Waverly neighborhood revitalization

[krazeeboi]

Here's an article in The State about the revitalization of the Waverly neighborhood, which has been a little over ten years in the making. The MetLife Foundation has honored the neighborhood, along with five other communities across the country, with its Community-Police Partnership Award for neighborhood revitalization. The award honors the Columbia Police Department and the Columbia Housing Development Corp. and the TN Development Corp.

The progress made thus far has been impressive. In 1998, Waverly was 100 homes and six businesses, according to the city’s award application. Only 10 of the 100 homes were owner-occupied. One-third of the remaining 90 homes were empty. Of the 26 commercial properties in the neighborhood, 20 were boarded up. The neighborhood was only five blocks, but it averaged five violent crimes per month. Today, violent crime in the neighborhood has dropped 80%, according to the city’s award application. The neighborhood averages one violent crime per month. The Columbia Housing Development Corp. began purchasing some of the houses and vacant lots in Waverly. So far, all 14 properties the corporation purchased have been developed, and 13 of them have been sold.