Tuscaloosa's 'Project Unity' Draft Recommendations: What To Know

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The City of Tuscaloosa on Wednesday published draft recommendations for its Project Unity initiative and will be collecting public feedback on the proposals until July 14.

Patch has reported extensively on the community engagement initiative since it was first introduced by Mayor Walt Maddox last August. The multi-faceted effort focuses on aspects, with recommendations provided by individual subcommittees divided into five segments: (1) Community Policing & Recruitment, Training, and Retention; (2) Economic & Workforce Development; (3) Education; (4) Neighborhood Revitalization & Housing and (5) Youth Sports and Recreation.

Click here to submit feedback on Project Unity, but not before you keep scrolling to read my quick, in-depth breakdown of the recommendations.

Community Policing & Recruitment, Training, and Retention

Plans call for ...

• The creation of a Mental Health Court Task Force.
• Working to develop a competitive and separate pay plan for the Tuscaloosa Police Department to help recruit and retain high-quality officers.
• A strategic plan to develop a public safety training facility capable of accommodating a firearms training range and driver training, along with space for de-escalation simulator
• An emphasis placed on strengthening youth outreach and engagement programs, such as the Police Athletic League, Tuscaloosa Police Department Junior Cadet Program and Routine Traffic Stop Program.

(Click here for full recommendations)

Worth Noting: Many of the recommendations for community policing have already been implemented, including a ban on officers using chokeholds and the creation of a chief deputy of community policing — a position that has already been filled for some time. Other aspects of this phase of Project Unity also focus on boosting transparency and accountability within the Tuscaloosa Police Department.

Economic & Workforce Development

Plans call for ...

• Boosting access to technology, public transit and other pressing infrastructure needs.
• Policies favorable to startup businesses in an effort to reduce barriers for economic development. Work would also be done to identify opportunities within the "Gig Economy."
• Identifying potential properties for an Innovation District in Tuscaloosa.
• Crafting an economic development plan reflective of post-coronavirus pandemic shifts, along with other stakeholders from each community in the Tuscaloosa metropolitan area.

(Click here for full recommendations)

Worth Noting: The local economic development ecosystem is primed to lead a surge in growth for the area as the economy returns to something resembling normalcy. A crucial piece of this will be the new home of the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama and West AlabamaWorks in downtown Tuscaloosa, which is intended to be an economic development hub for the entire region in the years to come.

Education

Plans call for ...

• The establishment of a City of Tuscaloosa Department of Youth Services, along with a program that would pair all identified Tuscaloosa City Schools students with a mentor through graduation.
• The development of gun safety programs to familiarize K-12 students with the dangers of firearms .
• Full-time social workers for each school in city school system.
• Funds invested in citywide WiFi.
• Reinvestment in the Gateway to transform the facility into a venue for children to experiment with technology-related interests such as coding and content creation.

(Click here for full recommendations)

Worth noting: Gun violence in Tuscaloosa has been on the minds of many, particularly over the last several months, and city leaders have continued to look for new ways to steer Tuscaloosa's young people in the right direction. The much larger Tuscaloosa County School System recently saw the County Commission increase its commitment to putting more social workers in its schools, which signals a wider emphasis being placed on counseling resources for students to curb future violence, drug and alcohol abuse and other pitfalls facing youths.

Neighborhood Revitalization & Housing

Plans call for ...

• The creation of a dedicated funding source for low to moderate income and workforce housing, with the annual target of $2.5 million - $3 million.
• Using the funding for land acquisition, infrastructure, housing rehabilitation, neighborhood façade improvements, neighborhood cleanup, and other construction-related costs.

• A "revamp" of the Tuscaloosa Housing Finance Corporation, which would advise the city’s elected officials on the allocation of non-federal funding to support housing.

• Using data and technology to track code compliance trends and more efficiently
  target compliance efforts.
• The creation of a Homeowner Façade Program and Neighborhood Cleanup Program, which would concentrate funding in one underserved area at a time to achieve noticeable facade improvements.

(Click here for full recommendations)

Worth noting: Addressing high-crime areas and blight across the city, Tuscaloosa officials have already jumpstarted conversations with respect to purchasing properties like University Manor, which could prove a catalyst in forming the city's approach to addressing neighborhood revitalization in the future.

Youth Sports & Recreation

Plans call for ...

• Establishing a City of Tuscaloosa Department of Youth Services.
• The reconstruction of the Benjamin Barnes Branch YMCA and a renew emphasis placed on its offerings and amenities.
• The creation of Partnership Pathways with higher education institutions and civic organizations to provide mentorship for youth activities.
• Forming a communications plan for Tuscaloosa Youth Activities, which would include a Youth Activities campaign, a Tuscaloosa Youth Website and marketing stipends for community partners.
• Positioning the Tuscaloosa Police Department as a key partner in youth outreach through programs like the Police Athletic League (PAL).

(Click here for full recommendations)

Worth Noting: In places like the Benjamin Barnes Branch YMCA, community stakeholders are already laying the foundation for the future, putting in their own money and sweat equity to see youth sports improve for the city's West End. This includes boosting youth soccer and making the facilities more attractive on the outside. The Tuscaloosa Police Department has also seen strong support for its involvement in youth sports, which is something that could provide a range of benefits for community engagement and mentorship.

Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you're interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at ryan.phillips@patch.com.