Popular city program picks next area to help revitalize.

 

[view:node_ad=5]Fresh off the success of their new Extreme Neighborhood Makeover program, the City of Santa Clarita has picked out a new neighborhood to help in east Newhall.

 

The Extreme Neighborhood Makeover program allows the city to get involved in a neighborhood where a large number of homes have fallen into disrepair.

 

Working with the neighborhood, the City educates the residents about code violations and gives them tips on how to make simple repairs that can raise the value of their homes. For larger work, the City has set up discounted pricing with contractors, or they can organize volunteer manpower. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department also makes contact with residents and helps to form a neighborhood watch program.

 

The inaugural run of the program kicked off on June 26th in a Canyon Country neighborhood with a block party. Cowboy Cantina provided the food and residents were greeted by city staff, who helped explain the program and inform them of building code items city staff looks for during routine inspections.

 

Since then, City Hall has taken many calls from other residents looking for help in their neighborhoods.

 

“We did get a lot of feedback from the public,” said Curtis Williams, with the City of Santa Clarita. “People wanted to know when they would be getting their own block party.”   

 

Now, the next neighborhood has been picked, and it is in East Newhall near the City’s Community Center and Metrolink station.

 

Tentatively, the block party for that area is planned for mid September, and according to Williams, it will be bigger than the first, with more information and public private partnerships.

 

The first Extreme Neighborhood Makeover area in Canyon Country has now had one month to comply with the building code violations they were made aware of.  The next inspection of the neighborhood was scheduled for this week, and the results that follow will give a good idea as to whether or not the residents heeded the advice provided by City staff.