80,000 pounds of trash being cleaned up from this Kansas City neighborhood
By Lara Moritz
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KMBC) — The Santa Fe neighborhood in Kansas City accounts for 25% of the violent crime in the city.
It has since the year 2000.
But, there’s room to hope of turning the city’s first affluent neighborhood around.
KC 360’s comprehensive crime prevention program has chosen the Santa Fe neighborhood for its village initiative.
80,000 pounds of trash are being moved out of the area.
Multiple organizations make up KC 360. The program works to find ways to curb violent crime.
In its heyday, these grand homes built in the early 1900s were the place to live for affluent white families.
It wasn’t until 1948, in an attempt to end redlining, that affluent black families were finally allowed to buy homes here.
Over the decades, families moved out. Renters moved in, and so did criminals.
In 2023, residents like Marquita Taylor are ready to clean it up.
“So, it’s like you start with the cleanup. So when you just look at the neighborhood, it’s cleaned up, and then you build that and continue to, to build on the people who stay here,” Taylor said.
The KCMO homeowner has lived in the Santa Fe neighborhood for 30 years.
She knows it will take more than kc360’s help to lower crime, which is more than 400 times the national average.
Real change will come from her neighbors getting involved.
“It’s on us to make our neighborhood better. Here you go. It’s like a gift. But here’s what we want you to do,” Taylor said. “At the same time, I get no more, no less than 40-50 neighbors at a neighborhood meeting. That’s crazy numbers. That’s great. So I’m happy about that.”
KC 360 hopes to create a place inside the Kansas City Police Department’s east patrol called a community action network, where residents can meet weekly and build relationships with officers.
A recent grant for the health department will lead to more ‘street interrupters’ being hired. Those are people recently out of prison who are vital to de-escalating violent situations because of their street credibility.
The Santa Fe neighborhood is just about 20 blocks. It will benefit from these resources too.
“I’m still fighting. Somebody’s got to help us, you know?” Taylor said.
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