Neighborhood Groups

Unfortunately, neighborhood groups do not start themselves or spontaneously spring from the good intentions of a few members of a community. There are many tools required to organize a neighborhood, and they must be used together if the group is to be successful and accomplish the goals of the community. Every group needs leadership, a division of labor, a vision or plan, organization and communication. With these tools, the group can overcome the more difficult stumbling blocks along the way, cope with the task of finances and build a foundation for a lasting effect on the community.

Before you run out the door, grab three of your neighbors and have a meeting, ask yourself the following questions. These will be the first things your neighbors ask you, so you may as well be prepared!

Why organize? Ask yourself what you see as advantages to pulling the neighborhood together.

What are your goals? What will this new group of people accomplish? What are the primary concerns in your neighborhood? Are there issues that residents in your neighborhood will be willing to rally behind?

How will you define your “neighborhood?” Are there natural boundaries, or is the area more united by a particular issue? Who will you approach to be a part of the new organization? How will you work to bring diverse interests and individuals into the group?

Will you be able to convince the majority of your neighbors to support your new group? Will a majority of residents in your community agree with you regarding the issues you feel are important? Will you be able to gain support from neighbors not directly active in the group itself? This kind of support is called “buy-in” and will be very important when you represent your neighborhood before local government or try to organize a neighborhood-wide activity.

The answers to these questions may change over the course of putting together a neighborhood organization in your community. It is important, however, to have your answers to these questions in mind as you set out to organize your neighbors.

As you begin talking to your neighbors about organizing a neighborhood group, show enthusiasm for the process and start building strong relationships with residents beyond the bounds of your block or street. You may want to organize a small event to bring people out to talk about the possibility of the group, such as a graffiti paint-off.

The Human Element Leadership

The person or people who set out to organize any group of individuals, whether it is a neighborhood group, a new scout troupe or youth soccer league, are usually looked to as the leaders of the established organization. Good leadership is essential in creating and maintaining a successful neighborhood organization. It is important not only to be a good leader yourself, but to recognize good leadership in others and to foster new leadership along the way.

There are different kinds of leaders, and it is important to realize where you, as an organizing member of the neighborhood group, fit in. Some people are really good at getting people excited about a new project, while others are better at organizing and delegating tasks. Other leaders play an almost invisible role until the group needs them to sort out a disagreement or solve a major issue. All of these people are valuable, and the group needs every kind of leader. Perhaps, once you’ve gotten your neighbors to the table, you may need to turn the reigns of the organization over to someone who is a better moderator of meetings, and better at coordinating the work of others. Recognizing your own strengths and weaknesses as a leader, as well as recognizing those of others, will insure the long-term stability of the neighborhood group.

Committees – The Division of Labor

Everyone has heard the old adage: “Too many cooks spoil the broth.” As essential as good leadership is, it is useless without a good base of people who would rather work behind the scenes than in front of them. Leaders are often tempted to take on too much responsibility and do too much of the work. Good leaders realize that they can’t possibly do it all – and even if they could, it doesn’t help accomplish the goal of bringing more people into the organization and building community spirit. By delegating authority, responsibilities and even the most basic of tasks, you get more people involved, give individuals a sense of ownership of the organization, and simply get more accomplished in less time.

Committees become more important as your neighborhood group grows and takes on more challenges. At first, you may be working with a core group of 5 to 10 individuals who will help you guide the formation of the organization. As the group grows, so will its internal responsibilities (such as finances, publicity, agendas and minutes) and neighborhood affairs (such as housing conditions, community maintenance, traffic safety and community services).

Limit the number of committees by forming them around broad goals and subjects; the more committees you have the more spread out your members become. Large events may need separate, more temporary, committees, such as block parties, annual fundraisers, etc.

Try to avoid “responsibility overlap,” to reduce confusion over which members are responsible for what tasks.

Define and discuss the goals and objectives of committees as they are formed. This will help committee members stay focused and accomplish the task at hand.

Clearly define what actions the committee may take on its own and what decisions need to be brought back before the entire association for consultation. For example, the Block Party Committee should determine the color, theme and menu for an upcoming party, but should have the budget approved by the entire neighborhood group.

Give recognition to members and committees who have contributed to the organization. Keep it simple, and be consistent. Thank specific members at meetings or hand out fun certificates.

Don’t be afraid to disband committees that have accomplished their goals. This will free up organization members to participate on other committees or take a well-deserved break. The Block Party Committee, again, may need several months to recover after planning a successful event. The committee can be re-assembled in time to begin planning the next event.

Examples of Committees:

Executive Committee (Includes president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and committee chairs)

Fundraising

Social Committee (for association holiday parties, etc.)

Publicity

Graffiti Task Force

Neighborhood Maintenance

Traffic Safety

Community Affairs (might work with local businesses, developers, schools, etc.)

The Neighborhood Plan

Once you’ve gotten a core group of individuals interested in forming a neighborhood group it’s time to hold your first meeting. The first order of business for this “working group” of individuals should be to sit down and draft a “neighborhood plan.” The plan will be a dynamic document to be reviewed periodically to assess what goals have been accomplished and what needs to be re-evaluated or removed from the plan. New goals can be included as they arise.

The neighborhood plan is essential because it will serve as the framework for future decision making. Every group's plan will look different, but the following common elements should be included:

Vision Statement
What do you want your neighborhood to look like in five years? The vision statement should state your primary objective in forming the organization, and should be brief and broad. For example: “To provide a safe, clean neighborhood to be proud to live in and raise our families.”

Mission Statement
Similar to the vision statement, the mission is an action statement telling how everyday actions will impact the vision statement. For example: “To work together to improve upon and maintain the quality of life enjoyed by residents of this community.”

Goals
Keep goals simple and concise. Make certain that the entire group agrees on each goal. These goals should be “stepping stones” to accomplishing your mission and vision statements. For example:

To significantly decrease crime in our neighborhood.

To encourage increased participation in the neighborhood group and neighborhood activities through positive communication.

To increase the neighborhood’s influence on local officials and staff through participation in local government events and meetings.

The working group may want to take a short neighborhood inventory before completing this task. Walk the neighborhood together and discuss everyone’s long-term goals for the community. Discuss the logical boundaries of the neighborhood. Point out problems or advantages held by the community as you come across them.

The remaining portion of the plan should be a road map for your first year.

Identify one to three issues that are major concerns to the neighborhood, such as crime prevention/reduction, empty lot abatement, and promoting well-maintained front yards.

Form committees for each issue or related set of issues. Keep the committees small (3 to 10 members), appoint or elect a chairperson, and develop a realistic timeline for committees to meet and begin working on the issue.

As your neighborhood organization grows, increase committee membership by requiring that every member belong to at least one committee. Committee chairs should report back to the larger group at every meeting.

The first task of each committee should be to identify available resources to tackle the assigned issue, and to identify strategies and goals to resolve the issue. For example, the Neighborhood Safety committee might decide to form a Neighborhood Watch program. A member would then be assigned to contact the appropriate organization and set up training sessions. Resources also include human resources - talents possessed by members, professional contacts, someone with more free time than other members.

After identifying resources, strategies and goals, each committee can include their action plans in the overall Neighborhood Plan.

Gathering Neighborhood Support

When the neighborhood plan is complete, the group must obtain “buy-in” or support from the rest of the neighborhood. You might do this by copying the plan and distributing it to residents in your designated area, or by asking residents to sign a copy of the plan. Without support from all or most of your neighborhood, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to make effective changes or to represent your community before public officials.

Meetings that are well organized can be productive and even fun for the members of the neighborhood organization. Start out on the right foot by being well prepared for the first meeting. This will set the stage for future meetings and give people confidence that the group can accomplish good things.

Decide on a convenient time and date to meet by consulting with neighbors as you discuss your plans for organizing the community. Weekday evenings are often the best time to schedule meetings, rather than interfere with weekend plans. If your neighbors work a wide variety of hours, schedule a time when the most people can meet.

Develop a well-planned agenda (see sample agendas).

Choose a centrally located and familiar place to meet. Sometimes a neutral location such as a school or library is easier for people to approach than the home of someone they don’t know. On the other hand, using someone’s home may be more intimate and comfortable for a group just starting out. Wherever you choose to hold the meeting, make certain it is comfortable for the number of people attending.

If possible, set a regular time and place for your meetings. This will make it easier for people to plan the meetings into their everyday lives. It also makes it more likely that curious neighbors may drop in unexpectedly.

Give people nametags. This will help folks that don’t know everyone feel more comfortable.

Serving food and drinks always helps bring people together and sets them at ease. Don’t let refreshments take away from the main objective of the gathering, however.

Have guests fill out a sign-in sheet with names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses, if they have one. If you draw a map of the neighborhood ahead of time, people can put their information where their houses are. This can be the beginning of a telephone tree.

Stay focused on the agenda. If conversations start to stray, ask that new items be brought up during the open forum portion of the agenda. If it appears that a decision cannot be reached on a particular agenda item, table the item until the next meeting, and instruct members to bring back new information on the item.

Limit meetings to no more than two hours.

Handle disturbances and disagreements as calmly as possible. Steer the discussion back to the issue on the agenda, and focus on what the group can agree on.

Sample Agenda - First Meeting Example:

Generic Street Neighborhood Group - Introductory Meeting Agenda
Sept. 6, 2001, 7 to 9 p.m.

I. Introductions
II. Explanation of Neighborhood Organizing - Mary
III. Neighborhood Plan - Discussion

A. Vision, Mission, Goals

IV. Neighborhood Inventory - Tour
V. Committee Creation & Assignments
VI. Set Next Meeting Time
VII. Open Discussion
VIII. Adjourn

Sample Agenda - Regularly Scheduled Meetings Example:

Generic Street Neighborhood Group - General Meeting Agenda
Oct. 4, 2001, 7-8:30 p.m.

I. Introductions
II. Committee Reports (List)
III. Guest Stephanie Cannito, Neigh. Watch
IV. Old Business

A. Graffiti Paint-off - Sat. Oct. 6
B. Halloween Partnering Program

V. New Business

A. Block Party Sign-up Sheet

VI. Open Discussion
VII. Adjourn
**All Future meetings scheduled for 1st Thursday of each month.

Keeping a Record of Group Meetings

Elect a person responsible for taking minutes. This same person will likely also be responsible for writing the agenda.

Minutes do not have to be verbatim, or word-for-word. They should include main arguments made in favor or against a certain action or task, and the final decision made by the group. Include names of individuals who volunteered for or were assigned to particular tasks.

Minutes may be distributed with the agenda for the next meeting or may be handed out at the next meeting. Members should vote to accept the minutes or to change them as needed.

If you’re having a difficult time getting people to read the minutes, include funny tidbits, or give a prize to the person who finds the most, or only, typo(s).

Sample Minutes

Generic Street Neighborhood Group (GSNG)- General Meeting Minutes
Nov. 1, 2001, 7 to 8:30 p.m.

I. Introductions - 4 new members joined the GSNG! Please welcome Jan and Dean Smith, Roger Kenny, & Marsha Duncan (and son!)
II. Committee Reports - The Neigh. Safety committee has successfully established 3 Neighborhood Watch Blocks. The Social Committee set a date for the 1st Annual Holiday Party - See you Dec. 8 at Bob & Linda’s house. Fundraising Committee - Nothing to report yet.
III. Old Business - The Graffiti Paint-off on Sat. Oct. 6 was very successful - 14 neighbors (+ Kids) came out and painted our entire outside wall. The Halloween Partnering Program was also a great event - we had much less vandalism than in past years. Plan to do even more next year.
IV. New Business - Be sure to sign up for the pot luck dinner for the Holiday Party before leaving tonight.
V. Open Discussion - There was a litter of kittens found behind the park dumpster. Anyone wanting a free furball can call Velma at 555-1234.
Meeting adjourned at 8:40. Next meeting, Thursday, Dec. 6, 7-8:30 p.m. at Lincoln Elementary Library.

Accountable Financing

Organizing the finances of your new neighborhood group may seem like the most daunting task of the process. If your group is less formal and not dealing with financial issues, you may want to postpone going through the process of opening a bank account. Even small events requiring cash collection don’t necessarily warrant having a bank account. Be certain to keep cash in a locked box, and to keep track of who contributed to the fund, what money was spent on (save your receipts!) and what, if any, you owe to vendors or members of the group.

If your group becomes very large, or if you start to handle large sums of money, you may want to formalize the process. By running your group like a business and opening a bank account, your finances will be easier to manage. For assistance, you may turn to the Beaumont Police Departments - Community Oriented Policing Department at (409) 880-3802. You may also find a resident in your neighborhood familiar with setting up corporations or establishing corporate bank accounts. Put this person in charge of this task!

If you decide that your group has advanced to the point of needing to formalize your finances, gather information about the proper way to go about this from a local bank. Two things you will have to do are listed below. However, other requirements may change from bank to bank.

Choose a bank. Research fees and charges , and ask about special waivers of service charges for non-profit organizations or groups that benefit the community.

Obtain a tax identification number. You can get a tax ID number from the IRS. It is used by the bank to report earnings of the group’s account to the IRS.

Dynamic Fundraising

You don’t have to have a lot of money to have a successful neighborhood organization. How much money you need depends on your group’s goals. Fundraising can be as simple as taking a collection among members in order to pay for refreshments at meetings, or can be as elaborate as organizing a function to raise money to pay for neighborhood signage, supplemental lighting for the neighborhood, or to purchase an abandoned lot to turn into a playground or community garden.

The following are examples of practical and fun ways to raise money for your organization:

Charge membership dues.

Sell neighborhood T-Shirts.

Sell advertising space in an association newsletter (see Communication).

Ask local businesses to sponsor events such as block parties or community sports teams.

Hold a neighborhood garage sale. Ask neighbors to donate their items to be sold, with profits going towards the association.

Host an outdoor movie night by projecting a movie onto a sheet in a neighbor’s backyard. Charge admission and serve popcorn and soda.

Communication

The best way to encourage people to participate in the new neighborhood group is to communicate with them as often as possible. Spread the word about upcoming events, ongoing meetings, and other ways for them to get involved.

Use a consistent logo or color of paper so that people know the information is from the neighborhood group. Make certain that the main message of your flier, letter, postcard or door hanger is clear. What is the event? When is it? Where is it? Who should one contact for more information? Is there a deadline to sign up or R.S.V.P.?

Flyers and invitations aren’t the only way to get the word out about group activities. Try any of the following:

Neighborhood organization newsletter. Accept articles from group members, include committee reports, advertise events, invite neighbors with particular interests to write columns on home repair, quilting, gardening etc.

Advertise events in a local newspaper, or school, church or club newsletter.

Create door hangers.

Go door-to-door to invite people to an event.

Make a phone tree.

Participate at commission, council and town board meetings.

Put a lawn sign out on regular meeting dates.

Set up a booth at a school carnival or other local event.

Distribute invitations, flyers, bulletins, notices and other publicity materials creatively, but be certain they are placed in secure locations and do not end up contributing to clutter and debris in the streets of your neighborhood.

Overcoming Obstacles

The most important thing to remember as you embark on the adventure of organizing your neighborhood is that Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Every organization experiences set backs and growing pains. The important thing is to learn from mistakes and improve upon the group’s actions in the future. Stay flexible and open to the suggestions of others. As you decide to organize a neighborhood group, you may have entirely different goals than will the group of people you assemble. Don’t be afraid to let the organization change and become different things to different people. On the other hand, feel free to step in if you see the organization wandering down the path of destruction.

Continually re-evaluate the neighborhood plan to insure that it is still working for the neighborhood.
Work at fostering relationships between members of the group, and work together to quickly resolve differences of opinion or miscommunications between neighbors.

Finally, don’t be afraid to call for help.
Call on other neighborhood associations. You may find that they are needing help with the exact same problem. Utilize members of your association to the best of their abilities as well; they may be able to help in ways you never imagined!