This valuable advice on organizing neighborhoods ­ or keeping neighborhoods organized ­ comes from John Schelp of Old West Durham  (www.owdna.org).
 
 There are no rules for organizing a neighborhood association. Your group could be as big or as small as you all like. Here are some things to consider, some may work for you...
 
1)        Keep it simple. Start small. Don't hold too many meetings.

2)        Choose a neighborhood issue (that you can win) to mobilize interest in your neighborhood association. Work with other neighborhood groups. Build from there.

3)        Don't distribute newsletters too many times a year (biggest expense -- ads from local businesses should pay for photocopying newsletter).

4)        Set up a neighborhood Listserv (some use yahoogroups.com which is free). Encourage neighbors to also join the Partners Against Crime (PAC) Listserv, an excellent way to keep in touch with daily crime reports, nearby break-ins, handling door-to-door scam artists, etc. To subscribe (it's free), send a blank email to pac(insert your PAC District number here; ie, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5)-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

5)        Don't establish a lot of committees -- they can suffocate an organization (ie. the aesthetics committee approves the proposed neighborhood sign but the traffic and garden committees expressed several concerns).

6)        Get board members from across the neighborhood (and include long-time residents with newly arrived ones).

7)        Meet at the same time and same place each month (ie, Spring Valley Neighborhood Assoc meets on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM at Smith Library).

8)        Delegate (esp. money matters, minutes, newsletter and web work).

9)        Return phone calls and emails (makes a big difference).

10)    Don't police things like houses with chipping paint or leaning porch columns (sets up needless disunity) -- and you'll never get out of the cycle. We avoid this pitfall by stating that we will not do anything that could result in getting a family kicked out (we have targeted vacant houses).

11)    Download and revise neighborhood association bylaws posted on the Inter Neighborhood Council website at http://www.durhaminc.org/resources.html.

12)    Start a website (maybe add some of your community's history, photos, stories, accomplishments). Websites are inexpensive and become a point of neighborhood pride. As a start, the N&O provides small free web pages. (Information on a website could also be used to make a small brochure -- for neighbors who don't have Internet access.)

13)    Don't do things that cost a lot of money (fund-raising is a needless, distracting pain).

14)    If you do need money for something, ask a local merchant for a donation and emphasize that you're a new neighborhood association trying to get established (with little money in the checking account). Provide written quotes and ask for a check made out to the service provider -- as opposed to just saying you need money. We've never been told "No" when asking face-to-face, providing a specific price and showing direct benefit to the community.

15)    Be wary of traffic issues. Very divisive. Right away, we established a policy that our association will not close streets. Once you start closing streets, and shifting traffic to the next streets, you're stuck in a descending cycle of discontent. Things go from bad to worse when your traffic policies start shifting cars to nearby neighborhoods. Speed humps can also be divisive for similar reasons.

16)    Host a block party so neighbors can meet each other and learn about the neighborhood association. Organize a simple and fun potluck (don't talk business).

17)    Contact Wade Griffin at City-County Planning (wgriffin@ci.durham.nc.us) and provide your group's contact information and borders. The Planning Department will mail your group a letter anytime a development or re-zoning issue comes up that impacts the area in and around your neighborhood. Also, check out the Durham neighborhoods map & directory here... www.ci.durham.nc.us/departments/planning/neighborhood_org.cfm

18)    Emphasize that you're a neighborhood association -- not a homeowner's association (which often have more restrictive rules).

19)    Create a credo that captures the spirit of your neighborhood (ours is "Diversity, Harmony, Community").

20)    Have fun. :-)
 
FYI, neighborhood association toolkit... http://www.ci.phoenix.az.us/NBHDPGMS/toolkit.html

(updated 2-13-07)