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City presents 2025 Community Revitalization Survey showing modest neighborhood stabilization and property value gains
Summary
The city presented its 2025 Community Revitalization Survey covering 19 neighborhoods and roughly 41% of parcels; staff reported most structural condition indicators remain low (around 11% or less), many neighborhoods stabilized, and equalized assessed values rose 10–20% since 2022, guiding proposed adjustments to the Revitalization Plan.
The City of Decatur’s Economic and Community Development Department presented its 2025 Community Revitalization Survey results showing signs of neighborhood stabilization and measurable property value growth in many areas.
Lacey Elsey, Economic and Community Development Director, told the council the 2025 survey covered 19 neighborhoods and over 14,628 parcels — roughly 41% of Decatur’s parcels — and is part of a recurring survey conducted every three years since 2019. Elsey said most structural condition indicators remain at or below about 11 percent, which staff interprets as the majority of neighborhoods not experiencing widespread structural distress, though localized issues remain.
The survey data showed total equalized assessed value growth between 2022 and 2025 in most neighborhoods in the range of about 10–20 percent, which Elsey said equates to annual increases that outpace inflation. She described results showing a correlation between targeted investment (demolitions and rehabilitations) and improvements in condition scores and assessed values: for example, certain neighborhoods showing the highest project‑per‑structure investments had measurable improvement in condition and property values.
Elsey reported 31 demolitions and 47 rehabilitations in focused neighborhoods between survey intervals, and described programmatic adjustments staff is considering — moving from a strictly neighborhood‑level approach toward incorporating regional core or district strategies to better target adjacent areas that need attention. She noted the survey’s interactive dashboard is posted online for public review and encouraged residents to use it.
Council members asked for additional detail on long‑term occupant outcomes for rehabilitation grant recipients, links to recent school district demographic studies, and objective neighborhood targets. Elsey said some of those cross‑referenced data points were not immediately linked in the survey and staff would follow up with the details, while noting the department will bring recommended additions to the Revitalization Plan based on the 2025 data.
Why it matters The survey is a data tool to measure neighborhood condition over time and to guide where limited public resources for demolition, rehabilitation, marketing and small‑business and homeowner engagement can be targeted; the presentation signals a possible shift to a regional core district approach where surrounding neighborhoods are integrated into revitalization strategy.
What’s next Staff will provide follow‑up details requested by council (for example, whether rehabilitation recipients remain in place and cross‑referenced demographic data), and will return with proposed additions to the Revitalization Plan that reflect the 2025 findings. The dashboard and data are posted on the city website for public review.
