BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — City officials and community leaders have set a goal to unite hundreds of neighborhood leaders and residents with the 2024 Connecting East Baton Rouge Neighborhood Convention that will take place in September.

“Our goals for the 2024 neighborhood convention are to equip attendees with tools and information to effectively address quality of life issues in their communities,” said Mayor- President Sharon Weston Broome.

Quality issues that some residents face, said Angela D. White, president of the Southern Heights Property Owners Association.

“Stormwater drainage, certainly that’s one that’s been a big issue. Property depreciation, handling blight. We have issues with litter,” White said.

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But now with the neighborhood convention – this will all change.

“This convention will help us understand some of the challenges. Some solutions, Some ways to solve things collectively. And in addition, I’m expecting that there’ll be new things that we’d learn,” said White.

Murelle Harrison, director of the Gardere Initiative, said initiatives are aimed to help neighborhoods. She said the Gardere Initiative is proof that initiatives can make a difference in the area.

“At one time, we had seven homicides in our 3.39 square mile area, that now has over 13,000 people. The churches, the Crime Prevention District and the BREC, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office came together, and we have made a difference. In 2023, we had zero homicides,” Harrison said.

Broome said the convention has been in the works for several months. As registration opens, community leaders encourage people to attend, especially the youth.

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“We need a new generation and a new citizen to keep that mantle going to maintain your neighborhood,” White said.

The event will be hosted from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14 at the Raising Cane’s River Center. To register and to find out more information, click here.

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