In 2018, Lancaster 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.
Lancaster is revitalizing its historic Howard Avenue and Churchtown neighborhoods without diminishing their character. The city’s Love Your Block program is supporting the community through minor home repairs, façade improvements, and public art that celebrates neighborhood identity.
Mayor Sorace has made “strong neighborhoods” the centerpiece of her administration. She envisions the role of city government as leveraging its resources to empower residents to shape their neighborhoods. The Love Your Block model has already shown a great deal of success in addressing issues related to blight in areas where engagement has begun.
Mayor Danese Sorace
Danene Sorace is Lancaster’s 43rd Mayor, a former member of Lancaster City Council, a School District of Lancaster parent, and your neighbor. A champion for progressive policy, she is passionate about family and community life, social, racial, and economic justice, education and opportunity, and optimism about the future—especially the future of Lancaster City.
Since taking the oath of office, Mayor Sorace’s administration secured the largest commitment to affordable housing the City has seen in nearly 50 years, implemented a far-reaching language access program, and launched a nationally recognized community engagement program that has involved neighbors in every corner of the city, making City Hall more accessible than it has ever been. Her administration has also undertaken several substantial projects including a new strategic plan, the replacement of two of the City’s aging fire stations, and infrastructure improvements that address the City’s stormwater management concerns. Under her leadership the City began its largest ever lead remediation effort, which will positively benefit the children and families living in Lancaster’s most affected neighborhoods for generations to come.
Prior to her time as Mayor, Danene worked in the national non-profit sector to advance public health, education, and sustainability. With more than twenty years of experience, she has a proven record of developing and implementing strategies to advance public/private partnerships—including Lancaster City’s nationally recognized Green Infrastructure program.
Director of Neighborhood Engagement Milzy Carrasco
Milzy Carrasco spent twelve years as a community organizer and programs manager for San Juan Bautista Church and the Emerald Foundation before starting as Director of Neighborhood Engagement for Lancaster. In these roles, Milzy worked in all areas of community development, from access to food to fundraising.
Nothing of value happens in our neighborhoods if residents don't feel ownership of the projects that most affect them. Service projects not only get residents involved, they ensure that improvements are sustainable.
Mayor Danene Sorace
Program
Love Your Block
2018-2020
Love Your Block enables local governments to engage communities in neighborhood revitalization efforts benefiting low-income communities. Our newest Love Your Block program, announced in July 2018, was specifically targeted to legacy cities – older, industrial cities that have faced substantial population loss.
Blueprint
Love Your Block Blueprint
Love Your Block is a tested, high-impact service strategy in which city leaders engage community members in revitalizing their neighborhoods, one block at a time.