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Commissioner raises alarm about outside groups surveying Avondale; urges funding over additional studies
Summary
Commissioner Alicia Reese told the board that multiple outside groups are conducting surveys in Avondale and other neighborhoods and urged that outside researchers bring funding rather than simply collecting resident data; she asked administration to monitor grant activity and community outreach.
Commissioner Alicia Reese told the board on Feb. 20 that residents in Avondale and other neighborhoods are reporting numerous outside groups conducting surveys and interviews, and she urged caution and oversight.
Reese said many residents told her they had been approached for surveys or asked to share personal stories without clear benefit or compensation. "We cannot be the experiment. We cannot be the lab rat," she said, and asked that outside organizations that engage the community also bring resources. "If you don't have any money and you can't give us more money, then ... we don't need to be studied. We need some resources," Reese said.
She asked administration to monitor the convergence of grant-funded projects and to ensure established local nonprofits and community partners are not displaced or bypassed by new entrants that collect data without providing services or funding. Reese asked that community council leadership be notified when outside groups are operating in specific neighborhoods.
Commissioners said they support coordinated outreach and emphasized that local nonprofits already holding relationships and data may be better positioned to deliver services. Administration said it would track the concerns and include updates in future reports.
