Understanding our Communities

       As we look at the communities in our project group, it is difficult at times to understand how we can  truly help them.  We can see a common thread in the communities of Marlo Heights, Colony Park, and Holly Street. Each community has a low median income of the mid to upper $20,000.00 as compared to Austin's median income, which is $55,000.00.  The three communities lack parks, grocery stores, and more importantly their voices to be heard.

      Looking at Colony Park, we see a great need for their voice to be heard within Austin's city government and with the community of service through the University of Texas.  According to the data we have, Colony Park was not asked what they felt their greatest needs were and also if they were, their voices were not acknowledged.  They are faced with a community center that is currently unusable and also the prospect of being labeled a low income housing community.  The residents of this community long to be heard and have a community that is thriving, family oriented and offering a safe place to live.  Battling the city against a low income housing project is not an easy war to fight.

     We see the impact the paper plant had on the residents of Holly Street and their inability to win the battle with trash and rodents.  Holly Street like Colony Park and Marlo Heights is facing growing pains.  Individuals are coming in and buying homes, fixing them up, and/or tearing down and building new.  The residents face higher tax rates and the grief over the loss of a neighborhood as they once new it.

     The residents of Marlo Heights struggle to have a voice.  As we look at the recommendations of the team from UT, we can see the problems this community faces to as they long for safety and a united front.  Each of our communities have struggles. The greatest thing we, as a project development team, can do is to listen, hear their concerns and try to understand the challenges before them.

      Looking at the redevelopment of Mueller, there is definite controversy over the way this redevelopment was  handled.  Communities like Marlo Heights, Colony Park, and Holly Street need to unite and have a voice prior to big development coming in and changing their neighborhoods.

     The food desert is certainly a huge problem for these communities.  We see a great deficit in access to not only healthy foods but also food in general. The lack of access to food, especially for those that don't drive, continues to plague these neighborhoods.  Local and chain grocery stores are not going in to these areas because it does not benefit them.  Residents cannot even walk to the near by grocery because there isn't one.

I am hoping the community of UT and our project development group can have an impact on the lives of these people.  Because what starts here really can change the world.