Birmingham joins Love Your Block initiative and expands foundation board

The City of Birmingham has been selected to participate in Love Your Block, an initiative led by the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University. As one of 25 new local governments chosen from 20 states, Birmingham will receive $70,000 to fund resident-led projects aimed at reclaiming public spaces, clearing vacant lots, and improving local communities.

Mayor Randall Woodfin stated that the program provides resources to residents to transform underused spaces and build trust in local government. The initiative includes expert support from the Bloomberg Center and a dedicated Love Your Block Fellow to assist with community efforts.

In a separate local development, the Birmingham City Commissioners appointed three new members to the City of Birmingham Community House Foundation board. The appointments of Kamala Cummings, Jennifer Faraj, and Linda Schlesinger increase the board to 11 voting members. The foundation is responsible for the maintenance of the Community House and supporting civic and philanthropic activities for residents.