In 2008, there were many paradoxes that faced the city of Geneva. Local government and citizens recognized the thirty years of decline which included "substantial labor market hurdles, housing challenges, and downtown problems," and needed to cease conducting business as usual in order to help bring the City out of its ongoing recession. In the process of examining economic development and planning, a study was commissioned to identify what could be done to provide Geneva a shot of revitalization and growth.
In 2008, the Neighborhood Study (PDF) was conducted by czb, LLC., which paved the way for residents to create and act on their own initiatives.
With the conduction of this study, the Office of Neighborhood Initiatives, a city of Geneva department was initiated and tasked to take charge of these growing neighborhood problems, helping to build Geneva into a thriving small city with a vibrant downtown. Through massive collaborative efforts, seven years have brought about significant change, championing Geneva's diverse neighborhoods and creating a Pride in Place that was a distant dream just under a decade ago.