The Irvington Reporter

January 1996 Lansing, MI

The Irvington Reporter

Hello! We would like to thank you for your participation in the survey we conducted in October. The survey was for the purpose of knowing how strong a "sense of community" exists on your block. Over one third of you agreed to be interviewed.

To express our appreciation for your participation, we have designed this newsletter to share with you the results of our interviews on this block. So, to find out what eight households on your block think about living on Irvington, PLEASE READ ON…..

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 1996

SENSE OF COMMUNITY

Most of you (88%) agreed that your block has community spirit and that people who live here think of themselves as a community. All of you (100%) stated that people on this block feel they belong here and like each other.

It was very clear to us that the people on Irvington are extremely important! The most common response we heard to explain the sense of community on your block was FRIENDLY NEIGHBORS. Most of you (88%) said that you get a lot of information about your community from your neighbors through word-of-mouth.

A theme that many of you mentioned as the BEST thing about your block was that it is QUIET.

SAFETY

Most of you agreed (88%) that your block of Irvington is a very safe one. Seventy-five percent of you indicated that your block has less criminal activity than other blocks and all of you (100%) feel it is a safe place to live! One reason you might feel safe is that 75% of the people we talked to said an adult in their household is at home during the day -- having people around a lot can help prevent crime.

SUPPORT

The other area that you described frequently was the support neighbors on this block give each other. For example, all of you (100%) agreed that people on this block watch out for each other. Most of you (88%) also stated that people on this block --

help each other out when one of them has a problem

feel comfortable borrowing and lending things from each other

comfort each other in times of need

would give rides to each other if needed

This supportive environment, in terms of both emotional support and practical help, makes Irvington a comfortable and friendly place to live.

ISSUES TO ADDRESS

There were very few problems that you mentioned, though the vacancy and turnover of housing seemed to concern several of you. This issue is a common one that many communities face. Often, when long term residents help renters feel like part of the community, it can increase stability and get the block more unified. Most of you (88%) indicated at least some interest in working with your neighbors to improve conditions on your block. This is a terrific indication that if you decide to work on an issue together, you could gain a lot of support from your neighbors!

It was clear from talking with you that you enjoy living on your block. Over half of you (63%) would like to stay on this block FOREVER!

Thank you again to those of you who participated! If you would like additional information about this survey, please feel free to call us at 353-9144, Urban Affairs Programs at Michigan State University.