March 1996                                                                                        Lansing, MI

The Bensch Bugle
Hello Bensch residents! We would like to thank you for participating in our survey a few months ago. We interviewed people from 13 households on your block. The purpose of the survey was to determine how strong of a "sense of community" exists on your block. This newsletter highlights what you said in the interviews. Let’s take a look .....

Working Together

Many of you stated that there is a low level of support, connection, and sense of belonging on Bensch. Also, 69% of you told us that there is little sense of community on Bensch. However, most of you are concerned and indicated that you would like to improve this situation. In fact, 77% of you indicated that you were interested in working with your neighbors to improve conditions on the block. This level of interest indicates that there is a need and a desire to strengthen your sense of community on Bensch. This is very positive!

Safety on Bensch

Fifteen percent (15%) of you indicated that Bensch is a safe place to live, and 8% of you feel it is safe to walk on the street at night. Only 8% of you stated that Bensch has more criminal activity compared to other blocks in Lansing. In fact, 50% of you said that there is less criminal activity here than on other blocks. Safety on your block seems to be a concern, but many of you stated that you are willing and able to make improvements. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of you said that people on this block can reduce the amount of crime on the block. It might be beneficial to get together and decide how this can be done.
 
 

Positive Aspects of Bensch

Some of you indicated that there is some sense of community on the block. For example, many of you agreed with the following statements:


Overall Sense of Community

In addition to some of the positive responses mentioned above, over half of you indicated that you have a community police officer assigned to your block (54%); that there is a community newsletter (54%); that Bensch is part of a neighborhood organization (62%); and that you are part of a neighborhood watch group (69%). These responses indicate that you are aware of what your block and neighborhood have to offer. That a majority of you have a strong interest in getting involved to improve conditions on Bensch is another attribute that you can draw from to make Bensch a better place for everyone. We hope that this survey and newsletter will be useful for you to get started with this endeavor.

Once again, thank you for participating in the study. We appreciate the time that you spent with us during the interviews.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact John Schweitzer at 353-9144, Urban Affairs Program, Michigan State University.