Late Friday morning, the city of Cincinnati announced that College Hill and Madisonville will be the next two neighborhoods included in a comprehensive neighborhood improvement program.
This is the same program Cincinnati used during 2007 and 2008 to improve conditions in Price Hill, Avondale, Northside, Clifton, University Heights and Evanston.
Mayor Mark Mallory says, "By partnering with residents and local businesses, the city is bringing concentrated attention to individual neighborhoods that leaves a lasting impact on the quality of life in that community."
US Bank is giving community groups in both College Hill and Madisonville $5,000 checks to help kick off their neighborhood improvement efforts, and to get other businesses and individuals to join in supporting the program.
Each neighborhood was identified through an analysis of building code violations, vacant buildings, disorder and drug calls to police.
If the College Hill and Madisonville programs work like they did in Price Hill and other neighborhoods, community groups and city department heads will meet to decide the neighborhood's most pressing needs.
They will then mount a building code violation blitz to find problem buildings and sections and try to get building and land owners to bring their properties up to code.
That will be followed by an extensive effort to improve city services and make lasting improvements to the neighborhood that could help to reduce crime, as well as make streets safer and more welcoming.
