CINCINNATI — Hamilton County gave Lincoln Heights close to $1 million and some saw an immediate payoff.
"Revitalization of Lincoln Heights is underway," said Stephanie Summerow Dumas, Hamilton County Commission President.
The landlocked village is one of the country's first African-American, self-governed communities. Its 75 years of history include challenges. The village is less than an acre in size and has a tax base so small that council could not afford insurance to keep its police force eight years ago. Crumbling streets scream for repairs too.
"Lincoln Heights has not gotten their fair share of resources and we're making sure that Lincoln Heights and other small cities and villages around Hamilton County are no longer overlooked," said Alicia Reece, Hamilton County Commission Vice President.
For the first time, the commission offered a $975,000 community impact grant to one of eight eligible communities. All have limited capacity, which means they do not have staff support to administer additional community revitalization projects.
Lincoln Heights' managers application won the grant. Their plans include spending $700,000 on road repair; $100,000 on improving Memorial Field for community use; and $175,000 on demolition and remediation of the vacant Lincoln Heights High School building. The area could be used for future development.
"Lincoln Heights is leveraging the county money to bring in $4.4 million into this community to take down the school, to redo the school, to redo the roads," Denise Driehaus, Hamilton County Commissioner said. "So we are a piece of a partnership with the community and other folks in government to say yes to Lincoln Heights."
Lincoln Heights Mayor Ruby Kinsey-Mumphrey said she remembers what her village once was.
"We had the cab stands. We had the pony kegs. We had the grocery stores," Kinsey-Mumphrey said. "So looking at that makes me want to see how we can tweak it and see our community be vibrant once again and see new residents move into the village."
She said her village is becoming more diverse. However, housing is the next great challenge.
"We haven't even used a dollar of (the grant) but it's already having an impact," said Tonya Key, a sixth-generation villager, member of council and leader of Lincoln Heights' economic development push. "Thinking about the things that were and then being able to now, because of where it is, redeveloping (the area) is something that is great and wonderful for our future generations. (It) gives me great joy to be in this position that I'm in."
Since last summer, county commissioners have awarded more than $1 million in grants for Lincoln Heights revitalization, including money for better broadband and affordable housing.
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