“It has been said that it takes a crisis to bring people together. Several years ago, in the midst of a city fiscal crisis, community developers across the city raised their heads, looked beyond their neighborhood confines, and collectively advocated for preservation of the resources we use to stabilize and improve those very neighborhoods.

As we did so, an amazing thing happened. We met each other. We looked around the room at the others doing very similar neighborhood-based work. Others were struggling with the same issues of vacancy, abandoned lots, absentee landlords, redevelopment, struggling commercial districts, etc. We found that with a bit of conversation, in addition to preserving our resource streams, we could also learn from our peers about how to address our issues better and faster. Amazing that we, as organizers of our communities, needed a crisis to make this happen.

With the thought that we could meet each other without a looming crisis, in 2005, CTAC held the first All-Neighborhood Block Party. The gathering was a smashing success, with over 400 community development professionals and neighborhood residents, bankers, government officials and employees, students, retirees, families and children from very diverse walks of life coming together to celebrate neighborhoods and our efforts to preserve them.

On a theme of ‘What I love about MY Neighborhood,’ people shared in laughter and light-hearted fun over hamburgers, hotdogs, children’s activities, and live entertainment. Lessons were learned and people left feeling good about being part of an industry that has weathered much in recent years.

On the success of the first All-Neighborhood Block Party, the event is now an annual gathering with the next block party scheduled for Friday, September 8, 2006. We hope that you’ll plan to join us this year as we celebrate another year of progress and pride.”