West Louisville Strategies for Success
Louisville’s nine western neighborhoods, collectively known as the West End, have experienced an infusion of more than more than $1.2 billion of investment completed, announced or underway since 2014. This period of investment and growth has been marked by both triumph and defeat, but mostly by resilience. Louisville’s West End is home to entrepreneurial people and some of our most historic, beautiful, and important places.
Investments over several years have begun to address the needs of residents and families, including increasing safety and improving amenities in neighborhoods, providing an attractive place to do business, and highlighting the equity lens that Mayor Greg Fischer’s administration has applied to all of Louisville Metro Government’s work to prioritize new investment and development in historically disinvested neighborhoods. Mayor Fischer’s administration has been committed to the coordinated investments, resources, and strategies that are part of ongoing sustainable efforts to revitalize the West End.
The years 2020 and 2021 only renewed the city’s focus on equity. Shortly after Kentucky’s first coronavirus cases were diagnosed in March 2020, the Louisville community experienced social justice protests in response to the tragic death of Breonna Taylor. The Build Back Better, Together (B3T) initiative was initially created to address economic recovery after the pandemic but quickly shifted to also include action for a more just, equitable, safe, and healthy Louisville, particularly for Black and minority residents and business owners. After convening virtually during the pandemic, B3T’s collaborators developed a plan that envisions a more prosperous and just future for all Louisvillians. The plan influenced spending priorities in the FY22 budget and priorities for funds from the federal American Rescue Plan.
In a bold step toward racial justice, Louisville Metro Government adopted an ordinance banning “no-knock” warrants, created a civilian review board, conducted an independent review of the Louisville Metro Police Department, and hired a new police chief. In December 2020, Mayor Fischer signed an executive order declaring racism a public health crisis to recognize the societal, physical, and mental health impacts of racism not only on Black residents but all Louisvillians. In addition, COVID-19 further exposed the underlying inequalities in society based on social determinants of health – factors like age, race, economic opportunity, access to fresh and healthy food, and physical environment. The linked below document details a holistic and equitable approach taken to drive positive transformation in west Louisville.
Download the West Louisville Strategies for Success Booklet
The below map include projects from the most recent West Louisville Strategies for Success booklet and past booklets, as well as projects that will be featured in a future West Louisville Strategies for Success.
