Organizing Neighborhoods
Where is My Neighborhood?
Your neighborhood has the potential to be much more supportive of community, sustainability, and money and energy saving. But first you have to organize it.
The first step is to determine where your neighborhood is. In an urban area, it might be one block of a street or your apartment building. In the rural countryside, a much larger area. In a suburb, it might be several blocks, a large cul-de-sac, or a cluster of units in a condominium complex. It probably comes down to what you and your immediate neighbors feel is your neighborhood. And keep in mind that the boundaries you originally determine may change as you begin to organize.
Here’s what noted architect and social theorist Christopher Alexander recommends in his classic book A Pattern Language: ” [a neighborhood should be] not more than 300 yards across with no more than 400 to 500 inhabitants…Keep major roads outside these neighborhoods.” and “As nearly as possible, use natural geographic and historical boundaries to mark these communities.”
The Great Neighborhood Book suggests that “it’s best that every neighborhood have an identifiable center, such as a shopping district, park, school or library to distinguish it.”
The First Meeting
Begin to organize your neighborhood by talking to neighbors who you already know, and introducing yourself to others. Then hold a meeting at your home, or at a local school, business, place of worship, or other convenient location.
Make it comfortable and informal, with snacks and light beverages. Schedule regular meetings thereafter. Make at least every second or third meeting a social event as well as a planning one, so that meetings are an enjoyable opportunity to get to know each other. Be sure to include teenagers and older children who wish to get involved.
Meeting Topics
Topics that could be discussed at your first or future meetings.
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“Hot” issues – Any current issues, such as public safety, traffic, or proposed developments.
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Resident List – Make and distribute a list of everyone’s name, address, phone number, and email address. Also make a “block map” showing homes, names and phone numbers.
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Phone Tree – Set up a “phone tree” (a list of designated phone numbers for people to call) to notify neighbors about meetings, events and other timely information. The “phone” tree can also use email.
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Special Needs – Identify the elderly, disabled, and others in your neighborhood who need special care and attention.
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Skills Inventory – Create a skills inventory for members of your neighborhood (medical, first aid, alternative healing, ham radio, teaching, carpentry, electrical, sewing, plumbing, music, firearms, mechanic, welding, computer, gardening, cooking, canning, childcare, etc.). This will result from occupations, hobbies, interests and other sources. People may be surprised just how many skills they have as a group once they go through this process.
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Resource Inventory – Create an inventory of “things” owned by people in the neighborhood that they are willing to share. This includes tools, equipment, home items and anything else’s that’s tangible, useful and lendable. Most of these are not items you need every day, but rather only for special occasions. Not every household needs to have a complete set of all this stuff.
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Newsletter – Start a neighborhood newsletter. You can print out copies and deliver them door-to-door, post them in central places where everyone can see them, or produce them as an email letter. Include online distribution as well, but don’t make that the sole way to distribute the newsletter; not everyone has access to the Internet.
The newsletter can contain such information as: neighborhood projects, new tools available for sharing, neighborhood meetings, interest groups, kids’ activities, classes, gardening tips. You’re limited only by your resources, needs and imagination.
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Interest Groups – Create weekly discussion meetings or book clubs.
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Food - Establish a neighborhood garden, a food co-op, or a relationship with a local farm.
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Preservation – See if there is a need to preserve historical buildings or trees or other green areas.
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Carpool - See if neighbors can share trips to work or school.
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Share Errands – Check with neighbors to see if you can carpool on errand trips around town or to a neighboring city. It’s possible also to do errands for neighbors and have them return the favor for you at another time. You’ll all save on time and gasoline money.
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Bulk Shopping/Discounts – Keep in mind that since you now have an entire neighborhood organized, your purchasing leverage has increased. You should be able to negotiate group discounts and bulk purchases with local businesses.
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Walkability – Is your neighborhood a safe and enjoyable place to walk? Enjoyable walking means more exercise and better health. There are actions you can take to make your neighborhood more walkable.
Have Parties
Street or block parties are a great way to bring all ages of your neighborhood together.
How to Throw a Great Street/Block Party
www.streetparty.net/Resources/Street%20Party%20Manual.pdf
A manual from www.streetparty.net (PDF file)
Resources
The Secrets of Membership Recruitment
www.villagenapa.com/secrets.pdf
Proven tips for recruiting organization members (PDF). Courtesy of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods
Superbia: 31 Ways to Create Sustainable Neighborhoods
[book]
Author: Dan Chiras
31 ways to create sustainable neighborhoods.
Promoting Neighborhood Action
http://ctb.ku.edu/tools//sub_section_main_1327.htm
From the University of Kansas’ Community Tool Box at http://ctb.ku.edu
Neighborhood Resource Kit
http://nrc-neighbor.org/site/
From the Neighborhood Resource Center of Colorado
The Great Neighborhood Book: A Do-it-Yourself Guide to Placemaking
Author: Jay Walljasper
A Do-it-Yourself Guide to Placemaking:
Seattle, Washington – Department of Neighborhoods www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods
Pioneer in the United States in organizing and supporting neighborhoods.
