Forty percent of the neighborhood is empty, as out-of-town landlords attracted by cheap property have walked away from the surplus of apartment complexes here. Many vacant buildings are tagged with gang initials and surrounded by tall weeds littered with trash.
Rumors have long persisted among those still left in the neighborhood that city officials had written off the area as a crime-ridden mess that could never recover.
But because of a retired schoolteacher and the $787 billion federal stimulus plan, it has a chance.
The city plans to spend at least $1 million of the $18 million it has available to demolish nearly 120 structures deemed the worst of the worst in Santa Clara. The demolition will create 77 “clear sites” for redevelopment, said Aaron Sorrell, manager of housing and urban development.
Mayor Gary Leitzell and others with the city are crediting Gloria White.
White, who taught at Jefferson Montessori, has dedicated her retirement to picking up the pieces of the Santa Clara neighborhood and, just a few years ago, took over as the neighborhood president in probably the most transient area in the city.
“When I retired, I closed my door and I couldn’t go out my door because of all these drug addicts and others,” White said. “I thought someone else was taking care of it. I was wrong.”
She and others like neighborhood leader Kevin Jones said those who don’t belong in the neighborhood are starting to get the message, and so are city leaders.
Jones said the plan is to cultivate community gardens on some of those sites to help spruce up the neighborhood and give young people something to do.
“Citizens are always looking to government to fix their problems, and this is an example of someone in their community,” Leitzell said.
“Because of a few engaged citizens, that neighborhood is starting to turn it around.”
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