United We Stand, Divided We Fall Off Broken Sidewalks

In 2009, Jeff Miller, Fletcher Place resident and SEND Board member, spearheaded an assessment of every street and sidewalk in Southeast Indianapolis. What Jeff discovered was shocking. While 13% of the residential streets in Indianapolis were in disrepair, over 35% of streets in Southeast neighborhoods were in need of attention. While 25% of the sidewalks in the city were substandard, over 40% of the sidewalks in Southeast neighborhoods were missing or in need of replacement. These statistics proved what many Southeasterners have known for years – we’ve been neglected.

How can our neighborhoods be so far behind others? Why do some neighborhoods in Indianapolis receive governmental attention while others are allowed to disintegrate? How is it possible that the 30,000 residents of Southeast neighborhoods aren’t receiving the same service as those living in Meridian Kessler?

In fairness, the answer is complicated. Resources are limited. City officials blame the age of our infrastructure and the high cost of repair. They say their hands are tied. They don’t publically acknowledge other factors – the low voter turnout in our neighborhoods, a low homeowner rate and property tax base, and that we have few wealthy and connected residents. The truth is that we’ve been easy to ignore.

This is especially true when we don’t work together. The Southeast neighborhoods (Bates Hendricks, FACT, Fletcher Place, Fountain Square South, Irish Hill, North Square, SECO, Twin Aire, and WeCan) have all been successful at addressing minor issues within their boundaries. There are many dedicated, hard working people in all of these associations. Unfortunately, we have not always been very good at addressing major issues together. We have not spoken with a unified voice to City Hall.

However, in 2010, this may change. In January, neighborhood leaders began talking about how we can better work together. How can we pressure institutions and government officials to care about our broken streets and sidewalks? How can we identify other issues and problems we all share? How can we do this in a way that avoids the petty turf issues of the past? How do we hear each other and then speak with one voice? One possibility used by similar neighborhoods in other cities has been a neighborhood congress.

A neighborhood congress is a periodic gathering of anyone who lives, works, or cares about a specific neighborhood. It is a chance to celebrate accomplishments, acknowledge failures, identify arising concerns, and agree on unified action. It is an opportunity for people to speak and vote. It is a place where people can unite around certain actions. And the more who gather, the more powerful their voice.

On Thursday, April 22nd, from 7-9 p.m. at the Fountain Square Theatre Building, we will hold the first Southeast Neighborhood Congress. We’ll celebrate accomplishments like the sidewalk and street assessment. We’ll acknowledge efforts that have failed. We’ll discuss new concerns and consider further actions. For too long, the city of Indianapolis, local foundations, and institutions have ignored the plight of Southeast Indianapolis. It is time for that to change.

For more information about the neighborhood congress, contact Jim Mulholland at 503-5852. To view the street and sidewalk assessment, go to www.sendcdc.org/psinfrastructure.html.