Restoring neighborhood vitality and improving resident health

Peter Gagliardi, CEO
Sarah Page, SVP Community Building & Engagement
Way Finders (formerly HAPHousing)

Challenge: The Old Hill neighborhood of Springfield, MA, was plagued with abandoned houses and vacant lots. Property values had plunged and an active drug market and gang activity imperiled the neighborhood. The residents were also prone to chronic diseases and had limited access to healthy foods.



In 2004, abandoned houses and vacant lots plagued the Old Hill neighborhood of Springfield, MA. Property values had dropped to the point that lenders and the city were unwilling to foreclose and take responsibility for these derelict properties. The neighborhood was also beset by an active drug market and local gang activity. In addition, Old Hill residents experienced a disproportionately high rate of chronic disease and struggled with limited access to healthy foods with no full-line grocery store nearby. Residents were discouraged and doubted anything would change.

Way Finders, serving Western Massachusetts for over 40 years, develops housing throughout the region. We also provide property management, rental assistance, education and counseling for homeownership, and programs that shelter and rehouse as well as prevent families from becoming homelessness. Based in Springfield, the organization is committed to revitalizing urban neighborhoods through collaboration, community planning, housing development, resident leadership and engagement.
Old Hill, historically an African-American neighborhood, is now 44 percent black, 42 percent Hispanic and 11 percent Caucasian.

The neighborhood has many assets and high profile neighbors including MassMutual (a Fortune 100 company), a technology park and three colleges. In 2004, after the completion of the Old Hill Master Plan, Way Finder, Springfield Neighborhood Housing Services and Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity formed a limited liability company in collaboration with the Old Hill Neighborhood Council and Springfield College. We aimed to not only stabilize but transform Old Hill by improving the physical environment, increasing resident confidence and wellbeing and catalyzing the private market to reinvest in the neighborhood.

Way Finders also created a land-banking fund to acquire and assemble distressed properties for the development of new one- and two-family homes for sale to eligible buyers. On the policy front, we convinced the city to move from a tax title auction process to a far more effective request for proposal process, which contributed key parcels to their assembly of clusters for redevelopment. Their house designs mirrored the architecture and streetscape of the neighborhood. Ultimately, we developed 68 new or rehabbed homes.

Rebuilding Together – now Revitalize Community Development Corporation – joined the effort and worked with Springfield Neighborhood Housing Services to improve curb appeal, undertake critical repairs and refurbish 82 homes. Since 2004, the efforts of Way Finders and our collaborators have cut the number of vacant and abandoned properties in half. Together we have developed or refurbished 150 homes, creating a palpable difference in the neighborhood.

Way Finders was also part of a larger coalition that renovated the gym and schoolyard of a neighborhood elementary school through a private/public partnership. We also attracted funding for the redevelopment of three parks in Old Hill and many roads and sidewalks. An early childhood education center was completely renovated and public safety was improved through a Weed and Seed Initiative that invested in youth programs and an enhanced police presence.

Building on these successes, Way Finders hired consultants to come up with a new plan for the neighborhood. The Old Hill Action Plan 2015-2020 includes 12 primary goals covering capacity building, physical improvements, culture and community building and public safety. Plans also include addressing the remaining vacant lots, creating a community gathering space and enhancing community spirit through a neighborhood garden and more celebrations.

Way Finders has achieved dramatic improvements, but there is still more to be done. As the Action Plan was being completed, we were awarded a planning grant from a national awards program, the BUILD Health Challenge, to launch the Healthy Hill Initiative. This new multi-sector collaboration includes Partners for a Healthier Community, the City Departments of Health and Human Services, Police and Housing, the Old Neighborhood Council and five other community-based organizations. Springfield’s two hospital systems are also playing key roles. Baystate Health is providing data to analyze health conditions by census tract. Mercy Medical Center recently received a multi-year grant to launch a Transforming Communities Initiative in several Springfield neighborhoods.

The Healthy Hill Initiative addresses health inequities through improving public safety, housing, parks and access to physical activity and fresh food. A centerpiece of the initiative is a plan to develop a full-service grocery store. Even though health was not their specific target, several collaborative efforts over the last 12 years have addressed many social determinants of health. With an enriched perspective, several of the most troubling health issues can be addressed with a focus on increasing physical activity for residents of all ages in order to reduce obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases. With support from many funding partners, Way Finders will help Old Hill residents adopt healthier lifestyles and improve their health and wellbeing. As the Old Hill neighborhood transforms, residents’ lives continue improve, fostering positive changes that will create a more vibrant neighborhood.

This project illustrates several important lessons:

1. Through multi-sector collaboration, we were able to accomplish many improvements in housing, infrastructure, education, public safety, and community spirit
2. Despite many successes in neighborhood revitalization, the residents still have a disproportionately high rate of chronic disease
3. The Healthy Hill Initiative must take a comprehensive approach to address multiple social determinants of health in order to achieve transformative change.