Grapple, a podcast sponsored by National Public Radio that focuses on people living and working in distressed communities, came to Chester to see how the once-thriving industrial center copes with poverty, failing schools, and high crime rates.

Chester has I-95 bisecting the town’s very heart, and the city has been working hard to curb the violence. After the successful arrest of 40 people for drug trafficking-related offenses two years ago, Rose and Upland streets – once known as hotbeds for violence – are very different now.

To reflect this optimism, Debbie DeSimone, owner of more than 100 properties in the city, has been working with real estate company Better Homes to repaint houses in the area a bright, pastel color.

DeSimone chose to invest in Chester for three reasons: Taxes are low, there’s a larger number of properties she can buy for little money through judicial sales, and there is a strong sense of community.

“It’s good,” said Harry Lewis, who sometimes works for DeSimone, cleaning out vacant houses and sprucing up the block. “Peaceful. Not a lot of traffic. Not a lot of noise. Only noise come from the children. You can come out sit on your step. You can have a conversation with someone.”