NAPLES, Fla. — River Park East — Naples' only historically Black neighborhood — continues to grapple with what people who live there describe as long-standing neglect, decades after its formation in the 1960s.
The community, tucked near the Gordon River off Goodlette-Frank Road, has deep historical roots as a neighborhood where Black families lived during the era of segregation. As Naples grew wealthier over the years, neighbors said their needs have been consistently overlooked by city leadership.
WATCH RIVER PARK EAST NEIGHBORS EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS AT THE NAPLES CRA MEETING:
"Our community is – and I hate to believe that this is the case, because I'm not one that throws the race card out there – but it seems though there is systemic racism going on as it pertains to the funding," said James Whitaker, president of the River Park East Homeowners Association.
The neighborhood faces multiple challenges, including repeated flooding during Hurricanes Milton and Ian — which people there said represents just one of several issues the city has failed to address.
Whitaker believes council after council has overlooked the neighborhood, despite it being within city boundaries.
"We are not a high tax base like some of the other areas. We don't have affluent people in our area, we are working class people," Whitaker said.
Whitaker attended Wednesday's Community Redevelopment Agency meeting with other neighbors and called on the city to shift priorities.
"There are things that are happening in our community that were it a more affluent area wouldn't be allowed to happen. I'm here today to ask that be corrected," Whitaker told CRA leaders.
Responding to the claims, CRA Chairman Ray Chrisman said "this body has never expressed racism in any of our decisions, and we respect and value diversity in our community."
"And there's no doubt that there was very little investment in River Park East or really in the entire area covered by the CRA east of Route 41," Chrisman said. "But we have been moving in the right direction and we'll continue to do that."
The CRA ultimately agreed to take a fresh look at funding in 2026 and elevate River Park East within its priorities — a development Whitaker said he’s cautiously optimistic about.
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