From Needs to Opportunities: Strategies for the West Willow Neighborhood

Abstract

From Needs to Opportunities: Strategies for the West Willow Neighborhood provides answers to three questions in order to stimulate positive change in the West Willow neighborhood in Ypsilanti Township.

- What do we know about West Willow? - What opportunities exist for development in and around West Willow? - How can West Willow move from needs to opportunities?

Neighborhoods change through a dynamic interplay of internal and external forces. In the West Willow neighborhood of Ypsilanti Township, Michigan the dedicated volunteers of the New West Willow Neighborhood Association (NWWNA) work to help their neighborhood grow and thrive from within. Meanwhile, the nearby Willow Run plant site is poised for development that may bring jobs and resources to the area, which will undoubtedly impact neighborhood residents. This change could mark the start of a new, inspiring era for West Willow.

The goal of this report is to help West Willow residents productively address change by clearly describing existing conditions and needs, and identifying opportunities for enhancement. The bulk of the report is designed as a set of mini-manuals, which are meant to help the NWWNA move from needs to action by seizing opportunities to improve quality of life for neighborhood residents. The three areas to action identified by the report are services, economic development, and physical improvements.

Together, these chapters provide a comprehensive framework that can help the NWWNA build on existing assets and seize available opportunities. The recommendations in each chapter include actions that the NWWNA can implement in the short-, middle-, and long-term so that the residents can start taking action now, but keep the future of the neighborhood in mind. With hard work and collaboration, the residents of West Willow can leverage opportunities and advocate for positive changes.