City Works To Invigorate Older Saugus Neighborhood

Extreme Neighborhood Makeover program comes to Saugus
for the first time.

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It's one of the oldest established neighborhoods in Santa
Clarita, sitting off of Seco Canyon Road
and Cavello Drive in Saugus.
The sidewalks that once lined this sprawling suburban paradise have now become
cracked and the homes show their age.

Some homes have even fallen into such a state of disrepair
that they violate the city code. Others have dead lawns, or have non-operational
vehicles parked on the street for months at a time.

Rather than let the neighborhood decay from within, city
staff came up with a program called "Extreme Neighborhood Makeover." As part of
the initiative, the city joins forces with the homeowners of a faltering
neighborhood, planting new trees, replacing sidewalks, fixing potholes and
removing graffiti. They also talk to each of the homeowners and identify any
code violations on the property.

Then, over a period of several weeks, the homeowners can use
the city as a resource to get discounted contractor services for repairs, recruit
volunteer labor to help with big projects and get tips from professionals.

The idea is twofold; to install pride of ownership in the
community, and thereby to tidy up the appearance of the homes and streets.

"It's important that we get out into the communities to try
and engage them to take ownership and partner with them to ensure that the
neighborhoods retain a high quality of life and let people see that there are services
available to help them maintain the neighborhood as a whole," said Assistant
City Manager Ken Striplin.

One resident of the Saugus
neighborhood told KHTS that they are so embarrassed by some of the homes in the
area that they will purposely re-direct their guests up roads that take them
around the areas in disrepair.

Approximately 180 properties will be in the first phase of
this neighborhood project, and according to Community Preservation Officer
Daniel Rivas, success will only come if the city and the residents work
together.

"It's going to take a joint effort to make this happen. A
lot of them are unaware of the municipal codes and that's why we're hosting
this event to help them out and to let them know what we're looking for," he
said. "We've had success in the other two programs and working together I'm
confident we will have success here as well."

Previously, areas of Canyon Country and Newhall were
targeted for the Extreme Neighborhood Makeover program. With multiple
neighborhoods designated each year, the program reflects a long term commitment
on behalf of the city.

"One of my goals as a council member was to ensure that our
older, more established neighborhoods get as much attention as the newer
neighborhoods, and this is one way to do that," said City Council member Marsha
McLean.

The Saugus
neighborhood makeover phase officially kicked off Saturday with a city-hosted
"block party." Jersey Mike's provided lunch for all the residents and members
of the city of Santa Clarita, Los
Angeles County Sheriff's Department and firefighters were on hand to meet the
residents. 

Listen to the pocasts below to hear more on why the city of Santa Clarita organizes the event.

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Assistant City Manager Ken Striplin

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Community Preservation Officer Daniel Rivas

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City Council member Marsha McLean