THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 4, 1995 TAG: 9505020127
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: In the Neighborhoods
SOURCE: Mike Knepler
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
It's not quite old home week, but former Mayor Joe Leafe will contend with neighborhood civic leagues once again.
On May 11, he'll be a central figure in a swearing-in - not swearing-at - program with the Norfolk Federation of Civic Leagues.
That's fitting because Leafe and Norfolk civic leagues are local participants in a national trend toward more grass-roots leadership.
Leafe heads a new group, the Civic Improvement Volunteer Institute Corp. CIVIC's mission is to develop a broader base of leadership, more representative of the city's diverse neighborhoods.
Meanwhile, Norfolk community groups are assuming larger roles in the city's - and region's - revitalization. They're forming partnerships with City Hall, houses of worship and other institutions to help solve problems such as crime and neighborhood blight.
Sometimes, memories of past battles and suspicions get in the way. Other times, folks overcome their histories and talk with each other in new ways.
Leafe retired from the City Council in 1992. During his tenure, he led Norfolk's nationally acclaimed rejuvenation of downtown; but locally, some say it was to the detriment of outlying neighborhoods.
Asked why the federation invited Leafe to install new officers, Jim Janata, first vice president, said: ``We want to acknowlege that he recognizes that the future of Norfolk depends heavily on neighborhood involvement.''
Leafe said he's looking forward to his night with the federation, which represents about 45 civic leagues.
The former mayor said he'll talk about ``what I perceive as the changing needs of our communities, the need to broaden the base of those involved in leadership in the future.''
It's just a swearing-in ceremony. But it's an interesting way of putting things together.
In the pipeline. (Pun intended!) Virginia Beach Mayor Meyera Oberndorf says she'd enjoy talking with Norfolk civic leagues.
``I'm a great believer in neighborhoods,'' Oberndorf said after the recent mini-Urban Summit on regionalism. ``I'm one who wants to grow and nurture and make stronger.''
Oberndorf noted some regional trends discussed at the summit. ``The statistics are very sobering: the fact that our welfare roll at the Beach has grown by three times, the fact that the homeownership in Virginia Beach is changing over to rental, absentee rental.
``I think that in today's definition of suburban communities, we need to take a hard look. . . that our `affordable housing' is now 32 years old. The housing stock needs to be refurbished. . . We have to have continuous emphasis on citizens and neighborhoods who are going to work together to make their particular living space strong, and from that begin to build a stronger regional concept so that we won't be seen as either a non-entity or one that has a negative persona.''
Jim Janata said the Norfolk Federation wants to invite Oberndorf. ``We have to understand Virginia Beach if we're going to lobby for cooperation between the two cities,'' he said.
Besides, Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim spoke to a grass-roots regionalism conference hosted by the Virginia Beach Council of Civic Organizations.
``One of the points that I recognized. . . is that there really are no lines (between cities),'' Janata said. ``People shop across city boundaries. Crime and social problems wander over. People work across city boundaries.
``I think the more dialogue we have the better off we're all going to be. The important part is to explore the possibilities. We can't do that unless we talk.'' by CNB