RNeighbors has assembled this online toolkit from their experiences with Rochester Neighborhood Associations and various other community building sources. We hope this one-stop tutorial will aid current associations, and give start-up neighborhood groups guidelines for successful community organizing.
A big thank you to RTeam, a group of Augsburg College students, who took on this toolkit as a final project and organized the document, got it printed, and placed it online.
The RNeighborhood Association toolkit will be an evolving document that will grow as suggestions and ideas are brought to RNeighbors.
Good luck as you work towards bringing your neighborhood together!
Also in other examples we see neighbors coming together in tough times such as tornados, floods and the like, to help one another and this is good. An unspoken and unwritten “contract” with each other builds communities stronger than any government program could ever do.
So, moving away from disasters (finally), neighborhoods are a very positive component of a livable community. Rochester has been recognized often by the national media as a most-livable community. It is well-known that vibrant neighborhoods are safer, homes are more valuable (sale and re-sale) and become a place of pride. Walk-friendly and bicycle-friendly neighborhoods are also more environmentally friendly.
I and the Rochester City Council have adopted the National League of Cities initiative: “Welcome. We are building an inclusive community.” I believe our neighborhoods play an integral part in living out this initiative. I have proclaimed the year 2007 as the Year of the Family in Rochester. Other than our biological families there is perhaps no other place or institution that supports families better than neighborhoods.
I can remember being a youngster and getting into trouble with my parents, and within hours the entire street knew what I had done and was sure to keep me in line after that. As Rochester is quickly approaching a population of 100,000, it is more important than ever that neighbors work together to keep alive that close-knit feeling of community in our city. RNeighbors is leading the way and providing tools to our neighborhoods. Neighborhood Associations, run by volunteers, serve to bring neighbors together to work on local issues, plan events, and form crime watch groups. I commend you for taking the initiative to be leaders and hope this document will be a useful tool for organizing your neighborhood.
Sincerely,
Ardell F. Brede, Mayor
City of Rochester
201 4th Street SE – Room 281
Rochester, MN 55904-3782
Phone: (507) 328-2700
Fax: (507) 328-2727
In 2001, the Rochester City Council acted on an identified need to provide additional support to groups who were working on projects that would benefit their neighborhoods. The Rochester Neighborhood Resource Center was born. In 2004, we changed our name to a shorter title: RNeighbors.
Supported in part by the city of Rochester, RNeighbors is a nonprofit organization that helps the city’s diverse neighbors build community. We provide the tools and resources necessary to grow great neighborhoods, and empower citizen leaders to create sustainable neighborhood networks that promote a vibrant, healthy, and livable community.
RNeighbors supports neighborhoods by helping revive, sustain, and grow active Neighborhood Associations. There are currently 27 registered Neighborhood Associations in Rochester, Minnesota. Elton Hills and Hart Farms are the newest groups to take steps towards organizing as official Neighborhood Associations.
The RNeighbors support tool shed includes RNeighborWoods, tree-planting program; RNeighborWalks, a neighborhood walking program; RColorful Corners, street mural painting program; and RVoices, our online community, hosted at RNeighbors.org. Each of these programs function to infuse life into neighborhoods, allowing them to grow and thrive.
We also partner on several community programs including A Litter Bit Better!, a community-wide litter pickup effort, and Coffee and Conversations, a group which encourages civic dialogue about current events over coffee.
In addition to our core programs and partnerships, RNeighbors provides other benefits and helpful resources to neighborhood organizations. They include increased visibility and centralized communication on our evolving website, yard signs for meetings, bulk-mail permits, liability insurance for association meetings and events, reduced printing and supply costs, crime watch resources, and participation in the Rochesterfest Parade and National Night Out.
One person working alone is not as effective as many neighbors working together toward common goals. The possibilities of what you can accomplish for your neighborhood as a group are endless.
Before you ask your neighbors to organize, you have to be able to explain to them the benefits and value of forming a neighborhood group.
Organizing is mostly about developing relationships with each other, the city government, and other neighborhoods.
When deciding whether or not to organize as a neighborhood, ask yourself and others the following questions.
Did you answer “yes” to a majority of these questions?
At RNeighbors, we believe that organized neighborhoods are not only a happier place to live, but a safer one also. And we’re not the only ones who think so. The following are excerpts from Robert D. Putman from his book entitled Bowling Alone.
“One of the best (examples) is a widely noted study of Chicago neighborhoods by Robert J. Sampson, Stephen Raudenbush, and Felton Earls. Based on extensive survey and crime data, the study found that two characteristics—mutual trust and altruism among neighbors, and their willingness to intervene when they see children misbehaving—went a long way to explain why some neighborhoods are less crime prone than are others. Indeed, a neighborhood’s “collective efficacy” was a better predictor than was its poverty or residential instability of whether a person is likely to be victimized in the neighborhood.
“An earlier study by Sampson and W. Byron Groves found that organizational participation and social ties did make a difference in reducing crime levels. Their analysis of British crime data found that in areas where people are connected through tight bonds of friendship and looser yet more diverse acquaintanceship ties, and where people are active in local committees and clubs, there are fewer muggings, assaults, burglaries, auto thefts, and so forth. What is most interesting about this research is its finding that traditional neighborhood “risk factors”—such as high poverty and residential mobility—may not be as big a part of the crime problem as most people assume. Sampson and Grove’s analysis suggests that while poorer, less stable areas do have substantially higher rates of street robbery, this is not simply because of poverty and instability per se. Rather, these places have higher crime rates in large part because adults don’t participate in community organizations, don’t supervise teenagers, and aren’t linked through networks of friends. Similarly, a study of a dozen New York neighborhoods found that participation in community organizations helped to lessen the effects of socioeconomic disadvantage on juvenile delinquency. Put another way, young people rob and steal not only because they are poor, but also because adult networks and institutions have broken down.”
-Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone, 2000, p. 313-314
Are you convinced that it’s good to know your neighbors?
Why is it important to organize into an official RNeighbors Neighborhood Association?
Homeowners Associations
Homeowners Associations, unlike Neighborhood Associations are formal legal entities created to maintain common areas and enforce private deed restrictions. Most condominiums, town-home developments and some single-family subdivisions have homeowners associations, which are usually formed when the development is built.
Membership is mandatory for all property owners within the development, and usually fees are mandatory. Homeowners associations have the legal authority to enact and enforce maintenance and design standards in addition to those established by City ordinances. There is usually a governing board with formal by-laws which hires a property management company to handle maintenance and enforce rules.
Crime Watch
Organized by the Police Department, these neighbors volunteer their time to keep an eye on what is happening in their neighborhood. Proven to reduce crime, these groups are vital to a healthy neighborhood but are more successful if coupled with a Neighborhood Association.
“A 1998 Department of Justice survey of twelve cities nationwide found that only 11 percent of all residents have ever attended a neighborhood watch meeting to help protect themselves from crime, as compared with 14 percent who kept a weapon at home, 15 percent who owned a guard dog, and 41 percent who installed extra locks. “Participation in neighborhood watch programs almost always decays after an initial burst of enthusiasm, unless rooted in neighborhood organization of a more comprehensive sort.”
-Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone, 2000, p. 107
So you think that organizing a Neighborhood Association is a good idea; now what?
Various factors help a neighborhood to gain a sense of identity and a reason to band together as a group. A well-balanced Association will arrange social activities, cooperate to combat crime, and work with Olmsted County Commissioners and Rochester City Council members on issues in their neighborhood. Each neighborhood has common threads that make it a unique place to live; it is these attributes that bring neighbors together to accomplish like goals.
Step One: Developing the Core Group
To get started, you will need an organized group of neighbors who are interested in forming an association. Look for people who are committed to the neighborhood and have specific issues about which they care. Talk to leaders in your neighborhood, such as faith or education centers and similar organizations, and ask if they know people who may be interested in assisting to organize neighbors.
Some examples of groups to be represented are:
Tip
An ideal size for your core group is 3-6 neighbors. If the core group gets too large, it could become unmanageable and result in low productivity, more effort, and possible failure of your start-up effort.
Step Two: Set up an Organizational Meeting for Your Core Group
Your core group acts as a temporary steering committee and leadership until you are ready to hold a general membership meeting. Set up a meeting at a comfortable place such as in someone’s home. Keep up the positive momentum. Do this as quickly as possible, before your contacts lose interest.
One good way to start the meeting is to ask the committee members to respond to a few basic questions:
Ground Rules for Effective Meetings
There will be times in your neighborhood that not everyone will agree on topics; it is healthy and okay to disagree. An effective group leader needs to avoid conversations and debates turning into heated arguments that can tear apart a group. Sometimes this is challenging work, but laying out guidelines in the beginning will give you a framework for this.
The following rules should be agreed upon by all core group members at the beginning of organizational meetings. These rules should also be displayed at Neighborhood Association meetings and agreed upon by participants, possibly even displayed at each meeting.
Step Three: Developing a Neighborhood Plan
Each neighborhood would like to be viewed as a permanent home for families and businesses and as a continued valuable investment. The health and vitality of a neighborhood depends on the ability to plan. An Association needs to be proactive, creating a framework for future decision-making with measurable goals.
A plan will not only give your group a roadmap, but it will keep your Association’s membership strong. People are more inclined to join and participate in a group that has a clear mission and is accomplishing important things for your neighborhood.
A neighborhood plan contains broad statements about what the residents would like to have happen (goals) and principals they would like to see followed (policies). It also contains suggestions for strategies on how to reach goals. Keep in mind that the initial plan that is put together is only a start. After the general neighborhood meeting occurs new ideas and projects may be suggested. A strong and effective plan contains input from many stakeholders including neighbors and business representatives, so all feel invested.
Step Four: Establishing Boundaries
An important step at the beginning of a neighborhood plan is to determine its boundaries. Roads, natural features along the border of the neighborhood, existing Crime Block Watch sections may determine typical boundaries. A review of the city map and a tour around the area may suggest logical boundaries for a manageable sized area. A map (current at this printing) of Rochester’s existing neighborhood associations is included in the back of this document. Keep in mind that these boundaries are a general guideline that can fluctuate if neighborhood interest is generated. Current Neighborhood Block Watch locations are available through the Rochester Crime Prevention office.
Tip
Designate your neighborhoods group’s boundaries by using natural and physical boundaries. Don’t try to include too large of an area at the start. It is better to have a solid organizational base that is not spread too thin and expand later.
Step Five: Embrace the Grassroots Process
Although flyers and yard signs are valuable means of communicating neighborhood events, do not discount the importance of seeking people out and conversing with them. The most effective way to build trust and start relationships is through casual one-on-one conversations. An easy way to start up a chat with your neighbor is by finding common ground, even if it means talking about the weather or your pets. Remember, you do have at least one thing in common—your neighborhood.
Here are some helpful questions to get a conversation started.
As your neighborhood organizes, keep in mind that each of your neighbors has unique talents and interests. As a leader, it is your challenge to harness these resources for the betterment of your neighborhood, while at the same time not exhausting any one member to the point of burnout.
Giving people a specific responsibility is the most effective way to get volunteer tasks completed. The following are examples of possible volunteer roles.
Neighborhood Asset Inventory
An inventory is a collection of facts about the area including population, housing, land use, and other elements unique to the neighborhood. This would include any historic information that may be useful in promoting or preserving the uniqueness of the area.
Issues & Concerns
Issues and concerns can be identified through surveys (see attached sample survey) sent to the residents or through a series of neighborhood meetings. The concerns may deal with crime, physical improvements, traffic, preservation of unique features, rezoning, social concerns, or other special interest concerns such as neighborhood renovation.
Meeting Plan
The time, location, and special topics for the upcoming meetings can be delegated to others, freeing you to prepare the agenda or general management meeting.
Social Events
A healthy neighborhood needs a balance of safety, meetings, and fun. Don’t discount the importance of gathering as neighbors to simply be social. Like the old saying goes “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” There are usually members of your Association who are social butterflies and will enjoy this task. Events do not need to be big elaborate affairs. A potluck in a neighbor’s yard takes only a small amount of time to organize, costs relatively nothing, and serves the purpose of joining neighbors in conversation.
Communications
Notifying the membership of meetings, social events, concerns, and work projects are key to your success. Flyers, signs, newsletters, and door-to-door notification are some of the ways this committee can significantly help your organization.
Review Neighborhood Goals
The draft neighborhood plan should be reviewed and changed as you continue to form. It is helpful to have one person who is the watchdog of the plan so it does not get written, then forgotten.
Review and Evaluation
Progress of the plan must be monitored and evaluated on a regular basis to ensure its success. Periodic evaluations should be done to recognize successes, detect problems, and suggest improvements in the program.
The first general meeting is an opportunity to announce the formation of your Association, solicit members, and discuss specific issues on which the group would like to focus.
Tip
Don’t feel overwhelmed when thinking of the first meeting. This is just an initial step in raising awareness and organizing your neighborhood. RNeighbors staff and Board members will facilitate the first two or three meetings, guiding the group in getting up and running.
Steps Toward a Successful First Meeting
First Meeting Format
a. What do you like most about your neighborhood?
b. What would you like to see changed/improved?
c. What changes could you make by yourself?
d. What changes would be easier made as a group?
Meeting Purpose
What is the purpose of each Association meeting? What are you trying to accomplish during that time? Meetings are usually about information exchange. People who come to the meeting attend to learn something or to educate others about something.
Tip
Neighborhood Associations in Rochester often have a variety of subjects and speakers present at their meetings. Use your imagination and take ideas from your neighbors.
A few speaker ideas include:
- Crime Prevention Unit highlighting seasonal safety tips at • 328-6890
- Public Library outlining services they offer • 328-2300
- City Traffic Engineer speaking on neighborhood traffic concerns • 281-6194
- Principal from a neighborhood school talking about what students are accomplishing
- Police officer speaking about convicted offenders living in or moving to your neighborhood • 328-7240
- City Forester focusing on proper tree planting and care • 287-7191
- Ambulance service on CPR and other life saving tips • 255-2808
Attendance
How will you get people to attend? Generally an email, letter, or flyer by itself does not ensure people will put aside the demands of work and family life to get to the meeting. A personal follow-up call often is what inspires people to come to a meeting. You can divide this task between your core group.
Materials and “Props”
Consider also, what information people need ahead of time or at the meeting. If the meeting is to present complicated material, preparing handouts ahead of time will be useful. It will prevent people from showing up at the meeting, realizing that they can’t possibly react to the information until they have taken time to digest it, and then leaving feeling as if they wasted their time. Having something as simple as a map or photographs can avoid circular discussions about where a lot is located, or the condition it is in.
Agenda
Thinking ahead about the meeting agenda is critical. What topics should be covered during the hour people are together? How much time should be allotted to each item? Who should cover the item?
A word of caution: Do not try to cover more items than realistically possible. Nothing is worse than people leaving (or feeling impatient) toward the end of the meeting because it is running over time.
When planning the agenda, think of an inviting way to open the meeting – have people introduce themselves; and go over a recap from the last meeting. Also, be sure to state at the beginning the purpose of that particular meeting.
End the meeting with a brief summary of any important decisions or items and any assignments. Make sure people leave knowing what will happen next.
Meeting Leadership
If there are ongoing meetings, generally the group selects a president or chairperson and that person is responsible for conducting the meeting. If the president wants to participate in discussions, however, someone else can be asked to facilitate the meeting - either a group member who does not have a strong opinion about the topic, or someone from outside the group who works with the group and knows the group’s culture and dynamics.
Notes
Minutes are the traditional way to keep track of the group’s decisions and progress, they are crucial. Notes are most useful if they are sent out soon after the meeting, especially if there are assignments or follow-up items. This also allows members who may miss a meeting keep current and feel involved.
Organization Name
As a group, agree on a name for your neighborhood association. Names usually come from the subdivision name or a local park.
Leadership Team
Ask the general members to approve the current core group as the steering committee or to choose new leaders.
Roles usually include a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Define each role and document this. Select several from this group to be the point people and have all neighbors send information to them so they can keep communications flowing. As the Association evolves and grows, the structure may be changed to better suit the growing needs and abilities of its members.
Leaders can become burned out. Nurture new leaders, so they are able to step in when necessary.
Identify people who have the time to devote to the work of the neighborhood association.
Bylaws and Elections
The structure should be kept simple at the beginning. Specific rules for operation and elections can be held when the organization has more experience and members know one another. The following chapter goes into how to develop your bylaws.
Meeting Frequency, Time, and Date
Agree on these before adjourning. Once a regular meeting day and time is decided on RNeighbors can provide yard signs that can aid in getting the word out about your Association’s meetings.
Register your Neighborhood Association with RNeighbors, Rochester’s Neighborhood Resource Center, by visiting our office and obtaining the Neighborhood Association Registration Form.
Secrets to Forming Successful Committees
In addition to the core officers, the formation of committees is a useful way to share the workload with the general membership. Committees can be formed around core issues such as membership, social event coordination, or neighborhood improvements.
Developing bylaws is an important part of the organizational structure of a Neighborhood Association and gives a road map on how to govern the group. Bylaws may act as a “manual” for your Association including general information such as membership information, terms of offices, voting procedures, purpose, mission, structure, etc. Consider using this general outline during development.
Article 1 – Name of organization
Article 2 – Purpose of the organization
Tip
Don’t restrict Bylaws by becoming too detailed. Remember, Bylaws won’t cover everything that may come up.
The importance of qualified leadership is often overlooked as a Neighborhood Association develops. Strong leadership gives an organization:
Recruit people to events and activities – not business meetings. Give new members a chance to participate through activities such as passing out information at meetings, working on a neighborhood project, delivering the newsletter, stuffing envelopes, or contacting their friends to come to the next event. These activities serve to make volunteers feel useful and productive. When recruiting to an activity, try to consider the volunteer’s needs. Try to provide childcare, transportation, or a mentor if the volunteer needs it. Enthusiasm is important. Here are six steps to successful recruitment.
1. Be Prepared
Have in mind a mini strategy consisting of how you will explain your goal and what you want the person to do. Review what you know about the person, such as interests, experience, and family. Look and listen as to what interests the person.
2. Legitimize Yourself
You need to gain quick credibility. Find a common background or mutual friend. Explain that you have the same problem that they do. Mention people that they might know. Explain why the person’s participation will make a difference.
3. Listen, Listen, Listen
Draw people out. Ask good questions, provide encouraging remarks, and use body language that says you are interested. Be sure to listen for special skills, useful contacts, and organizational networks that can be useful to your organization.
4. Challenge
Encourage people to produce change. Challenge people to care about neighborhood goals and improvement.
5. Get a Commitment
Never leave a conversation open-ended. Get a commitment with a firm deadline. Write it down, make a note for follow up and clarify exactly what should happen next.
6. Follow-up
There is nothing worse then making a big fuss over people while recruiting them, and then ignoring them once they show up. Have greeters or a welcoming committee at meetings, introduce new people to experienced volunteers, and keep the line of communication between you and your volunteers open at all times.
You’ll be planning a lot of great programs in your neighborhood – don’t keep them a secret. Spread the word! This will help others in the neighborhood join the efforts and take part in making the difference. You can’t do it all by yourself no matter how good you are! Here are a few ideas:
- Laundromats
- Libraries
- Supermarkets
- Local Restaurants
- Stores
- Waiting rooms in dentist/doctor’s offices
- Other area businesses
- Business groups
- Service clubs
- Youth groups
- Schools
- Churches
Tip
Spread with word about all the good things your group is doing. Toot your horn! Tell the media, elected officials, and anyone else who will listen.
Organizing neighborhood projects and activities is a great way to promote your neighborhood association to the community. Most importantly, neighborhood projects give Associations an opportunity to build relationships and unity. People do not join Neighborhood Associations to attend meetings, they join to either accomplish a goal or to build a stronger connection to the neighborhood they live in. In a diverse city, such as Rochester, it is essential that neighbors can unite to discover what they have in common. Capitalize on this common ground to initiate activities that showcase the community.
In choosing a neighborhood project, focus on a specific issue that will demonstrate action and results. Get the whole community behind the project by promoting the event as much as possible. This will provide lots of participation for you to establish a large membership base. If you are successful in achieving your goals or effecting change on a single issue, it demonstrates that your Association is an effective group. This establishes credibility for the organization, which is crucial for sustainability. Small projects build confidence and power to tackle more complicated issues facing your neighborhood.
Consider one of the following projects to bring your neighbors together:
Steps to Open an Association Bank Account
Over the course of time, every neighborhood association accumulates money. The association needs a system in place for dealing with these funds. What kind of bank account should be opened and how should you go about opening an account for an organization?
Step One: Obtain a Tax Identification Number
A tax identification number is a federal tax number that is filed with the Internal Revenue Service. The number enables the bank to report the earnings of the association’s account to the IRS for tax filing purposes. You can get an ID number from the IRS.
If you don’t have a tax ID number, or feel that it is not necessary, you can open an account with a member’s personal Social Security number. Often the Neighborhood Association Secretary will use his/her number. The person whose number is being used is liable for paying taxes in the interest income reported by the bank to the IRS. This means that the money in the account is considered the personal money of the ID holder and taxes must be paid as if it is additional income. Also, if there is ever a lien against the person’s assets, those monies are considered personal property and can be assessed. We recommend you do not take this course of action, and obtain a tax identification number.
Step Two: Obtain Information on Fees and Charges
Research the fees and charges assessed at different banks and credit unions. Some have better programs then others. Banks may waive service charges to organizations that provide public service. Others waive service charges for clubs and group organizations. It is a simple matter to call and ask before you open an account.
Step Three: Obtain Important Documentation
If you are a nonprofit corporation, you must bring a copy of the Articles of Incorporation stamped “Filed” by your state’s Corporation Commission. For Minnesota, this is the Secretary of State. If you are not a corporation, some banks may require a copy of your bylaws or minutes of your first meeting. You must also state the names and titles of people who are authorized to conduct business for the organizations (write checks).
Step Four: Obtain Signature Cards
The secretary of your Neighborhood Association along with anyone else who will be signing on the account must sign signature authorization cards. You will also need a Director’s signature in many cases (an officer of the corporation or a designated Director).
Tip
Run your Neighborhoods Association like a business. Open a bank account.
Types of Accounts
To raise funds for your Association’s projects and gatherings, use your creativity, think about the assets and resources available in your neighborhood. Pick a fundraiser that fits the resources you have available and allows you to keep the costs low.
Here are just a few ideas to get your group thinking about the options available.
Fundraising Planning
You’ve picked the perfect fundraising project. The next step is to think A-B-C-D-E!
Assemble your team. Think about the jobs that will need to be done and recruit folks that have the skills and enthusiasm to be successful. Give everyone a task or role.
Begin with a plan. Think about how much money you need to raise and what kinds of expenses will need to be incurred. How many people will need to participate and at what level to meet your goal?
Create a timeline. Start with the date of your event or end of your project in mind and work backwards. Come up with clear deadlines of when things will need to get done to stay on track.
Don’t forget the mission. Stay focused on why you are raising funds in the first place! Start every meeting or conversation with WHY you are raising this money and what will be accomplished with your successes. It’s NOT about the spaghetti dinner – it is about making your neighborhood a safer more enjoyable place to live!
Everyone have fun. CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESSES! Set measurable goals along the way and pat yourselves on the back when the goals are met.
Tip
Remember to send thank you notes to people and businesses that support you in your fundraising endeavors. Include how much money you raised overall and what the money was used for. This reiterates your appreciation and improves the chances they will donate in the future.
One of the first examples of community mapping was done in the 1890’s by settlement house pioneers, such as Jane Addams at Hull House in Chicago, who did a sociological survey of the neighborhood and published Hull House Maps and Papers. More recently, John McKnight and John Kretzmann of the Asset Based Community Development Institute at Northwestern University have developed a process of using “asset mapping.”
McKnight and Kretzmann have attempted to change the way professionals look at communities. Instead of seeing communities as a glass that is half empty- i.e. looking at all the problems in a community (drugs, crime, abandoned housing), they argue that professionals should look at the glass as half full and map the assets in a community (schools, community centers, green space, etc.).
On the practical level, asset mapping is the task of identifying the resources available to a given community. There are a variety of benefits to mapping assets or cataloging resources; and there are a variety of ways to go about it. What you want to achieve by mapping a community’s assets should guide how you collect the information.
Reasons to Conduct Asset Mapping
Ways to Conduct Asset Mapping
RNeighbors, is a resource helping Rochester’s neighbors to build community and strengthen neighborhoods. Currently there are 27 registered Neighborhood Associations in Rochester, Minnesota.
RNeighbors assists neighborhoods with answers & resources. Benefits for neighborhood organizations include bulk-mail permits, liability insurance for Neighborhood Association meetings and events, reduced printing and supply costs, RNeighborSigns to advertise upcoming Association meetings, crime watch resources and opportunities for increased visibility such as participation in the Rochesterfest Parade and National Night Out.
Each of the programs and projects below support Neighborhood Associations. Through these collaborative efforts, RNeighbors works to bring additional tools, resources, and community building events to neighborhoods.
RNeighbors Programs
RNeighbors Projects
Other Community Projects
Invitation to First Neighborhood Organizing Meeting
Sign-In Sheet for Neighborhood Meetings
Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer’s Report: Anytown Neighborhood Association
Date: January 31, 2006
Beginning Balance: $543.89
Income
Sponsorship Dues (4 @ $25) $100.00
Donation $10.00
Total Income $110.00
Expenses:
Pizza Hut (December Meeting) 89.88
Total Expenses 89.88
Ending Balance January 13, 2006: $564.01
Respectfully Submitted,
Sally Joe-Anytown Neighborhood Association Treasurer
Meeting Minutes
ANYTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING JUNE 3, 2025
SECRETARY: Minutes accepted as distributed
TREASURER: We added $35 bringing out total to $456.38. No expenses were reported.
MEMBERSHIP: Tom Lewis reported that 6 welcome packets were delivered list month to new residents.
SOCIAL ACTIVITES: On May 22, children and adults attended pizza party held at the One Room Schoolhouse.
BUSINESS: A major grocery store chain will be locating in the Milltown Mall and the new management is willing to assist our association with provision for our July 4th picnic.
PARK CLEAN UP: Lisa reported that over 75 children and 32 adults helped in our annual park cleanup on April 24th. Park and Rec hauled two dumpsters full of trash and dead brush.
BLOCK WATCH: Mike said that all has been quiet so far this spring.
GUESTS: Tony Speedbump reported that the city engineers changed the timing on the Broadway and 13th crosswalk to add 30 more seconds in the crossing time as a result of complaints by the elderly residents of Safe Home Manor. Tony also gave an overview of the process to get historic streetlight. At this time, it was voted to table the issue until more information about the costs of the lights and funding could be acquired.
COPPS officers, Jane Law and John Badge reported with their recommendations on the placement of the Safe Zone signs around the park, two schools, and three parochial schoolyards. 22 signs will be requested from the city. They also reported on several reported graffiti incidents and the steps they are taking to apprehend the vandals.
NEW BUSINESS: National Night Out is on August 3rd. Everyone is invited to come to the park at 6:30 p.m. for free hot dogs and soda and meet your neighbors. Rochester Forestry has provided us with 50 trees and a plating weekend has been planned for the weekend of 19th. Please volunteer to help plant these beautiful trees. Nominations for officers were as follows: President-Ren Fitzer and Betty White, Vice-President- Zach Abraham, Lyle Munson, and Samantha Adams, Treasurer – Ima Tightwad, and Secretary – Terry Ruggles, Kevin Bacon and George Bush. Elections will be held at the August meeting.
The next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. August 5th
Respectfully Submitted,
Tom Jones – Anytown Neighborhood Association Secretary
Meeting Agenda
ANYTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
General Meeting Agenda
June 3rd, 2006
7-8 p.m.
Next meeting is at 7 p.m. on August 5, 2020
Neighborhood Survey
Anytown Neighborhood Association is conducting a survey to more fully understand the needs and interests of our neighborhood. We would like your input and ideas. Please take a few minutes to complete this questionnaire.
1. What are the three things you like best about living in Anytown?
2. What are your favorite ways to spend time when you are not involved in work or household chores?
3. What do you know how to do well enough to share with or teach to someone else?
4. Do you have children? Yes____ No____. If so, please list their ages.
5. Would your children be interested in participating in community-sponsored activities? Yes___ No____. If so, what kinds of activities would you like to see offered?
6. Do you have any serious concerns about the community? Yes___ No___. If so, please tell us what they are.
7. Do you have any suggestions about how to address these concerns?
8. My age is (please circle ago range): under 19 years / 20-35 years / 36-55 years / 55-70 years / 70+years
9. I have lived in Anytown for: under 10 years / 10-25 years / 25+ years
10. I own my home_______ (or) I rent my home______(please check one that applies).
11. Please return your questionnaire to _________________by ______________. Thank you very much for taking the time to help us make good things happen in Anytown!
The RNeighborhood Association Toolkit was assembled by the board and staff of RNeighbors with the help of RTeam, a group of Augsburg College students. This document is meant to be a constantly evolving work, new information will added to the online version of the Toolkit.
Many excellent documents were used in putting this collection together including examples of neighborhood information from other cities, sample documents from Rochester Neighborhood Associations, and other periodic information.