Lisa Keating: Malaise threatens real progress for downtown

With two little girls who need to be tucked into bed each night, my husband and I don't get out very often, and when we do, we don't usually spend the evening at a city government meeting. But last month, we two psychologists, motivated by concern about our community's psychological health, went to see the financial presentation of the downtown redevelopment project to the citizen's advisory committee.

After about three hours of discussion and presentation we came away with the understanding that financing the project is complex but feasible through downtown redevelopment funds, grants, and a proposed tax increase costing tax payers approximately $26 for a family of four. Almost 600 construction jobs will be created and it is believed that approximately

200 high-tech jobs will be created permanently.

The timing of the redevelopment project presentation coincides with troubling news stories in recent months about Nevada having the highest foreclosure rate in the country, the lowest education system, the highest teen pregnancy rate ... well, you get the picture. And, at this time there seems to be little vision at the state level of how to throw our state a life vest out of this recession.

That's the beauty of this redevelopment project: It is Carson City figuring out how to help Carson City right when we need it the most.

Psychologically, this project couldn't come at a better time for our community. The national recession, and potent hit to our state, seem to have left many of our community members understandably beleaguered, fearful and some, unfortunately, poor. It is hard to imagine how we will work our way out of this. Community psychology theories would suggest that hard times can become too much for some communities, that hopelessness can permanently settle into the psyche of a community, and that citizens begin to "dwell" rather than live in these towns. When this happens, communities psychologically deteriorate, breeding further poverty, crime and other decay.

Change is hard, no doubt about it. Fear has stopped communities from implementing good ideas more times than not. There are people saying things to scare us about this project, and they are certainly entitled to their opinions. Even scarier, to me, though, is the thought of not moving forward with the downtown redevelopment project. I'll admit it: I want a cuter downtown, a beautiful library, some "new blood" in town, and frankly, just more sense of a wholesome nightlife. Even more so, I want to belong to a community where all citizens have a new sense of direction and optimism.

• Lisa Keating, Ph.D., is a Carson City clinical psychologist.