Pomona Weed and Seed Strategy Presented By Armando N. Lopez Weed and Seed Site Coordinator

Pomona Pomona Weed and Seed Weed and Seed

StrategyStrategy

Presented ByPresented By

Armando N. LopezArmando N. Lopez

Weed and Seed Site Weed and Seed Site CoordinatorCoordinator

What is Weed and Seed?What is Weed and Seed?Weed and Seed is not a programWeed and Seed is not a program – – It is a It is a

StrategyStrategy

• An Official Strategy that:An Official Strategy that:– Provides collaborative-building opportunitiesProvides collaborative-building opportunities– Promotes community engagementPromotes community engagement– Builds community capacityBuilds community capacity– Encourages all stakeholders to get involvedEncourages all stakeholders to get involved– Presents youth and families with the Presents youth and families with the

challenge of making a difference in their challenge of making a difference in their communitycommunity

What is Weed and Seed?What is Weed and Seed? The overall goal of the Strategy is to prevent, The overall goal of the Strategy is to prevent,

control and reduce violent crime, drug abuse control and reduce violent crime, drug abuse and gang activity in the designated high-and gang activity in the designated high-crime neighborhoods.crime neighborhoods.

• The Weeding elementThe Weeding element enables communities to reduce enables communities to reduce violent and drug related crime (weed) — Law enforcement violent and drug related crime (weed) — Law enforcement agencies and justice officials cooperate to "weed" out agencies and justice officials cooperate to "weed" out criminals.criminals.

• The Seeding element The Seeding element enables enables public agencies and public agencies and community-based organizations in collaborating efforts to community-based organizations in collaborating efforts to "seed" for much-needed human services including: "seed" for much-needed human services including: prevention, intervention, treatment and neighborhood prevention, intervention, treatment and neighborhood restoration programs. restoration programs.

• A community-oriented policing component bridges the A community-oriented policing component bridges the weeding and seeding elements. weeding and seeding elements.

Weed and Seed Weed and Seed ComponentsComponents

Every Weed and Seed Strategy Every Weed and Seed Strategy focuses on:focuses on:

• Law EnforcementLaw Enforcement• Community-Oriented PolicingCommunity-Oriented Policing• Prevention Intervention and Prevention Intervention and

TreatmentTreatment• Neighborhood RestorationNeighborhood Restoration

Goals of Pomona Weed Goals of Pomona Weed and Seedand Seed

Law EnforcementLaw Enforcement• Law enforcement will integrate local, Law enforcement will integrate local,

State and Federal resources available to State and Federal resources available to address the affected neighborhoods where address the affected neighborhoods where gang and drug activities are linked.gang and drug activities are linked.Identified GoalsIdentified Goals– Reduce the incidents of drug and gang activity by Reduce the incidents of drug and gang activity by

15%. 15%. – Identify, investigate and prosecute highly-visible drug Identify, investigate and prosecute highly-visible drug

dealers and gang members. dealers and gang members.


Community-Oriented PolicingCommunity-Oriented Policing• Partner with non-law enforcement Partner with non-law enforcement

agencies for effective coordination agencies for effective coordination and direct delivery of resources and and direct delivery of resources and services to project area residents.services to project area residents.

Identified GoalsIdentified Goals– Encourage resident reporting of all illegal Encourage resident reporting of all illegal

weapons, drug and gang activity. weapons, drug and gang activity. – Increase suspect identification through Increase suspect identification through

neighborhood victim/witness protection and neighborhood victim/witness protection and assistance outreach service programs. assistance outreach service programs.


Prevention, Intervention and Prevention, Intervention and TreatmentTreatment

• Provide culturally appropriate services Provide culturally appropriate services and educational assistance to and educational assistance to neighborhood youth and families.neighborhood youth and families.

Identified GoalsIdentified Goals– Provide counseling and case management for at-Provide counseling and case management for at-

risk youth and anger management training for risk youth and anger management training for troubled families. troubled families.

– Increase availability of various services (i.e., drug Increase availability of various services (i.e., drug treatment, counseling, case management, treatment, counseling, case management, parenting skills training, landlord educational parenting skills training, landlord educational training and conflict mediation)training and conflict mediation)..


Neighborhood RestorationNeighborhood Restoration• Provide training and assistance to Provide training and assistance to

promote participation in property promote participation in property revitalization activities and revitalization activities and neighborhood rehabilitation.neighborhood rehabilitation.

Identified GoalsIdentified Goals– Improve neighborhood and economic development Improve neighborhood and economic development

opportunities within the targeted area.opportunities within the targeted area.– Decrease areas of blight and incidents of graffiti Decrease areas of blight and incidents of graffiti

and vandalism. and vandalism.

Who is Weed and Seed?Who is Weed and Seed?The Collaborative is a joint effort of:The Collaborative is a joint effort of:

– The Steering Committee that governs the strategyThe Steering Committee that governs the strategy– The City of Pomona as the fiscal agentThe City of Pomona as the fiscal agent– Governmental PartnersGovernmental Partners

• US Department of JusticeUS Department of Justice• US Attorneys OfficeUS Attorneys Office• Drug Enforcement AgencyDrug Enforcement Agency• Pomona Police DepartmentPomona Police Department

– Community PartnersCommunity Partners• Pomona Unified School DistrictPomona Unified School District• Cal Poly University, PomonaCal Poly University, Pomona• Boys and Girls ClubBoys and Girls Club• Reach Out West EndReach Out West End• Points of Light MinistriesPoints of Light Ministries• To name only a few…To name only a few…

Most ImportantMost Important – – SITE AREA SITE AREA RESIDENTSRESIDENTS

Weed and Seed StructureWeed and Seed StructureSTEERING

COMMITTEE

Weed and Seed Site Coordinator

Law EnforcementSubcommittee

Community-Oriented Policing

Subcommittee

Prevention/ Intervention/

TreatmentSubcommittee

Neighborhood and Economic Development

Subcommittee

Conflict Mediation

Crime Reduction

Neighborhood Watch

Community Organizing

Safe Havens

Community/ Sustainability

Efforts

Youth Development

Education Partnerships

Employment/Economic

Opportunity

Housing and Community

Services

Located in the Southern part of the City of Pomona, the Weed and Seed Strategy directly affects Council Districts 2 and 3

Weed and Seed Site AreaWeed and Seed Site Area

83

84 87

Police Reporting DistrictPolice Reporting District

Safe Haven SitesSafe Haven Sites

Lexington Lexington ElementarElementary Schooly School

PhiladelphiPhiladelphia a

Community Community CenterCenter

Renacimiento Renacimiento Community CenterCommunity Center

Philadelphia Community CenterPhiladelphia Community Center

Philadelphia Community CenterPhiladelphia Community Center

Lexington Elementary Lexington Elementary SchoolSchool

Renacimiento Community Renacimiento Community CenterCenter

Site Area Overview - Site Area Overview - DemographicsDemographics

• Population - 14,664Population - 14,664 ( (approx 10% of Pomona’s approx 10% of Pomona’s population)population)

• DemographicsDemographics– LatinoLatino 82.8% 82.8% – HouseholdsHouseholds 2,354 2,354 – Median IncomeMedian Income $44,083 $44,083– Avg. Household SizeAvg. Household Size 4.7 4.7– Overcrowding Rate Overcrowding Rate 46.9% 46.9%– Population under 18 years oldPopulation under 18 years old 38%38%– Poverty RatePoverty Rate 19%19%– Adults over 25 without a high school diplomaAdults over 25 without a high school diploma 59%59%

Source: www.daptaplace.com

2004 UCR

Pomona Weed and Seed Grant Pomona Weed and Seed Grant AwardsAwards

Year 1 Year 1 07/01/05 to 09/30/06 07/01/05 to 09/30/06 Awarded Awarded $175,000$175,000

Weeding Activity Weeding Activity $ 87,500$ 87,500

Seeding ActivitySeeding Activity $ 87,500$ 87,500

Year 2Year 2 10/01/06 to 06/30/0710/01/06 to 06/30/07 Awarded Awarded $225,000$225,000

Weeding Activity Weeding Activity $ 89,237$ 89,237

Seeding ActivitySeeding Activity $135,763$135,763

Year 3 Year 3 07/01/07 to 06/03/08 07/01/07 to 06/03/08 Applied for Applied for $200,000$200,000

Weeding Activity Weeding Activity $100,649$100,649

Seeding Activity Seeding Activity $ 99,351$ 99,351

Weeding HighlightsWeeding Highlights• Gang Injunction in place - increase in Gang Injunction in place - increase in

arrests and a decrease in violent crimearrests and a decrease in violent crime– 47 out of 60 gang members have been served with the 47 out of 60 gang members have been served with the

gang injunctiongang injunction

• Increase in Community-Oriented PolicingIncrease in Community-Oriented Policing• Increase in Neighborhood Watch Increase in Neighborhood Watch

MeetingsMeetings• License Plate Scanner purchased for use License Plate Scanner purchased for use

in site areain site area– The scanner can process over 2,300 license plates a The scanner can process over 2,300 license plates a

shift. On the first day of use a stolen car was shift. On the first day of use a stolen car was identified.identified.

Weeding HighlightsWeeding Highlights

• 82 % Decrease in Homicides in 82 % Decrease in Homicides in Reporting AreasReporting Areas

20042004•17 homicides reported17 homicides reported



Weeding ActivityWeeding Activity

• 20% Decrease in Violent Crimes in 20% Decrease in Violent Crimes in Reporting AreasReporting Areas

20042004•439 violent crimes439 violent crimes



Weeding HighlightsWeeding Highlights

• Decrease in calls for serviceDecrease in calls for servicedecrease in criminal - decrease in criminal

activityactivity

20042004•8,232 calls for service8,232 calls for service



Technical Assistance Technical Assistance • Technical Assistance Provided:Technical Assistance Provided:

March 15, 2006March 15, 2006

Hildy SaizowHildy Saizow

Consultant for the U.S. Department of Justice; Consultant for the U.S. Department of Justice; OfficeOffice

of Community Capacity Development of Community Capacity Development • Technical Assistance Recommendation:Technical Assistance Recommendation:

Focus on the Weed and Seed StrategyFocus on the Weed and Seed Strategy

Mobilize the Community Mobilize the Community

Develop Comprehensive Safe Haven PlanDevelop Comprehensive Safe Haven Plan

Create Working SubcommitteeCreate Working Subcommittee• Technical Assistance Implementation:Technical Assistance Implementation:

Implementation currently on-goingImplementation currently on-going

Seeding HighlightsSeeding Highlights• September 2003September 2003 City applies for Weed City applies for Weed

and Seed and Seed Site RecognitionSite Recognition• June 2004 June 2004 City Recognized as Weed City Recognized as Weed

and and Seed Site by DOJ Seed Site by DOJ • October 2005October 2005 First Steering Committee First Steering Committee

MeetingMeeting• December 2005December 2005 Simons Middle Simons Middle

School/Boys School/Boys and Girls Club and Girls Club identified as identified as Temporary Temporary Safe Haven sitesSafe Haven sites

• December 2005December 2005 Cal Poly Pomona and Cal Poly Pomona and Pomona Pomona Police Department Police Department Performs Performs Initial Site Initial Site Evaluation with Evaluation with Survey of Survey of ResidentsResidents

Seeding Highlights 2006Seeding Highlights 2006• February 2006February 2006 Parent Project begins at Parent Project begins at

Simons Middle Simons Middle SchoolSchool

• March 2006March 2006 Weed and Seed Weed and Seed Awareness Awareness DayDay

• May 2006May 2006 Steering Committee Day Steering Committee Day RetreatRetreat

• May 2006May 2006 Permanent Safe Haven Permanent Safe Haven Sites identifiedSites identified

• September 2006September 2006 Full-time Site Full-time Site Coordinator Coordinator HiredHired

• October 2006October 2006 Safe Haven Staff HiredSafe Haven Staff Hired

Goals for the FutureGoals for the Future

• Continue to implement the Official Continue to implement the Official StrategyStrategy

• Continue following Technical Continue following Technical Assistance recommendationsAssistance recommendations

• Promote residential involvementPromote residential involvement• Increase programming levelsIncrease programming levels• Develop a sustainability planDevelop a sustainability plan

Contact InformationContact Information

Armando N. Lopez

Housing Analyst

Weed and Seed Site Coordinator

City of Pomona

505 S Garey Ave.

Pomona, CA 91766

Phone: 909-620-2316

Fax: 909-620-4567

Email: [email protected]

Documents

Pomona Weed and Seed Strategy Presented By Armando N. Lopez Weed and Seed Site Coordinator