Building Communities of Opportunity and Choice

Youth Education

• Childhood and Youth Education.
• Building strong foundations for lifelong success.
• Establish a quality early learning program in partnership with the YWCA.
• Create a neighborhood charter school for elementary-aged children.
• Increase high school graduation rates through a neighborhood school with magnet and honors programs.
• Expand parenting education and family engagement programs.
• Reduce unsupervised youth through partnerships offering dance, music, culinary, and mentorship programs.
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Workforce Development and Adult Education

Creating clear pathways from education to employment.

• Launch the Career Technology Education Center with East Baton Rouge Schools. Focus areas include computer science, medical fields, manufacturing, and skilled trades.
• Partner with Baton Rouge Community College to provide access to the McKay Automotive Training Center.
• Establish HiSET providers within the community.
• Host annual job fairs in partnership with local businesses and organizations.
• Connect job seekers and underemployed workers to EmployBR.
• Expand access to post-secondary and vocational programs through partnerships with BRCC, Southern University, and LSU.
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Health and Wellness

In an effort to increase the overall health and wellness of our community, we will strive to increase access to healthy foods as well as medical, dental, behavioral health and fitness providers by:

• Expand access to fresh, healthy, and culturally relevant foods through partnerships, community gardens, and education.
• Introduce unique and locally grown food options as part of a developing agrihood concept.
• Expand access to healthcare through mobile health units and partnerships with medical, dental, and behavioral health providers.
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Senior Services

Supporting independence, connection, and well-being for older adults by,.

• Partnering with the East Baton Rouge Council on Aging.
• Establishing a Senior Community Center.
• Developing safe walking paths.
• Provide Meals on Wheels services.
• Partner with healthcare providers to improve access to medication assistance programs.

Quality and Affordable Housing

Creating a high-quality, environment that promotes success by: 

• Redeveloping Ardenwood Village, an EBRPHA Housing Community.
• Developing Cypress at Ardendale, a four-phase, new-construction community serving families and seniors.
• Advancing Operation Restore Pride to repair blighted properties and strengthen neighborhood appearance.
• Applying consistent design principles across all developments to enhance placemaking gateways and streetscape improvements.
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Housing Preservation and Vacancy Reduction

Protecting existing housing while strengthening neighborhood conditions.

• Implementing a housing rehabilitation program to preserve quality homes.
  
• Reducing vacancy through partnerships with the Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation program and the Blight Abatement Law Clinic.
  
• Launching a housing demolition initiative for unsafe structures.
  
• Establishing a vacant and abandoned property registration program.
  
• Creating an infill development program to return underutilized lots to productive use.
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Mixed-use District

Creating places where people can live, work, and connect.

• Developing a variety of housing options using neighbor-informed design principles.
• Attracting businesses and long-term investment.
• Building and establishing Ardendale as a mixed-use district that increases neighborhood desirability.
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Homeownership

Expanding pathways to ownership and long-term financial stability.

• Establishing a Homeownership Assistance Center to support neighbors interested in purchasing a home.
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Section 3

Ensuring local participation in neighborhood investment.

• Create a framework to support Section 3 resident and business participation.
• Recruiting Section 3 individuals and businesses for job training, contracting, and employment opportunities tied to design and construction.

Arts and Culture

We will maximize community recreation facilities and opportunities to enhance arts and culture, as well as work to restore a sense of community history and pride in our community by:

• Working with The Red Stick Project to instill pride, purpose and passion in our neighborhoods through large-scale murals.
• Improving parks/recreation centers in our community.
• Building community gardens for the community, by the community.
• Implementing a Youth Empowerment Solutions (YES) program focused on non-violence, self-identity and cultural awareness.
• Partnering with organizations to landscape and maintain Gilbert Memorial Cemetery.
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Safety and Infrastructure

We will improve public safety and the perception of public safety among current and future neighbors, as well as work to develop authentic engagement between our community and law enforcement by:

• Improve street lighting, fire hydrant access, sidewalks, bike lanes, and road conditions.
• Expand walking and biking connections to services, schools, and BRCC.
• Incorporating a neighborhood watch program.
• Upgrade public transit access, bus stops, and neighborhood gateways.
• Supplementing, not overlapping, the Melrose East Crime Prevention District.
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Economic Development

We continue to increase opportunities for economic development, increase the job readiness skills of unemployed and underemployed neighbors, and recruit/retain businesses in our community by:

• Attracting retail development for our community's convenience, such as shopping, grocery stores, pharmacies, dry cleaners, coffee shops, ice cream shops, restaurants, etc.
• Creating a support system for entrepreneurial opportunities.
• Providing our neighbors with better access to EmployBR services that offer job readiness curriculum and workshops.
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Land Use and Zoning

We are working to eliminate vacant lots, as well as adopt zoning designations that support and reflect ideal characteristics of our community by:

• Repurposing vacant lots.
• Establishing a neighborhood conservation district.
• Meeting with city leaders and council members regarding zoning regulations, non-conforming use regulations and alcohol outlets.