SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Housing Authority officials hope to curb crime near New Braunfels and Nolan streets through environmental design.
SAHA crews cleaned up an empty lot and landscaped with the help of some teens from the Claude Black Youth Institute in the hopes that a visual improvement will help get the ball rolling.
Brooke Cranshaw is the Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Grant Coordinator for SAHA. SAHA received the $600,000 grant in 2012, and Cranshaw said the intention of the project is to curb crime through perception.
"We work a great deal with the 'broken windows' theory, where if you see a blighted community or a blighted area, you're more likely to have crime in that area," Cranshaw said.
She said she hopes it will create a sense of hope in a hot spot for crime with drug deals, prostitution and even a deadly shooting just last month.
That's also why the teens pitched in to help with landscaping.
"Many of these kids live in this community. Many of them walk by these different area, and many of them live in depressing situations," said Taj Matthews, executive director of the Claude Black Youth Institute.
Their work had an instant pay-off when a passerby stopped to help clean-up.
"I think it's wonderful. It's a blessing. It's fresh," said Elain McKenzie.
The project doesn't stop with gardening.
SAHA has plans for a community tool shed to allow neighbors to use tools on their own yards.
VIA has agreed to move a nearby bus stop to help block off an alley that offers criminals an easy get-away route.
Businesses are also getting involved. Handy Stop will get a community mural on the side of the building and the owners have agreed to install closed circuit cameras to catch crime in the area.