A few highlights of the Bartlett Park Neighborhood Association

Before we organized neighborhood associations: In the 1970's leaders like Evelyn Watts, Dorathea Miller, the NAACP, Module 16 Advisory Committee and Council on Human Relations spoke for our residents. City plans to demolish much of south St. Pete contributed to decline, neglect and homeowners being replaced by absentee landlords and abandoned buildings. Many homes taken over by squatters and vacant lots left overgrown and used by homeless campers. Defeat of redevelopment referendum gave us a second chance. In 1978 many events, tours of homes, concerts in park and cleanups draw attention and support to our need for preservation. Bob Graham helped us by doing one of his workdays on our Booker Creek cleanup.
Mid 80"s: Roser Park Historic District signaled value in preservation of old structures. Many buildings were demolished before the historic value was recognized. Newspaper calls us "The Hole" as crack destroys much of the southside and uptown. Police are not effective as crisis worsens, telling us to "move to a safe area" .
In the 1980's Blacks Against Dangerous Drugs, (BADD) led a campaign against crack. Crackdown 89 brings SWAT team in to clear Roser Park of crack and board up abandoned homes. Drugs and squatters move south. By 1990 OURS, Organized and United for Residential Stability organized Roser Park and two blocks of what became Bartlett Park.
October 1991, Romeo Mathis is arrested in the early morning. Explosives wake up the neighborhood as the SWAT team uses trucks to rip the bars off his house and storm in. Residents of 16th Avenue come out and have a spontaneous street party to celebrate the end of this gang. Gang leaders get life without parole in federal prison. Some of his neighbors become organizers of new association.
A town hall meeting is organized after all residents and property owners are surveyed and asked to participate. Community Policing and Neighborhood Planning are introduced to residents.
By early 1992 the Association has formed with Dorathea Miller elected as the first President.
The neighborhood plan was developed and adopted by the association and the city
First projects include neighborhood logo, T-shirts, and two entrance signs. The first priorities identified for improvement were better street lighting and replacement of broken sidewalks. A grant for $100,000 was used for sidewalks, street trees and a computer lab at the Frank Pierce Center. FICO, the Federation of Inner City Organizations represented our association.
By the mid '90s we had incorporated as a non profit, opened the Community Resource Center on the 4th Street near Newton Avenue, regular cleanups were organized and the association started a newsletter. The Resource Center helped other agencies fill the block with storefront offices to serve residents. Phoenix Enterprises, Gulf Coast Community Care and a new church opened next door to the center. A vacant store front was used by AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteers to fix up donated bicycles and store Christmas gifts for neighborhood kids. The VISTA project served this and two other neighborhoods based in the Resource Center.
We join CONA and build relationships with neighbors throughout the city.
Members participated in Congregations United for Community Action advocacy for south St. Pete.
A slumlord who rented to the biggest drug dealer in the area was brought before the association meeting. Tips from members brought two arrests and the family was evicted and banned from Section 8
Crime Watch was started with full time volunteer organizer Manny Fernandez. Every resident was contacted in a block to block canvas.
These volunteers also led the Wrice Process Anti Drug march and vigils. Three nights a week residents marched by and held vigils at drug houses. On Friday nights the group met at the Tennis Center in Bartlett Park and went here and other District I neighborhoods to disrupt drug sales.
The Center is opened so residents can gather and watch a runner carry the Olympic torch down 4th Street.
Phoenix Enterprises helped association members develop an action plan to make Newton Avenue a model block. USF St. Petersburg Dean Dr. Bill Heller, former mayor Randy Wedding and others contribute to this.
Eric Crisp and Dr. Jay Sockolovsky of the USF Anthropology Department survey residents and help the association start the Community History Project to conduct research. A history day event is held and a CD and web site produced. A listening station is set up to let residents hear taped oral history interviews with Bartlett Park resident Joe Savage, retired leader of the sanitation union, now Service Employees International Union.
Elders were recruited to join a Senior Fellowship that met twice a week for snacks, prayer and a bingo game and went on outings.
Youth choir was formed.
First community garden was planted behind Tennis Center.
Back to School Health Fairs are organized with free physical exams.
A grant is obtained to operate a Neighborhood Family Center to help families with children. Four associations collaborate to open the center in Bartlett Park.
The October and November 1996 riots destroy several buildings in the neighborhood including two blocks on 4th Street. The Resource Center was fire bombed and the fire spread to the rest of the block.
On the second day of rioting we collect milk crates filled with rock and prevent the destruction of our temporary building.
Several years of work and donations from Ed White Hospital result in the present center at 642 22nd Avenue South Two temporary buildings were used while this happened. The Neighborhood Association volunteers have staffed this center continuously since 1995. The Harbordale Neighborhood Association was a partner in moving to the new lot.
Residents continue to meet monthly and operate the resource center, bring speakers to the meeting, have cookouts and cleanups.
Grant obtained to give residents assistance in installing porch lights to improve safety.
Members are recruited for training at the CONA leadership class, Citizens Police Academy, Florida Neighborhood Conference,and Community Leadership Institute.
A youth council is sent to a conference for leadership training. Cleanups and block parties continued.
Mayor David Fisher is brought in to operate a bulldozer to demolish drug houses as residents cheer him on .
2001-All candidates for mayor and council attend association meeting to speak to residents.
2002 Youth of Northside Baptist Church help association put in plants on Newton Avenue to establish second community garden as part of Somebody Cares Tampa Bay.
2005 Tour of Homes conducted with a different approach. Investors are asked to look at homes in need of rehab.
Meeting moved to new NHS Homeownership Center to promote NHS and its services.
Association donates resource center deed to city June 05.
June Pre Hurricane Cleanup timed to clear out overgrowth and invasive exotic trees in advance of Hurricane season. Lot cleared for Newton Avenue Block Party. Progress Energy tops trees under power lines to help residents remove them and eliminate storm hazard. Long term savings to residents and electric company because trees will not need regular trimming.
Sept 2006 Yard sale, cleanup and paint party to replace signs at former XXX Adult bookstore.
National broadcast of Bob Villa working in Bartlett Park.
2006 bylaws revision.
Football great Warrick Dunn helps single moms buy and furnish homes
Crime Watch reorganized, obtains grant for shirts and radios.
2007-Museum of History exhibit on Ingleside, Roser and Bartlett Park.
Old South East Crime Watch coordinator attend BP crime watch to collaborate on safety for greater neighborhood.
2008-Independent movie, "Misconceptions" filmed in Bartlett Park, party being planned for premier later this year.
Feb, Mar workdays at resource center to repair leak in roof and trim trees growing on roof.
Valentines Day party for members.
Community Garden groundbreaking after months of planning.
BPNA members go to Green for All conference in Memphis to organize for Green Jobs and restoration of our environment.
Salt Creek project reorganized with new volunteers .
County data shows 15% increase in our property value, the best in the county.
May and June-Partnership with F.A.S.T. and Seven X7 brings many volunteers into neighborhood to fight crime and drugs and find resources for families in need. Over a hundred volunteers canvass residents to prevent violence.
Salt Creek education, boardwalk and cleanup continue with new volunteers and reorganization. Harbordale NA cosponsors and Old SouthEast residents participate. City provides resources and advice.
County data shows we have 15% increase in property value, the best in Pinellas.

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