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SOUTHA11 w BEND I U LY 2007 'oay'y�y�///JJy' a [.. l:�'1 . A . ! 1 MAYOR STEPhEN 1. LUEckE V Letter from the Mayor THIS MONTH... Mayor's Letter Dear South Bend Residents, Art Beat: Save the Date! Did You Know? Common Property The beauty,vibrancy and diversity of South Bend's many neighborhoods is Maintenance Code Violations one of our community's greatest assets. From historic downtown neighbor- Morris Star Rises in National Rankings hoods to the new and growing residential areas on the south side, South Bend Outdoors in South Bend is the perfect place to buy a house, start a family or just to call home. Some of Studebaker Commemorative Bricks our traditionally strong neighborhoods,however,have been weakened by the Fire Hydrant Paint Kits City Celebration - HPC Workshop over abundance of vacant and abandoned homes. Derelict housing can have Wednesday devastating effects,de-stabilizing neighborhood communities, increasing crime Local Government Academy and lowering property values. It is an issue that must be addressed. Downtown South Bend, Inc. In the last State of the City Address, I promised to reduce vacant housing by 10% over three years. It is my pleasure to report that we will reach our 10%goal in only two years. Ultimately, we will reducte vacant housing by • w 20%,while reducing abandoned housing by 72%. �1u1{ 'L• In May I introduced a comprehensive initiative to combat vacant and • • abandoned housing. City departments are already at work on this strategy, • kl!eHeart • through which we will attract homebuyers of all income levels to targeted Xauth Bend -- neighborhoods. We will build on the City's existing code enforcement and use Thursday, Sept 6, 2007, 4—8:30 p_nL new public-private partnerships to revitalize 445 properties. Does your business involve the visual arts? My initiative calls for the city to • Dance?Music?Food?Are you looking for a fun • Identify entire blocks as the focus of a specific demolition and redevel- and inexpensive way to get thousands of people opment strategy, starting, initially, with the City's west and northwest • to see,hear or taste your work? If so,Art Beat sides. 2007 is the perfect showcase for you—and • Acquire and clean out 45 abandoned homes on the City's northwest • now is the perfect time to reserve your space. Currently m its fifth Y ear,Art Beat has and west sides. • Y � • Sell these homes, for$1 apiece,to homebuyers or developers who will • become one of downtown South Bend's most invest an estimated$75,000 to completely refurbish each home and celebrated public events. Each year, on the then live in the homes for at least 5 years. Thursday after Labor Day, the streets of • Demolish 400 substandard properties citywide and in targeted neigh- • downtown South Bend become one of borhoods. Indiana's largest art galleries. This • Work with nonprofit organizations to replace these vacated properties • community-wide showcase of the cultural arts with infill housing,or,when possible,to sell the lots to neighboring draws more than 500 individual and group homeowners. • artists who want to participate in the special • n • Provide incentives for residential housing development in South Bend. • event. Featuring dancers, musicians, actors, • Propose, for consideration by the Common Council, a vacant house poets, and artists of all kinds,Art Beat is registration ordinance requiring registration of any home vacant for • attended by more than 7,000 people from the more than 90 days and in violation of existing code regulations. area and you can be there! • Free up additional resources for boarding up unsafe structures. • Go to www.ArtBeatSouthBend.org and Implementation of this strategy will be a significant step toward returning "click"participant registration." It's that easy. neighborhoods to productive use. We will enable homebuyers to rediscover the Please review this year's guidelines and joy of front-porch communities,build on a national trend of homebuyers register by Aug. 17, 2007. returning to urban neighborhoods, and turn around South Bend's distressed neighborhoods,making them shine once more. SIUSTEDNOENTIENDEINGLESYNECESITA Sincerely, AYUDAPARATRADUCIRESTEDOCUMENTO, O SI TIENEALGUNA PREGUNTA,PORFAVOR LLAMEAL TELEFONO(574)235-5858X 1000. Mayor Steve