By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The Call to Action teams in Bowling Green cozied up with cocoa and cookies on Saturday as they plotted ways to improve housing, transportation, and climate resiliency in the city. Their plans include:
- Create a tenant rights organization.
- Revitalize one residential block of South Main Street – if the homeowners are on board.
- Compile a complete list of transportation services in the city, to educate the public on the gaps in services.
- Convince city officials to put resiliency centers in the two new fire stations proposed in the city.
- Urge city leaders to reinstate a city housing commission to focus on accessible and affordable housing.
Saturday’s event at the Wintergarden Park nature center was held to update Bowling Green residents about the work of the Call to Action teams. The teams were formed by interested citizens after a large gathering of the BG Save Our Neighborhoods Group last fall identified the top issues to be tackled as housing revitalization, new housing, climate action, and transportation and mobility issues.
Rose Drain, a member of BG SONG and the Call to Action movement, said citizen teams are looking to partner with other groups with shared interests.
One of the priorities of the teams is to work with people who rent their homes in Bowling Green – and form a group that will stand up for renters’ rights. That will include connecting with BGSU Undergraduate Student Government, and with year-round residents who rent their homes.
“There are many other people who rent homes,” not just students, Drain said.
Another plan involves reaching out to landowners in the 400 block of South Main Street, to see if there is support for a housing revitalization program. That block consists of 16 properties – four owner occupied, and 12 rentals.
“It will be great to see what kind of response we get,” Drain said.
Another team is looking at new housing in the community, and will be working to convince city leaders to reinstate its housing commission.
“We think there are some good things a housing commission can do that aren’t being done by other city commissions,” Drain said.
That team is also studying the possibility of buying homes on the market and renovating them. Once made more habitable, the homes would be sold to owners who want to reside in them, or rented to people with the intent to buy the homes in the future.
The climate action team’s top priority is to convince city officials to establish “resiliency centers” in the two new fire stations being planned in Bowling Green. The centers would be built to withstand climate change incidents, and provide a place for emergency communication, water, shelter and cots, Drain said.
The transportation and mobility team has compiled a complete list of transportation services available in the city. Team members suspect that few city residents realize the gaping holes in rides for those who rely on such services.
One of those team members is Debbie Thompson, who has had multiple sclerosis for 26 years and who uses a wheelchair. She used to drive, but gave it up six years ago.
The city offers BG Transit, but its hours are limited and end at 8 p.m. So Thompson, who sometimes attends City Council meetings, has to leave by 7:45 p.m. to make sure she can get home. On Saturday, rides end at 4 p.m., and no services are available on Sundays or holidays.
Unlike larger cities, Bowling Green does not have enough business for services like Uber or Lyft. There are some specialized ride services, but only for those who fit in certain populations.
The mobility action team is also looking at difficult to navigate sidewalks.
Following are the Call to Action teams, with details for each:
Housing Revitalization Action Team
Goal: Revitalize neighborhoods and support tenants by building community connections and improving housing standards.
Accomplishment: Laid groundwork for a BG Tenants Union to advocate for renters’ rights. Planned a focused “Rock the Block” event to revitalize a specific block on South Main Street.
Next: Host a public informational meeting to bring tenants and advocates together. Engage property owners to participate in the South Main Street revitalization project.
Climate Action Network Team
Goal: Lead Bowling Green toward a sustainable future by turning climate action plans into tangible community benefits.
Accomplishments: Identifying key priorities and laying out a plan to guide the implementation of the Climate Action and Resiliency Plan.
Next steps: Work with city leaders and council members to advocate for swift action on climate initiatives.
Transportation and Mobility Action Team
Goal: Ensure Bowling Green is a city where transportation is safe, accessible, and well-connected for all residents.
Accomplishments: Surveyed the current transportation options to identify gaps and opportunities. Reviewed city code to assess sidewalk regulations and accessibility issues.
Next steps: Develop a comprehensive transportation report and create a flowchart to educate the community. Propose updates to the sidewalk ordinance for City Council consideration.
New Housing Action Team
Goal: Expand affordable housing options in Bowling Green by championing new developments and advocating for a housing commission.
Accomplishments: Advocating for reinstating the BG Housing Commission to focus on accessible and affordable housing. Exploring potential sites and partnerships for development mixed-income housing projects.
Next steps: Draft a proposal defining the purpose, responsibilities, and identify funding opportunities and build partnerships to support affordable housing development.
