A grassroots effort in Eau Claire’s Historic Randall Park Neighborhood could gradually lead to a greater balance of homeowners and renters in the area, as well as improving its overall housing quality.
The Historic Randall Park Revitalization Corp. has been pursuing those goals for more than a year, according to Helene Smiar, president of the nonprofit corporation. Currently, 85% of the homes in the neighborhood are rental prperties, with UW-Eau Claire students the primary tenants. That ratio is unsistainable for any neighborhood, Smiar said.