104 Birmingham residents shared 540 ideas across four neighborhoods. Here’s what they told Reinvest Birmingham, and what happens next.
Between March and April 2026, 104 residents across the North Birmingham, Northside, Pratt, and Smithfield communities sat down with the Reinvest Birmingham team.
The result was 540 ideas. Some overlapped across all four neighborhoods. Some were specific to one block or one bus route. We listened and are using the feedback to shape what comes next.
Residents shared current barriers and gaps
Ask residents in North Birmingham, Northside, Pratt, or Smithfield what’s holding them back, and you’ll hear a similar answer: transportation, childcare, workforce training that doesn’t match real jobs, and barriers to starting a business.
In North Birmingham, residents shared that public transit all but disappears after 7 p.m. on weekdays and on weekends. In Pratt, some neighborhoods don’t have bus stops or sidewalks at all. Residents proposed a rail or trolley system along with dedicated senior transit. In Smithfield, the barrier looked different: a digital literacy gap that makes it hard to even use the transit apps that do exist.
Childcare told a similar story. Residents were clear that the issue isn’t whether childcare matters — it’s whether care is available when working families actually need it, including evening and overnight shifts. Pratt residents had the most detailed ask here: 24-hour care, workplace-based care, and coverage for the 3 to 11 p.m. shift specifically.
You can see what’s already underway to address both of these gaps on our Childcare page.
On workforce training, one question came up repeatedly. “Why aren’t we teaching AI?” Residents want trades training in welding, CDL, and construction, but they also want technology and AI skills folded in. Northside residents asked for pay-to-train models and peer navigators to help neighbors find resources. Smithfield residents noted seniors need paid employment, not volunteer placements, and they proposed connections to institutions like the National Guard Training Center to make that real.
And on entrepreneurship: residents are ready. They named the businesses their neighborhoods need, from grocery stores to barbershops, and they were specific about what’s stopping them: access to capital, zoning confusion, and a lack of clear next steps. The Entrepreneurship Center for Growth and Excellence is built to close exactly those gaps, connecting residents to technical assistance, mentorship, capital readiness, and business development resources through a coordinated network of partners and advisors.
What we’re not ignoring
In Smithfield and North Birmingham, residents were clear: trust isn’t automatic; it’s earned. Past programs made promises that were never delivered, and that history doesn’t disappear because a new initiative shows up with a new name. That’s the part of this recap we take most seriously. Sharing what residents said is step one. Showing up again, with results, is the part that actually counts.
What happens next
- Transportation and childcare are being looked at as foundational to this initiative.
- We’re exploring follow-up sessions with the residents who gave us their time, to share back the full picture of what we heard and where it’s headed.
- AI and technology training is a priority we’re working to build into workforce pathways alongside trades.
- We’re working to keep workforce partners, coalition members, and city councilors in the loop, so updates reach residents through people they already trust.
If you were in one of these sessions, thank you. Have questions or want to get involved? Reach out to our team through the contact form and we’ll follow up.