BAY MINETTE — Alabama Southern District's new U.S. District Attorney, Kenyen Brown, visited Bay Minette's Project Safe Neighborhood Committee meeting April 8.

Eric Day, who serves with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Mobile, represents the department on the committee, and invited the U.S. Attorney to update residents on new initiatives within the USAO, including a pilot program that could allow some Mobile federal inmates to experience community re-entry.

Brown said the program is limited to federal inmates being released into the Mobile area, though he hopes the program will be able to expand in the future.

"This is a pilot program. The program will provide added support from the courts, education and vocational training that will prepare them for jobs such as welding and other skilled labor positions," Brown said.

He said the former inmates can also take classes at Bishop State Community College in Mobile through the Second Chance Act.

According to reentrypolicy.org, the Second Chance Act was signed into law April 9, 2008, and is designed to improve outcomes for people returning to communities from prisons and jails.

The legislation authorizes federal grants to government agencies and nonprofit organizations to provide employment assistance, substance abuse treatment, housing, family programming, mentoring, victims support and other services that can help reduce recidivism.

Brown said the new re-entry program will also assist men and women being released in finding housing away from their previous community "so they don't get back in the same routine and around the same people."

He said once the program is established and has proven it can be successful, his office will look at expanding it to include other communities in the Southern District, as well as applying it to state and local inmates.

"First we've got to sell people on it, who that it works," Brown said.

Approximately four or five years ago, the Project Safe Neighborhood Committee tried to put together a similar program. A "one-stop-shop" would be set up in a central location, and would include representatives from the various agencies involved in assisting an inmate returning to the community.

Such agencies would include the Department of Human Resources, Probation and Parole, representatives from low-income housing and others. The initiative failed to come to fruition because of resistance from local residents.

Representatives from another organization that helps people, Habitat for Humanity, were also in attendance.

Cliff Barros, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Baldwin County, said the organization is trying to have more of a presence in North Baldwin and is already taking steps toward that goal.

"We now have an office in Bay Minette. We are fortunate to have an office at First United Methodist Church," Barros said. "We are there all day Tuesday. It's at least a toe in the water. We hope to in two years have a full staff."

Barros said Habitat is also getting ready to begin a build in Bay Minette, in the White House Fork area.

"The homeowner has completed all her sweat hours and she has her own land," he said. "We're hoping to build a house in North Baldwin, by volunteers from North Baldwin and funding by North Baldwin."

The group currently averages six to seven houses a year in Foley, where it is headquartered.

Habitat's goal is to "eliminate poor housing," by offering houses to families who are in unsafe or overcrowded housing at no interest.

"We do not give houses away," Barros said. Families are required to complete budgeting and homeownership classes, and must donate a specified number of volunteer hours on a house. They are also required to work on their own house.

The organization is now branching out to include neighborhood revitalization through the new Brush With Kindness program. The program has already been implemented in Foley and the organization wants to bring it to Bay Minette.

"We're revitalizing entire neighborhoods. We're not importing volunteers from another community, but it's neighbors helping neighbors," Jason Bearden, a representative of Habitat, said. "It's a 'you help fix my house and I'll help fix your house.'"

Bearden said the program is limited to exterior improvements, such as painting, repairing fences and landscaping. For other, more extensive improvements, such as roof repair, electrical or plumbing problems and others, Habitat will put the homeowner in touch with someone who can do the work.

"Our core philosophy of sweat equity applies," Bearden said, noting that a resident cannot have work done on their home if they do not participate in assisting others in the neighborhood.

"(The program) tries to follow the model of Habitat," he said.

Bearden said the hope is that as one or two homes begin to improve in appearance, other residents will begin to work on improving the appearance of their own homes.

Valspar Paint has donated the paint, saving Habitat and residents approximately $400 to $500 per home.

Additionally, if there is cost involved, just as with home building, Habitat will loan the money at no interest rate. Also following Habitat's guidelines, homeowners must show they are able to pay the monthly payment of $20 to $30.

To volunteer, contact Denise Simms at (251) 943-7268.