Some people believe Washington’s Smallwood community is receiving preferential treatment because some top city officials live there. These folks wonder if other areas of the city are getting their fair share of city resources.
Let the facts speak for themselves.
In 2008, the city used an $850,000 Community Development Block Grant and other funds to improve a neighborhood and rehabilitate homes of some low-income and moderate-income residents. The project area included parts of West Sixth and West Seventh streets. The project budget was $970,000.
The project improved substandard housing and infrastructure in an area of West Seventh Street between Market and Respess streets and an area along West Sixth Street from Bridge Street to Van Norden Street.
The project improved five severely deteriorated houses in the West Seventh Street area. It also replaced a 4-inch water line with an 8-inch water line. It replaced a substandard sewer line and resurfaced the street.
In the West Sixth Street area, the project rehabilitated five severely deteriorated houses. It replaced a 2-inch water line with an 8-inch water line. It replaced a substandard sewer line and resurfaced the street. The project also combined seven vacant lots so three new housing units could be built in the area.
And Smallwood isn’t the only area in line for drainage improvements. The Jack’s Creek area and the Airport Canal area are in line for drainage improvements, too.
Do other areas of the city need specific improvements? No doubt. But improvement projects cost money, and right now there isn’t a lot of money for such projects available to the city.
The Smallwood project has nothing to do with a few people complaining about drainage problems. It has everything to do with improving drainage in much of the city’s eastern section.
In the bigger picture, it’s the entire city that’s getting preferential treatment.
There’s nothing wrong with that.