The Mt. Auburn neighborhood is in a renaissance.

The East Dallas neighborhood, which is between the Hollywood/Santa Monica and Santa Fe neighborhoods, recently was selected to participate in a new City program called the Neighborhood Renaissance Partnership Program.

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The plan has targeted six Dallas neighborhoods for revitalization through a concentration of Community Block Grant funds and City services during the next five years.

“The whole purpose of this program is to deal with at-risk communities,” says Joyce Rhyan, manager of the program in the Housing and Neighborhood Services Department.

“They are fairly stable communities that require intervention to prevent deterioration. It’s to make a real difference on a neighborhood scale. The City’s goal it to improve the quality of life and health of neighborhoods.”

Mt. Auburn was the only neighborhood north of I-30 selected. It is bounded by Monte Vista, Beacon, East Grand and Santa Fe.

The Renaissance Partnership began a few months ago with an assessment of the neighborhood by Mt. Auburn residents, businesses and City employees. Issues will be identified, goals will be developed, and strategies will be planned for the next five years.

Issues for Mt. Auburn are not clear yet, but the program can help address issues such as crime, curb and street repairs, code enforcement and home improvements. The City Council committed $2.5 million of Community Block Grant Funds this year for the program.

Neighborhoods were selected based on a 225-point scale. The criteria was determined by items such as percentage of single-family units, types of businesses and average household incomes.

When Olga Cardenas, president of the Mt. Auburn Neighborhood Association, learned of the program from Councilman Chris Luna, she immediately applied.

She moved to Mt. Auburn 15 years ago from North Dallas.

“When I first moved into the neighborhood, there was more of a neighborhood feeling,” Cardenas says. “In the last five years, things have gotten bad.”

There were random gun shots, loud music and cars racing up and down streets. Cardenas says the neighborhood’s crime watch efforts are making a difference. But the Renaissance Program will help the neighbors do things they can’t afford.

“It’s coming together,” Cardenas says. “People are taking care of their neighbors. It’s made us very proud. It’s made us think, ‘Hey this is great. I don’t want to move now.’ There is hope for us.”

Rob Parks, a Hollywood/Santa Monica resident and vice-chair of the Community Development Advisory Committee which oversees the distribution of Community Block Grant funds, says the program will benefit more than just Mt. Auburn – it will help surrounding neighborhoods.

The program will complete the revitalization of East Dallas that Dorothy Savage and other residents started several years ago with Swiss Avenue, Parks says.

“I would hate to see what East Dallas would look like today if they hadn’t done what they have done,” Parks says. “Now we’re moving into areas that are not as advantaged. That will complete the renaissance of East Dallas, and it will include all ethnicities and income levels.”

Bud Melton has lived in Mt. Auburn for 12 years. He says the neighborhood lobbied for the program because they knew it could be beneficial.

“We have no preconceived notions, but a lot of enthusiasm,” Melton says. “The people who live here live here because they want to, not because they have to live here. We want to make it work.

“This is a proactive way for the City to work with us and build a partnership. Our neighborhood is willing to buy into that. Our goal is to make their job easier. Their goal is to make our life better.”

“Ultimately, it’s win, win.”