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Realtor wins recognition for neighborhood changes By Linda Rawls 11/29/2004 Claudia Deprez is a fighter. But this time — after years of combating blight and crime
in West Palm Beach's North End neighborhoods — she had to
use her strong will and energy to fight for herself. After a drive-by shooting in 2001 wounded a 4-year-old girl waiting for an ice cream truck, Deprez held a meeting in her living room for residents of 10 North End neighborhoods. They were sick of the violence and decay that had taken over their communities, and formed the Northend Coalition of Neighborhoods. Deprez urged them to take action, not just write letters. Their efforts resulted in increased police protection and reduced crime; weekly in-your-face marches that forced drug dealers and prostitutes out of the area; a court-watch committee that monitored repeat offenders to ensure they served time; the demolition of 65 abandoned properties and the renovation of hundreds more; a new city park; and a state law that expanded the drug-free crime zone for schools and churches to include all city, state and federal parks and community centers. "It makes Northwood fundamentally a drug-free zone because of our churches, schools, parks and community centers," she said. But when it came time to go to San Francisco in November 2003 to accept her award, Deprez was still too busy fighting. This time, though, she was fighting for her life, undergoing chemotherapy for Stage 4 ovarian cancer. Like the fight for her community, she's been victorious so far in her fight against cancer. "I'm in remission now," she said. So this month, she was finally able to accept her award in person at the Realtors' annual convention, held in Orlando this year. "It was very special," she said, then turned quickly to business. Crime is up, she said, prostitutes are back on the streets, extra police protection is down. It's time to start fighting again. *** |