The neighborhoods above the south shore of the Monongahela River are "in crisis," according to community organizer Sara Bennett.
"There is not a single event that has caused this, but over the last 15 years, these neighborhoods have started to decline," says Bennett, who works with new neighborhood umbrella coalition the Hilltop Alliance. "There's been an increase in crime and blight and a decrease in resources. And if we don't turn that around now, if we don't step up and change the direction, we may lose our ability to do so. It just might pass that threshold."
With the goal of changing the direction of the Hilltop neighborhoods, the Hilltop Alliance is bringing together various communities to "capitalize on the positives," says Bennett, and work across the boundaries of race, age, class and neighborhood to build a stronger collective community. These neighborhoods include: Allentown, Arlington, Arlington Heights, Bon Air, Beltzhoover, Carrick, Knoxville, Mt. Oliver and St. Clair.
Hilltop Alliance grew out of a community conversation CORO organized in 2007. The alliance receives funding and support from Pittsburgh Partners for Neighborhood Development. And groups including the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh, Community Technical Assistance Center and the Birmingham Foundation have pledged to help move the group's plans to action.
Hilltop Alliance is not alone in its community revitalization efforts. Other current and upcoming area initiatives include: A URA attempt to create strategies for the business corridors; the Hilltop Economic Development Corporation working on building houses and bringing other brick-and-mortar projects to the neighborhoods; and Leadership Development Initiative, a branch of Leadership Pittsburgh, planning on holding its annual Pop Up Pittsburgh event in the Hilltop neighborhoods next year.
Hilltop Alliance is holding its very first community dialogue event 6-8:30 p.m. on Thurs., Oct. 1. at St. John Vianney's Parish House, 823 Climax St., in Allentown. For more information, contact Sara Bennett at 412-608-9911 or by email.
Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Sara Bennett, community organizer, Hilltop Alliance
Image courtesy of Hilltop Alliance