March 1996                                                                             Lansing, MI
The Coolidge Courier
Greetings to all of you Coolidge residents! We want to thank the 14 households who were able to take part in our survey a few months ago. The results are in, and here’s what you said about Coolidge...

Connection

The most striking thing about Coolidge is your high level of connection. We found that more than two-thirds of you (71%) agreed people on this block know each other and half of you said people on this block get together to socialize. All 100% of you told us that Coolidge residents talk with each other about community problems, and an overwhelming 92% of you said people on this block trust each other. This is great! Not only do 85% of you say people who live on this block think of themselves as a community, but the same proportion of you indicated that Coolidge’s sense of community is "just about right."

Safety

We were pleased to find that 64% of you feel that Coolidge has the same amount or less criminal activity than other blocks in this city. There is a concern with break-ins and speeding cars endangering children. The majority of you (86%), however, told us that not only is it safe to walk on this block at night, but also that Coolidge is a safe place to live. Another positive aspect is that 36% of you mentioned there is an adult home during the day. Those of you who stay home have the important role of watching out for each other. In fact, 100% of you said Coolidge residents watch out for each other, and 79% of you believe that you can reduce the amount of crime together.

Working Together

An exciting 73% of you are interested in working with your neighbors to improve conditions on Coolidge. Twenty-five percent (25%) of you expressed interest in assuming a leadership role on the block! Seventy-nine percent (79%) of you said that when faced with a problem on this block, residents can create a solution. With this level of interest, any of you who would like to start a project should be able to find lots of help! Some of your suggestions are:


Overall

The main point we’d like to leave you with is that Coolidge is a quiet, comfortable block with helpful, friendly neighbors. There are some concerns, but your sense of community spirit and empowered attitude will keep Coolidge a great block in which to live.

If you want more information about this survey, please do not hesitate to call
John Schweitzer at 353-9144, Urban Affairs Programs at Michigan State University.