Involving Citizens in Community Improvement
Much of the focus of local government communications programs is appropriately be on keeping citizens informed, consulting with citizens about important issues and needs, and involving them in making community decisions. Local governments that encourage citizens to become directly involved in community improvements may reap further rewards. Some jurisdictions are creating programs that encourage shared responsibility for community problem solving and improvement. In addition to harnessing the energy and ideas of citizen groups toward addressing community needs, such programs ideally provide citizens with a sense of ownership in the community. Neighborhood programs and volunteer opportunities are examples of programs that directly involve citizens in community improvement.
Neighborhood Improvement Programs
- Models of Neighborhood Participation in Local Government
- Vancouver, B.C. Citizen's Handbook: A Guide to Building Community - Comprehensive guide to community organizing with links to useful tools, articles and resources.
- Seattle, WA Neighborhood Empowerment (Matching) Fund - Seattle Department of Neighborhood's cash fund which supports neighborhood self help projects.
- Tacoma CARES "Contract Neighborhoods" - Contract neighborhood is targeted with enhanced levels of services to turn the neighborhood around.
- Bellevue, WA Neighborhood Outreach – Neighborhood enhancement & investment, match grant program, livability action agenda, neighborhood identity project, liaison program , mini city halls.
- Neighborhood Services, Kirkland, WA - Neighborhood services team responds to neighborhood issues. Also neighborhood connection and grants program to meet with neighborhoods about needs and to fund capital improvements.
- Knoxville, TN Transforming Neighborhoods Together – A neighborhood empowerment program featured among UNESCO best practices.
- Loudon County, VA, Community Connections – neighborhood gatherings with themes of community improvement (random acts of caring)
- Portland, OR District Liaison Program - Planner assigned to districts as liaison to work with residents in developing and implementing neighborhood plans.
Recommended Articles
- "Serving Customers or Engaging Citizens?" by Frank Benest excerpted from “The Citizen’s Handbook,” Vancouver (B.C.) Citizen’s Committee.
- "True citizen is more than a mere taxpaper," Anthony B. Robinson, Seattle P-I, January 20, 2000.