Winners
Since it began five years ago, Neighborhoods in Bloom in Richmond, Virginia, has helped restore and revitalize six deteriorating neighborhoods in the city. Using $15 million in public funds, the program focuses on bringing back one neighborhood at a time. The strategy is working. A 2005 study of the targeted areas shows a 19 percent decline in crime compared with 6 percent citywide, while housing values have appreciated nearly 10 percent faster than the city's average.