No. 0908 expanding the boundaries of the WWCDA, expanding the allocation area for purposes of TIF, and amending the development plan

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CONDITIONS, TRENDS AND BACKGROUND To plan effectively for the revitalization of the Near Westside Neighborhood, it is important to understand its past and to evaluate trends underway. This section includes: o Review of studies, plans and reports o Key Person Interviews o Community Issues Workshop o Field Reconnaissance and Analysis o Market Assessment o Adaptive Re -use Analysis Review of Existing Studies, Plans and Reports The consultant reviewed numerous documents and materials provided by the City and South Bend Heritage Foundation (SBHF), and others obtained independently. These include, but are not limited to the following: _ o Community Development Block Grant Program reports and budgets 1982 -89; o Market Studies prepared by the Chesapeake Group, Inc. for the Lincolnway West and Western Avenue retail corridors; o "Model Cities Program, South Bend, Indiana 1968 -1974, Impact and Analysis," by Cynthia Miller Haines; o City of South Bend Summary Report - Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory, 1982 as amended; o Downtown Development Plan - Phase I, Zuchelli- Hunter and Associates, et.al.; and o Demographic reports from the U.S. Census Bureau and Urban Decision Systems, Inc. These resources provided useful background information and helped confirm assumptions about the Near Westside. Key Person Interviews Residents of the community, including those who are active in neighborhood organizations as well as those who are not, business owners and former residents can provide valuable insight into the problems and opportunities that exist for the Near Westside community. As part of Phase I of the Comprehensive Development Strategy for the Near Westside of South Bend, the consultant interviewed a dozen "key people" to obtain their perceptions about existing condi- tions, concerns and issues. The individual interviews took place in May 1988, and the responses to a series of questions are summarized below. The responses represent the personal views and perceptions of a limited number of people, and should neither be interpreted as findings of fact, nor as the conclusions or recommendations of the consultant. 1. Why do you believe Near Westside residents choose the area as a place to live? Is the his- toric district designation beneficial to the neighborhood, and if yes, would expansion of it help the neighborhood? Respondents differentiated between long -term, lower income residents who either chose the area for its affordability or proximity to transportation lines, and those who have rehabilitated historic houses. Among the former, several respondents commented that people, especially senior citizens, feel "stuck" because they cannot obtain a reasonable price for their houses if they can sell them. With regard to the historic district designa- tion, responses were mixed: some of those interviewed saw it as an overall benefit, but 3