It is intended that the Castle Point Community Association, St. Louis County Government and Social Service Agencies involved in the neighborhood will utilize the action plan as input for developing more specific work programs and helping to establish funding priorities. It is recognized that some of the recommendations contained in the action plan are conceptual only and may need to be analyzed in greater detail, both individually and in relationship to other recommendations identified in the plan. The life of the plan is intended to be two to three years. The key implementors are the St. Louis County Departments and Social Service organizations that are part of the Castle Point Team. The plan is meant to augment the current efforts by compiling and prioritizing the key issues in one document. Having this information compiled will help focus the efforts in the community. Neighborhood -Level Indicators These indicators determine how the action items are affecting the neighborhood as a whole, thereby providing the big-picture perspective. Other advantages of using indicators are the following: < Neighborhood-level indicators provide bottom-line evidence of the impact of current initiatives. Indicators help determine the effects of key components of the action plan. Neighborhood-level indicators help push issues to the forefront of the neighborhood initiative.
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Indicators that show positive results can help secure more support for an initiative.
There are several indicators that were created for each goal to identify success in each area. These indicators should be reexamined annually to monitor progress. Goal - Castle Point will be a desirable place to live.
Indicator - The average sale price per square foot for homes and the number of yearly valid home sales was used to create an index. This information is compared in three year time blocks. On the whole, the average sale price of
homes has been steadily increasing over the past 6 years after a period of relative stability in sale prices per valid sales.
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Measure of Successincrease in this index.
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The Castle Point Neighborhood Plan
Indicator - The comparison between the average price per square foot of home sales between the Riverview Gardens School District and the Castle Point Neighborhood. During the past six years, Castle Point has made gains relative to other home sales in the district.
window and structures.
deteriorating
accessory
Complaints received by the office of Neighborhood Preservation have continued to rise over the past three years, indicating an increased level of awareness and interest by the residents of this community. Our immediate response to citizens who have alerted us to potential code violations as they occur, reinforces our commitment to assisting the residents with achieving the goals and standards they have established for their neighborhood. Voluntary compliance by the property owners has shown a dramatic change since 1997. In 1997, thirty-five percent of the violations cited were voluntarily abated and sixty-five percent required prosecution in the Municipal court. Through July 30, 1999, sixty-eight percent of the violations cited were voluntarily corrected and only thirty-two percent required legal action for abatement. The trend towards voluntary compliance should continue to improve with our continued enforcement efforts and the growing interest and concern of the area residents.
Measure of Success - A continued gain in average price per square foot in home sales compared to the average for the school district. Goal - Properties in Castle Point will be well-maintained. Objective 1. maintained Homes will be well-
Indicator - A reduction of property code violations The Neighborhood Preservation Section of the Department of Public Works intensified their inspection efforts in the Castle Point neighborhood in 1998. Two complete inspections sweeps of the neighborhood have been performed since 1998 and those efforts have significantly reduced the number of blatant exterior property maintenance violations such as peeling paint, deteriorated or missing siding, fascia, soffit and guttering, broken
97 98
YEAR
44 64
COMPLAINTS RECEIVED
44 63
COMPLAINTS ABATED
99*
DOH SURVEYS
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* Through July 30, 1999 **Repr esents a significant increase in inspection activity as part of an ongoing projects. Measure of Success - An increase in violations abated and a reduction of cases where legal action is requested in proportion to violation notices issued. Objective 2. To reduce litter in the neighborhood. Indicator - A reduction in the number of houses without trash service. The houses without trash service were identified by contacting the haulers who serve the area and requesting customer lists. In July 1998, the St. Louis County Department of Health began focusing on properties with visible trash violations by conducting surveys. Based on the surveys, DOH estimates that currently, the number of households without trash service at any given time is probably between 50-60. November 1997 - 495 properties without trash service enforcement effort reduced number to 160. May 1998 - 164 properties without trash service. Enforcement effort reduced the number to 62. Measure of success - A reduction in the number of households without trash service. Indicator - Waste code violations. These violations include illegal dumping, overflowing trash cans, or no trash service.
97 98
* (These violations were not included in the complaints as they were generated from the proactive surveys that began in July, 1998) Measure of Success - A reduction of code violations
Indicator - The number of speeding vehicles in the community. Measure of Success - A reduction in the number of people speeding in the community. A traffic trailer will be placed in the community to record the number of speeding violations.
Indicator - Number of Crimes
YEAR
99 113
Goal - People driving through the community should respect the neighborhood and safety of the residents.
Goal - Castle Point will be a safe place to live.
COMPLAINTS RECEIVED
370 781**
VIOLATION NOTICES ISSUED
129 487
VIOLATIONS ABATED
241 294
LEGAL ACTION REQUESTED
Part I crimes, which include Murder, Rape, Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Burglary, Larceny-Theft, Vehicle Theft and Arson, were reduced by 9% in the Castle Point area from 345 in 1997 to 301 in 1998. Although calls for service have risen, more crimes have been cleared by uniformed officers and detective bureaus. Estimates indicate that there will be approximately 195 Part I crimes for 1999, a significant reduction.
Indicator - Community Programs Measure of Success - the number of community programs available and the number of residents participating in these programs. ITEMS FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION There were a number of items listed as high priorities. The planning group was asked to cull out some items that should be addressed within six months of the plan approval. These items are the following: Goal - Castle Point will be a desirable place to live.
Measure of Success - A reduction in both Part I and II crimes. Part II crimes are that of Property Damage, Petty Theft, and Assaults (non-aggravated). Indicator - Involvement in Neighborhood Block Watch Program the
- Opening a nearby grocery chain - Having Bi-State Development Agency expand bus runs - Establish a shuttle service for seniors Goal - Properties in Castle Point will be well-maintained. - Reducing property code violations - Increasing citations and fines for code violations - Promoting Awards for the bestmaintained homes - Increase in residents picking up trash Goal - People driving through the community should respect the neighborhood and safety of the residents.
In 1997, there were twelve block watch captains. Today, that number has risen to thirty-four block captains and volunteers. Measure of Success - a percentage increase in the number of block captains and volunteers so that nearly all, or all of the blocks in the neighborhood participate in the program.
Castle Point will have many community activities
-Develop a traffic control plan for the neighborhood.
Goal - Castle Point will be a safe place to live.
Castle Point will have many community activities
- Encourage residents to be the eyes and ears of the neighborhood. - Enforce the curfew - Increase calling the police for suspicious activities.
- Increase residents participating in community activities