Bayview, Virginia
Bayview is an unincorporated community in Northampton County, Virginia, United States.
History
Bayview is an over-300-year-old predominantly African American community located on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. After the American Civil War, it became a community populated by formerly enslaved people, principally consisting of farms and a small village with shops, restaurants, and its own post office. In the 20th century, Bayview thrived due to agriculture, by growing white potatoes and establishing the local seafood industry. In the late 20th century, Bayview was hit hard when many of the canneries and seafood processing plants closed due to dwindling shellfish populations in the Chesapeake Bay as a result of increased pollution.In 1998, the community organized the Bayview Citizens for Social Justice and began forming productive partnerships, including the Nature Conservancy, to improve the standard of living for its people. Through a combination of federal, state, and private funds, the community raised $11 million and purchased 160 acres of farmland, including the proposed site for the prison. In the first phase, they built 48 one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, 22 single-family homes, a laundry facility, a Community Enrichment Center, and several other facilities.
Demographics
Bayview is composed of approximately 200 people, 125 of whom are over the age of 18. The community is predominantly African American, but in recent years there has been an increasing number of White and Hispanic people.No male has graduated or even attended college, and only 7 out of 125 adults have earned a college degree. Less than half have received a high school degree.
Yearly income for a Bayview family ranges from under $10,000 to $40,000. 83% of the population makes less than $10,000 annually, which is below the United States' poverty line. In September 2012, no individual made over $40,000 per year.
Bayview Citizens for Social Justice
Overview
Mission & Background
Bayview Citizens for Social Justice, Inc. is a 501 organization whose mission is to eliminate poverty by improving the living conditions of its citizens and to properly educate, unite, and empower the residents of Bayview, Va. BCSJ was formed in 1998 after the successful protest against the proposed construction of a maximum-security prison.Community Activities
The community works to bring together citizens for cultural and religious celebrations such as Black History Month, Easter, and Christmas. BCSJ also works to improve Bayview's citizens' living standards and self-sufficiency.Duties
The BCSJ received a capacity-building grant from the National Housing Assistance Council, which has produced and extended board training in Financial Management and Loan Packaging. The management and maintenance of this grant is used on programs such as BCSJ Water and Sewer Program, Lease-to-Purchase HOME Program and the Shared Properties, Developed Lots, Street Lights, Storm-water retention pond, and Community Farm program.Strengths, Improvements, and Opportunities
Each year, a private firm is hired to conduct a SWOT survey for BCSJ. A strength outlined in particular was Bayview's outstanding land control, with 150 acres of buildable lots and community farmland. BCSJ has worked to develop a Master Plan for new housing, childcare, and a community center and currently owns community buildings for public meetings, workshops, and gatherings. Members of the community demonstrate the powers of Productive Partnerships, Coalitions, and Networking. Previous and current partnerships include the NAACP, the Nature Conservancy, the United States [Department of Housing and Urban Development], Old Dominion University, and the Citizens for a Better Eastern Shore. With the help of community leaders who persevere with strong resilience, extensive work has been done to garner media attention, exposure, and support. Yet, the community struggles with a lack of professional skills, including financial management, property management, asset management, and a lack of supportive legal advisors.Close to Bayview is a tourist attraction area with camping, golfing, bird-watching, fishing, retirement living, etc. The location brings difficulty, as a peninsular toll bridge to the metropolitan mainland and Virginia Beach is difficult to pay for the many low-to-moderate income families living in Bayview. The separation between the affluent beach community and Bayview also provides a stigma and segregation, as predominantly African American, low-income families are just two miles from gated waterfront communities, leading to gentrification.