Building Together: City of Memphis Weekly Newsletter

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Early this week, my grad school alma mater asked me to reflect on my time in the City and Regional Planning program. They asked me what lessons I took with me and how the theoretical became practical in the broader planning work of the city. I have no problem answering either of those questions; it is easy for me to speak out in support of the program because I still use those lessons and reflect on that knowledge daily. 

It isn’t a secret that I am passionate about making a positive impact in my community; I literally found my calling in the field of Urban Planning and Community Development. Reflecting on my time in the University of Memphis City and Regional Planning Program brings back a flood of memories and valuable insights that continue to shape my career and, hopefully, our city.

Now, I don’t think everyone needs a college degree. Learning a trade or entering the military can provide an excellent opportunity for growth and stability. However, for me, this graduate program provided an excellent foundation for a life of service to my community. 

A pivotal educational moment came via my Capstone project, where I created a strategic plan for the Douglass Bungalow & Crump Community Development Corporation. As a part of that process, I interviewed dozens of community members. And the common, recurring theme was that the community was sick of being studied. They were tired of the government and other groups coming in and doing studies or making plans and then leaving without improving things. At the end of the studies, they felt like nothing changed. 

Those responses stayed with me. Decades later, I remember those people. They were invested in making things better. They were willing to talk to anyone who might offer a better future - a change. And they only saw studies or plans. 

And it is somewhat the same today; when I go into the community, I often hear people say things like, “no matter how much we talk, nothing changes.” And while I think everyone understands that we will not flip Memphis overnight, people want to see indications of progress. We all need to see change. And I am determined to provide it. 

When you understand history, it gives you a greater level of empathy for the frustrations that some community members feel. I believe that having a deeper understanding of our history will help us create a better future. The disinvestment and the lack of access - I never forget those things. I use those lessons as guardrails to remind me what can happen if our focus and aim aren’t set correctly. And I let our community spirit, our hope, our innovation, and our get-it-done spirit push our progress. 

Through initiatives like Blight Zero, we are changing our community at the neighborhood level. This work is critical to shifting the psyche of our city because if you have been complaining about a specific property for 20 years, walking by it day after day, and nothing happens, you think no one cares. The act of seeing that derelict property contributes to the same frustration and reluctant acceptance that I witnessed in my planning classes in 2003 and 2004. Both my education and my heart tell me that the act of seeing blight replaced by beauty will begin to restore hope.

Done right, planning is progress. Our current Memphis 3.0 plan marks a catalyzing moment for the city, signaling a shift in our urban planning priorities. Unlike the comprehensive strategic plan of the early 80s, which focused on geographic expansion, Memphis 3.0 emphasizes sustainable growth and increased population density.

The 3.0 plan identifies the heartbeat of each neighborhood and community as an “anchor,” and centered the work of rebuilding neighborhoods around each anchor. The work is powerful. You can see the early results throughout our city, if you look at Tillman in Binghampton, you will see the dramatic shift from the way that corridor looked and functioned before the renovation. If you look at Raleigh, we started with the Town Center, which used to be a very underutilized shopping center. That was part of the last century's economic path, but now it aligns with our goals for the next century. We still have many more to go, underutilized spaces like Southland Mall and Hickory Ridge Mall. Those anchors really define the community, and I want to be able to see those transformed into thriving community hubs, as well. 

I am confident that together, our team and our greater community have the tools to do just that. Together, we will transform more of our community into a third-century-ready Memphis. 

I am grateful to the University of Memphis for providing me with the education and inspiration to work harder for my city. The knowledge and insights from my grad school program continue to inform my work and reinforce my commitment to driving positive change in Memphis. 

I am grateful to the UofM for the thoughtfulness of the program. I take the lessons with me every day. They make me a better Mayor and a better Memphian. 

I am excited to see what comes next. I can’t wait to see our future Memphis, the city that current and future graduates of the program envision. And I am ready to get moving on the Memphis we will build together! 

Go, Memphis! #GoTigersGo

Good News!

Weekly Crime Trend

The report below provides our weekly update on Part 1 Crimes. It updates daily and shows a continuous rolling 7-day total compared to the prior 7-day total. The charts on the right show the calendar week trend, comparing 2023 to 2024.

(We maintain two crime dashboards, the Weekly Crime Trend report can be found here, and the Crime Analytics dashboard can be accessed here.)

Our Strike Team worked in the following zip codes this week: 38111, 38114, 38115.

Community Engagement:

Winchester Road Corridor Study. Do you live, drive, or are interested in what happens on Winchester Road? Help shape your community by participating in the project's community and business survey to evaluate land use and transportation conditions! See full details here. 

Shelby County Assessor's Townhall. Shelby County’s Assessor of Property, Melvin Burgess, invites the community to attend a series of meetings leading up to the 2025 appraisals to learn about the process and impact reappraisals have on property value. Attend the first meeting on October 14 at Baker Community Center from 4:30pm to 5:45pm.

Social and Community Shout-outs:

Hoops for St. Jude. Don’t miss the inaugural Hoops for St. Jude® Tip Off Classic on October 15 at the FedEx Forum! Watch the University of Memphis Tigers men's and women's team take the court. 100% of the ticket proceeds goes to St. Jude. Show your support and get tickets here. 

Library Card Sign-Up Month. Almost 2,500 new Library Card holders are among us and we want to grow that number even more! Take advantage of all that Memphis Public Libraries has to offer. See more details and sign-up here. 

Southwest Twin Harvest Festival. Come celebrate at Southwest Twin on Saturday, October 19 from 12-4:30pm. The Harvest Celebration & Festival will host 40+ vendors, food trucks, a climbing wall, bounce house, face painting, and more fun for the whole family. You don’t want to miss It. See more and share here.

Memphis Animal Services. During the first 9 days of October, 120 dogs found homes because Memphians answered the call to action! THANK YOU to everyone who adopted, fostered, rescued, volunteered, or shared the posts. See more details here! 

Weekly round-up

in partnership and progress,

Paul A. Young