Creating a Safe, Vibrant, and Valuable Longfellow

A Community-Led Effort to Strengthen Downtown Longfellow

For years, Longfellow Business Association President Anna Tsantir has advocated for practical, collaborative solutions that support local businesses and strengthen our community. That commitment is why the Longfellow Business Association is supporting a new Clean and Safe Ambassador pilot, led by LBA Board Member and Reema Health CEO Justin Ley alongside Max Musicant of The Musicant Group.

Running from July through the end of September, the pilot brings dedicated Clean and Safe Ambassadors to Downtown Longfellow to provide daily stewardship of public spaces, build relationships with community members, respond to issues before they escalate, and help create a more welcoming environment for residents, visitors, and businesses.

The pilot builds on successful ambassador programs implemented in other districts and reflects a community-focused approach to strengthening the assets that already make Downtown Longfellow unique through consistent presence, relationship-building, and stewardship.

We invite you to explore the information below to learn more about the Clean and Safe Ambassador pilot and the vision behind this effort.

Project Leadership

Both organizations bring experience in community development, public space activation, and neighborhood-based problem solving.

Justin Ley

Reema Health CEO

  • Max Musicant is a national leader in developing and activating public and shared spaces. As founder and President of the Musicant Group, he partners with public and private organizations to integrate user engagement, design, operations, events, communications, and organizational strategy to create places where people want to be. He believes and has demonstrated that any space can and should be a great place.

Max Musicant

The Musicant Group

  • Justin is the CEO of Reema Health, a venture-backed startup helping Medicaid members navigate the social barriers that derail health like housing, food, employment, and transportation. Reema employs 200 people nationwide, including 50 based in the Coliseum, right here in Downtown Longfellow. Justin has spent his career at the intersection of healthcare and technology, building startups focused on the people the system most often overlooks.

The Challenge

Many public safety and quality-of-life issues occur in the spaces between businesses, organizations, and public facilities.

Property owners maintain their buildings. Public agencies respond to calls for service. But the public spaces in between often lack consistent daily care and stewardship.

Without ongoing attention, issues such as litter, encampments, open drug use, and other disruptive behaviors can persist and shape how people perceive the neighborhood.

When people feel uncomfortable in a district, they spend less time there, businesses see fewer customers, and negative perceptions become difficult to overcome.

The Proposed Solution

The Clean and Safe ambassadors would:

  • Pick up litter and help maintain public spaces

  • Build relationships with residents, visitors, and business owners

  • Address issues through conversation and de-escalation

  • Connect with mental health, outreach, or public safety resources when needed

  • Support community events and public space activations

  • Help create a welcoming environment throughout the district

The goal is creating a district where people feel comfortable spending time, supporting local businesses, and participating in community life.

Full Presentation