Greenhaven lost its bid for approval from the state Legislature in this past 2015 session. Some may think people behind the bid are laying back, taking a rest and quietly waiting for next year.
Think again.
If the efforts were just about cityhood, then perhaps that would be the plan. But it was never just about becoming a city. Concerned Citizens for Cityhood of South DeKalb, the group that organized and incorporated to push for what we now call Greenhaven, was always about taking control of our environment, doing what’s in the best interests of the people and pushing for economic development. In other words, better services and higher quality of life were the goal; cityhood was the tool.
From the beginning, there have been many who have failed to recognize the positive link forming a city can have on a county. It’s true that many have opted for cityhood to get away from the county. That is not the case with Greenhaven. Greenhaven, which represents 88 percent of the population in southern DeKalb (and 41 percent of the county’s total population) is commercially undeveloped, has consistently lower housing values and has fewer amenities when compared to its northern counterpart.
The residents of southern DeKalb deserve more and better services. The question is, “How do we get them?”
Cityhood, as it was designed by Concerned Citizens, emerged as the best way to protect the citizens of Greenhaven and promote economic development. By forming a new government structure, we will focus attention on an area that has not received as much development as the rest of the county. By creating a department of economic development or development authority, we will renew our focus on transportation, work on extending MARTA and bring economic development to the South Side.
By forming Community Area Planning Units, a city sister concept to the Neighborhood Planning Units in Atlanta, we will institutionalize greater citizen involvement. The end result — a more informed and involved group of residents creating a healthier community on the southside of DeKalb. The end result — a healthier county because businesses will be attracted to the diversity of options in both North and South. Perhaps the biggest end result is that, if successful, Greenhaven will come to be a model for development and revitalization.
So here is what Concerned Citizens is doing while we wait for the 2016 legislative session. First, we are filling the void of leadership. Leadership has three elements — a vision, plan and ability to implement that plan. Concerned Citizens is putting forth the vision of a city that can revitalize and transform our quality of life. The plan for creating that vision is contained in Greenhaven’s bill and charter. Finally, the group s already demonstrating its ability to implement by bringing to fruition the Greenhaven name and brand.
Second, we are setting the stage for a new industry in DeKalb County that is embodied by our city name. As part of our economic vision, we are encouraging and promoting the presence of a new industry — the “green” industry of sustainability. Our tagline is “Imagine Greenhaven: Lean, Clean and Green.”
Third, we are searching for new community leadership to participate in the Community Area Planning Units. Just as schools need parental involvement, communities need citizen input. Members of our organization speak at neighborhood associations and encourage people to get involved.
Finally, Concerned Citizens continues its outreach. We provide facts and data about cityhood and discuss options. The 145 meetings held between June 2014 and the beginning of Jan. 2015 are paying off. We see signs that more and more people are supporting cityhood.
The residents of southern DeKalb have an opportunity to change their lives. Cityhood has emerged as the best way to do that.
For more information, go to
or GreenhavenGa.blogspot.com.
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