By: Mariel Carbone | WCTV Eyewitness News

February 26, 2019

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) — The Tallahassee Urban League is calling for residents in the Greater Frenchtown area to come together to reduce crime and poverty, while increasing economic diversity.

The league is hosting a town hall meeting on Thursday and is asking residents to share their concerns and come up with possible solutions.

"The only way we're going to get change, you've got to mobilize the people. Because once the people rise up, then the government will follow,” said community activist Dale Landry. "No more. Until they do that, it will continue to be what it is."

Curtis Taylor with the Urban League said he was first overcome with the feeling ‘enough is enough’ after a November shooting on Dent Street. He said he heard the gunshots from the Urban League offices.

"When bullets start flying, they don't have any name on it. And so we've got to stop this now in our community,” said Taylor.

He believes rehabbing homes, bringing businesses back to the area and building sidewalks could help improve.

"We need better street lighting, we need surveillance cameras. We need a whole list of things,” said Taylor.

The city has done work to revitalize Frenchtown. The Frenchtown Place Making Plan was developed, about a half dozen dilapidated homes have been demolished in the last few years and plans are moving forward to build a mixed use development where the old homeless shelter was.

"Yes, absolutely we think that's positive,” said Taylor.

The town hall begins at 7 p.m. It’ll be held at the Watson Temple on Brevard Street.