Planning for Failure

With all the planning going on in our communities and the never ending upgrades within our building codes, comprehensive planning and a positive outlook for the future, one thing a community never plans for… failure.  We all see it; we turn our heads and claim the problem belongs to someone else.  We watch “Special Broadcast” on communities which are crumbling, we witness blocks of cities laying in ruin and we say to ourselves; “that’s there and that won’t happen in my community”, but if you look around, it is in your community, you have just turned your head and imagined; it’s someone else’s problem.  I hate to be the bearer of bad news; if your community isn’t planning for failure of neighborhoods, they have also turned their heads and claim; it’s someone else’s problem.  With the current budget problems our communities are facing locally, as well as across our nation, failed neighborhoods start out as simple deferred maintenance, accumulation of debris, code violations that continue to the point of condemnation and long term vacancies.  Soon the community has to step in, boarding up windows and doors to keep vagrants and others from creating additional problems for a decaying neighborhood.  As the buildings sit idol, deferred maintenance allows water intrusion to enter the building and Mother Nature’s creatures start taking back the elements it created.  As more buildings join the ranks, people move out, abandon neighborhoods and as delinquent taxes burdens a community who continues to turn their heads and claim; that’s someone else’s problem; the failure of a community starts.  As the urban development circle expands around a community, the decay of buildings, utilities and neighborhood’s infrastructure fail; it’s someone else’s problem.  Diminished property values, delinquent taxes, code violation fines, collection judgments and IRS liens are just a few of the problems that need to be rectified in order for a community to re-establish its plan for future success.  In order for a community to grow, it has to face the failure of communities within the success of the surrounding neighborhoods.  Communities have to establish boards and volunteer efforts, from within surrounding communities in order to re-develop neighborhoods.  Areas of re-development will have to include financial plans, demolition of existing structures, remediation of lead, asbestos, chemical contamination and remediation of soils as necessary.  The removal of antiquated buried utilities, install modern horizontal development and adapt the neighborhoods to the current local comprehensive plan and building codes.  Communities must establish incentives for developers to invest in the neighborhood, but this can only take place if a community steps up to build their community and not turn their heads and claim; its someone else’s problem. Planning for failure is planning for the future and we can’t close our eyes or turn our heads any longer and claim; it’s someone else’s problem.  Take pride in your community, get involved and stop making excuses for the problems within your community. The future of our communities is our responsibility and not of those we elect to represent us.  By planning for failure, we actually plan for success… get involved, because the success or failure of your community does depend on you.  It is your problem!