thrive newsletter spring 2014
DESCRIPTION
The Spring 2014 edition of THRIVE highlights @LivableMemphis' Creative Placemaking, Tactical Urbanism, blight reduction, and pedestrian safety programs, and introduces our newest staff members! THRIVE is the newsletter of Livable Memphis, a program of the Community Development Council of Greater Memphis. Representing over 125 neighborhoods from across the greater Memphis region, Livable Memphis supports the development and redevelopment of healthy, vibrant, and economically sustainable communities. We do this by educating community members, promoting public policies that mitigate urban sprawl and direct investment to existing neighborhoods; and advocating for public and active transportation options that are safe, user-friendly, and accessible to all residents.TRANSCRIPT
LIVABLE MEMPHIS Spring 2014 Promoting Healthy Growth in the Memphis Region
T H R I V E T H R I V E is the newsletter of Livable Memphis, a program of the Community
Development Council of Greater Memphis. Representing over 125 neighborhoods from
across the greater Memphis region, Livable Memphis supports the development and
redevelopment of healthy, vibrant, and economically sustainable communities. We do this
by educating community members, promoting public policies that mitigate urban sprawl
and direct investment to existing neighborhoods; and advocating for public and active
transportation options that are safe, user-friendly, and accessible to all residents.
HOW WE GOT STARTED: In 2005, a diverse group of community developers, environmentalists, transportation activists, financial institutions, and philanthropic foundations convened to explore a community wide response to the effects of sprawl. They shared the common goal of supporting equitable and efficient growth in Shelby County and the greater Memphis region. Livable Memphis was created as an initiative of the Community Development Council of Greater Memphis. Its goals include: building a broad base of support, researching patterns of growth expenditures, providing education on issues that affect community vitality, and offering a grassroots input into policy decisions.
1548 Poplar Avenue Memphis TN 38104 www.livablememphis.org (901) 725-8370
As of January 14, 2014, the City of Memphis renewed their
commitment to enforce sidewalk maintenance. Did you know that
maintaining sidewalks is the responsibility of private property owners, as
stated by Memphis City Ordinance? The City of Memphis will begin to
address the hundreds of backlog sidewalk requests in order to notify
property owners of their responsibility to make necessary improvements.
Walkable communities are safe and promote healthy lifestyles,
prosperity, and sustainability. Every year, there are 300-400 pedestrian
injuries resulting in 10-20 deaths in Memphis. Many of these injuries
involve children and would be preventable if sidewalks were well
maintained and provided a safe alternative to walking in the roadway.
In 2012, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s ‘F as in Fat’
report estimated Tennessee will have a 63.4% obesity rate by 2030
making it one of the most obese states in the country. Our projected
obesity rates will add $3.6 billion in medical costs per year. Walking is
the easiest and most efficient way for people to get their daily exercise
and reduce obesity rates, but it is a difficult task without safe sidewalks.
A large portion of the population also relies on sidewalks as their
primary mode of transportation, including children, the elderly, people
with disabilities, transit users, and those with low incomes. It is important
that we provide safe sidewalks for people to use throughout their daily routines. Improved sidewalks will help
increase safety, promote exercise, and give pedestrians access to all parts of the city. (continued on page 6)
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Memphis Sidewalks Finally Getting Fixed By: Aubrey DeVine, LM Intern
Problematic broken sidewalks and
intersections without curb ramps
LIVABLE MEMPHIS Spring 2014 Promoting Healthy Growth in the Memphis Region
1548 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN 38104 www.livablememphis.org (901) 725-8370
Our Values:
Balanced Development. Growth should be planned and
managed in a way that balances both
private and public interests. Future
growth must address the entire
community’s need for economic
development and healthy, diverse
neighborhoods.
Shared Benefits & Costs. All Shelby County residents must
share in the economic benefits of
growth, as well as its costs. Public
expenditures (tax dollars) should be
spread equitably among both new
and existing neighborhoods.
Access & Choice. All residents deserve equal access to
jobs, schools, shopping,
transportation, and neighborhood
facilities. Citizens also must have
choices in housing type and
location, as well as multiple
transportation options.
Community Input &
Collaboration. All residents should
have a voice in how the community
is developed. Venues for effective
citizen input should be well-
publicized, timely, and accessible.
Environmental Protection. Open space, natural habitats, and
landscapes must be protected and
preserved for the benefits of citizens
and the greater community.
Dear Thrive readers:
The cover story this month is about Livable Memphis’
involvement in the new city of Memphis sidewalk program which
was put into effect in January of this year. The city is now enforcing
the repair of property sidewalks, and we are privileged to be playing
an important role in both the planning and community engagement
parts of this effort.
Improved sidewalks can benefit the community in the areas
of health, transportation, and prosperity, among others. Livable
Memphis fully supports the city in this endeavor, and has created a
Walkability Toolkit for the public to access for knowledge in the
repair process. Even more relevant to the mission of our
organization is the ability of these investments to ignite
neighborhood revitalization or accelerate existing redevelopment
efforts. Improved sidewalks allow people to easily and safely access
all parts of the city.
The spring 2014 Newsletter also includes the introduction of
Livable Memphis’ new Creative Placemaker, Ellen Roberds, our
new Program Director, John Paul Shaffer, a review on the movie
premiere of A Fierce Green Fire in February, and a personal
account of last fall’s South MEMFix: Mississippi/Walker by our
intern Courtney Mcneal. Please also check out the upcoming
Livable Memphis events on page 4.
Our policy and advocacy successes are adding up as well.
On the Complete Streets front, we’re moving into phase two in
partnership with the city and other stakeholders: the development of
a Design Guide that will ensure the newly adopted local policy is
successfully implemented. After two years of work, we are pleased
to report that our updated local ordinance setting the traffic fines and
fees related to bicycle and pedestrian safety has been passed.
Coupled with greater enforcement – including training for police
officers – the long term goal is streets that are safe for all of our
citizens, not just those who drive.
Emily Trenholm CD Council Executive Director
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1548 Poplar Avenue Memphis TN 38104 www.livablememphis.org (901) 725-8370
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On Sunday February 23, Livable Memphis and community partners hosted the premiere of A
Fierce Green Fire, a powerful film highlighting five of the largest environmental movements in history.
Livable Memphis, The Sierra Club, and Brooks Museum of Art collaborated to bring the film along with
special guest and director, Mark Kitchell, to Memphis. The movie combines news footage, interviews,
materials from the archives, and the knowledge of top scientists, activists, and representatives in order to
provide historical perspectives and ideas for future progress.
A Fierce Green Fire begins in the 1960s with the rise of the Sierra Club’s fights to stop the
construction of dams in the Grand Canyon. Their efforts to save Dinosaur Monument were successful only by
sacrificing Glen Canyon. However, president of the Sierra Club, David Brower, and his followers continued to
gain attention and support until Congress was forced to give into the
pressure, canceling and later prohibiting dam construction in the
Grand Canyon. The Sierra Club had one great victory against dam
construction as the first Earth Day shifted the focus of conservation
efforts toward pollution problems.
The movie next focuses on Love Canal, a community in
Niagara Falls, New York. The neighborhood buried 20,000 tons of
toxic chemicals that were slowly leaking into surrounding water
sources and soil. In the mid 1970s the neighbors within Love Canal
began noticing the high rates of disease and birth defects (56% of
babies) and started to push for permanent relocation. After years of
residents’ conducting studies, staging protests, and even holding
EPA officials hostage, President Jimmy Carter finally agreed to
temporary and permanent relocation of the neighborhood. Around
this time, the concept of Environmental Justice was born, as it
became apparent nationwide that African Americans and other
minorities were suffering a much larger burden of pollution.
The third section of the movie, entitled ‘Alternatives’
questions how society functions. It focuses on the new technology of
alternative energy sources and the Greenpeace fight against whaling
and sealing. There are powerful scenes of Paul Watson, Greenpeace
leader, and his team physically placing themselves between harpoons and a pack of whales and throwing away
the clubs of sealers. It is a fight which Greenpeace made great strides, but continues to fight to this day.
Next, in the ‘80s, environmental efforts shifted to saving the Amazon. The rubbertappers, a
native tribe in the Amazons and their leader Chico Mendes peacefully fought against forest clearing and road
construction on their land. The tribe won a pivotal battle over Cachoeira plantation, but Mendes was
assassinated soon after. However, his death brought new life and motivation in the fight for the Amazon.
Elsewhere in the world, communities also struggled for the right to healthy land, clean water, and forests.
During this period, global discussions about sustainability led to the rise of that concept within the
environmental movement’s focus on climate change.
The last section of the film highlights the struggles of the Kyoto Protocol and the massive
natural disasters of the twenty-first century. Disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, continue to remind us of the
global climate crisis we have created for ourselves. There are currently more than two million organizations
working on social justice and environmentalism in the world. Society must rethink the importance of our
natural surroundings before we destroy the environment which keeps us alive.
Review of A Fierce Green Fire By Aubrey DeVine, LM intern
LIVABLE MEMPHIS Spring 2014 Promoting Healthy Growth in the Memphis Region
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LIVABLE MEMPHIS Spring 2014 Promoting Healthy Growth in the Memphis Region
South MEMFix: Mississippi /Walker by Courtney Mcneal, LM Intern
In the month of October, Livable Memphis and the Mayor’s Innovation Delivery Team worked with
LeMoyne-Owen CDC, Knowledge Quest, South Memphis Alliance, and the Soulsville Neighborhood to host
South MEMFix: Mississippi/Walker. This event temporarily transformed a corner of the South Memphis
neighborhood, engaging the community to show South Memphians and residents from all over the city how
this amazing space can serve as a catalyst for economic growth and neighborhood revitalization. The
residents’ involvement in showcasing change in their neighborhood was essential in making permanent
improvements for pedestrians and revitalizing storefronts at the intersection.
With soulful live music, mouth-watering eats from local food trucks, freshly painted vacant
storefronts for retail pop-up shops, and enlightening live historic acts, attendees were able to support local
businesses, gain knowledge of prominent South Memphis figures, and see the possibility of an improved
neighborhood all while having a grand old time! What also made this one-day neighborhood transformation
more exciting is that it catered to all ages. What is more heartwarming than the sight of eager youth taking
part in this remarkable event, or the beautiful smiles on the faces of adults who grew up in South Memphis
seeing a new glimpse of the neighborhood from their childhood? This was simply priceless!
In addition to South MEMFix, the city has hosted MEMFix events in the University District at
Highland and Walker, and in the Crosstown neighborhood. For 2014, Livable Memphis and the Community
Development Council will be taking the reins on a new MEMFix event and we have heard a lot of
suggestions about possible locations. It’s not too late to tell us what you think, but time is ticking! Who will
be the lucky neighborhood chosen for the next MEMFix event? Just hold on, it will be worth the wait!
Introducing our new Creative Placemaker
In February, Livable Memphis hired a new Creative Placemaker,
Ellen Roberds. The job is a one-year grant-funded position meant to help
revitalize neighborhoods in Memphis through small tactical interventions.
Creative Placemaking uses art, culture, and creativity to transform a
deteriorating neighborhood into a lively area. In the past, Creative
Placemaking has been very successful in Memphis neighborhoods, such as
Broad Avenue and Crosstown. In her role, Ellen will focus on implementing
two initiatives in Memphis: executing crowdfunding strategies with the ioby
project and leading a team in a MemFix project on a to-be-determined
community.
Ioby is a nonprofit organization which helps community leaders fund raise and execute small projects
to improve their neighborhood. Ellen will help create a network of participants who use ioby by connecting
with the community and providing technical assistance through peer mentoring meetings. With the MEMFix
project she will use tactical urbanism, defined as “a collection of public space and planning tactics focused on
improving the livability of towns and cities” (CNU New England), to assist with the growth of a community.
Some examples of tactical urbanism projects are cleaning and repainting an area, adding artwork, creating
temporary bike lanes or pedestrian areas, or building benches for the public to rest on their daily routines.
Ellen will help plan and implement all of these ideas during her one year position here at Livable Memphis.
If you have a project idea for ioby, feel free to contact Ellen Roberds at [email protected]
and she can help make it happen!
1548 Poplar Avenue Memphis TN 38104 www.livablememphis.org (901) 725-8370
Tax Dead Properties in Memphis By Aubrey DeVine, LM Intern
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Urban blight, the result of the abandonment and deterioration of property, is a long-term problem in
our city of Memphis, TN. It causes a decrease in property values, an increase in crime, and detracts from
industrial growth. There are many reasons for urban blight, but abandonment and mounting tax debt are
probably the most common causes. When owners cannot pay the taxes on a property, it is often abandoned and
the tax debt accumulates to be greater than the value of the property itself. This situation is commonly know as
being “upside-down” or “under water.” As a result, numerous Memphis properties sit decaying in
overwhelming debt. The city has long fought against blight, and last March the Wharton administration’s
proposal for a vacant property registry was passed by the City Council. This proposal now requires mortgage
lenders to register abandoned single-family homes drowning in property taxes. Although this is a good step to
rehabilitation, there are still many abandoned property owners that have not identified themselves.
With ownership comes responsibility, and in 2010, 43,500 residential properties in Memphis did not
meet the anti-blight housing code according to the University of Memphis Center for Community Building
and Neighborhood Action. Unused and
neglected property is a waste of space
and money and creates a disorderly
image for a neighborhood. It is a difficult
situation to remedy, but Steve Barlow,
Memphis attorney, and other players
have made blighted commercial and
residential properties a regular
appearance in the Shelby County
Environmental Court through stricter
enforcement of anti-blight regulations.
Additionally, Barlow’s office is now
proposing to offer credits for the tax debt
to offset new investments to revitalize
abandoned properties where the tax
burden outweighs the value.
We are excited to welcome John Paul Shaffer as the new Program Director for
Livable Memphis! John Paul comes to us by way of the Memphis Metropolitan Planning
Organization, where he worked as a transportation planner focused on active transportation,
transit, and public outreach. He will be jumping right into Livable Memphis’ planning and
advocacy work focused on Complete Streets, transportation access and safety, and
neighborhood revitalization. John Paul is a native Memphian and a graduate of the Masters
Program in City and Regional Planning at the University of Memphis, where he focused on
neighborhood planning and food security. You can reach him at [email protected].
1548 Poplar Avenue Memphis TN 38104 www.livablememphis.org (901) 725-8370
LIVABLE MEMPHIS Spring 2014 Promoting Healthy Growth in the Memphis Region
Welcome Our New Livable Memphis Program Director
(continued from page 1)
In order to help the City of Memphis, Livable Memphis has created a Walkability Toolkit for the
public to use as a resource for sidewalk assessment and repair information. The goal of the toolkit is to help the
city enforce sidewalk maintenance by informing citizens of their responsibilities and providing information to
complete the repair. The toolkit includes:
A sidewalk survey to give community members
detailed guidelines for sidewalk standards in the city
A list of bonded sidewalk repair contractors and
contact information
A friendly template letter to inform neighbors of
a damaged sidewalk in front of their property.
Contact information for the City of Memphis
Sidewalk Department
If you or your neighbor’s sidewalk needs
repair, please contact Livable Memphis for the
Walkability Toolkit. We are happy to come make a
more thorough presentation at your neighborhood
association or community group.
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LIVABLE MEMPHIS Spring 2014 Promoting Healthy Growth in the Memphis Region
Contact Us: 1548 Poplar Avenue Memphis TN 38104 Phone: (901) 725-8370 Online: www.livablememphis.org Email: [email protected]
Community Development Council &
Livable Memphis Membership Indicate Areas of Interest
blight eradication
expanded transportation options
increased facilities for walking
and biking
neighborhood economic vitality
safe, affordable, and quality
housing
safe and sound lending practices
sustainable and efficient
development patterns
other _____________________
Individual Memberships
$15. Grassroots/Student Member
$35. Individual Member
$65. Family Member
$100. Supporting Member
$500 and up. Sustaining Member
$50. Community Associations or Nonprofits with
budgets less than $25,000.
$250 to $499. Other Nonprofits and Small
Businesses.
Name
Organization or Neighborhood
Address
City, State, Zip
Phone Email
Create safe, walkable sidewalks in your community