In 2018, Hartford was named one of ten winners of the Cities of Service City Hall AmeriCorps VISTA Love Your Block competition. Cities of Service awarded each winning city $25,000 to be used for mini-grants and provides ongoing technical assistance and resources to support the efforts of citizen groups and local nonprofits to fight property blight through home repairs, lot transformations, and community cleanups.
In Hartford, 900 vacant properties hinder neighborhood development. To help address these challenges, the city’s Love Your Block program supports neighborhood projects that incorporate the principles of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED).
The City of Hartford has long had volunteer-led commissions on a variety of issues, from parks and recreation to LGBTQ issues, and they play an important role in engaging residents and informing decision making with the views and expertise of Hartford residents. Love Your Block enables the city to expand their citizen engagement efforts.
Mayor Luke A. Bronin
Mayor Bronin is a husband, father, veteran, and attorney, and he has focused on confronting the city’s fiscal crisis directly and honestly, engaging young people in partnership with community organizations, and working to draw investment to the city.
Director of Office of Community Engagement Janice Castle
Janice Castle currently works as the Director of Community Engagement for the City of Hartford, Office of Mayor Luke A. Bronin. In her role, Janice is responsible for all constituent services related matters as well as Hartford 311, Hartford’s non-emergency call center. Janice manages all facets of community relations for the City and, with her staff, develops and implements the city’s constituent outreach strategy.