No. 2383 contracting the boundaries of the West Washington-Chapin Development Area

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essential, however, that the design of new residential units be of reasonably good quality • and be complementary to the neighborhood. Development of affordable housing will require creative financing arrangements. o Market Small Vacant Parcels to Adjacent Property Owners Many small, vacant parcels located between older houses may not be large enough for new infill housing. These sites tend to be overgrown with weeds and littered with trash and debris. Lack of maintenance of these sites contributes to the poor image and appearance of the neighborhood. A marketing program designed to encourage and facilitate purchase of these sites by adjacent property owners for clean-up and use as private yard areas should eliminate the problems of poor maintenance. Safety and Security o Eliminate Crime Elimination and prevention of crime as the highest priority project of the City and neighborhood will require consistent and continuous efforts by law enforcement officials. o The Neighborhood Watch Approach Neighborhood Watch is one of the most effective and least costly responses to crime. The success of block watches is based on the assumption that people in an area are more immediately aware of suspicious activity than the police. A block watch involves • neighborhood phone trees, meetings, and education. Neighbors report any suspicious activity in the area by calling local emergency numbers. In addition, they call two neighbors on a specified phone tree who also call authorities. The criminal activity is reported by more than one resident to ensure prompt police action and provide "safety in numbers". An important component of any block watch is the distinctive "neighborhood watch" sign that is prominently displayed in the neighborhood to alert criminals or troublemakers that the neighborhood sticks together and reports crimes. Often, block watch meetings involve speakers who offer safety tips on protecting homes, autos, businesses, and personal belongings. Block Watch participants may coordinate public improvement projects to pick up litter, or plant flowers and shrubs, etc. Many Watch groups have not only seen crime reduced, but have discovered that caring about and sharing in the community's well-being-its image, its streets and parks, its local services, and recreation opportunities-offer far-reaching rewards. o The Individual Strate ig es Approach The individual strategies approach seeks to prevent people and property from becoming victims of specific crimes and to reduce opportunities for crime to occur. Its focus is victimization prevention. What the average citizen fears most are threats to self, and family and violations of property. Some examples of programs include: o For People -Child Protection zs