Favor Celestial works in collaboration with other non-profit organizations, area stakeholders, and other supportive entities. Favor Celestial is developing a culturally appropriate socio-economic plan that reduces distress from poverty and transforms the neighborhood Barrio Kroeger Lane into a self-sustaining area of interest for its residents, the Tucson community and Tucson visitors. To accomplish this, Favor Celestial has incorporated existing neighborhood plans, and will include future development plans that use metrics for benchmarks based on a neighborhood survey and neighborhood vision. Furthermore, strategic plans include, but are not limited to, developing partnerships and collaborations with neighbors, other nonprofit organizations, governmental jurisdictions, and businesses. In addition, to ensure the sustainability of Favor Celestial, sponsors and donors will be continuously identified and recruited. Finally, ongoing evaluation of its progress and finances will enable Favor Celestial to successfully manage and implement its goals and objectives.
BKL Stories is a blog series created in partnership with Favor Celestial. This series celebrates the history, present, and future of the Barrio Kroeger Lane neighborhood, and highlights poetry written by BKL youth and other neighbors.
Short and Long Term 5-Year Objectives:
Using former Mayor Rothschild’s "5 T’s" (Technology, Trade, Transportation, Tourism and Teaching) as a guide, the objectives that have been identified for implementation within a five year, three-phase period include, but are not limited to the following:
Improve the quality of life and well-being of Barrio Kroeger Lane neighborhood residents, through interpersonal connections and access to services.
Revive the neighborhood. This will be achieved with new housing, as well as rehabilitation, landscaping, street lighting, street repair and the acquisition and development of private land and City of Tucson vacant lots.
Continue the managing of the neighborhood community garden – commercial kitchen, establish agricultural experiences and careers. Cultivate self-interest, local skills and enhancing individually talents to develop small businesses network enterprises.
Seek to eradicate crime in the neighborhood. This effort will be made with Tucson Police Department Prevention presentations and relationship building between neighbors and local, service-delivery and non-profit organizations.
Encourage visitors to experience the Barrio Kroeger Lane neighborhood. This will be achieved with guides, such as signs at the streetcar stops, as well as maps and information about the neighborhood, located at the Tucson Visitor’s Center, Rio Nuevo District and the City of Tucson Westside Development.
Create a Barrio Kroeger Lane website with links to Favor Celestial, Rancho Chuk Shon, and resident businesses that are being development long the process. This website will be used to educate and inform individuals of the culture and historical significance of the land upon which this neighborhood lies, as well as within the neighborhood itself. This website will also be used to teach our elders and children modern technology.
Build neighborhood multi-purpose pathways. These pathways, connecting walking, bicycling and equestrian trials/arena, will include community gardens and open spaces for neighborhood residents and visitors. Construct a safe bus stop for the children. (See Living Streets Alliance Report)
Construct a mixed-use facility. This facility will provide neighborhood residents and visitors alike with a workspace for ongoing education, small business entrepreneurship activities, and growth activities for existing businesses. (Rancho Chuk Shon of Arizona) Multi – Cultural Familly Education, Ceremonial Grounds – Lienzo, Capilla.
Invest in the riparian history of Barrio Kroeger Lane. Plant pollinating flowers and native trees along the streets, and connect the neighborhood to the River walk Mesquite Bosque, to create visitor interest in the area through activities such as bird watching events, etc. (See Tucson Audubon Society)
Highlight and beautify public areas in Barrio Kroeger Lane. Create covered resting areas with landscape providing shade, to help with urban heat island effect and require less fossil fuel burning through a reduction in air conditioning use.
Provide family and educational events focusing on beautifying the land. Hold informative events, such as how to plant an organic garden, how to install rainwater harvesting, how to identify and use energy efficient and environmentally-friendly materials, to educate neighborhood residents and visitors alike on ways to nurture and protect our environment.
Develop a method of rent control and/or freeze on property to secure long term home ownership, and avoid displacement of families and individuals within the Barrio.
Approach surrounding hotels to ask for contributions during Gem/Mineral Show, 4th of July traffic, El Tour de Tucson (bicycles) to be allocated for street repair/maintenance
Monitor impact from the Tucson International Airport and military jets. Protecting and preserving the wildlife corridor on the mountain, river and neighborhood.
Evaluation
The evaluation of this Initiative is carried out for each program, service and objective according to the timelines set for each and continually, which will increase the likelihood of detecting problems as they occur and carrying out solutions as needed.
The evaluation process consists of a data collection tool with indicators to measure accomplishments. These indicators are based on data/information that is easy to collect.
There is no attempt to create information that is unavailable at the neighborhood level. Evaluation results are included in progress and final reports.