Neighborhood Coordinator Regina "R.J." Blair

Regina "R.J." Blair, a native "Fort Worthian" comes to Arlington with impressive neighborhood development credentials. She has a Bachelor of Architecture from Prairie View A&M University, Masters Degrees in Architectural Studies and City Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an MBA from Texas Christian University. She serves as president of the Stop Six Sunrise Edition Neighborhood Association, COPS Coordinator and President/CEO of Sunrise Edition Redevelopment Organization, a non-profit capacity building organization in Fort Worth.

R.J.’s role as Arlington’s Neighborhood Coordinator is to help realize council’s priority of "reinvigorating neighborhoods". Strategies for reinvigorating neighborhoods focus on civic engagement, reintroduction of the Neighborhood Academy and capacity building. Part of building capacity is citizens knowing who to call for help with resolving neighborhood issues comprehensively and quickly. "We want neighborhoods to say, ‘Hey, being organized really does give us an edge,’" Priority and attention will be given to assisting neighborhoods with organizing and leveraging resources which promote sustainability that help make Arlington a better place to live, work and play.

Helping neighborhoods help themselves requires an enhanced focus on "customer delight" by every City employee, Blair said. "We as employees of the City of Arlington must be sensitive to the concerns of citizens," she said. Every time we have an opportunity to serve "We should picture ourselves standing in the driveway and seeing things from a citizen’s point of view."
Over the past year R.J. has worked with council and neighborhood stakeholders to develop and further define neighborhood initiative goals and strategies. Input from the broader community is needed and welcomed. "Design of Arlington’s neighborhood initiatives must be that of citizens."

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