Catalytic Moment
The Memphis region is poised for change due to recent public and private investments and new city leadership. Many of these projects are occurring in and around North Memphis, a former industrial area now populated by vacant lots and a population that is majority low-income individuals with only a high school diploma. Key investments in the region include:
- Improvements along the periphery of North Memphis that will restore floodplains and reduce the threat of future flooding
- Implementation of segments of the Greenprint, a $2.6 million federally funded plan to connect green spaces like parks, walking paths, community gardens, wildlife areas, and trails
- The planned 2017 opening of Crosstown Concourse, a $200 million redevelopment project that will be home to a health center, market rate and affordable housing, an alternative high school, as well as other community resources
- Commencement of the first city-wide comprehensive planning effort in nearly 40 years
Regional Partnership
In partnership with SPARCC, North Memphis VOICE envisions a region where all residents benefit from new investments and have access to economic, social, and natural resources. Through SPARCC, Memphis VOICE seeks to:
- Institutionalize policy and practices that incorporate diverse racial, economic, and cultural perspectives into community planning through the establishment of an equity assessment toolkit and regional equity council
- Address gaps in the greenway trail connectivity and connect with the public transportation system
- Improve health outcomes for residents by enhancing connectivity to healthy food, health services, access to green space and trails, and quality affordable housing
- Improve the climate resilience of neighborhoods and the region through targeted home weatherization, repair, and improvement efforts
In Their Words
Context
Memphis is located at the nexus of three Southern states and influenced by the policies, economies, and cultures of all three. In the 20th century, the city expanded rapidly, and suburban developments stretched far and wide. This legacy of sprawl has not only resulted in stagnant growth within the city’s footprint, but also racial inequities, challenges of climate change, inadequate transit services, and poor health outcomes for many.
Twenty-six percent of Memphis residents, including 43 percent of Memphis children, live in poverty. Compared to the 35 largest metropolitan areas in the country, the Memphis region consistently ranks one of the highest in rates of economic segregation, families in poverty, obesity, and high blood pressure. Additionally, due to sprawl and a disconnected public transit system, Memphis residents average spending 27 percent of their annual income on transportation.
Download the SPARCC Memphis Regional Profile.