Neighborhood Initiatives

Indicators of Substance Abuse in deteriorating neighborhoods:

  1. Changes in rates of police calls
  2. Change in perception of safety by residents
  3. Alcohol stings compliance
  4. Change in number of public inebriate

The Vallejo Neighborhood Revitalization (VNR) project is a comprehensive community project, which improves the quality of life for residents in deteriorating high-crime neighborhoods. Through a strategic alliance between community non-profits, city agencies including but not limited to police, fire, and code enforcement, neighborhood groups and the business community, the Core Team of organizations will meet regularly to implement this program. To date, we've been successful in 23 out of 25 neighborhoods.

VNR is based on four complementary premises:

  1. Physical signs and illegal activities in a neighborhood such as: abandoned cars, problematic liquor stores, drug dealing, and deteriorating housing invite crime and disorder if left unchanged and has an important influence on its vulnerability to crime
  2. Neighborhoods where residents have some level of commitment and shared interest in improving their environment can influence the level of crime
  3. Individuals and families must personally gain from the revitalization of an area. When people are drowning in problems such as unemployment, addiction, lack of child care and other social service needs, expecting their engagement in cleaning up their neighborhood is unrealistic
  4. Problems with alcohol can and do contribute to the overall level of area deterioration and require appropriate enforcement and policy interventions

How Are Neighborhoods Selected For Revitalization?

Vallejo has pockets of deterioration spread across the city as opposed to one primary area that could benefit from intervention. A VNR area can range from one to six blocks in size. The Core Team considers the following criteria when selecting neighborhoods for inclusion in the project:

  1. Is there a high level of crime and violence as measured by the number of police calls for service? Crimes including drug trafficking, public drinking, prostitution, assaults, disorderly conduct are of concern to residents and serve to depress neighborhoods
  2. Is there a significant level of physical deterioration present in the area? The team considers problems such as the number of abandoned cars, the presence of broken-down and/or abandoned housing; the level of upkeep of yards and other exterior space, and the presence of waste and debris
  3. Does the area have a block watch or other form of neighborhood association or are there concerned individuals in the area wishing to address neighborhood problems?
  4. Is there an alcohol outlet nearby contributing to neighborhood problems? Bars, liquor stores and convenience stores can dramatically contribute to neighborhood problems
  5. What is the ratio of owner occupied vs. rental property in the area? Generally speaking, the higher the level of rentals in an area the more resources required to revitalize the neighborhood
  6. Is the size of the troubled area amenable to revitalization with the resources available to the Core Team?
  7. Will revitalization of an area stimulate similar resident-driven projects in nearby areas?
  8. Will the area serve as an "epicenter" for other positive efforts?