Profile on the Asylum Hill Organizing Project

by:
Gitta Morris

AHOP: Past, Present and Future

The red brick Georgian Revival style house at 150 Farmington Avenue is a landmark in Asylum Hill’s past and present. Built for a banker by a Paris-trained architect, it recalls the gracious lifestyles of Hartford’s most prestigious neighborhood around the turn of the century. Yet today, its faded facade and peeling white columns reflect the fate of the neighborhood. It seems felicitous that the house has become the hub of a formidable revitalization program, the Asylum Hill Organizing Project (AHOP).

Asylum Hill was named for the American Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb, once a predominant Hartford institution. Now the neighborhood’s more than 11,000 residents crowd into just over one square mile roughly bordered by Asylum and Farmington Avenues on the east, Woodland Street on the west, Hawthorne Street on the south and the railroad tracks on the north. After World War I, as major insurance companies built their imposing headquarters along the perimeter, and other commercial establishments moved in, prominent families migrated a few miles further west, leaving behind their grand Queen Anne, Italianate, Gothic and Romanesque Revival style homes. Many of these houses were converted to multi-family dwellings, while estates were subdivided to accommodate larger apartment buildings. By 1982 the neighborhood had deep pockets of decay, crime and apathy, and AHOP was founded to infuse it with new life.

The concept was simple: AHOP would be the vehicle through which the diverse age, ethnic, racial and economic groups within the community could come together and address their concerns in a democratic process. By creating a variety of programs, it would strengthen the bonds of the community and create a healthy, safe environment.

From the beginning, AHOP was fueled by enthusiasm; by the end of the first year as many as 750 residents crowded into the meetings. Education, crime, housing, and economic development were of foremost concern, and keeping the pressure on the city and the state in order to get Asylum Hill a fair share of funding became a priority. As much as was accomplished in those early years, perhaps the most significant was the exciting new sense of empowerment expressed by many residents as they became confident in their new advocacy roles.

By the spring of 1994, however, in perhaps a classic example of too many cooks, AHOP’s effectiveness had become fragmented. It was time for a revitalization of its own. Its then director Charlene Williams pulled together some 40 leaders from within the organization to reassess and emerge in a more cohesive, comprehensive form. Three committees were formed.

o Housing

o Economic development

o Public safety

Already in its early years, AHOP had spearheaded the development and rehabilitation of many housing units throughout Asylum Hill. But the need for additional housing was unrelenting, and there was critical need for home ownership for families as well. AHOP responded by forming the Strategic Housing and Redevelopment Partnership (SHARP), the first Asylum Hill collaborative of residents and representatives of civic, religious, corporate, institution, business, City and State agencies.

No sooner had new directions been charted than crisis intervened. The Farmington Avenue Bank of Hartford, like so many in the area, went under and some 500 properties were foreclosed by the FDIC.

A plan was devised whereby AHOP, in partnership with several developers and others, would buy back half of these houses. To assure that all plans adopted by SHARP met the approval of the entire community, the Steering Committee held quarterly public meetings at which interested parties could express their opinions. It took a year of complex planning before the final strategies were approved and money for rehabilitation was appropriated by Aetna, the Fleet Bank, the City and others.

Originally, virtually all the rental units in the area were designed for single people or young couples, most of whom worked at the corporations. But as families began moving in, attracted by the nearby health facilities and commercial establishments, these efficiency or one-bedroom apartments became overcrowded and the streets clogged with traffic. There was inadequate parking and no safe place for children to play.

Here, real progress has been made. Under the rehabilitation project, 274 single units have been remodeled into 165 two, three and four bedroom apartments. The density was modified further by demolishing some of the buildings and leaving the lots vacant, to be refurbished as playgrounds or parking. Last October SHARP celebrated the completion of this first phase. As impressive a feat as it was, it is nevertheless regarded as just the beginning.

An important extension of SHARP is SHARP 20. With money from the City, it earmarked 20 abandoned single, two or three-family units for rehabilitation and owner-occupancy -- a project that continues to move closer to implementation.

The Asylum Hill Economic Development Committee (AHED) was formed to alleviate the problem of high unemployment and low per capita income that had come to characterize the neighborhood. Among AHED’s considerable first year achievements was the Neighborhood Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund for business start-up, growth and maintenance which was achieved with the help of Asylum Hill’s State Representative, Speaker Tom Ritter. This in turn led to the hiring of a merchant coordinator, a first for the newly formed Farmington Avenue Business District Association, who will help them to market themselves collectively and to clarify other needs. The position is funded through a Community Development Block Grant.

Also, with resources provided by the Trinity Center for Neighborhoods, the businesses along Farmington Avenue were surveyed to assess problems and needs. The information acquired helps AHED to devise ways to nurture these businesses so that they can remain and grow in the community.

The Veeder Root project is another of AHED’s undertakings. The committee is trying to raise money and is already renovating an abandoned factory for space where new small businesses can locate and share offices expenses such as secretarial services. At the same time, the run-down single family houses on the street are slated for renovation by AHOP.

Peer Lending, a project whereby people interested in starting businesses can form small groups to exchange information and pool money for minimal start-up loans, is yet another AHED venture in the works. In addition, the committee is working to establish a business resource center that would provide information on such things as marketing.

One of AHOP’s foremost accomplishments is Parents Against Violent Environment (PAVE) which has flourished this past year. Recently, the group approached the corporations for help in locating jobs for parents on Aid to Families and Dependent Children who must find work under the new welfare reform laws. Through AHOP’s efforts, The Aetna stepped forward, soon to be joined by Mass Mutual and St. Francis Hospital. These corporations now sit down with applicants to review their resumes and steer them toward jobs for which they are qualified. ITT Hartford joined in as well, running workshops on interview skills and resume writing, even typing up participants’ resumes and assisting them in seeking jobs within the company.

Still, these people, many of them single mothers, face daunting changes -- adapting to a new lifestyle, adjusting to budgeting, transportation, lunch and clothing costs, upgrading skills, learning to work with other people. To help them cope, AHOP runs workshops in money management. It also encourages them to work for their GEDs by recommending near-by campuses they can attend.

The toughest obstacle by far is child care. Just over a year ago, the day care center on Laurel Street closed, leaving not only the newly employed mothers without child care, but also rendering 94 day care workers jobless. The center had been subsidized by The Aetna and ITT Hartford during its first years and when that subsidy came to an end, the program began to struggle, slowly going under. Six months later, the Garden Street day care center had to close its doors as well.

Although the parents’ group attempted to reopen the Laurel Street center, it was unable to quickly get state bonding money needed to fix up the building. Another neighborhood organization, the Community Renewal Team, was able to accomplish that on its own, reopening the center and subsequently focusing on reopening the Garden Street center.

With the number of people that will be trading welfare for work, additional day care facilities are sorely needed. With the goal of building a new center, the parents’ group has formed a committee including people from the State, Mass Mutual and others, and an attorney from the community who donates his services.

One of AHOP’s most active groups is WATCH, a block watch association that is particularly energetic in cleanups and crime walks. Watch has worked with the police department to set up an Asylum Hill Crime Line, which enables residents to anonymously call in tips to the police about suspicious activities such as drugs or loitering they have observed.

Another project championed by the committee is the renovation of Sigourney Park to be completed in spring by the Department of Parks and Recreation.

Over the past two years, AHOP’s Youth Project has created a variety of popular programs run in existing spaces, thus easing the disappointment about a community center that did not materialize due to lack of funding. The programs were started at the Hartford High School, but when that school became unavailable, they were moved to West Middle School and the Trinity Episcopal Church.

The PAVE group prevailed upon State Representatives Tom Ritter and Marie Kirkley-Bey to find monies for youth programs and as a result, the limited after school play sessions in the AHOP house were expanded. More than 150 children have the opportunity to learn karate, dance, drill, acting and computer skills. There are also Saturday trips to museums or events, a summer camp and a basketball team.

Those fortunate enough to be included remain an average of three years. But the activities need to be doubled to include all the eligible children in the neighborhood.

An important component of the youth program is the hiring of Asylum Hill teenagers who help run the activities and serve as mentors to the younger children. The number has been cut to two -- again due to lack of funds.

In addition to finding more space, a goal for the coming year is to obtain student scholarships to private schools and colleges.

Asylum Hill’s 250 senior residents are a force to be reckoned with. While they enjoy a variety of social activities such as movies, overnight bus excursions or visits to nursing homes organized by AHOP’s senior coordinator, they also are fiercely political, especially when it comes to health care. Four or five times a year, a busload of Seniors For Action In Asylum Hill (SAAH), armed with placards and strong voices, descends on the Capitol to protest threats to their health benefits. In fact, newspaper articles covering hearings on proposed Medicare and Medicaid cuts quoted mostly people from the Asylum Hill group. And more recently, with the ConnPACE program at risk, SAAH has rallied together in an effective protest.

Current needs for SAAH are a new van and a community center. With typical tenacity, they are working to raise the money themselves.

No revitalization program is successful without the commitment of the people. This AHOP unquestionably has, along with the support of organizations such as the Trinity Center for Neighborhoods and the closely allied United Connecticut Action For Neighborhoods (UCAN.) In its capacity as consultant and technical advisor, UCAN was hired to train AHOP staff to define its needs to Trinity College professors who can provide valuable research in those areas. This faculty support is made possible by through the Trinity Community Outreach Partnership Center, a HUD program created to involve 4-year institutions in developing research and action models for community planning strategies.

Inevitably, as diverse groups spring up, there are battles over control, differences over approach. Asylum Hill has been blessed with resources -- the corporations -- that most other communities lack, but the very fact that AHOP is largely dependent on the paternalism of these businesses that hold the purse strings has been a matter of some controversy within the organization.

Last year, an avalanche of media criticism and an investigation by the Attorney General’s office into charges concerning the use of funds -- none of which were proven to have substance -- was another setback for AHOP; for example, United Way funding was substantially cut. Much of the staff’s energy was devoted to answering the allegations, leaving little time for fundraising and other efforts. The director resigned and the search for a new administrator continued for over a year.

In August, Steven Smith arrived with an appetite for working on policy and a broad background community organization from grass roots to the state level. Ahop’s committee’s, armed with recent success, are moving forward with confidence. It would seem that AHOP is in for a banner year.

Smith’s immediate goal is to raise sufficient funding to enable AHOP to expand. At the same time, he assures that AHOP will continue to help people in transition from welfare to work, giving them pre-vocational and post-vocational support, and, he says, "helping them interpret this whole new culture."

Smith sees AHOP as a conduit to people’s fears, frustrations and dreams. "Helping them realize there are others in their own neighborhood, on their own street, who have those same feelings. If separately they are powerless, together they are powerful. What’s really a challenge to me is helping people understand the really astounding things they can achieve."

Which is exactly the premise AHOP was founded on in the first place.