What is a Neighborhood Association and What Does It Do?
A neighborhood association is a group of residents who meet regularly to accomplish neighborhood goals. The association may include homeowners, renters, apartment residents, business owners, nonprofit organizations, church members and school officials. Depending on the organizational goals, meetings may be held twice a year, once a quarter or every month. Neighborhood associations facilitate communication between residents and local government to support change, organize improvement efforts and help organize volunteers for community projects.
It is important to identify some of your goals before you ask others to form a neighborhood association. Goals should be specific, measurable, realistic and achievable.
Goals for improving your neighborhood may include hosting or helping with:
- Workshops about hot topics such as property maintenance, hurricanes
- Property Maintenance
- Regular Neighborhood/Park Clean Ups through the City of Clearwater Adopt-a-Park/Street/Trail Programs
- Social events, block parties, movie nights or local bands
- Holiday-themed events such as parades, trick-ortreating
- Creating a neighborhood business discount program
- Putting bows on mailboxes or doors for holidays, patriotic flags in yards, community holiday tree
- Annual town hall with local officials
- Neighborhood Holiday Light Contest and Awards
- Yard of the Quarter/Year Competition
- Neighborhood Food/Can Drive
- Storm Drain Murals
- Little Free Libraries
Neighborhood Associations Build Relationships
A neighborhood association is one of the best ways to build relationships between neighbors. Residents of a neighborhood may go years without knowing neighbors two doors away. A spirit of warmth and friendliness can be generated through the formation of an association. Also, neighbors become familiar with each other’s needs and interests and become more supportive in problem solving.
Neighborhood Improvement
If your neighborhood needs improvements, local residents are the best resources to help initiate change. Neighborhood associations are a great resource for residents to start projects to develop neighborhood beautification and improvement programs.
Create an Organized, Unified Voice
Through a neighborhood association your neighborhood has a unified voice in city government. The services that the city of Clearwater can provide to your neighborhood can be accessed efficiently through an association. Information on city services can also be provided to a greater number of neighbors, resulting in a benefit to the neighborhood as a whole.