Over the summer, Capital B surveyed more than 100 current and former Gary residents. We asked you to tell us your biggest questions and concerns about life in the city, and what you love most about the place you call home. Now we’re sharing back what you told us, just like we promised.
Why? Because this is one important step toward building a newsroom that keeps the community’s needs front and center. For us, it all starts with listening.
Some of you filled out the survey online, and others shared your thoughts with Capital B staff at in-person events and other community spaces. Capital B Gary will use this feedback to shape the stories we do, the reporters we hire, and the questions we’ll ask community leaders and politicians. Your feedback will be our guide as we celebrate Gary’s past, present, and future, and uncover stories that highlight the uniqueness of our neighborhoods, while keeping an eye on the people in power who make decisions that affect your life.
Here’s what we heard from you.
What Gary residents want from Capital B Gary
Community members want to see Capital B Gary contribute to the city’s betterment by doing stories that highlight areas for the city to improve, while showcasing positive developments happening every day.
Residents crave stories about local heroes, small business, educational achievements, and community events. They want Capital B Gary to act as an alternative to the predominantly negative news coverage they see regularly. There is also a call for investigative reporting on local governance, and a desire for us to keep a close eye on city officials.
What y’all love about Gary: quiet streets, friendly neighbors, and hoops
Residents scattered across various neighborhoods, including Brunswick, Glen Park, Glen Ryan, Midtown, Miller, and Tolleston, expressed their appreciation for their quiet, serene blocks and the sense of community they find there.
In Tarrytown, one resident described their neighborhood as “friendly,” emphasizing the supportive neighbors who “speak and help each other.” Similarly, a Marshalltown resident expressed gratitude for “the unity and love that Gary residents have with each other.” A former resident from Tolleston said she has a deep connection to her old neighborhood. “The village raised the child,” she said, emphasizing the area’s strong community bonds.
Others remembered Gary as a place where “everyone knew each other and looked out for one another.” They reminisce about the city’s once-vibrant basketball scene — which has waned in part because of school closures and defunct parks — and recall how much local sports brought the community together. “There were a couple of basketball courts within walking distance,” one respondent said.
What you’re worried about the most: safety, education, blight, and leadership
Crime and Safety
Residents frequently expressed worry about violence in Gary. Youth violence, in particular, ranks as a major issue.
“The youth walking around with guns and or access to them,” said one respondent who was born and raised in Gary and lost friends to gun violence. “I can watch the public stories on Snapchat … and run across constant snaps with kids and guns, kids riding with guns, kids rapping with guns.”
Some are calling for more community policing and preventive programs.
Education and Schools
Community members expressed dissatisfaction with local schools and suggested a dire need for investment in educational infrastructure and resources. One respondent asked why closed school grounds are not being cared for, which takes us to the next issue on your minds.
Abandoned Buildings and Blight
“There are too many abandoned old dilapidated homes that need to [be] torn down,” one former resident said. Many feel that these vacant properties are not only bringing down property values, but also contributing to crime.
Gary residents are also calling for cleaner public spaces and better waste management.
“The city does need to address and stay on top of owners who have violated city code by garbage dumping behind their homes from rehabbing instead of getting a dumpster, causing a mice problem for me and my neighbor,” said one respondent.
But while residents want to see less blight and more development, they are also mindful of the potential for gentrification. “How do we bring real infrastructures and growth to the city,” asked one resident, “without homegrown residents losing their place to things like rising economic levels and gentrification?”
Employment and Economic Opportunities
Job opportunities and economic growth are high on the community’s agenda. Some residents said they wanted to see the city bring in more businesses and feel that the city could do more to highlight small businesses in the community. They also want to see more job opportunities, particularly for youth. The unemployment rate in Gary was 5.3%, according to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data reported in August, compared with 3.8% for the rest of the country.
Leadership and Political Concerns
Residents want elected officials who are more responsive to community needs, and who are comfortable engaging with their constituents. Gary folks are eager to understand the proposals leadership have for building Gary. Specifically, they want to know how the newly elected mayor plans to revitalize the city. Respondents said they want to better understand how their tax dollars are spent, and desire to work alongside city officials to address the biggest issues facing Gary.
Community Resources and Health
Residents are calling for more community resources and activities. They desire more spaces for public engagement and ways to keep the youth occupied. Concerns include lack of access to health care, especially mental health services, parks, and community programs.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
We’re not done listening. There’s still time to fill out our audience survey and help inform the work Capital B Gary does. Remember, we’re in this together. Be sure to follow us on social media and bookmark our page in your browser.