ST. PAULS — More than a year ago, Jimmy Robinson went before the Robeson County Board of Commissioners to plea for help to alleviate what he called “Third world living conditions” — including crime, drugs and poor housing — that plagued St. Pauls’ east side.

“We got black kids that see these conditions every day. It hurts these kids to see the community rotting away,” said Robinson, who was before the county commissioners as president of St. Pauls Eastside Community Organization. “I want kids to be able to walk down the street and feel good about themselves.”

Robinson, a St. Pauls native, says today that the county has answered his call. He also says that even though more help could come from elected St. Pauls officials, there are some — he cited Town Administrator Stuart Turille and Police Chief Tommy Hagen — who have been instrumental in efforts aimed at reducing loitering and crime in the area.

“Our side of town has been neglected for years,” Robinson said. “Everyone bears some of the responsibility. These conditions didn’t just develop overnight. They can’t be corrected overnight.

“We are getting things started, but it is going to take a long time to get the kids, and others in the community, to change their behavior and attitudes about the east side.”

Yolonda McKoy-Glover, a lifelong St. Pauls resident, day care operator and member of the Eastside Community Organization’s board of directors, agrees.

“Things are getting better. If we can get people in our community to take care of their neighborhood, then I think we can inspire others to do the same thing. We need to clean up the community so that our youth and others have pride in where they live.”

Robinson attributes help from county officials, especially County Manager Ken Windley and Commissioner Lance Herndon, for leading the effort to clean up and revitalize the neighborhood. He said that the county has torn down and remove the debris from three abandoned and dilapidated houses. Three other houses have been renovated.

Robinson said that there are still 16 homes that need to be removed or repaired.

Windley said that the removal of the abandoned and dilapidated buildings was paid for with money the state reimbursed the county from revenue generated from the $2 per ton surcharge on waste disposed of at the county landfill.

“We got back about $90,000 this year and each commissioner can use some of it to get rid of dilapidated homes in his district,” Windley said. “That’s not a lot of money, but it can pay for getting rid of four, five or six homes in each district.”

Robinson credits Herndon with being instrumental in helping establish the Eastside Community Resource Center that opened in April. Herndon used some of the discretionary funds that are available to him as a commissioner to fund the purchase of nine computers.

“I wanted to help this organization that is trying to lift up and give opportunities to members of its community,” Herndon said. “These computers will not only help young people, but can be used by adults for such things as searching for jobs.”

Robinson, who says he has been working actively to improve conditions for the Eastside Community for at least 10 years, points to action taken by St. Pauls officials to ban parking on Grayce Street as a major step in fighting crime.

“This definitely has helped,” Robinson said. “There is no longer the loitering in the area that took place before there was no parking on Grayce Street.”

Turille said St. Pauls plans to annex part of the neighborhood, the Alford Road and Gillespie Street areas, in the near future.

“We want to help clean up the area and get rid of the dilapidated homes, but the town can only do so much,’’ Turille said. “The east side is entitled to the same services as other areas of the town, but citizens need to be motivated and take ownership of their community.”

Robinson agrees that community members must become involved and lead the efforts aimed at making their community a better place to live.

“...This is not just an east-side issue. This issue affects the whole town of St. Pauls,” he said. “St. Pauls Elementary School and the Head Start program are located on the east side. We all need to work together so that our children may have a safe and positive environment to travel to and grow in.”