Community Revitalization Desktop Guide

Case Studies 16 – 17 continued 17. Effective community development corporation provides base investment in community: Lancaster’s SACA Since 1984, the Spanish American Civic Association (SACA) in Lancaster and its Development Corporation Homeownership Program have revitalized neighborhoods and the economy in southeast City of Lancaster. SACA DC uses funding from local, state and federal government, the private sector, foundation grants, and Lancaster County financial institutions to transform sections of deteriorated and crime-ridden rental properties into homeowner neighborhoods. SACA DC has rehabilitated 110 homes in a target neighborhood, 80 of them singlefamily properties owned by their inhabitants, and 30 of them rental units. SACA works with a coalition of banks to finance construction costs. Home ownership in the neighborhood has increased from 15 percent to 40 percent. Pre-existing homeowners in the areas where SACA has worked have responded by fixing up their properties, new landlords have invested in the neighborhoods, and new homeowners have moved in. Private developers, however, have not yet initiated their own projects in the areas where SACA is working—it’s too hard to make a profit on rehabbing derelict row homes. SACA DC also has established a park and a Neighborhood Association, and achieved an 85% decrease in crime in its targeted homeowner zone, as well as reduction of graffiti and trash problems. In partnership with a local lending institution and the City, SACA DC turned an empty storefront into a vibrant community center, and later established three additional community centers and a youth program. In 2000, SACA DC spent over $4 million to renovate the abandoned General Cigar Building, turning the historic, centrally located 4-storey brick building into 30 low-income and moderateincome apartments, along with professional office space and a daycare center on the ground level. SACA is currently in the middle of rehabilitating more than 40 vacant, condemned, or blighted townhome units on four adjacent streets. SACA works in partnership with three African-American organizations in order to avoid counter-productive competition for funds. The Partnership has a development corporation, Inner City Group, that works on housing, employment training, business growth, crime, and improvement of infrastructure. The Partnership also established a Charter School in 1998 to address the city’s high dropout rate. The accomplishments of SACA and The Partnership were major factors in the City of Lancaster’s 1999 selection by the National Civic League as an All America City. w Lancaster (Lancaster County) footnotes: step four Notes: 63 Susan M. Wachter and Kevin C. Gillen, Public Investment Strategies: How They Matter for Neighborhoods in Philadelphia, The Wharton School (2006). 64 Ibid. Case Studies: t Interview with Malcolm Johnstone, Executive Director, West Chester BID, September 15, 2006. www.westchesterbid.com; www.DowntownWestChester.com u Interview with Jeffrey Valocchi, Esquire, former Chairman, Downingtown Main Street, October 3, 2006. Downingtown Main Street Association Final Report. Downingtown Main Street, Inc. 2005. Interview with Steve Sullins, Downingtown Borough Manager, September 22, 2006. http://www. downingtownmainstreet.com/about.html. w Interview with Carlos Graupera, Executive Director, SACA, January 8, 2006. L.S. Kadaba, Crime and Gangs Retreat as Homeowners Take Over Neighborhood, Philadelphia Inquirer, January 13, 2000, http://www.berkshirepublishing.com/ans/HTMView.asp?parItem=S031000299A. Lancaster Wins All-America City Award, http://www.cityoflancasterpa.com/lancastercity/cwp/ browse.asp?a=671&bc=0&c=42769; http://www.sacapa.org/SACA%20Development%20Corp oration.htm GOAL THREE: WELCOmE INvESTmENT step four: partner with nonprofits to improve redevelopment area 48 http://www.downingtownmainstreet.com/about.html http://www.downingtownmainstreet.com/about.html http://www.berkshirepublishing.com/ans/HTMView.asp?parItem=S031000299A http://www.cityoflancasterpa.com/lancastercity/cwp/browse.asp?a=671&bc=0&c=42769 http://www.cityoflancasterpa.com/lancastercity/cwp/browse.asp?a=671&bc=0&c=42769 http://www.sacapa.org/SACA%20Development%20Corporation.htm http://www.westchesterbid.com http://www.DowntownWestChester.com http://www.sacapa.org/SACA Development Corporation.htm

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Community Revitalization Desktop Guide

PA Community Revitalization Desktop Guide Table of Contents How To Attract High Impact Investment to Core Communities Goal One: Choose One Asset-Rich Redevelopment Area Interviews with Pennsylvania Mayors Goal Two: Prepare Redevelopment Area for Market Interviews with Developers who Have Invested in Pennsylvania Cities and Towns Goal Three: Welcome Investment Interviews with Developers who Have Invested in Pennsylvania Cities and Towns Goal Four: Apply Strategies That Work Conclusion

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.