Rethinking City Living: Efforts to Reinvigorate Our Neighborhoods

The Rochester Business Journal just issued a special report on city living. Of course, the city they are speaking of is not Geneva, but there are parallel issues and opportunities that are worth considering.

The study shows that most of the people choosing to move in to the city are either young professionals or ‘empty nesters’ who like being within walking distance to downtown, who appreciate the architectural styles and historical landmarks within the city, and appreciate being part of a diverse community.

But a growing number of families are choosing urban living over suburban homesteads. The Journal reports that families like playgrounds, cultural offerings, restaurants, and close neighbors. One family profiled in the article said that they chose to live in the city “for philosophical reasons—to help keep it as a vibrant place to live. ‘Cities can only survive if people like us, families like us, stay in neighborhoods and take care of the homes...[and] there is diversity in the city that sometimes you don’t get in the suburbs.’”

We, as a small city with many of the same characteristics should pay close attention to this. We should encourage development of opportunities that appeal to the needs of residents, both existing Genevans and those who would potentially relocate here. This means a continued, or increased, investment in things that make our city a safe and friendly place to live.

City departments like code enforcement, police, and recreation make use of city resources in a way that make the community a desirable place for people to live and raise a family. For example, the personnel department is attempting to streamline the hiring process for police officers (without compromising any of the required steps) to respond to the request made in the Chief’s report to city council. Code efforts in high density neighborhoods are important not only to improve living conditions for Geneva’s renters, but to protect the property values of homeowners in those areas. City government also has a role to play in fostering positive neighborhood relations, in the form of encouraging neighborhood associations and assisting with community gatherings.

These increased efforts, coupled with the significant private investments proposed for downtown and the leveraging of State funds through the RESTORE NY program, will make Geneva a better place to live and raise a family.