Neighborhood Activities

How Tempe associations can stay active even if there is no crisis:

Getting Together

Neighborhood Meetings - Hold general meetings periodically to give all residents an opportunity to find out what's going on in the neighborhood and to elect neighborhood representatives. Many associations hold one or two general meetings per year. Neighborhood business meetings can be combined with social events.
Action Committees - Form committees to tackle a variety of specific neighborhood functions from tackling property maintenance and traffic problems to organizing social gatherings. Opinion surveys can help identify the neighborhood concerns that need to be addressed. City staff and other speakers from the community are available to work in cooperation with neighborhood committees. Committee meetings are smaller and more frequent than general neighborhood meetings, often convening at individuals' homes.
Social Events - Organize neighborhood social gatherings that give neighbors a chance to get to know one another. Social events can be neighborhood wide or "block parties," and often have a seasonal theme such as 4th of July parades, Halloween parties, and holiday luminaria events. Many associations participate in the Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhoods (GAIN) program, which brings neighbors together once a year to demonstrate solidarity against crime. Some associations solicit nearby businesses for contributions of food and prizes.
Newsletters - Write a neighborhood newsletter to keep residents informed of neighborhood events and issues. Newsletters are mailed to all neighborhood households by the City Neighborhood Program and contain no advertisements, either commercial or political. Many associations publish newsletters quarterly or semi-annually.

Making Improvements

Neighborhood Watch - Work in partnership with the Tempe Police Department as Neighborhood Watch groups. Watch areas are small portions of a neighborhood (usually a single block and fewer than 25 households) where residents keep an eye out for their neighbors and maintain effective communications links with each other and the Police. Neighborhood associations can have several Neighborhood Watch areas within their boundaries.
Neighborhood Planning - Hold a neighborhood meeting where residents establish their vision of what the neighborhood should look like in the future, and list what they like and don't like about the neighborhood today. City staff is available to facilitate planning sessions that help neighborhoods define their goals and priorities.
Planning Follow-up/Problem Solving - Designate individuals or committees to work in cooperation with the City to implement the neighborhood's vision, preserve the positive elements of the neighborhood, and solve specific neighborhood problems. Staff can help organize a neighborhood tour for City officials, providing a first-hand look at the strengths and needs of the neighborhood.
Civic Participation - Meetings with City staff, citizen boards, and the Council to make your association part of the decision making process on issues that affect your neighborhood. Zoning agendas (Board of Adjustment, Planning and Zoning Commission, Design Review Board) are sent to all association chairs.
Cleanup Days - Organize a weekend neighborhood cleanup where neighbors pool their time and tools to remove accumulated debris from alleys and yards. Neighborhood Associations can coordinate with the City to collect and dispose of the debris.
Tool Library - Establish a lending library of tools to be made available to neighbors for home improvement projects.
Adopt-a-House - Offer maintenance assistance to a neighborhood resident who is unable to keep up with property maintenance chores. Associations can also adopt public spaces such as parks and major streets to control litter and improve the visual quality of the neighborhood.
Beautification Recognition - Acknowledge and congratulate residents whose houses and yards set a positive example for the neighborhood. Properties that have long been the pride of the neighborhood - or have recently undergone a dramatic improvement - can be mentioned in neighborhood newsletters or nominated for a Beautification Award.
Neighborhood Grants - Apply for funding through the City's Neighborhood Grant Program to pay for improvement projects in public spaces. Examples of neighborhood grant projects include neighborhood identification signs, playground equipment in parks, and alley address plaques (which aid Police response).
Infrastructure Improvements - Notify the City of serious deficiencies in standard City improvements such as sidewalks and street lights. Neighborhood Grant funds are not available for these items, but associations can request that infrastructure improvements in their neighborhoods be placed on the City's regular maintenance schedule or funding priority list.
Private Improvements - Reduce the cost of private property improvements (walls, landscaping, etc.) by having several neighbors join forces and request contractors to submit a bid for one large project rather than several small ones. The increased volume of the project could mean substantial savings to be split among several property owners.

Promoting the Neighborhood

Home Sale Network - Keep a list of neighbors' family and friends who would be interested in moving to the neighborhood, and notify them when a house is put up for sale.
Inform Real Estate Agents - Meet with real estate professionals (especially the ones who frequently offer houses for sale in the neighborhood) and make them aware of the association's activities and goals.
Display Homes - Organize open houses or home tours to showcase attractive homes in the neighborhood and invite public officials, real estate agents, and the general public.
Slide Show - Create a slide presentation highlighting attributes of the neighborhood and show it to civic groups, real estate agents, and public officials.
Internet - Develop a neighborhood association web page for the internet, including newsletters, photos, and general information. The web page can be linked to the City's neighborhood site.

Strengthening the Sense of Community

Welcome New Neighbors - Have neighborhood volunteers greet new residents with gifts and information about the neighborhood.
Babysitting Pools - Establish a list of neighbors who are available for babysitting and make the list available to neighbors with children.
Youth Association - Develop neighborhood activities geared towards young people or help organize a children's neighborhood association.
Neighborhood Garage Sale - Coordinate a neighborhood-wide garage sale and have participants contribute towards a large newspaper advertisement.
Hobby Exchange - Organize hobby clubs for neighbors with similar interests. Hold meetings where knowledgeable neighbors can hold how-to workshops on various topics such as gardening and woodworking.
Historical Perspective - Research the history of the neighborhood and keep records of recent events.
Neighborhood Directory - Assemble a directory of neighbors' names, addresses, and telephone numbers for easy reference.
Logo - Organize a neighborhood logo design contest. The logo can be used for neighborhood letterhead, key chains, T-shirts, or bumper stickers.