Hosford-Abernethy Neighborhood Action Plan:
A VISIONFORTHE NEIGHBORHOOD
“A neighborhood is everything: homes, schools, stores, offices, jobs, churches,
parks, and the river.”
Many people choose to live in Hosford-Abernethy (HAND) because of its
proximity to jobs and services. Walking, bicycling and public transit are
important components of inner-city living.
The Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood is one of the oldest southeast
neighborhoods. It was built in an era when people were just learning to live
together. When you look at the physical characteristics of the neighborhood -the
architecture of front porch society, street-car neighborhoods, closely spaced
houses, trees, landscaping and garden, these all lend the ability and necessity
for getting to know your neighbor. The area was settled by families, many of
Greek, Asian, or Italian backgrounds, which already had a strong sense of
family and generational heritage. The attractive surroundings and the closeknit
family life helped shape HAND into a fine place to raise a family and to
create a neighborhood.
Some of the strong ethnic culture and closeness has diminished but the
neighborhood is still a great place to raise kids. The suburbs have proved
disappointing to many and the move back to inner-city neighborhoods is
growing. HAND has opportunities for all income groups. The values of good
“neighborship” are being rediscovered and rekindled. Knowing your
neighbors and respecting them is the tool being used to create a renewed sense
of community.
The image of the business district has a direct impact on the image of
surrounding residential properties. Neighborhood residents want to get to
know the people with whom they regularly do business. The neighborhood
seeks to promote those personal connections between residents and businesses.
The diversity of the neighborhood helps to support the commercial businesses
which provide goods and services to neighborhood residents. In addition,
businesses that provide jobs and regional services are important contributors
to the neighborhood. Mutual respect between residents and businesses comes
from communication which includes the understanding of the operational
needs of businesses and the needs of privacy and livability in a residential
area.
In order to develop a sense of neighborhood pride and make that sense of pride
apparent, the residents and businesses need to encourage sensitive
rehabilitation of all neighborhood structures, to inspire the planting of trees
and flowers, and to protect existing street trees. This will help promote a quiet,
attractive, and well-maintained neighborhood.
These characteristics would foster an environment that would promote
neighbors using the outdoor resources of the neighborhood. The vision of
residents sitting on front porches, strolling in gardens and along streets,
playing in parks, and gathering together without fear for their safety. This
vision embodies the concept of good “neighborship”.
(The preceding Vision Statement was developed from input gained at the June,
1987 Hosford-Abernethy Neighborhood Development (HAND) General
Membership meeting. After breaking into small groups to discuss personal
impressions of “what a vital neighborhood means to me,” the small groups
shared their visions with the whole of forty individuals. The Steering
Committee then fleshed out each phrase into paragraph form in order to
capture the consensus of the neighborhood in one statement.)