Neighborhood Association Tool Kit

Table of Contents | Section 1 | Section 2 | Section 3 | Section 4 | Section 5 | Section 7 | Section 8 | Section 9 | Section 10

Section 6 – Proposed Actions

You have already established the main goals of your neighborhood association.  Achieving these goals may take years so it is important to have smaller, short-term goals and social activities to maintain a sense of success and cohesion.

Proposed Actions for a Neighborhood Association

• Consider a survey (mailed or door-to-door) of peoples’ interests and concerns (see Section 5 for samples).
• Develop a Welcoming Committee for new neighbors.
• Organize small groups around interests (e.g. cards, carpentry, music, etc.).
• Offer programs or training in areas of interest or concern.
• Collaborate with other neighborhoods, institutions, city departments, and groups.
• Aim high; expect professionalism and accountability.
• Ask individual residents to be liaisons with a particular business, church, or school.
• Recognize and reward members routinely.
• Stress the positive whenever possible.
• Develop a strong sense of neighborhood loyalty.
• In good weather, block off a street (with permission) for a social/sporting event. The event could also be held at a designated area such as an area park.
• Develop a newsletter, distribute flyers, and collect e-mail addresses of members to communicate.
• Have regular (at least seasonal) community meals. Use the occasion to have a focus or theme.
• Be inclusive in all affairs, spread the responsibility, and don’t be cliquish.

Ideas for Programming

The following are ideas that may or may not work well for you.  By now you should be familiar with the residents of your neighborhood.  Base programming on their interests and concerns.

• Offer violence prevention programming—focus can be on anger management, crisis intervention, gang violence prevention, mentoring, etc.
• Educate members about volunteer opportunities in the neighborhood.
• Organize a Neighborhood Watch program.
• Encourage members to join the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Organize interested people into groups to go to training together.
• Form neighborhood sports team(s).
• Offer parenting classes.
• Get involved in neighborhood beautification.
• Housing programs.
• Work together to improve the safety of parks and playground equipment.

 About Block Captains

Block captains are members of the neighborhood association who volunteer to serve as liaisons between the neighborhood association and the neighbors on his/her block (usually both sides of a street of one block).

Qualifications

Block captains should be interested in a livable and safe neighborhood and possess a willingness to commit to this purpose.

Responsibilities

Block captains must meet and have at least a casual relationship with each household on his/her block (both sides of the street). They are the contact person for the Neighborhood Association in “getting the word out.” Block captains have to make every effort to attend the monthly meetings of the Neighborhood Association.

Rewards

Rewards gained from becoming a block captain include knowing your neighbors better, helping to make the neighborhood a better place to live, and knowing that you are doing your part.

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The Importance of Gatherings

Every Neighborhood Association Should Have Many Gatherings. This has been proven to be true time and time again. Possibly the most important reason for having a neighborhood association is to create a safe, informed, and happy community.

It is difficult to imagine this being possible without the members (residents, businesses, and institutions) getting to know and respect one another and their individual interests and differences. In today’s society of stress, television, and air conditioning, the need to associate, mingle, and communicate has become essential in our search for a stable and progressive community.

Regularly scheduled and effectively organized neighborhood gatherings are a must for an effective neighborhood association. Such get-togethers may take the form of parties, receptions, dinners, dances, contest, readings, movies, discussions, focus groups, calendar event celebrations, shows, prayer groups, etc.

Once people know one another by name, the first bridge has been crossed. Without this regular exposure to one another, little long-term significance can be realized. Many “problems” dissipate once neighbors become more than house occupants.

 Sample Calendar of Events

 Winter & Spring Events

 January 3 7:00 pm New Year’s Neighborhood Party

January 17 8:00 pm Martin Luther King Memorial Dance (youth)

February 14 8:00 pm Valentine Veteran’s Dance

February 29 5:00 pm Leap Year Potluck Supper

March 16 7:00 pm Mardi Gras Costume, Snacks, & Games

April 3 2:00 pm Easter Egg Hunt

April 16 10:00 am Walking tour of historic homes

May 1 2:00 pm Tree & flower planting, May Day Celebration

May 15 9:00am-2:00pm Neighborhood Cleanup

May 30 7:00 pm Memorial Day Service & Get Together

June 5 1:00 pm End of School Party & Games (youth & kids)

June 20 2:00 pm Sunday Neighborhood Dog Review

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