The Seeds of Success are Already Bearing Fruit

Progress is taking place every day in communities across America thanks to Purpose Built Communities Network Members. Families are moving from distressed surroundings into affordable quality homes. Children who had less than a fighting chance are now receiving a quality education that will enrich their lives forever. Neighborhoods are brighter, streets are cleaner, and communities are safer, stronger and more sustainable. These wonderful stories are not hopeful visions for the future -- they are happening right now.

Columbia Parc at the Bayou District, New Orleans.

Tremendous progress is being made in each of our Network Member Communities. Based upon the Purpose Built model for holistic community revitalization, our Members are incorporating strategies for high-quality mixed-income housing, cradle-to-college education, and resources and services to enhance wellness and the quality of life.

In Indianapolis, the Meadows Community Foundation opened a 248-unit mixed-income housing village in 2012, and is developing a second phase for senior housing. The Northside Development Corporation in Spartanburg recently completed a five-year strategic plan and secured a $300,000 Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant. The Woodlawn Foundation in Birmingham is on schedule with efforts to convert a 12,000 square foot warehouse into a collaborative workspace for social entrepreneurs and non-profits. In Charlotte, two of the three phases of residential construction have begun as part of the Renaissance West Initiative, with phase one slated to include 110 rental units for seniors.

New Orleans’ Bayou District Foundation will open the doors of a $9 million state-of-the-art early learning center later this year. Seventy Five North Revitalization, Inc. in Omaha is working with HUD to purchase a 35-acre tract of land for redevelopment as a mixed-income housing community. In Rome, Georgia, the South Rome Urban Garden and Park is set to open, and a new Pre-K through 5 elementary school is slated to open in 2014. In Atlanta, the Charles R. Drew Charter School is once again among the top-performing schools in the city, with students in grades K-8 continuing to outpace their peers across the state in mathematics and reading metrics.

Success stories abound across the Network of Purpose Built Communities. Each day brings new developments, new progress, and new hope for thousands of families. Our network is growing, our partnerships are strong, our resolve is unwavering, and together we will continue working to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty and create a world where geography no longer limits human potential.