The Lowell Project

The Problem

In the 2006 Brookings Institution Study “Confronting Concentrated Poverty in Fresno”, Alan Berube lists Fresno as number one in the nation on concentrated poverty, the degree to which its poor were clustered in high-poverty neighborhoods. The Lowell community, located in the Fresno County census tract 6, is one of the “extreme poverty neighborhoods” referred to in this study with 49.1 percent of the individuals in this community living below the poverty line of $15,219.00 for a family of three.(2000 U.S. Census) During the past 50 years, this community has been neglected, which has led to not only blight, but has also been a direct contributor to the poverty that has consumed this historic neighborhood. Other contributing factors are: an increase in immigrant population, economic changes, and growth patterns. As a result, the neighborhoods are broken and rundown.

Why Lowell

The Downtown & Community Revitalization Department (DCR Department) was formed with the mission of revitalizing downtown Fresno and the neighborhoods of poverty surrounding the downtown corridor. The Lowell community was chosen for the following reasons:
    

  1. Strategic location- Lowell is the gateway into   Downtown as it is located directly north of downtown Fresno in between the revitalized Tower District and Downtown Fresno
  2. Relative size-With around 700 properties Lowell is   manageable size and allows us to learn how to revitalize neighborhoods in Fresno
  3. Neighborhood’s historic status- The Lowell community is one of the oldest, most historic neighborhoods in the City   of Fresno. There are 21 homes in this community that are on the Local Historic Registry of Homes.

Lowell Profile 

     1. 13,844 population
     2. Individuals below poverty level 70% (US 12%)
     3. Language other than English 70% (US 18%)
     4. Owner occupied housing 17% (US 66%)
     5. Median household income $14,213
     6. Lowell Elementary School (www.city-data.com)
     7. English language arts proficient 17% (CA 46%)
     8. Free/reduced lunch 100% (CA 54%)

Maps 

      1. Boundaries     
      2. Zoning
      3. Zip Codes

Model (beta neighborhood)

Neighborhood Revitalization doesn’t stop at Lowell. Once the City has successfully coordinated a systematic approach to revitalizing a community of concentrated poverty we will begin to incorporate the other targeted neighborhoods in Fresno.
     
Get Involved

   Meetings (calendar of upcoming events)
   Community groups to contact-
     1. Lowell Neighborhood Association
     2. La Union de familia
     3. Lowell Concerned Teens
     4. Agencies to contact
   
 Pictures
 Power Points

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Contact Information:
Elaine Robles
Neighborhood Revitalization Manager
Elaine.Robles-Mcgraw@fresno.gov
559-621-8360