ORGANIZING NEIGHBORHOODS
What is My Neighborhood?
The first step is to determine what your neighborhood is. In many cases, that will be easy. In others, it will not be quite so clear. In an urban area, it might be one block of a street. 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.
Websites & Books Neighborhood Association Manual Designed by Salem, Oregon for the city's neighborhood association chairpersons, but an excellent model for any community. Neighborhoods Online Resource center for people working to build strong communities throughout the United States. From the Institute for the Study of Civic Values and Philadelphia's LibertyNet Organizing for Neighborhood Development A handbook for citizen groups Seattle, Washington - Department of Neighborhoods Pioneer in the U.S. in organizing and supporting neighborhoods Neighborhood Organizing Examples of several different types of successful neighborhood self-help organizations including ad-hoc project groups, a baby-sitting co-op, an "empowerment" group, and a "community building" group. Also addresses the issues of whether to hire staff, how to raise and manage money, organizational structure, membership recruitment, and organizational self-evaluation. [pdf] Superbia 31 ways to create sustainable neighborhoods. [book] |
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