NASHUA — Residents often refer to the Tree Streets as “the projects” of Nashua, a group of neighborhoods facing increased crime, density problems and poverty levels that city officials would like to address.

Crime statistics suggest that gangs and drug activity are on the rise in the urban Tree Street neighborhoods, prompting one alderman to take action.

Alderman-at-Large James Donchess has drafted a proposed resolution that — if adopted by the Board of Aldermen — will create a Focus on the Tree Streets Day that will include discussions and seminars on issues affecting the neighborhood.

“The residents of the Tree Streets face unique conditions related to crime, housing, a lack of open space, education and other issues,” the resolution states. “The Nashua Board of Aldermen should focus its attention on the Tree Streets, increase public awareness faced by neighborhood residents and develop a plan for neighborhood improvement.”

On Friday, Donchess said there are ways to potentially help improve some of these concerns and complaints from residents.

“They are particularly worried about the crime problem,” said Donchess, who stressed other issues such as housing conditions, on-street parking complaints and educational problems are also major concerns.

The city has made attempts in recent years to address problems in the diverse Tree Street community, which includes Vine, Chestnut, Pine, Palm, Walnut, Ash, Beech and other streets to either side of West Hollis Street.

In 2006, the Tree and Ledge Street Community Revitalization Partnership Program was developed, creating a plan to rejuvenate the neighborhoods and make it a better place to live, work, play and learn. Its goal was to get citizens involved in the working dynamics of the Tree Streets, and generate renewed participation and interest into the health and safety of the neighborhood.

Just last month, the city opened Park Social at Labine, a new city park at the intersection of Ledge and Pine streets, just one project designed to improve the area. The future Broad Street Parkway will also impact that location, as work has already begun at Pine and Palm streets to allow for the eventual construction of the two-lane road.

In addition, the city's Community Development Division is working on a Tree Street neighborhood plan in conjunction with the Nashua Regional Planning Commission to identify and address problems in the area.

“We are looking at 2010 census data and various issues, but we are not ready to have a report prepared at this time,” said Kathy Hersh, community development director. “There is a lot of information to review and analyze.”

Donchess is hoping that by having a Tree Streets Day, neighbors, experts, city planners and aldermen will participate to discuss potential approaches to existing problems there. He believes that aldermen must include the residents while forming a plan for the neighborhood, with the potential for other, similar initiatives to eventually take place in additional Nashua neighborhoods.

Some of those plans for the Tree Streets include the possibility of razing the Bronstein Apartment Complex, a public housing development that is home to about 48 low income families.

Mayor Donnalee Lozeau previously acknowledged that the community views the apartments as “the projects.”

“I think it is a stigma that nobody should have to live with,” Lozeau said earlier, sharing her vision of demolishing the units and maybe someday building new housing, a community center, public health building and community pool on the site by utilizing public and private partnerships.

khoughton@newstote.com