Ten groups sign memorandum to improve Wilmington’s Eastside

Community leaders signed off on the first step in improving Wilmington’s Eastside section through a collaborative effort to restore homes in a section of the community.

Declaring their collaboration “Eastside Rising,” city leaders joined representatives from Habitat for Humanity, Wilmington Housing Partnership and the religious community to sign a Memorandum of Understanding.  The document is the first step in the effort to revitalize the section of the city bounded by 4th to 11th St. and Church to Walnut St.

“We celebrate today because the signing of this MOU solidifies an ongoing collective community effort,” said Rev. Dr. Terrence Keeling of Central Baptist Church, who also is the co-chair of the Eastside Blueprint Strategic Plan.  “It marks the beginning of the implementation of the Eastside Blueprint Strategic Plan that will bring community revitalization and housing stabilization to our Eastside community.”

As outlined in the MOU, the partners will build, remodel, or refurbish 125 homes in a smaller section of the Eastside community bounded by 7th and 10th St. and Church and Pine St.  Some will be built on vacant lots, and some abandoned homes will be refurbished for new owners.  The groups hope to have 30% of the construction workforce be made up of Eastside residents.