KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Four square miles on the east side of Kansas City, Missouri, holds 1% of the city's population. That same area has seen 25% of all KCMO homicides over the last 20 years.
One small neighborhood, Santa Fe, is right in the middle.
Its boundaries are East 27th Street, Prospect Avenue, Indiana Avenue and Linwood Boulevard.
The neighborhood’s president, Marquita Taylor, says it’s an area that’s been historically disinvested, and she's working to change that.
“We’ve got a lot of disinvestment, a lot of homes that need serious help,” said Taylor. “I’ve witnessed a lot of violence in the neighborhood, a lot on my own block.”
Santa Fe is the pilot neighborhood for KC Common Good’s 360 program, which uses community-based approaches to reduce violent crime.
“Kansas City has experienced the four most violent years in history, the need for violence reduction in Kansas City is critical for our region,” said CEO of KC Common Good Klassie Alcine. “Nearly every day in Kansas City a family is caught in violence, not feeling safe in their home or business.”
Chief Stacey Graves of the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department said the department is empowering neighborhoods to no longer accept violent crime on their blocks, and that they're connecting people with resources to get to the root causes of the crimes.
There are 20 blocks of homes that Taylor looks out for and advocates for.
“This is a neighborhood of people who still want to live here," Taylor said. "It’s a historic neighborhood, families have been here 60 years. It’s on the registry of national historic places. Black people weren’t able to move past 27th Street. This is the first planned neighborhood where the racial covenants were removed.”
She said it was hard for anyone who stayed in the Santa Fe neighborhood to find financing because of redlining, and the houses — that are now approaching 100 years old — became dilapidated.
Multiple times a year, residents, people who’ve experienced gun violence and a group of volunteers from KC Common Good canvass the area.
“We’re here to let people know this can stop. We don’t have to put up with this violence, and everybody can do something, and we can raise consciousness,” said Queen Hill, a volunteer.
The volunteers are getting to know each and every neighbor. They’ve spent countless hours this calendar year doing just that.
“'What’s your name? How long have you lived in the neighborhood? What’s the beautiful thing you love about your neighborhood?' Just conversation,” said Rev. Darren Faulkner with KC Common Good.
Last year, the small area had nine homicides, and so far this year, there have been three homicides.
With the thousands of hours invested into these 20 blocks, they have removed 170,000 pounds of garbage and blight, offered internships to young people, added speed bumps and have seen property improvements.
“Our neighborhood meetings have gone from five to six to 30. The neighbors are coming, they are super engaged,” Taylor said. “You’re seeing people open up, the neighborhood is coming together."
Taylor said 82 people have reached out to say their houses are in need of being fixed.
Taylor's work is still continuing. She said her goals in the future include adding historic banners, paying her neighbors through stipends to take care of their own areas and recognizing the skill sets of those who already reside in the neighborhood.
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