Spruce Up the Park (SUP) is a neighborhood preservation/revitalization program designed to strengthen and preserve Brooklyn Park neighborhoods through the joint efforts of residents and city staff. The SUP Focus Area Program is designed to cover the entire city within a 5-year time span. Other smaller SUP projects may occur in neighborhoods outside the main SUP focus area as needed.
There is a direct connection between unkempt residential properties, declining neighborhoods, crime statistics and quality of life. This program focuses on specific neighborhoods in the city each year to promote and foster neighborhood vitality. In addition, residents have an opportunity to learn more about maintaining their property value, crime prevention, recreational programming, waste management and recycling, street and park maintenance, home improvement programs and other city services.
SUP goals resulting in a positive effect for our customers/citizens are as follows:
- Promote clean and safe environments;
- Preserve neighborhood property values;
- Resolve and prevent code violations efficiently;
- Address and resolve multi-cultural issues and concerns;
- Prevent crime/violence via education and community revitalization;
- Promote resident and business owner active involvement in stabilizing and enhancing their areas;
- Provide available resources and educational materials; and
- Promote a positive image of Brooklyn Park.
Project Activities
The elements of the SUP program include:
- An initial survey of the project area residents and property owners
- Neighborhood meetings and open houses
- Educational materials distributed
- Property inspections and evaluations
- Address coordination of city services (i.e. Police, Operations & Maintenance, Engineering, EDA, etc.)
- Actions taken to improve the focus area of resident and business concerns
- Follow-up evaluations
- Final report
The planned scope and depth for Spruce Up the Park will be beneficial in meeting the challenges and needs of a fast-changing and growing community. For example, although the city works with Hennepin County and other agencies for housing rehabilitation programs, further promotion through multi-use rehabilitation loans, landscaping efforts, addition/remodel programs, matching grant loans, immigrant and language translation and education efforts, private grant funding or other types of programs will help provide long term improvements to neighborhoods. Increased citywide and organization-wide commitments could also be further bundled with this program to further facilitate both short-term and long-term community revitalization and reinvestment.
- The initial outcome of this program will provide education and public awareness through the creation or revision of handouts and through face-to-face contacts. We are working to provide materials in relevant languages.
- The intermediate outcomes will result in residents and businesses improving property maintenance enhance, crime prevention, recreational programming, waste management and recycling, street and park maintenance, low interest home improvement loans and other city services.
- The long-term outcomes will include changes in curb appeal of residential properties, preservation of property values, addressing neighborhood concerns, decrease in crime, and resident awareness and active involvement in their community. The ultimate outcome is to achieve self-sustaining neighborhoods and improve the quality of life. We have found that those who respect themselves and their properties often have respect for other people and their properties.
