Housing

Neighborhood Concern H 1:
Availability of resources for home repairs and preservation of the neighborhood’s existing housing stock.

Longtime residents have seen the quality of the neighborhood’s housing stock decline as structures have aged. As of 2018, 30% of the structures in the neighborhood were built in 1910-1950; 41% were built in 1951-2000; and 9% were built in 2001-2016 (data was not available for 20% of the parcels, indicative of parcels with no structures). Some Frenchtown residents have limited resources to repair and maintain their homes and the resources available to make the needed repairs are also very limited. With the neighborhood’s median income at just over $24,000/year, some residents are not in a financial position to prioritize home repairs or improvements. As of March 2020, there were 36 active code enforcement cases within the neighborhood, including 19 citations for substandard buildings and six for dangerous buildings. Vacant lots, dilapidated homes and abandoned homes detract from the vibrancy of the neighborhood and contribute to negative perceptions. The residents would like to find ways to mobilize both financial and human resources to help all residents to live in safe and affordable homes.

Neighborhood Concern H 2:
Availability of resources for new single-family home construction.

The construction of new single-family homes in the neighborhood is a key strategy to increasing owner-occupancy and providing homeownership opportunities for Frenchtown residents. Currently, there are 2,123 housing units in the Greater Frenchtown neighborhood, and single-family homes represent 39% of that total. Forty-two percent (42%) of the housing units in the neighborhood are classified as multi-family, which is the largest percentage of housing units in the neighborhood. After multi-family and single-family units, duplexes and condos are the next most prevalent type of housing unit, at 9% and 5% of total units, respectively. Not surprisingly, single family homes are the housing type with the largest percentage (42%) of owner-occupancy in the neighborhood. Townhouses, which represent 2% of the neighborhood’s housing units, have the second highest rate of owner occupancy at 21%.
(Source: Leon County Property Appraiser, 2020)

Neighborhood Concern H 3:
Preservation of heirs’ properties (inherited family homes).

Heirs’ property refers to land or homes owned by two or more people, usually people with a common ancestor who has died without leaving a will. Problems can arise with heirs’ property when descendants cannot come to an agreement on how to split or care for the property or pay for taxes or other expenses. Even simply finding other heirs can be challenging.

Heirs’ property disproportionately impacts lower-income African American communities. The practice became common during Reconstruction when African Americans were blocked from accessing the legal system and continued to the present as many black communities developed a distrust of the courts. Nationally, seventy-six percent (76%) of African Americans do not have a will; more than twice that for white Americans. Heirs’ property is estimated to make up more than a third of Southern black-owned land — 3.5 million acres, worth more than $28 billion (Presser, 2019).

Seven homes were sold through tax deed sales in Frenchtown in the last five years, although that is not necessarily indicative of all of the heirs’ properties in the neighborhood. It is in the interest of the neighborhood and the community at large to help families secure clear title to their properties, encourage individuals to develop wills and assist these property owners to address maintenance and repair issues.

Neighborhood Concern H 4:
Limited understanding of the potential that homeownership provides in building individual and community wealth.

Homeownership is a key strategy for building wealth, yet it feels out of reach for many individuals. While renting can be the most feasible option for people at certain points in their lives, many never begin to feel that owning their own home is an option. Young people growing up in families who have always rented may not have an opportunity to learn how owning a home is both feasible and potentially life-changing for a family. Owning a home allows an individual to increase wealth by building equity in the home and offers the opportunity for the home to be passed down to descendants.

Increased homeownership can also create positive effects on a neighborhood including increased residential stability. Homeowners tend to stay longer with a median tenure of 11 years in their homes compared to a median tenure of 3 years for renters (Mallach, 2016).  Homeowners are more likely to engage in activities that increase neighborhood social capital like volunteering or participating in neighborhood meetings. Social capital and social cohesion also have a significant relationship with property upkeep. Owner occupancy is also important for neighborhood stability. Research has shown that absentee owners are more likely than owner-occupants to allow their properties to go into mortgage foreclosure (Mallach, 2016).

Neighborhood Concern H 5:
Limited pathways to homeownership.

Overall, Frenchtown’s owner occupancy rate is 17%; however, 42% of the single-family homes are owner occupied. While there are some resources in Tallahassee that prepare individuals for homeownership, the neighborhood would like to see an increase in homeownership services targeted toward neighborhood residents.

Frenchtown residents face multiple barriers on their pathway to homeownership. Poor credit or no credit history, lack of banking access, low wages, and lack of savings are just a few of the challenges that many families in the neighborhood encounter. Transportation and childcare are often other challenges for residents trying to access homeownership programs outside of the neighborhood.

Residents would like to see new resources and more targeted promotion of existing homeownership resources so that residents can purchase and maintain homes within Frenchtown. They would like to see these services offered in the neighborhood for easier access. Needed homeownership services include coaching, training and financial support that help to prepare residents to purchase and maintain homes in the neighborhood.

References
Flocks, J., Lynch, S. P., & Szabo, A. M. (2018). The Disproportionate Impact Of Heirs Property In Florida’s Low-Income Communities Of Color. Florida Bar Journal.
Mallach, A. (2016). Homeownership and the Stability of Middle Neighborhoods. Community Development Innovation Review.
Presser, L. (2019, July 15). Their Family Bought Land One Generation After Slavery: The Reels Brothers Spent Eight Years in Jail for Refusing to Leave It. ProPublica.

Economic Development & Community Reinvestment

Neighborhood Concern ED&CR 1:
Barriers to accessing capital for business development.

Emerging and existing entrepreneurs must navigate multiple steps to qualify for existing resources for capital. Lack of a positive credit history or collateral can serve as major barriers for individuals looking to develop a business. Traditional funding sources such as banks or credit unions are often out of reach for historically underserved entrepreneurs, including lower-income individuals, women, people of color and veterans.  Even nontraditional lenders often require collateral that many people do not have. Additionally, if burgeoning entrepreneurs are approved for loans, they often face unfavorable financing terms that further impact their bottom line. After the recession of 2008, lenders became even more conservative and access to capital became even more challenging.

At the national level, approximately 38% of the adult U.S. population have credit files rated as poor or do not have a credit agency rating, which means they cannot readily receive personal or business credit (Breule, 2015). The state of Florida ranks 38th in the country in the percentage (48%) of residents that have prime (750 or above) credit (Prosperity Now, 2018). Disparities exist for female business owners and business owners of color as well. Male-owned businesses in Tallahassee are valued 5.7 times as high as businesses owned by women. White-owned business in Tallahassee are valued 5.1 times higher than businesses owned by people of color (Prosperity Now, 2018).

Given the already challenging climate business owners face in developing new or existing businesses, there is a need for creativity in enhancing access to capital. The neighborhood would like to see investment in its own business leaders through innovative, targeted and individualized approaches.

Neighborhood Concern ED&CR 2:
Fostering entrepreneurial activity in the neighborhood.

Frenchtown was once the primary commercial hub for many African Americans living in Tallahassee-Leon County. African American residents from all over the City would come to Frenchtown for shopping, restaurants and entertainment. Other local businesses engaged in segregated practices, thus limiting access to African Americans until well into the 1960’s. As businesses began to desegregate throughout the City, Frenchtown’s commercial activities began to decline.

Currently, there are an estimated 138 businesses (ACS, 2018) operating within the neighborhood boundaries. These businesses are primarily small businesses, and include restaurants, hair salons, law offices, auto mechanics, home-based businesses, etc. Frenchtown residents would like to see an increase in neighborhood-scale commercial development within their community to spur economic growth.

Locally, some business development resources do exist in the wider Tallahassee-Leon County community to assist emerging and existing small business owners. Frenchtown residents, however, are concerned about the availability of these resources because some residents need additional support and increased access to services to effectively develop businesses within the neighborhood. Also, potential entrepreneurs from the neighborhood may not be aware of what resources exist or where to start. Training, coaching and technical assistance offered within the neighborhood and specifically targeting Frenchtown residents will help provide easily accessible pathways for individuals to develop and grow their businesses. Navigating required business-related permits and licensing is another hurdle that the neighborhood would like to work with partners to address.

Neighborhood Concern ED&CR 3:
Development occurring in the community often does not benefit the local residents.

Frenchtown has seen much change over the recent decades. Much of that change, however, is change that residents feel they had little to no input or does not benefit them. According to residents, developers have altered the landscape of the neighborhood, often doing little or nothing to ensure that their investments benefit existing residents in any way. Neighborhood residents want to shift this trend and believe there are opportunities to do so. There are multiple commercial buildings that are vacant in the neighborhood that can be repurposed for the benefit of the community. To that end, the neighborhood desires to work with its governmental partners to create incentive programs to attract community-supporting businesses.

Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) is a well-established tool that can help to shift the impact that development has had on Frenchtown. CBAs are project-specific agreements between a developer and a broad community coalition. The agreement outlines how a project will contribute to the community and memorializes the community’s support for the project. CBAs are legally binding and enforceable by the signatories. CBAs provide a structure for meaningful, up-front communication between a developer and the community. The developer benefits from active community support of the project, and community members gain when the project responds to their needs (Partnership for Working Families, 2015). While Frenchtown residents would like to see an increase in neighborhood-scale commercial development, they want to ensure that new development creates opportunities for existing residents.

Neighborhood Concern ED&CR 4:
A decrease in the number of businesses in Frenchtown that are owned and operated by neighborhood residents.

Frenchtown’s business community is a vital part of the fabric of the community. Success of these businesses directly correlates to lifting Frenchtown’s families out of poverty, providing jobs in their communities and creating healthy commerce that supports the neighborhood and the City at large. Small business ownership is a key strategy for building individual, family and community wealth. When residents patronize the businesses of their neighbors they are investing directly in the health of their community. The neighborhood would like to see specific programs and benefits offered to emerging entrepreneurs and existing business owners who want to start a new business or grow an existing one. Targeted investment and outreach to cultivate more “homegrown” businesses will be an important part of fostering a thriving community.

Neighborhood Concern ED&CR 5:
The challenges residents face in building assets and wealth.

Savings and other assets can serve as a protective barrier against sudden income loss and provide the financial stability that families need to realize their dreams.  Assets, which can include everything from cash in savings accounts, investments, real estate, and retirement accounts, can prevent a minor financial setback from turning into a major crisis.  Yet, many families find themselves placing savings and asset development at the bottom of their priority list. Twenty-one percent (21%) of Tallahassee’s households live in “asset poverty,” meaning they do not have enough net worth to subsist at the poverty level for three months should they lose their primary source of income. Twenty-two percent (22%) of Tallahassee’s households have zero or negative net worth. Seven percent (7%) of households in Tallahassee have neither a checking nor savings account (Prosperity Now, 2018).

Low-income families and families of color are disproportionately affected by the challenges one can face in building wealth and developing assets. The wealth gap between America’s richest and poorer families more than doubled from 1989 to 2016 (Schaffer, 2020). Among lower and middle-income households, white families have four times as much wealth as African American families and three times as much as Hispanic families (Kocchar & Cilluffo, 2017). As income inequality and wealth disparities grow, it is imperative to provide supports for neighborhood families to build assets to increase both individual and community stability.

References
Breule, R. (2015, July 30). Access to Capital: One of the Keys to Prosperity. Retrieved from Living Cities: https://www.livingcities.org/blog/878-access-to-capital-one-of-the-keys-to-prosperity
Kocchar, R., & Cilluffo, A. (2017). How wealth inequality has changed in the U.S. since the Great Recession, by race, ethnicity and income. Pew Research Center.
Partnership for Working Families. (2015). Community Benefits 101. Retrieved from https://www.forworkingfamilies.org/page/community-benefits-101
Prosperity Now. (2018). Prosperity Now Scorecard. Retrieved from https://scorecard.prosperitynow.org/data-by-issue#finance/outcome/consumers-with-prime-credit
Schaffer, K. (2020). 6 facts about economic inequality in the U.S. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from Pew Research Center.

Land Use & Transportation

Neighborhood Concern LU&T 1:
Current land use and zoning regulations threaten the character of the neighborhood and reduce the quality of life for neighborhood residents.

Recent redevelopment activities within the Frenchtown Community has drawn attention to the existing zoning regulations and densities allowed by the land development code. Residents have expressed concerns that the existing zoning allows development patterns that are out of character with the existing and future vision of the neighborhood.

As an example, the community often speaks negatively of developments that have been constructed that use the footprint of an entire block. These developments are very large and have unbroken facades for long distances. The community would like to see an incremental approach to new development that uses existing lots rather than the combination lots in an entire block.

Neighborhood Concern LU&T 2:
New development that is not in scale and compatible with existing development.

With new development occurring in the Frenchtown, it is important to residents that new developments fit into the existing fabric of the neighborhood. Frenchtown has changed significantly over the years. Macomb Street has seen the replacement of smaller commercial buildings with the Renaissance Center, houses replaced with Carter Howell Strong Pond, and larger multifamily developments like the Standard and Casanas Village have emerged. With these changes it is harder to see what Frenchtown once was, a thriving African American community with local businesses, schools, culture, and a unique identity.

Frenchtown residents want to see more commercial uses, as was common in neighborhood’s history; however, residents are concerned about how new commercial development fits into the community. A current opportunity to set the stage for the character the residents envision for the community is the development of the parcels owned by COT and CRA at the corner of Georgia Street and Macomb. This site is optimally located in the community and, as it is publicly owned, it offers a great opportunity to have the community set the vision they want to see in Frenchtown.

Neighborhood Concern LU&T 3:
The displacement of residents who have historically lived and owned properties in Frenchtown.

Over the last 30 years, displacement of individuals and families that lived in Frenchtown was fostered by changes in the neighborhood’s land use patterns, rezonings, redevelopment activities, and infrastructure projects. In the early 1990s, several homes on Copeland, Carolina, and Georgia streets were demolished and residents were displaced due to the construction of the Carter Howell Strong Park, a regional stormwater facility that was developed to address flooding in the area.  Also, several businesses along Macomb Street were demolished and the area has been redeveloped with multi-family housing (student housing) and office uses. The western section of the neighborhood, close to Woodward Street and along Copeland, Georgia, Carolina and Brevard streets, has been redeveloped with duplexes, townhouses and multifamily uses. These redevelopment activities have led to the demolition of existing housing, the displacement of existing residents and the influx of new residents. Residents are concerned about these changes and their impact on residents that have lived historically in the neighborhood.   

Neighborhood Concern LU&T 4:
The volume of traffic and the frequency of speeding on the roads and side streets in Frenchtown.

Frenchtown is served by two major arterial roadways, Macomb Street/Old Bainbridge Road, running north and south through the neighborhood and a major collector, Brevard Street, running east and west that carries a large volume of traffic through the neighborhood. The volume of traffic these roadways carry is very noticeable during peak travel times. During peak travel times, it is very difficult for residents to navigate their neighborhood safely. Due to the increased traffic volume on these streets, side streets from these roadways have become the popular “cut through” pathways, for motorists going south/north and east/west. Residents have noted observing more traffic on the streets that start with D, Georgia Street and Virginia Street. In addition, the residents are seeing more vehicles travelling at speeds higher than the posted speed limit passing by their residences. Another traffic-related issue that residents have raised is accessing Macomb Street from Georgia Street. Given the volume and speed of traffic on Macomb Street, it is difficult for residents (pedestrians and/or motorists) to access Macomb Street. Overall, the community would like to see safer interactions between pedestrians and vehicles.

Neighborhood Concern LU&T 5:
Localized flooding.

Frenchtown, like many communities that were built before modern stormwater regulations, experiences localized flooding.  Topographically, the Frenchtown Watershed is bowl shaped with runoff flowing down the sides of the bowl to the bottom, which is now the Carter-Howell-Strong Park pond. Using this analogy, flooding occurs along the sides of the bowl and becomes more severe lower in the bowl with flood waters accumulating at the bottom. With the general absence of stormwater ponds in Frenchtown to store and slow the flow of water, runoff builds creating flooding along the path and at the bottom of the basin. 

Accordingly, the City has constructed many drainage improvements and acquired flood prone properties in Frenchtown to alleviate flooding and reduce flood damages, including the construction of a stormwater retention pond at what is now Carter-Howell-Strong Park, and the adoption of the Frenchtown Watershed Master Plan in 2006. The adopted plan was a balance with trade-offs influenced by the community and the Commission, but what was clear moving forward was that dislocation of residents and businesses was not to occur. The reality, which was discussed at the time, is that within an urbanized area, large parcels of unimproved property, which is needed for stormwater storage to alleviate flooding do not exist and without storage of flood water, some level of flooding would continue. 

Some instances of flooding are “public” where it is the City’s responsibility to address (as highlighted above) while others are “private” meaning that the flooding is due to an issue within private property. The City does have resources to help residents address private flooding issues including grants and loans. The neighborhood would like to continue to work with the City to address and mitigate instances of flooding and ensure residents are aware of all the resources available to them for this issue.

Placemaking & Neighborhood Image

Neighborhood Concern P&NI 1:
Unfair negative perceptions about Frenchtown.

Frenchtown struggles with poor perceptions due to several social and economic factors that occurred years ago.  During the 1960’s and 70’s Frenchtown experienced significant increases in crime and these perceptions have been hard for the community to overcome; however, an interest in this neighborhood has been sparked to reinvigorate Frenchtown to once again be a vibrant, exciting place that all of Tallahassee will come and enjoy.

Neighborhood Concern P&NI 2:
Conserve/preserve the historic resources of Frenchtown.

In Frenchtown, there are many old buildings and houses. Some of these buildings/homes have rehabilitation potential while others have declined to the point it is no longer feasible to repair them. It is important to Frenchtown residents that historic structures are identified and preserved. Historic preservation while important to the neighborhood’s identity, comes with some draw backs. The designation can create renovation and maintenance issues for homeowners that are already struggling to upkeep their residence. In some cases, renovations such as window replacement, roof repairs, door replacement, etc., may need to be approved by the Historic Preservation Review Board. If it is determined that the replacement must be accurate to the existing style this can increase the cost significantly, especially if custom replacements are needed. These are options that must be weighed before determining if a structure should be designated as “historic”.

Neighborhood Concern P&NI 3:
Underutilization of public spaces, open spaces, and residential and commercial lots within the Frenchtown community.

Public space is very important to the citizens of the Frenchtown community. Within the neighborhood boundaries, there are 92.67 acres of public land. The community benefits from public amenities such as Carter-Howell-Strong Park, Lincoln Neighborhood Center, Leverne Payne Community Center, Lawrence-Gregory Community Center, and Fred Lee Plaza. However, much of the public space is underutilized and lacks activities that activate and invite people to the space. In the community, you will find an old school building that is vacant and fenced, fenced off storm water facilities, and parks with limited amenities.  Moving forward the community wants to ensure that public spaces, underutilized lots, storm water facilities, etc. are designed and improved in a way that creates community amenities and promotes communal gathering and recreation.

Neighborhood Safety & Crime Prevention

Neighborhood Concern NS&CP 1:
Unsafe spaces that contribute to criminal activity.

Community pride and proper stewardship of neighborhood assets are essential to creating a better quality of life for residents and enhanced community engagement.  Between 2014 and 2015, Frenchtown experienced a decrease in property crimes and other offenses. Since 2015, the number of reported occurrences has remained stable, but larceny/theft, burglary and trespass have been the top three property crimes in Frenchtown for the last five years. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a multidisciplinary approach to addressing the reduction of crime through urban and environmental design, and the built environment. Based on feedback received from residents at community meetings, Tallahassee Police Department recently installed four surveillance cameras in the neighborhood. This is an example of a CPTED method of target-hardening – which means to strengthen the security of a building or an area in order to help prevent crime. Many of the residences in Frenchtown are surrounded by overgrown shrubbery, and several overgrown lots are located throughout the neighborhood. Additionally, many older homes are not target-hardened. Through CPTED’s practices and principles, residents can manage their properties and their surroundings in manner that deters crimes and protect themselves from criminal activities.

Neighborhood Concern NS&CP 2:
Negative perception of police presence and engagement.

Strong relationships of mutual trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve are crucial to maintain public safety and effective policing. Police officials depend on the cooperation of the community to provide information about crime in their neighborhoods and to work with the police to come up with solutions. Similarly, community members’ willingness to trust the police depends on whether they believe that police actions reflect community values and are within the limitations of procedural justice and legitimacy. Data provided by TPD reflect that proactive community policing totaled 1,788 police interactions in Frenchtown over the last five years.  Residents would like to see law enforcement continue to strengthen its proactive and positive presence in the neighborhood. Currently, there is not an active/established neighborhood crime watch in Frenchtown. Through an active crime watch program, partnerships are established with local law enforcement, residents are educated about crime trends occurring in the neighborhood, and there is a collective effort to help reduce crime in their neighborhood. Resident education on crime prevention methods and crime-related data is critical to understanding the impact of crime on quality of life. Crime and the perception of crime have a significant impact on the livability of a neighborhood. Currently, the Tallahassee Online Police Statistics (TOPS) system is available for public use.  Additionally, there are several public safety programs offered by local law enforcement agencies to educate citizens on neighborhood safety and crime prevention.

Health & Resident Empowerment

Neighborhood Concern H&RE 1:
Access to healthy food.   

Access to fresh, healthy, affordable food is a major concern for many traditionally underserved neighborhoods in Tallahassee. On average, Frenchtown residents spend an estimated $1,940 on food at home and $1,316 on food away from home annually.  With median household income for Frenchtown residents at $16,860, approximately 20 percent of a household’s income is spent on food, yet there are limited options for healthy, affordable food within close proximity to the neighborhood. The closest large grocery store to Frenchtown is the Lake Ella Publix on Monroe Street, which is approximately one mile from Frenchtown. Many Frenchtown residents are transportation-challenged and walk to obtain various necessities and services. One emerging asset for food access is the 4th Avenue Market, located on Fourth Avenue between Central Street and N. Macomb Street, which has recently begun to offer more fresh food. Other food retail options in the neighborhood are the Dollar General and Family Dollar stores, neither of which sells items like meat and produce. A weekly farmers market operated by the Frenchtown Heritage Hub and the iGrow Farm on Dent Street provide limited/periodic access to fresh produce. Project Annie, Inc. and the Watson Temple Food Pantry also help to address food insecurity issues.

Neighborhood Concern H&RE 2:
Environmental issues affecting Frenchtown.

Environmental health is a branch of public health that focuses on the effects of the natural and built environment on human health. Just as conditions in our homes have implications for our health, the neighborhoods where we live can have major effects on our health and opportunities to be healthy. Depending on where we live, our health may be adversely affected by adverse neighborhood characteristics. These can include poor air and water quality, litter, illegal dumping, hazardous substances (i.e. asbestos and lead-based paint in older homes), flooding, potential contamination from commercial uses, substandard housing, and lack of access to nutritious foods and safe places to exercise or play. Some residents of Frenchtown have expressed concern with a number of their neighbors who have suffered from strokes recently; many of whom had a perfect bill of health. They are wondering whether there is something in their surroundings that may have contributed to their illnesses.

Neighborhood Concern H&RE 3:
Access to healthcare and wellness activities.

The percentage of residents in Frenchtown with no health insurance is as follows: 1.2% in ages 19 and under, 8.7% in ages 19-34, 14.9% in ages 35-64 .1% in age 65 and up.  The percentage of adult residents exercising two or more times a week at home is 25.3%, with 11.7% exercising two or more times a week at an exercise club.

Several facilities that offer healthcare and wellness services are located in or nearby the Frenchtown neighborhood. A Life Recovery Center Inc., located on Georgia Street in the neighborhood, provides substance abuse treatment services in residential and outpatient settings. These services include but are not limited to behavioral therapy, substance abuse counseling, individual and group counseling and relapse prevention. The Neighborhood Medical Center at the Lincoln Neighborhood Center and the Leon County Health Department provide residents with access to some health care services within the neighborhood. The Lincoln Neighborhood Center, Lawrence-Gregory Community Center, Robinson Trueblood Pool and the Leverne Payne Community Center are all neighborhood facilities run by the City of Tallahassee that offer a variety of exercise and wellness programming.

Transportation is a challenge for some residents, making regular trips to health care providers difficult. Providing easy access to healthcare services and wellness activities to residents in the community would be a valuable resource. Healthcare costs (real and perceived) and trust may be other factors preventing residents from accessing preventative care and the neighborhood would like to work with providers to address these barriers.

Neighborhood Concern H&RE 4:
Social connections and opportunities for intergenerational interactions.

With over 5,000 residents living in the Frenchtown neighborhood, a sense of connectivity between neighbors is essential to the success of any program or plan being implemented. The effects of isolation and loneliness can have severe impacts on the health of seniors. One study found that lonely seniors have a 59% higher risk of physical and mental health decline, and a 45% greater risk of death. The Lincoln Neighborhood Center and Leverne-Payne Community Center offer a variety of programs and classes that assist in providing opportunity for residents to connect and engage with one another, but the neighborhood would like to create additional opportunities for intergenerational interaction.

Neighborhood Concern H&RE 5:
Access to educational, vocational and employment opportunities for adults and youth.

Frenchtown residents have expressed a desire to improve the educational, training and employment services that are available to youth and adults. Of the 5,000 Frenchtown residents, 17% have no high school diploma, 26% have only a high school diploma, 38% have some college and 18% have a bachelor’s degree or higher. The unemployment rate in Frenchtown is just under 24%, compared to 7% for Tallahassee. Of those employed in the Frenchtown area, 52% are white-collar workers, 13% are blue-collar workers and 35% are in the service industry. There are 138 businesses in Frenchtown, employing 1,411 employees (ACS, 2018). Residents in the Frenchtown neighborhood seeking employment or wishing to continue their education have expressed a lack of resources to help with continuing education, job training and employment opportunities.  

Neighborhood Concern H&RE 6
The challenges residents who have been incarcerated face.

There are millions of formerly incarcerated individuals in the United States. On an annual basis, nearly 1,000 former inmates are released into Leon, Gadsden, Jefferson and Wakulla counties.  Unfortunately, within three years, an estimated 25% of these individuals will commit another crime and be rearrested and sentenced to a county jail or a state or federal prison. Formerly incarcerated residents face a number of barriers to employment and housing, making reentry into the community even more challenging. Residents of Frenchtown know that some of their neighbors are in this situation and would like to be proactive about providing referrals to supportive services.

Neighborhood Concern H&RE 7:
Availability of supportive services to prevent homelessness.  

Many factors can lead to housing instability for individuals and families, many of which this plan is attempting to address. Health, mental health, financial and personal safety issues can all lead to housing insecurity. Though it is the goal that many of the social supports put in place through this plan will decrease housing instability, the neighborhood also wants to be intentional about connecting residents to services that can prevent homelessness.

A number of resources exist for residents who are experiencing housing instability and the neighborhood would like ensure people know where to get help.  Frenchtown was the location of The Shelter, a homeless-serving organization before it closed in 2017 and merged into what is now The Kearney Center. The Kearney provides 24-hour comprehensive emergency services to individuals experiencing or on-the-verge of experiencing homelessness. Grace Mission, located in the neighborhood at the corner of Brevard and Bronough streets, provides comprehensive services to individuals experiencing homelessness. Some of the services provided by Grace Mission include: providing meals, showers, supplies for school-age children, quarterly medical clinics, flu shots, providing medications and clothing, referrals to counseling and assistance with obtaining photo IDs and birth certificates. Another resource is the Big Bend Continuum of Care which develops and implements strategies to help end homelessness and coordinates the community’s policies, strategies, and activities toward ending homelessness.

Neighborhood Concern H&RE 8:
Empowerment of neighborhood residents and groups to advocate for the neighborhood more effectively.

Frenchtown has struggled with establishing a unified community organization to represent the neighborhood and to address its problems. In 1990, a group of concerned residents decided to establish the Frenchtown Neighborhood Improvement Association (FNIA) to address conditions in the community.  Over the course of several years and a few leadership changes, the FNIA successfully led revitalization efforts in Frenchtown. In 1999, the Greater Frenchtown Revitalization Council worked to establish the neighborhood as a Front Porch Florida Community. Currently, there are multiple groups doing work in the Frenchtown Area. Although each of these groups are doing great things for the community, there seems to be little communication between groups as to what the other is doing. To maximize the benefits each of these groups bring to the community, it would be beneficial to have one organization that coordinates with all others on a regular basis. Residents have stated that there is a need for a strong and effective neighborhood organization to help them get organized and become advocates for their neighborhood.  A strong neighborhood organization can provide support to community members wanting to be active advocates in their neighborhood and will help to foster a stronger sense of community within the neighborhood.  Along with a governing neighborhood organization, creating and promoting programs and events that allow community members to be actively involved in their local government will allow residents to have a stronger voice in what is taking place in their community.