Chatham Square
A Case Study in Healthy Neighborhood
Approaches to Community Development

Chatham Square (CS)
Community Foundation
Goals:
Increase neighborhood stabilization and revitalization
Develop replicable strategies for neighborhood
stabilization and revitalization

CS Theoretical Base
Dr. Felton Earls
Study on urban neighborhoods and crime*
Local governments should support the development
of cooperative efforts in low-income neighborhoods
by encouraging neighbors to meet and work together
Most important influence on a neighborhood's
crime rate is neighbors' willingness to act for one
another's benefit, and particularly for the benefit
of neighborhood children
“Cities that sow community gardens may reap a
harvest of not only kale and tomatoes, but safer
neighborhoods and healthier children”
*Neighborhoods and violent crime: A multilevel study of collective efficacy
Crime as Science (A Neighbor at a Time) Dan Hurley NYT January 8, 2004

CS Theoretical Base
“Healthy Neighborhood”
Framework:*
Image: Residents are confident about the future of the neighborhood,
and outsiders think it’s a good place to live and work even if they
choose not to live there
Physical Conditions: Properties recipients of reinvestment; “in-
between” properties (neither obviously public nor private) are in a
high state of repair. i.e. curb strips, planter boxes
Neighborhood Management: Neighbors manage change and
threats; problems that arise are solved; public institutions are held
accountable and are accountable; detrimental behaviors are
considered outside the “norm” are curtailed
Market: Ideally demand exceed supply; since not happening
inmovers need to be at least as good or better for the neighborhood as
outmovers while quality housing opportunities for people of modest
means are maintained
*Fall Creek Consulting – Health Neighborhood Group

CS Theoretical Base
“Healthy Neighborhood”
Key Components:*
Real estate market- barometer of neighborhood healthy
Make neighborhoods places where it makes economic sense
for people to invest time, money and energy
Help residents participate in the real estate market instead of
protecting them from it
Affordable housing is a tool for revitalization
Progress measured by tracking quality of life indicators and
neighborhood confidence not units produced or people served
outcomes not outputs
Residents defining outcomes while practitioners offer insight,
strategies and tools to get there
work about achieving outcomes not delivering programs
*Fall Creek Consulting – Healthy Neighborhood Group

CS Theoretical Base
“Relational Culture” Organizing
Key elements:*
Leaders and participants get
to know each other beyond
tasks and agendas
People engaged around their
own interests
New activities based on
people’s real energy
People who know and trust
each other take action in a
variety of ways
Community life is made
stronger and more dynamic
Partner: Connecticut Sponsoring Committee (Elm City Congregations
Organized)
Local organization practicing relational culture organizing
* Relational Culture Organizing: Planting Seeds, Rev. Louise Green

CS Neighborhood
Fair Haven, New Haven

CS Neighborhood
Fair Haven, New Haven
Chatham
Square
Downtown

CS Market\\
Community Descriptors*
3,500 people
1,100 households
42% Hispanic
Median Income $33k
Solid housing stock, mostly 2 and 3 family
structures
*2000 census data

CS Market\\
Community Descriptors
Scenes from 2007 Atwater St. Block Party

CS
Community Analysis: needs work
Drug sales out of houses and at the park
Houses in need of repair
Homeownership: lower than city average south and west of park
Public infrastructure (sidewalks, park, public lighting)
Street litter, especially on the Clinton Avenue side of the park
Traffic flow and noise

CS
Community Analysis

CS
Community Analysis: merits recognition
Committed residents
Diverse community (cultural, economic, ethnic, racial)
Five parks and three gardens
Historic buildings ~ residential and commercial
Great 2 and 3 family housing stock
Home-Buyer Incentive programs: Yale, Mary Wade
Home, Community Foundation
Proximity to bus routes, highway, waterfront, parks
Three local grocery stores
Two commercial corridors
Rehab of Quinnipiac Terrace Housing Projects
New owner-occupied housing ~ ECCO housing
Elderly services ~ Mary Wade Home

CS
2007 Neighborhood Association Plan*
*Community approved plan :January,2007

CS
Selected Results: Image
Image: Residents are confident about the future of the
neighborhood, and outsiders think it’s a good place to live
and work, even if they choose not to live there
Neighborhood branded – 15 positive hits
Channel 3
Channel 8
New Haven Register ~ Sunday September 16
New Haven Independent
Festival in partnership with the City of New Haven
Children’s photo exhibit (6-11 years)

CS
Selected Results: Image

CS
Selected Results: Physical Condition
Physical Conditions: Properties recipient of reinvestment
38 homes repaired through incentive program
16 during pilot phase (last quarter 2006) 22 in 2007
Partnership with homeowners and HRI
6 homes repaired w/o program assistance
Investing made sense to homeowner
4 lower income homeowners offered assistance
Partnership with homeowner and City of New Haven

CS
Selected Results: Physical Condition

CS
Selected Results of Work: Management
Neighborhood Management: Neighbors manage change
and threats; problems that arise are solved quickly; public
institutions are held accountable and are accountable;
behaviors outside the “norm” that are a detriment to
reinforcing confidence in the neighborhood are curtailed.
Community identified: traffic calming
Community raised funds locally
Foundation matched and donated
City matched combined total
Traffic calming study ~national expert ~ Dan Burden of
Glatting, Jackson, Kercher Anglin, Inc

CS
Selected Results of Work: Management
Pictures: New Haven Independent

CS
Selected Results: Market
Market: Ideally demand exceed supply; since not
happening inmovers need to be at least as good or better
for the neighborhood as outmovers while quality housing
opportunities for people of modest means are maintained
3 home purchases totaling $700,000+ in sales directly
connected to the association
14 realtors attended neighborhood tours

CS
Selected Results: Market
“The information I learned on the
tour of Chatham Square contributed
directly to the sale of a house on
Atwater Street” Bruce Peterson,
Realtor, H. Pierce Realtors
149 Clinton Ave. picture Source MLS listings
“Darden said her plans are to stay
in the neighborhood, get her kids
enrolled in the local schools, do
some home fix up. Her career
plans now call for her to stay at
Mary Wade, of course; she is also
going to get her registered nurse’s
degree, too.
Darden quote and picture source: New Haven Independent

CS
Resident Survey
Baseline survey: October 2006
Follow up survey: September 2007
40 residents participants
1/3 survey participants - residents who attend meetings
2/3 self-selected - festival attendees and door knocking

How would you rate the quality of
life in your neighborhood?
25
20
15
2006
2007
10
5
0
Great Good So-So Bad Terrible

How would you rate the image
(reputation) of the neighborhood?
20
18
16
14
12
10
2006
8
2007
6
4
2
0
Great So-So Terrible

How would you rate the physical
condition of the neighborhood?
25
20
15
2006
2007
10
5
0
Great Good So-So Bad Terrible

How often do you go to the
Chatham Square park?
16
14
12
10
8
2006
6
2007
4
2
0
Every day At least Once a I rarely go
once a week month or to the park
more

Chatham Square ~ cost
Includes the salary for part-time
community organizer
$80,000/year

Chatham Square: Conclusions
Approach can be replicated
Working with West River Neighborhood
Milwaukee Foundation ~ five neighborhoods
Good investment
$80k donation generated $828,000 private and public
donations and investment – includes home purchases

Chatham Square: Lessons Affirmed
Identify leaders
People who get others to follow
Build on success
Look to the edges, not the extremes
Look at it from the other person’s perspective
Connection their dream to your reality
Collect the stories
Be the bearer of the good news for change
New possibilities for work
Always linked to new people or new energy
Seek funders interested in outcome not output
Success measures by outcome not output

Chatham Square: Conclusions

Chatham Square
A Case Study in Healthy Neighborhood
Approaches to Community Development