Volunteers Needed for Neighborhood Operation Fix-It Week!

I am not a fan of the term blight. "Blight" really means disinvestment. And disinvestment is a result of lack of investment. The solution to "blight" is figuring out why the local economy is broken, and fixing that, rather than demolishing buildings. So picking up trash, removing graffiti, getting new investors in buildings, spurring private investment are the activities that make the most sense for attacking "blight"--not sweetheart redevelopment deals for the well-connected.

From email:

As a part of the Metropolitan Police Department's All Hands on Deck Initiative (AHOD), volunteers from all Wards are needed to assist with general neighborhood beautification and maintenance June 1 - 6, 2009.

Event details are as follows:

Monday, June 1, 2009:

* Ward 5 Fix-It
9 -11am
1300th block of Rhode Island Avenue, NE

* Ward 3 Fix-It
12 - 2pm
3709 Northampton Street, NW

Tuesday, June 2, 2009:

* Ward 6 Fix-It
9 - 11am
100th block of 11th Street, SE

* Ward 8 Fix-It
12 - 2pm
1200 - 1300 blocks of Sumner Road, SE

Wednesday, June 3, 2009:

* Ward 1 Fix-It
10am - 12pm
500th block of Columbia Road, NW

* Ward 2 Fix-It
1 - 3pm
1500th block of 7th Street, NW

Thursday, June 4 2009:

* Ward 4 Fix-It
9 - 11am
600 - 700th blocks of Longfellow Street, NW

Friday, June 5, 2009:

* Ward 7 Fix-It
10am - 12pm
5000th block of Nannie Helen Burroughs

* Mayor and Chief of Police Kick-off City-wide AHOD
4 - 6pm
Location TBD
* Door-to-Door Outreach by human services agencies and Mayor's Office
of Community Relations and Services (MOCRS) in PSAs 302 and 604 to
promote Saturday, June 6 Community Service Centers

Saturday, June 6, 2009:

* Serve DC Community Clean-Up
10am - 12pm
4301 - 4401 Blocks of Livingston Road, SE

* PSA 501 MOCRS Community Clean-Up at Park at Florida Ave. and 1st
Street, NW
* AHOD Community Service Centers (and Community Clean-Ups around the
Centers); Parkview Community Center (693 Otis Place, NW) and Benning
Stoddert Community Center (100 Stoddert Place, SE)

For more information regarding volunteering at the fix-its and community service center events, please contact Marcus Allen, call (202) 727-6624. For more information regarding volunteering at the Serve DC Community Clean Up, please contact Shirley Hall, (202) 727-8965.