early

1900s when lumber companies began building living quarters in South Apopka for their blackemployees. More blacks continued to move to the community for agricultural jobs through the1930s, when segregation was accepted as normal. This living pattern was made official in 1937with the passage of local laws segregating blacks from the white community. Although the lawswere later rescinded, the segregation pattern remained.

In the mid-1940s, additional blacks moved to South Apopka to obtain work at a local crate mill.The crate mill was one of two major employers in the area. A large number of these blacksmigrated from the cotton fields of Alabama and other Southern states with the goal of securingjobs at the crate mill. South Apopkas development was closely tied to the success of the cratemill. Eighty-two percent (82%) of South Apopka adult residents were employed during this

period. Many people purchased land to build homes, businesses, churches and a school.Although South Apopka has remained predominantly a black community, through the years, asignificant Hispanic and Haitian community also developed as a result of the historic availabilityof agricultural employment.

The closing of the crate mill and the decline of the agricultural industry because of the freezes of1983, 1985 and 1989 contributed to the eventual deterioration of the South Apopka community.Most of South Apopkas current problems stem from this loss of employment opportunities.

Since early 1991, the South Apopka area has been the focus of an innovative and collaborativeeffort to rebuild a distressed community. The story of South Apopka involves citizens,community-based organizations, private industry, public agencies, the City of Apopka andOrange County. Empowerment, revitalization, partnerships, involvement and holistic servicedelivery were the core objectives in restoring the community.

Also in 1991, the Apopka Coalition to Improve Our Neighborhood (ACTION) was created. Theprimary function of this group focuses on the improvement of the South Apopka area. In thepast, ACTION has taken a proactive approach to empowering the residents of the community.The residents and community organizations of South Apopka have consistently demonstrated ahigh level of community support and dedication to the revitalization of their neighborhood.


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CITIZEN PARTICIPATION STRATEGY

The collective efforts of ACTION and Orange County have produced effective programs such as job fairs, small business seminars and youth programs and activities. Continued efforts areneeded, however, to change and improve the economic development status of South Apopka.

The Safe Neighborhoods program is a continuation of the revitalization process.

Initially, a core group of community leaders will begin the frame work for reviewing andupdating all existing strategies for revitalizing South Apopka. The core group will consist ofcitizens, church leaders, community organization representatives and business owners. That coregroup still exists and is working toward building their networking capacity for communityinvolvement.

Citizens will continue to participate in community meetings and dialogues. Citizens will alsoplay an important role in project prioritization and will aid in project implementation. Whennecessary, community surveys and events will also assist in gathering information from the

community.

DEMOGRAPHICS

The demographic profile for the South Apopka area is based on 2000 census data and 2005estimated data. These combined sources provide information and insight into the South Apopkacommunity. The South Apopka area is located in census Tract 176.00.

Demographic information may be used to provide informational background on the SouthApopka community. Characteristics for South Apopka are compared with countywidedemographic data. The demographic data reviewed in this section include:

1. Population Characteristics 2. Household Income3. Housing Characteristics 4. Educational Attainment5. Employment Characteristics


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Population Characteristics: Table A shows the population characteristics for the South Apopkacommunity and Orange County. Based on the 2000 census information, the total population ofSouth Apopka is 4,963. The total population for Orange County is 877,091. The table indicatesthat the majority of the South Apopka community population is African American (71%).Another trend to examine is the Hispanic population. The Hispanic population increased in both

South Apopka and Orange County as a whole.

Table A: 2000 Estimated Population CharacteristicsSouth Apopka Orange

County

Total Population 4,963 877,091Total Families 1,124 220,258Total Households 1,610 336.286Total % White 27.7% 68.6%Total % Black 71% 18%

Total % Asian 0.1% 4%Total % Other 7% 3%Total % Hispanic Population 16.9% 18.8%

Table B shows Population by Age characteristics. The 2000 census estimates show thatapproximately thirty-eight 38% of the South Apopka residents are children ages 18 and under.Sixty percent (60%) of the residents are 19 and older, compared to 71% for the countywidedistribution. The difference in the percentage of adults is mostly due to the smaller percentage of21 to 34 years olds, which may be related to lack of employment opportunities.

Table B: 2000 Estimated Population by AgeAge Group South Apopka Orange

County

5yrs and under 9.7% 6.8%5 to 9 yrs 10.3% 7.3%10 to 14 yrs 9.3% 7.1%15 to 19 yrs 8.2% 7.1%20 to 24 yrs 7.7%* 7.9%25 to 34 yrs 13.6%* 16.6%35 to 44 yrs 14% 17.1%

55 to 59 yrs 4.2%* 4.2%60 to 64 yrs 3.1% 3.3%65 to 74 yrs 5.2 5.575 to 84 yrs 2.9 3.585 years and over 1.4 1.1


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Housing Characteristics: Table C delineates the total number of housing units as well as thepercentage of owner occupied and renter occupied housing units. Over forty percent (48%) ofthe residents in South Apopka reside in owner occupied housing and almost half (51%) of thehousing units are renter occupied. With an area person per household figure at 3.11, SouthApopka households are more likely to be larger than the average household in Orange County.

This may be attributable to the larger percentage of children in the area. With an average builtyear of 1969, the, housing units in South Apopka are slightly older than housing units within theCounty which have an average built date of 1976.

Table C: Housing CharacteristicsSouth Apopka Orange

County

Total # Housing Units 1,788 361,349Persons Per Household 3.11 2.39Owner Occupied 48.7% 60.7%

Renter Occupied 51.3% 39.3%Vacant 10.2% 6.9%Median year structure built 1969 1976

Housing Conditions: There are many measures for determining the condition of housing.Generally, substandard housing may be measured by certain indicators, such as availability ofwater and heat. Tables D through F represent a general profile of housing conditions. Tables Dand E represents the various sources of water and heating fuel respectively, while Table Fdelineates kitchen and plumbing facilities. Overall, housing infrastructure within South Apopkais comparable to Orange County as a whole. However, more South Apopka residents (24%) use

utility gas for a heat source as compared to the County.

Table D: Water SourceSouth Apopka Orange

County

Public system/Private company 92% 92%Individual well 8% 8%Other 0% 0%

Table E: Housing Heating FuelSouth Apopka Orange

CountyUtility gas 18.2% 6.3%Bottled, tank, or LP gas 6.3% 1.7%Electricity 69.1% 89.2%Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. 4.6% 1.8%Wood .07% 0.1%No fuel used 1.2% 0.8%


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Table F: Kitchen & Plumbing FacilitiesSouth Apopka Orange

County

Kitchen FacilitiesComplete facilities 98.6% 99.6%

Lacking complete facilities 1.4% 0.4%Plumbing FacilitiesComplete facilities 100% 99.7%Lacking complete facilities 0% 0.3%

Household Income: Based on the 2000 census, Table G shows that the median householdincome within South Apopka is $16,726, substantially lower than the County median of $41,311.Over thirty-percent of individuals in South Apopka for whom poverty could be determined haveincomes below the poverty level, while only twelve-percent of the total County population has

income below poverty. The lack of income and lack of employment for South Apopka residentshas contributed to the decline of the community.

Table G: Household IncomeSouth Apopka Orange

County

Median Household Income $16,726 $41,311Median Family Income $17,732 $47,159Ratio of Income to Poverty

Under .50 16% 5%

.51 to .74 7% 3%.75 to .99 10% 4%


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Educational Attainment: Table H identifies the level of educational attainment for SouthApopka adult residents (mostly 18 yrs and over). The table shows that over half (60%) of thepopulation of South Apopka does not have a high school diploma. A little over thirty (31.2%)percent does have a high school diploma, but very few residents have attempted or completedcollege. Educational attainment is a determinant is employment and income, and accounts for

the number of individuals with incomes below poverty level.

Table H: Educational AttainmentSouth Apopka Orange

County

Less than 9th

Grade 26% 6%9th to 12th Grade, no diploma 34.2% 12.7%High School Graduate 19.5% 25.8%Some college, no degree 3.6% 14.7%Associates degree 3% 3.1%

Bachelors degree 4.8% 18.3%Graduate or professional degree 0.9% 1.9%

Employment Status. Table I identifies employment status by gender for South Apopkaresidents who are 16 years or older.

Table I: Employment Status by GenderSouth Apopka Orange

County

Armed Forces 0% 0.1%

Employed 57.4% 64.6%Unemployed 5.5% 3.4%Not in labor force 37.1% 31.9%


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LAND USE

In order to gain a better understanding of the South Apopka community, a brief description ofthe areas land use and zoning follows. Although portions of the area are within city boundaries,only the Countys land use and zoning is reported.

Future Land Use: The future land use in South Apopka is fairly consistent and compatible.Most of the residential development consists of Low-Density residential, which consist of up to 4dwelling units per acre. There is some Low-Medium Density (allows 10 dwelling units per acre)and Medium Density (allows 20 dwelling units per acre) within the South Apopka area.Developments in these areas would include the former location of Hawthorne Village, which issoon to become New Horizons (a 56 affordable housing unit project). The nonresidential usesinclude Institutional (which is Wheatley Elementary) and an Industrial area along ApopkaBoulevard.

There are a large number of vacant parcels in South Apopka unincorporated Orange County(tract 176) and the City of Apopka. Many of these parcels or enclaves have been included withinthe Orange County neighborhood revitalization plan as well as the Brownfield redevelopmentplan. Conceptually the goal is to enhance the character of development within the South Apopkaarea through a consistent and compatible land-use pattern.(Map 3)

Zoning: For the most part, the zoning in South Apopka is consistent with future land use. Thezoning designation for the residential areasHowever, a few commercial zoned properties and located in residential future land use areas.Also, along 13thStreet to the south is an L shaped property that is zoned industrial, but has aresidential land use. These inconsistent uses may be due to pre-existing uses that were allowed tocontinue. (Map 4)

TRANSPORTATION

Roads: Major roadways include, US Highway 441, Park Avenue/Clarcona Road (County Road435), Ocoee-Apopka Road (County Road 437A), and Alabama Avenue/Apopka Boulevard(County Road 424). Additional road expansions include the 429 expansion to US HW 441 andsr 414 has been expanded to US HW 441.

Bicycles and Pedestrians: The South Apopka community is not bicycle or pedestrian friendly.Narrow local roads without sidewalks place bicyclists and pedestrians directly in the flow oftraffic. Often times parked cars decrease roadway space increasing the danger for bicyclists andpedestrians. This is particularly a problem for elementary students who walk to WheatlyElementary. Several roadway improvements have been planned and are underway in thecommunity to correct the problem.


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PARKS AND RECREATION

Parks: Wheatly Park is a six-acre park located at Wheatly Elementary School on 18th

Street. Itis a full service recreation facility that features and amphitheater and tot-lot. Other amenities

include picnic pavilions, a boat ramp, fishing, and tennis courts. Wheatly Park serves as a sightfor the Night Time Basketball League, held three times a week for three-month periods.

Community Centers: The John H. Bridges Center, located in the northwest section of SouthApopka, is a major public asset that has produced positive change in the community.Administered by the Orange County Heath and Family Services Division, the Bridges Centerfacilitates numerous programs and activities, including educational classes. The center also isthe host site for job fairs, small business seminars, a Head Start program, family developmentprograms, parenting skills seminars, female enrichment and male mentor programs, computer labtraining and youth/teen socials. In addition the Center for Drug Free Living hosts severalprograms at the Bridges Center. The McKnight Achievers program is also housed at the Center.

PUBLIC SERVICES

Police: The Orange County Sheriffs Office will play an integral role in reshaping the image ofthe Pine Hills Community. The community falls within Zone 11.

Fire: The closest Orange County Fire Rescue Station is Station # 28, which is located a fewmiles south of the target area. However, service can also be received from Station #27 located tothe northeast of the area.

Libraries: The North Orange Library located on SR436 is just east of the community, butrequires that residents drive to the site. Some library services are available at the Bridges Centerand through Wheatley Elementary. Bookmobiles sometimes serve the areas as well.

Schools: Phyllis Wheatley Elementary School is located in the southwest area of South Apopkaon 18th Street. The school is very unique to the area for a number of reasons. First, the schoolserves as the only educational facility in the community. The schools historical presence is ofcultural importance to the community. In addition to providing services to grades K-6, theschool offers tutoring and computer literacy training. The enrollment for Wheatley as of January2, 2001 was 487. However, the total capacity for the school is 1,182. Low enrollment may bedue to students not returning from holiday vacations.


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Churches: The South Apopka community boasts of a diverse array of churches of all sizes andfaiths. In fact, within and just outside the communitys boundaries are approximately sixteen(16) churches. Table J delineates each church.

Table J: South Apopka ChurchesChurch Name Address

Tenth Street Church of Christ 157 10th Street WestNew Hope Missionary Baptist 927 Central Avenue SouthEighth Street Church of God 232 8th Street WestChurch Temple of Faith, Inc. 1028 South Lake AvenueCommunity Holy Temple 1200 Central Avenue SouthLighthouse Tabernacle ofPrayer

1151 Central Avenue

St. Elizabeth Holiness Church 1218 Old Apopka RoadFreedom Ministries Church 1348 Old Apopka Road

Holy Community Temple 237 13

th

Street WestSoutheastern Conference ofChurches

23 16th Street West

House of God Church 1261 Central Avenue SouthCentral Florida District Church 1425 Hawthorne Avenue

SouthChurch of the Living God 125 Cleveland Street WestMacedonia Free MethodistChurch

1465 Central Avenue South

Harvest Time Tabernacle 227 Hawthorne Avenue SouthFirst Haitian Church (Nazarene) 1428 Lake Avenue South

Social Programs: Listed below is a summary of the wide range of social programs available inSouth Apopka.

Office for Farmworker Ministry serves Hispanic, Haitian and black farmworkers by providesassistance in legal matters.

The Apopka Community Health Center serves as the primary health care center in the

community. The clinic is a non-profit organization that offers routine health services on a slidingfee schedule.

Homes In Partnership (HIP) provides quality built, affordable, single family housing to lowincome families.

Justice & Peace Office is a non-profit organization working for the empowerment of rural andurban minority communities by providing a self-help center.


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Womens Auxiliary-Concerned Citizens of Apopka teaches minority women leadershipdevelopment skills and allows participants to share and learn from one another.

Community Trust Federal Credit Union provides residents with a place to bank, obtain loans,

establish credit and develop good savings habits.

Single Mothers in a Learning Environment (SMILE) is designed to empower low-incomeminority mothers in South Apopka by offering leadership workshops, GED classes andemployment placement assistance.

Greater Reading Or Writing Skills (GROWS) is the only literacy effort focused on farmworkersand other low-income men and women.

COMMUNITY PROJECTS

Orange County is committed to maintaining and improving the quality of life within the AzaleaPark community. To that end, several projects are have been completed and are underwaywithin the community. Below is a summary of projects.

Since 1995, the Community Development program has constructed approximately 2.5 milliondollars in capital improvement and affordable housing development in South Apopka, whichincluded paving and drainage improvements for 11th, 13

th, 16

th, 17

th, Tilden, Jewel, Old Apopka

Road and adjacent side streets. Also included is the purchase and conveyance of 10 acre parcelsto Homes In Partnership for development of 47 single family affordable housing units calledWheatly Manor located at 20th St. and Cleveland Ave. Additional paving projects are underwaythrough the Public Works Department.

Also, thirty-four housing rehabilitation projects were completed over the past three years thattotaled $894,327. In the same time period, forty-three minor rehabilitation or emergency repairstotaled $169,001.


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COMMUNITY ISSUES

Through surveys, interviews of residents within the area and work group sessions, ACTIONdeveloped a comprehensive needs assessment with proposed solutions for South Apopka.Eleven issues were identified as major priorities for the area:

Employment Job TrainingYouth Development and Child Care Affordable HousingCode Enforcement Community FacilitiesDrug Awareness and Enforcement Heath CareTransportation Education

Recreation and Enrichment Programs

ACTION studied each issue and developed possible solutions. The ACTION report, withrecommendations, resulted in a partnership with Orange County. Attached as Appendix A is the

South Apopka Story: Building A Brighter Future, which was a product of the partnership. Thestory provides specific details of the concerns of citizens and proposed solutions. Manyconcerns have been addressed since 1994 when the story was written. The plan was updated in1998 as part of the Countys Targeted Community Initiative. The Safe Neighborhoods programis a continuation of the beginning revitalization efforts. However, efforts will focus on initiativesthat will improve the physical conditions of the community, which will reduce criminal activity.


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Action Plan

The initiatives listed below are prioritized based on 2009 South Apopka goals and objectives.Number 1 = least important, 2 = somewhat important, 3 = Important, 4 = Most important.

Community Needs Time FramesCrime Prevention Needs Year 1

2008-

2009

Year 2

2010-

2011

Year 3

2012-2013

Long

Range

Provide Consistent Crime Prevention

Services in Troubled Areas

Enforce local ordinances, i.e. loitering,drinking, drugs

Respond to and investigate complaints ina timely manner.

Patrol and monitor know problem areas

for stolen cars, drugs, etc.Distribute information regarding crimeprevention techniques

Create active neighborhood watchprogram

Education provided from the local lawenforcement

Create a liaison with law enforcement

3

3

Eliminate Abandoned Houses Known for

Drug Use

Identify unoccupied residences.

Research and contact property ownersDevelop plan for demolition orrehabilitation of neglected homes beingused for drugs.

Implement Plan

2

1

Improve Fire Safety

Distribute information regarding firesafety.

Develop ways that citizens can volunteerif necessary in a crisis.

1

3

Housing Safety

Assist residents in identifying low-costmethods for securing homes andproperty.

Educate residents on most commoncriminal violations to housing.

Host a Lights on Crime event.

3

3


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Conduct Street Marches

Organize and revitalize the DrugAwareness Committee.

Partner with existing organizations topromote drug marches and community

activities.Recruit sponsors for communityactivities.

Community Organizing

Develop Organized NeighborhoodOrganizations

Create a neighborhood organization ineach subdivision.

Encourage citizen participation inneighborhood associations.

Build Sub division entrance signs

3

3

4

HousingImprove Housing Conditions

Identify housing in need of repair.

Contact Code Enforcement to reportviolations.

Publicize housing improvement services.

Develop a plan to demolish or repairabandoned homes.

Continue annual Paint the Town project.

3

Landscape and Beautification

Code Enforcement

Continue code enforcement activities.

Work with Sheriff to remove drughouses.

Work with Housing and CommunityDevelopment to identify homes fordemolition or repair.


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ORANGE COUNTY NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DIVISION POST OFFICE BOX 1393 ORLANDO FL 32802

s. apopka action plan merge

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