Kick-Start Your Community Revitalization Plans With These Small, High-Impact Changes

America has revitalization fever. Communities everywhere are ready to reinvent themselves. If you’re like most community leaders, you’re excited about the possibilities but have no idea where to start. The good news is there are some small, high-impact things you can do right now to bring people together, get them excited, and create momentum for the future. Even just a few inexpensive quick fixes can generate excitement and get people engaged and in the right mindset for change.

Remember, vibrant communities don’t just happen. They’re built, and in a smart and organic way. Quite often it’s the small, high-impact changes that really get things rolling.

Here are a few small changes to get you started:

Fix what’s broken before building new stuff. When Pensacola began our revitalization, we brought in Charles “Chuck” Marohn, the founder and president of Strong Towns, a media organization leading a national movement to help American cities become strong, resilient, and prosperous. A cornerstone of his philosophy is that it’s better to make small, incremental investments over time instead of taking a “big project” approach (which is risky and expensive and can be politically controversial).

Take a slow drive through your neighborhood. What most needs fixing? This was another one of Chuck’s suggestions. When you take the time to experience your community at 2 mph, not 45 mph, you will see the things you’ve never noticed before.

Pinpointthe little fixes that will have the biggest impact. In Marohn’s hometown of Brainerd, MN, they have a program called “A Better Brainerd” through which they look for small ways to make people’s lives better. These investments—such as those reported in the Strong Towns proposal Neighborhoods First: A low risk, high return strategy for a better Brainerd—occur from the bottom up rather than the top down.

The report suggested creating bike lanes and re-establishing pavement markings on one street that was too wide and dangerous, and creating a pedestrian crosswalk on another street that people use to get to the only grocery store in walking distance of their neighborhood. These small, modest investments can make a real difference in citizens’ lives and raise property values over time.

But don’t wait until things are broken to take action. Take notice of what is about to fail or break. Getting out in front of these problems will save money in the long run.

Ask, “How can we create a good first impression on visitors?” Many communities have a “gateway” or at least an attractive sign that creates a sense of place and reflects the ambience of the town. What is the first thing visitors see when they arrive in the community? Is there a prominent landmark, a beautiful building, or a big piece of public art that creates the feeling that they’ve arrived at a special destination? If not, maybe there should be.

Make sure prominent landmarks look fresh and appealing. If landmarks in the community don’t look welcoming and well maintained, then do something about them right away.

When retired Navy Vice Admiral Jack Fetterman came to Pensacola, he noticed the landmark water tower had peeling paint and suggested they paint it right away. While it’s no longer functional, it’s the first thing people see when they come downtown. This was a relatively simple fix that has made a big marketing impact.

Keep the community clean and green. Just keeping a city clean and attractive—and maybe planting a few flowers—can make a huge difference. There is even evidence that creating a cleaner, greener, better-maintained community can lower crime rates.

These changes may seem tiny, but they create a lasting impact. Before the citizens even realize it, you’re on your way to becoming a vibrant community—and the goodwill and positive energy of the citizens will generate incredible momentum.