When the Mayor’s office recently announced plans to secure $250 million in blight elimination funds, it didn’t take long for neighborhood associations to start scrambling for a piece of the proposed pie. Or to start turning on each other.

In West Powelton, it’s neighbor versus neighbor, Young Turks versus old guard and newcomer versus longtime resident in a struggle for money that doesn’t exist yet, and for control of the power to change a community for the better.

It’s a struggle, says the city’s blight czar, that, while apparently unique, highlights the need for community planning.

The West Powelton Concerned Community Council has been the recognized neighborhood association around here since 1970, and takes pride in its record of accomplishments in the area of neighborhood improvement. The WPCCC has been headed for the past 20 years by Elsie Wise, a tireless community activist and neighborhood fixture for as long as anybody can remember. Wise’s group oversees just about every community project within its borders, the one square mile triangle formed by Lancaster and Powelton streets down to 42nd. But within those borders sits Saunders Park, a smaller triangle from 38th to 40th streets. And the Saunders Park Neighbors, an organization which broke away from the WPCCC several years ago, is mounting a challenge to Elsie Wise and others as to how the blight funds, or Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, should be spent.

Leading the charge for the Saunders Park Neighbors is Paula Martino, who’s only been living in the neighborhood since her wedding last June, but has definitive ideas about how to fix what ails this little corner of the city. In a flurry of phone calls and e-mails, Martino lays out in no uncertain terms what she thinks is lacking in the neighborhood: leadership.

"Even though I just moved here in June, my husband lived in the neighborhood the entire time we were dating, and I hated coming down here," Martino says. "There was trash, crackheads and abandoned buildings everywhere, but I didn’t see anything being done about it. I had actually never heard of Elsie Wise until I saw her drill team coming down the block. I went to her last meeting, and she stands there and says that she has an abandoned lot right in front of her that she can’t stand anymore. Well, if you’re the president of the community association and you can’t get your own lot cleaned up then why should I follow you? I’m 28 and I’d like to see some young people get into office, with new ideas other than a drill team."

Saunders Park Neighbors would like to see dilapidated houses and vacant lots turned into moderate and middle income family homes, thereby raising overall property values and establishing a strong tax base built on home ownership and equity. The Saunders Park contingent insists that won’t happen, at least not to a degree that satisfies them, if the WPCCC gets control of the proposed funds.

As she complains about Wise, Paula Martino is joined for an interview in her home by fellow Saunders Park Neighbors’ Association member Carolyn Smith and the group’s president, Jean Mitchell.

"West Powelton is dilapidated and their leaders haven’t shown much progress," Martino continues, "We want a community development corporation who fits our agenda, not the one Elsie Wise is working with, the People’s Emergency Center. The PEC builds homes for homeless or abused women, and while that’s a worthy cause, we don’t want any more transitional housing that doesn’t attract business or good neighbors."

"I moved here five years ago in the hopes that it would become an up and coming neighborhood," Mitchell chimes in, "and that could still happen, but only if we get ourselves together on a plan for blight elimination. I’d like to see more rehabilitation than demolition wherever possible, and a lot of the Saunders Park neighbors agree."

"We’d like to work together with the WPCCC and hopefully, complement each other’s agendas," adds Smith, who says she and her husband moved to Saunders Park three years ago because she wanted an urban garden. "We really need a collective vision for the neighborhood. Fear and distrust only creates anxiety, and will make cooperation impossible. Even if we’re not chosen to receive the blight money, we’ll keep doing what we’re doing to make Saunders Park more livable."

Right across the street from Paula Martino’s house is the People’s Emergency Center she speaks of. PEC’s Executive Director Gloria Guard is aware of the power struggle going on outside her door, and is trying hard to play peacemaker while staying out of the line of fire.

"We actually started this ball rolling by calling the different community factions together for a meeting to plan our blight strategy," Guard says, "In an effort to submit a comprehensive plan to the city as early as possible, we wanted to get everybody on the same page. We got people energized, but got many, many differing opinions on how to go about it. We were trying to stay ahead of the curve, but we didn’t plan on the disagreements running so deep. In the end, though, I’m not worried about the neighborhood. The majority of the neighbors are good, hard-working people who genuinely want to see the area improve. Saunders Park is a diverse community racially and economically, and while West Powelton is a low-income neighborhood, it’s full of wonderful, caring neighbors with just as much pride as anyone else. It’s unfortunate that this little flap has taken on the appearance of some type of class struggle, because I don’t think that’s the case at all."

Frank Hoffman is PEC’s Director of Development, and takes the same stand of active neutrality as his boss.

"Our mission is to help in the revitalization and stabilization of this neighborhood," Hoffman explains, "and everyone knows that if you want to do something in this neighborhood, you have to talk to Miss Elsie. She takes her position as neighborhood representative very seriously, and we have the utmost respect for her. We’re trying to work with all the neighbors for the good of the community. We think the neighbors share a common vision, but differ on methodology. At some point, though, you have to stop pointing fingers and try to work together."

For her part, Elsie Wise pulls no punches when it comes to defending her organization and her community against what she sees as Johnny-come-lately carpetbaggers.

"Those people aren’t ‘Saunders Park’, they’re living in West Powelton whether they want to admit it or not," Wise says, "They’re out for control, and they’re not going to get it. They’re not even a legal organization. We’re chartered and incorporated, and have been for years. Our record as a force in the community speaks for itself, and I’m proud to stand by that record. We’ve built homes for the homeless, housing for senior citizens, parks and playgrounds for the youngsters. What have they done? Nothing but complain. If they want a fight, they’ll get one."

Round one was just this past Monday, and clearly won by Wise. The WPCCC held a meeting at Greater Faith Baptist Church in West Powelton, and Paula Martino showed up with Carolyn Smith, only to be immediately and unceremoniously kicked out of the meeting by Wise.

"She said she doesn’t want us there," Martino says, "She told us straight out that we weren’t welcome."

WCCC Vice President John Leatherberry tried to be conciliatory and friendly as the women were leaving, and then expressed concern over how the whole incident would play in the press.

"I just don’t want misinformation to undermine our efforts," Leatherberry explains, "and I think these folks are misinformed. Because they’re new to the area, I don’t think they really know what’s going on. And I don’t want our community put in a bad light over this."

Pat Smith, the city’s blight czar, is responsible for the planning and implementation of the mayor’s plan to fight blight and decay. She says she’s not aware of any other neighborhood infighting over blight funds, and is concerned about the fight in West Powelton.

"This really underscores the need for a community planning process," Smith says. "People living in the affected neighborhoods have to find a way to set priorities and work together to present a comprehensive plan to the city. Without a plan, we can’t move forward to help that neighborhood. It’s a sad situation, and I hope they can resolve their differences soon."