Roosevelt's bad reputation is improving according to neighbors

            Roosevelt neighborhood, once regarded the most dangerous neighborhood in Bellingham, is making steps toward improvement according to neighbors.

            Matthew Hart, 32, has been a Roosevelt neighbor since 1991. Most recently he has been living on Texas Street.

            “My apartment complex has had a fair amount of drug dealers in it,” Hart said. “It wasn’t until a couple years ago when the police did a sweep and kicked everyone out who was involved with drugs.”

            Hart said the rent was also raised $100, which helped get rid of residents who weren’t contributing to the Roosevelt area.

            “After that, the area became safer,” Hart said.

            Kristin Reese, 22, is a Western student who shared some of the same feelings about the neighborhood.

            “I know there is a lot of crime,” said Reese. “I only go out at night to go to my car. I wouldn’t feel safe doing anything else.”

            Reese has lived on Illinois Street for a year. She said that her roommates have noticed graffiti and other signs of gang activity when walking through Roosevelt.

            “I know they built a Boys and Girls Club to reduce gang activity,” Reese said. “I think that has made a big difference.”

            While Reese said she wouldn’t roam the neighborhood alone, she likes that fact that she lives next to families and that she is walking distance from local businesses.

            Linda Tyler, Branch Director of the Boys and Girls Club located in Roosevelt, had something to say about the positive effect the club has had.

            “We built our club here in 2001 specifically because of the need in this neighborhood,” said Tyler. “It’s somewhat strategically located in order to serve a very underserved population and provide kids with a positive outlook, caring adults and a great facility that they can use for years and years.”

            Tyler said feedback from parents has been positive as well.

            “We have a really strong relationship with a lot of our families because by serving the kids, we in turn serve the families too,” she said. “A lot of families we know through Family Fun Night and through dropping the kids off. And overwhelmingly there is a sense of gratitude from the families in the neighborhood for us being here and what we provide for their kids.”

            Tobias Schwindler, 22, is a Roosevelt neighbor and a Boys and Girls Club volunteer who has volunteered more than 50 hours there.

            “I thought the program with sports and getting kids in the community to play on teams is the best thing a neighborhood can do for its youth,” Schwindler said. “The neighborhood has a bad reputation, but the families that live there are making an effort to make it better.”