A sizable portion (160 acres) of the Eastside is located in the fringe of the floodplain of the Red Cedar River and has been designated as a 100-year floodplain by the federal government. This area includes many but not all of Eastside households bounded by Fairview & US-127, Michigan Ave. & I-496. There are 3 parks, several churches, community gardens and a bike lane which connects the Eastside to downtown Lansing, Michigan State University and the River Trail. There are approximately 500 households and over 50 business situated in the floodplain. These and many other features make the area a desirable place to live. But there are challenges to living in the floodplain as well. There have been four substantial flood events in the last 100 years on the Eastside. In the 1975 flood, significant flooding occurred in Urbandale. There was property damage and people were displaced from their homes. In the spring of the year, the Eastside floodplain has the potential to flood; and indeed, it could flood again any time. Because of flood risk, past flood damage and government regulations, development in the floodplain has been limited. The purpose of the Urbandale and Floodplain Revitalization Projects is to make renovation, development, flood preparedness and recovery a priority. Working in conjunction with neighbors, neighborhood organizations, institutional partners and friends of the Eastside we plan to build on the sense of community that already exists and revitalize the neighborhood. The projects are designed to protect people and property from flood risk as well as foster development that utilizes the flood plain as a resource.
Allen Neighborhood Center is collecting information about neighbors who may need help during a disaster or weather emergency. Please help us identify who is at risk!
This directory will allow us to alert emergency responders to check on you and your home during an emergency. To add yourself or someone you know to the list, please contact Jen Hoffman or Ann Francis at 999-3921 or by email at jenh@allenneighborhoodcenter.org
Please be sure to include the following information in your message: name, address, phone number, status (senior, housebound, no telephone, disability, other), along with any additional comments or information. Please note that this information will be kept confidential and will be used only in emergencies.
Do 1 Thing is a 12 month preparedness program that focuses on a different area of emergency preparedness each month, and provides a range of preparedness options for each topic. The goal of Do 1 Thing is to improve community disaster response by moving individuals through the process of disaster preparedness: from awareness to intention to action.
Link to the list for the whole year: Do 1 Thing Calendar
Questions or comments about the site? Contact us or email penniman@gmail.com.