Start a neighborhood association
The first steps, the first meetings, and how to set one up so it lasts.
Before you rely on thisThese are older articles and answers, and laws and programs change and vary by place. For current rules, check with your city's neighborhood services office, if it has one.
Start with these
Guide
How to Start a Neighborhood Association: First Steps
When you decide to start a neighborhood association, give the community a picture of what the membership of such a group might accomplish.Guide
Plan the First Meetings of a Neighborhood Association
When you start to plan the first meetings of a neighborhood association, you might be baffled. Here are some ideas on the initial, second, and third meetings.Guide
How to Organize Your Neighborhood Association Structure
Figuring out how to organize your neighborhood association may take several meetings. This discussion will flow naturally into your legal structure and bylaws.Guide
Block Units Help Build Community or Solve Problems in the Neighborhood
Block units organize residents of a very small area into a simple structure to address problems or head them off. We tell you how.Guide
Helping Neighborhood Associations Thrive
Neighborhood associations solve problems while building a sense of community. Plus they are just plain fun if leaders provide a hospitable space. Learn how.Guide
A Rural Neighborhood Should Involve Everyone
Learn how a rural neighborhood can achieve important results through organizing, mobilizing, and resolving conflicts.
Ready to do something about it?
Turn this into a clear plan.
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Original guidance from A Good Community: How to Make and Keep It, owned and edited by Nancy Thompson (formerly Useful Community Development), shared with permission. Community Compass notes and updates are our own and have not been reviewed by Nancy Thompson.