Maryland Delegate & Political Educator Based in Capitol Heights, Maryland Greg fights for the rights of residents to make sure their voices are heard and their rights are protected.
With his extensive political knowledge, he continually works hard for a better future.
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We recognize that it's difficult for citizens to exercise their rights when they don't fully understand what they are. The right to choose political representation to act in your interest can be powerful when you make an informed decision with your vote.
Essentially, urban renewal agencies are separate legal bodies from the governing body, or municipality. However, in many cases the urban renewal agency board is still composed of members of the governing body.
It's important to remember that while many candidates will run a particular political platform, they won't always stick to it while in office. If you aren't sure whether your incumbent representatives are really acting in the public interest, it's a good idea to take a closer look at what they've done since being elected.
Over 1.8 million men, women, and juveniles will be released from Federal, state, and local correctional facilities over the next three years. Without intervention, over two-thirds of these individuals will be re-arrested for serious new felony offenses within three years.
Urban rehabilitation is also considered community development. The Community Development Block Grant program created in the 1970s took the focus from destruction to renovation and redevelopment of areas hit by hard times. This keeps current neighborhoods from being completely destroyed in order to be rebuilt.
During their incarceration, many offenders complete programs that help them develop the skills they need to succeed in the real world. Some ex-offenders have valuable skills and can fill jobs for which skilled workers are hard to find.
The Housing Act of 1949 spearheaded a lot of projects around the country. It provided federal funding for cities to buy slum areas. These areas were turned over to developers to for new housing. Federal funding picked up two-thirds of the bill.
The urban rehabilitation efforts that we are familiar with today actually had their roots in the late 19th century and became more prevalent in the late 1940s. This process has had a major impact on the evolution of many urban landscapes.
Urban rehabilitation and urban renewal is essentially the same thing. It's the process of taking run down and non-function city neighborhoods and rebuilding and redeveloping them into thriving and economically successful areas once more.
According to a government study on recidivism, prisoners with some of the lowest re-arrest rates had been serving time for homicide (40.7%), sexual assault (41.4%), rape (46%) and driving under the influence (51.5%).
Unfortunately, it can be difficult for many ex-convicts to find work after their release from prison because they lack the necessary skills to do the jobs employers need done. Let's talk about training available to help you fill in any gaps in your marketable skills.
Though urban renewal on the scale that happened between 1950 and 1974 will probably not happen again, statistics do show that urban revitalization can have a positive impact on an urban community through local, state, and federal involvement.
Urban renewal and revitalization can happen any time - the city can only take property once the area has been declared blighted and only for increasing public good through renewal or rehabilitation. They can't take land just to increase tax revenue.
Often urban rehabilitation projects extend beyond infrastructure to make areas both attractive and ready for private investment. Thus, urban renewal efforts commonly fund parks, plazas, and pedestrian facilities.
Unfortunately, the inability to find a job after being released from prison is a key factor in why so many urban residents return to a life of crime. When the community bands together to help welcome them back as productive members of society, it's often possible to lower prison recidivism rates.
Many times the incentives for investing in a urban renewal project as a business owner or resident is as beneficial to the city as to the individual. Many local governments provide incentives for business to move into renewed areas.
Urban renewal initiatives provide communities with the following tools: access to tax increment financing for improvement projects, the allotment of special powers to redevelop sites, and special flexibility in working with private parties to complete development projects.
Today, urban renewal is considered critical to the success of local communities and the long-term prosperity of citizens living in those areas. In addition, these efforts focus on tackling both crime and safety issues.
Are you concerned that you won't be able to provide for your family now that you're out of jail because of the stigma associated with hiring people who've done time? If you're willing to work, we may be able to help you find legal employment.
A major proponent of urban redevelopment initiatives in New York City was Robert Moses, who pushed for and directed the construction of new bridges, highways, housing projects, and public parks.
Did you know that more than 10 percent of those entering prisons and jails were homeless in the months before their incarceration? For those with mental illness, the rates are even higher: about 20 percent.
Unfortunately, people born into urban areas can find themselves at the mercy of a government that doesn't seem to care about their needs. Remember, you have a voice. Let's work together to make your voice better heard by the government.
Urban renewal and rehabilitation happens around the world - as well as in the US. It impacts not only economics, but also demographics and landscapes and is designed for areas with greater density of land use whether through sprawl or traffic congestion.
Some businesses and residents ask what the advantages of being in a renewed and revitalized area means. It means that property values often increases since the area has a commitment by the local government for improvement.
Eminent domain does provide for fair value sale to the owners of the land taken for public works projects. When land is bought under eminent domain, the land must be used for the public's benefit and well-being.
The Housing Act of 1937 created the U.S. Housing Agency and firmly established the country's first public housing program. This resulted in a string of large public housing projects that were later hailed as a hallmark of urban renewal in the U.S.
It's important to remember that positive change can never occur in urban areas until the citizens begin taking an active role in the political process. Let's talk about what each candidate stands for and whose policies most closely resonate with your values.
Unfortunately, many politicians become better at keeping their jobs than they are doing them with the best interest of the people in mind. When you aren't sure which political candidates actually follow through and do what they say they will, we may be able to help you research their track records.
According to the Reentry Policy Council, a study of more than 20,000 adults entering five local jails found serious mental illnesses in 14.5 percent of the men and 31 percent of the women -- comprising a total of 16.9 percent of those studied.
So what exactly is tax increment financing when it comes to urban rehabilitation? This is essentially a tool that allows a local authority to leverage sales and property taxes to help finance public projects, including infrastructure development and environmental cleanup.
One of the earliest modern urban rehabilitation projects was begun in 1853 when Louis Napoleon charged Baron Haussmann with the redevelopment of Paris. Here, degraded housing and structures were eliminated with little concern for the slum dwellers who call the area home.
The US Department of Justice reports that in 2002, 57.4 percent of prison inmates reported that they had been working full-time at the time they were arrested and 10.9 percent had been working part-time. The rest had only been working occasionally or were unemployed.
Education is perhaps the single largest opportunity people in the inner city have to improve their economic situation. Remember, this doesn't always mean enrolling in an expensive university program. Let's talk about the education and training programs that are available to you right now.
According to the Reentry Policy Council, the incidence of serious mental illnesses among prisoners is two to four times higher than in the general population. Also, released prisoners with a history of shelter use were almost five times as likely to have a post-release shelter stay.
Depending on how long you were in prison, you may find that the job market is vastly different than it was when you were sentenced. Since finding viable employment is the best way to keep you out of the system, getting the training your need to obtain these necessary new skills is critical.
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