The importance of neighborhood associations and their relationship to city government and to other community organizations became increasingly apparent when the Ypsilanti Police Department began to implement the concept of community policing in our city. Under this system, neighborhoods communicate their needs and concerns directly to police representatives through neighborhood association liaisons.

Even as the process was in its initial stages several years ago, the YESNA Board of Directors began to question its ability to accurately and efficiently represent the diverse interests of the 1,200 households within the boundaries as they existed; roughly from Michigan Avenue north to Clark Road and from Huron Street east to the City limits.

With this in mind, the Board held a meeting in early fall of 2002 which included City Council members Sandie Schulze and Barry LaRue, Ypsilanti police officer and CoPAC representative Captain Matt Harshberger, the YESNA Board of Directors, and several other interested persons. The intention was to seek out methods to more effectively represent our constituents. One important outcome of that meeting was the group decision to break down our large area into smaller and more distinct ‘neighborhoods’ and encourage the formation of new neighborhood associations from within our original boundaries. Since that meeting, two new associations have formed; the Prospect Park Neighborhood Association and the South Depot Town Association. In addition, discussions are taking place in two other areas.

Thus, we have made the following changes, which we think more accurately reflect the character and unifying interests of the affected home and business owners.

We have changed our name and redefined our boundaries. Our new name is the Historic East Side Neighborhood Association. The new boundaries begin at the intersection of Prospect and Forest Avenue, proceed west on Forest to Norris, then south on Norris to the right-of-way on the railroad tracks, then southeasterly along the RR ROW to Grove Street, then north on Grove to East Cross Street, then east on East Cross to Prospect, then north on Prospect to Forest Avenue, the place of beginning; inclusive of the boundaries on both sides of the aforementioned boundaries and all properties contained therein.