In 2020, the City of Syracuse received a $1 million grant for the Cities for Responsible Investment and Strategic Enforcement, or Cities RISE program. As part of program, the City partnered with the Center for Justice Innovation’s Westside Peacemaking Center to conduct a series of engagement sessions to discuss residents’ views and experiences with code enforcement, neighborhood quality of life, and housing conditions. These sessions were held in the residents’ homes and included a shared meal between neighbors, friends, and community agencies to help facilitate meaningful engagement, identify priorities for neighborhood development opportunities, and solicit creative solutions to quality-of-life issues.
In addition to these discussions, the City completed a Commercial Corridor Analysis to identify market opportunities within our business corridors and create comprehensive strategies that support the needs of our community and businesses. Using a multi-faceted research and analysis process, the project identified opportunities and barriers to local economic development and outlined clear action items that the City and partners can take to strengthen these important corridors.