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About the Love Your Block Initiative
Mission Statement
Under the Community Services Department, Richmond Love Your Block strives to change Richmond neighborhoods one block at a time. We want to get you and your neighbors, friends, and family involved in beautifying your block. This program is funded by Cities of Service, a national nonprofit that awarded a $30,000 grant and deployed two AmeriCorps members each to seven cities across the country to implement Love Your Block.With our program, you get to develop revitalization projects that will make Richmond more attractive, sustainable, and safe. You get to lead these projects and get your community members involved. You make the change in your neighborhood. To help you do these things, we fund your project through Love Your Block mini-grants and support you by encouraging partnerships between you and city officials, city services, local organizations, and community members.
In the end, you and Richmond residents are the key drivers of success for Love Your Block.
During our first two years, residents and organizations competed for and received up to $1,000 each in Love Your Block mini-grant funds and resources to complete beautification projects in Richmond. Led by your own neighbors down the street, these projects ranged from community gardens to neighborhood clean-ups. Throughout each project, the Community Services Department and other city departments worked together with residents and community members to provide city services and support.
Richmond Love Your Block aims to continue this collaboration in order to strengthen ties between the City and residents. As one big team, all of us here in Richmond can beautify our blocks, improve neighborhood safety, and love our community.
WHO:
The Community Services Department encourages Richmond residents and organizations to identify local neighborhood revitalization challenges and to reach out to Richmond Love Your Block to address these challenges. Participants mobilize residents and community members to complete projects that will beautify and revitalize their neighborhoods while making the City of Richmond more sustainable and safe. WHAT:
A successful Love Your Block project exemplifies our core values: beautification, community engagement, and sustainability. We encourage neighborhood groups to identify and develop priority projects that will implement these values. Common components of local projects include vacant lot clean up, litter and graffiti removal, tree planting, and community garden development. We may be able to help you attain the supplies and resources you need to complete your community revitalization project, including trash bags, paint, soil, seeds, and more. You must submit an application and be selected to receive any in-kind resources we might have.WHERE:
Your project must take place in the City of Richmond and benefit the whole community in which it is located. Applications with projects that will take place in Parchester Village or North Richmond (unincorporated and incorporated) will receive priority consideration.WHY:
Well-tended public spaces create a better quality of life and attract businesses and residents to communities. Experts consider such spaces to be essential to creating sustainable communities. However, run-down, litter-strewn spaces signal lawlessness and lack of community spirit that can lead to crime and other negative behaviors. Communities that are actively involved in maintaining and beautifying their environment are far less likely to let their neighborhoods fall into these conditions. Love Your Block projects addressing neighborhood revitalization can act as a powerful force in preventing crime while promoting sustainability and community gathering.
Want to Tell Us About Your Neighborhood?
The survey should only take a few minutes of your time. We appreciate your input!
Richmond Love Your Block Survey
Contact Us to Start Your Own Project!
Stephanie Ny
(510) 620-6563
stephanie_ny@ci.richmond.ca.us
Erika Ito
(510) 621-1568
erika_ito@ci.richmond.ca.us