Birmingham is one of 25 cities picked nationwide to join Love Your Block, a program from the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University, backed by Bloomberg Philanthropies.

The idea is simple: residents lead the projects. Birmingham gets $70,000, expert support, and a dedicated Love Your Block Fellow to fund community-led work like clearing vacant lots, reclaiming public space, and turning underused spots into gathering places — citywide, block by block.

“This gives us another opportunity to put resources directly in the hands of residents, turn their ideas into action, and transform vacant and underused spaces into places that bring people together,” said Mayor Randall Woodfin.

The program has a track record: since 2009, it’s engaged 88,000+ residents across 33 states, removed 7 million pounds of trash, cleaned 550,000 square feet of graffiti, and created nearly 800 art displays. A 2021 Urban Institute study found participating cities saw stronger neighborhood ties and better trust between residents and city hall.

Mobile also made this year’s cohort, along with Atlanta-area South Fulton, Macon, Chattanooga, and Columbia, S.C.