Blackshear Bridge convened our community partners – Huston-Tillotson University, Blackshear Elementary School, Blackshear Prospect-Hill Neighborhood Association, Blackshear Neighborhood Development Corporation, Six Square: Austin’s Black Cultural District, UT’s Longhorn Center for Community Engagement, and Hispanic Austin Leadership Financial Stability Team for two Vision Gatherings this past fall 2018.  From the Visions shared there, Blackshear Bridge began an organic, democratic, community-driven process of further research and development of our Right to Say, Right to Stay, Right to Return, community engagement and outreach programs for 2019-2020.

Blackshear Bridge programs are based on your visions (Read the list of Visions below.) that arise from the hope, love, and struggles of the lived and remembered experiences of our neighborhood residents and partner organizations constituencies; also from an awareness and appreciation for insightful research that provides data about our neighborhood.

We are deeply gratified to realize the vitality of working together with you for our community’s uplift and fulfillment.

Here are some of the Visions and Concerns of our neighborhood.  Add yours here!

Blackshear Prospect Hill Vision Gathering, Sept. 25, 2018

VISIONS – GREEN STICKIES

Diversity & Inclusion

I would love for this neighborhood to become the most ethnically and economically diverse neighborhood in the country

I would love to create a black aesthetic in the built environment of this area that is inspirational and embraced by the entire community

A Friendly Rice mural and other ways of preserving Blackshear History

Developing an active, multi-cultural community and neighborhood

Communal spirit, familia

I would love to see the community flourish by preserving racial and economic diversity

Diverse east Austin with education and economic opportunity for all

A diverse inclusive neighborhood

Social Integration of New and Old Residents

Creating deeper connections within the community by increasing involvement

Our neighborhood treated like it is part of Austin

Get the same good treatment as other parts of Austin

Hold undoing racism/undoing imagined white supremacy trainings

Improve neighborhood involvement

Block associations

Reception to welcome new neighbors

Peaceful, walkable, historic, friendly

Public interactiveness

Housing, Jobs & Affordability

A collaborative partnership that helps to support and protect residents to stay in their homes, build economic/generational wealth, sell for fair/equitable amounts, and be a template for other neighborhoods

Funded private/public organization between neighborhood and city to identify and build various sizes and styles of housing in the neighborhood – rent to own, starter homes, long and short-term durations

Take housing bond funds and divide with nonprofits that want to build and repair homes, to keep affordable – shorten the application process for city funding

Heritage Heights affordable housing collaboration between Blackshear Bridge, Blackshear Elementary School Parent Support Specialist and neighborhood partners

Elder and low-income residents not having to worry about property taxes, wondering how to pay

Property Tax freeze

More jobs for African Americans to bring more children in this community.

Affordable housing

Remodel the houses, rather than tearing down

Community-oriented, neighborhood-oriented development

Low Property Taxes

Presentation of Historic Houses

Homes to look alike in architectural design

Adequate Funding to support Visions

Urban network and identity – streetscape/sidewalk/landscape/social improvements

Education

Blackshear Elementary Fine Arts Academy is a vibrant, diverse learning community – respect the past, honor the future.  All students deserve a world-class education.

Connection to HT – Partnership

Improved connection from neighborhood through HT

Connect UT Students to Blackshear Students through sustained programming

Engage the Universities and utilize the resources they have to offer

Engage UT, HT, and Blackshear students

Connect UT Faculty in Center for Sustainable Design with Blackshear Neighborhood groups

Friendly Rice Mural

Blackshear Elementary School Reunion at Friendly Rice Birthday April 26

Culturally competent research engagement

Environment & Green Space

Connecting Rosewood Courts via Poquito Creek to the larger Boggy Creek Greenbelt

Dedicating a piece of parkland to Julia Faye Mitchell – founder, Pres. of Blackshear Prospect Hill Neighborhood Association

Caring for our stormwater at a block level, or a watershed level

Safety

Quiet neighborhood that is very peaceful

Better protection for Blackshear children crossing the street

Speed bumps on east 11th

ADA crossing – curb cuts and paint- on the southwest corner of Chalmers & E. 11th

CHALLENGES – ORANGE STICKIES

Rapid changes by developers

Increasing property taxes (repeated several times)

Displacement, Demolition, Million dollar houses

High home prices – Building costs – land cost

Affordability – money

Neighborhood crowding – single family versus multi-family

Maintaining diversity and inclusion at Blackshear

Maintaining enrollment at Blackshear Elementary while the student population declines in our attendance zone

Maintaining the residential character of the neighborhood

Dwindling minority population

Support from the larger community

Community involvement

Impervious cover

More fences

Too many goals