In a recent op-ed (link), Walter Williams, EDFP City of Racine City Development, Director and President Racine- NAACP, argues that building and property code enforcement is a powerful, yet overlooked, tool in combating inner‑city crime and blight. In the op-ed Williams discusses;
1) The direct correlation between blight and crime and how enforcing codes signals that a neighborhood is monitored and valued.
2) The value of partnerships with organizations like the NAACP, ensuring Black and Brown communities receive equal protection and support.
3) The value of larger collaboration with community groups, and residents to clean up, uplift, and empower communities.
4) How holding absentee landlords responsible “forces reinvestment” in long‑ignored areas.
5) The value of coupling enforcement with homeowner assistance—repair grants, education programs—to avoid displacing low‑income or elderly residents.
For more related information including several studies on the correlation between blight and crime, please visit the “Thought Leadership” section on the MuniReg website.
Kudos to Walter Williams, EDFP and to all that continue to bring awareness to the benefits code enforcement brings to a community.
To view the article, please click here.