Celebrate Your Neighborhood

Meet Your Neighbors

Whether you have lived in your neighborhood for a long time or are new to the area, take the time to introduce yourself to your neighbors.

Meet the children who live in your neighborhood, as well. They will feel more secure, and talking with them will help create a warm, community feeling.

Elderly neighbors, especially those who may not be able to leave home frequently, often enjoy the comfort and security of knowing their neighbors. Introduce yourself, and pay a visit from time to time just to say hello. They will appreciate the effort.

A good neighbor can be a good friend. You can help each other, share concerns, and take pride in your neighborhood. If you are going away for the weekend, a neighbor can collect your newspaper, water your plants, take care of pets or just keep an eye on the house.

In addition, you can help each other by creating a Neighborhood Watch Team. For more information on this valuable program, contact the Neighborhood Services Manager at 805.781.7186.

Once you have met your neighbors, consider making a house map of the neighborhood, including names and addresses. You will be able to contact people easily, and the street will become friendlier and safer.

Communicate

Good communication can make a positive difference in how you perceive your neighbors—and how they perceive you. Open communication leads to a better understanding of others and makes it easier to discuss—and solve—problems.

Meet your neighbors and let them know how you feel about late night parties, music being played in the back yard, trash cans left out on the curb or other things you find disturbing. Chances are they will understand your concerns, appreciate your honesty and accommodate you when they can.

Talking about problems is better than jumping to conclusions and calling for outside help. For example, Sharon, Linda and Margaret—three college students—live in a nice house in a residential neighborhood. They are all good students and maintain the house nicely. They also like to enjoy their weekends and free time. On Saturday afternoon, Linda and Sharon decided to sunbathe in their back yard while listening to the stereo.

After half an hour, the doorbell rings. A police officer explains that there was a noise complaint from a neighbor and they need to turn down the music. He informs them that this is just a warning. If the police are called back, however, Sharon and Linda will receive a citation.

At this point, Linda and Sharon feel frustrated and embarrassed. Why couldn’t their neighbor just come over and talk to them? They would have turned down their music. Instead, they feel that their neighbor does not respect them.

If the neighbor had taken a moment to call or go over and talk with Sharon and Linda, they would have established a good communication base, which would have helped alleviate future conflicts and ease tensions.

The neighbor could have given the students the Checklist for Good Neighbors brochure, which outlines basic elements of the City’s Neighborhood Enhancement Ordinance. The brochure is available free by calling the Office of Neighborhood Services at 805.781.7186. Your neighbors will appreciate the fair chance.

Communication leads to a better relationship, and to friendships that can last.

Considerations for a Neighborhood Event

To improve attendance, let your neighbors know the date and time of the get together well in advance.

Here in San Luis Obispo, the last week in October is “Neighborhood Cooperation Week.” The City officially declares this week as a time to show an understanding of the importance of neighbors. The Student Community Liaison Committee, comprised of City and student representatives, sponsors such events as a blood drive at Cuesta College and a booth at Farmers Market, where people discuss noise, parking and neighborhood organization.

In addition, Neighborhood Cooperation Week is considered “Blue Ribbon” week. Police officers and student leaders wear blue ribbons that read, “Do yourself a favor and be a good neighbor.”

This week might be a good time to hold your neighborhood get together. But any time is a good time to develop relationships with your neighbors.

Let’s Have a Neighborhood Event!

Everybody likes to have a good time. And everyone likes friendly neighbors. What better way to have fun—and develop a better relationship—than to have a neighborhood get together?

Get help from your spouse, kids or a neighbor to make the planning easier and more enjoyable. Don’t worry: people will join in. Someone just needs to get the ball rolling.

Start by choosing a date, time, theme and place—well in advance. The City of San Luis Obispo recommends holding the event at someone’s residence, perhaps in the front or back yard.

After you’ve made the arrangements, talk to your neighbors and send out a notice with the information (who, what, when, where) and a deadline response date. After you receive responses, you’ll have an idea of how many people are coming and who is willing to help out. It’s a good idea to send out a reminder notice with assignments.

At the event, encourage neighbors to meet one another. Offer some opening remarks to let people know how and why the event came about. Ask people to wear name tags, too. The purpose of the event is to get to know your neighbors so it is easier to talk with them. Increasing communication and understanding goes a long way toward solving problems.

And please, don’t leave anyone out, even if you have had disagreements in the past. Use this opportunity to reconcile and move forward. Consider inviting absentee landlords who could benefit from participating in a positive exchange.

Problem Solving Strategies

If a problems arises, visit and speak with your neighbor in person. Express your concerns. Address—calmly—how you both believe the problem can best be solved.

Some problems may require you to take further action. One option is to form a Neighborhood Action Team, comprised of people living in a specific area who share similar concerns, A Neighborhood Action Team works toward preserving the neighborhood and maintaining its overall condition.

If there is a pressing problem, gather your friends and neighbors living in the area and explore different problem-solving strategies. City staff are happy to speak at neighborhood meetings and will address concerns, facilitate discussion, and offer information on how to make your neighborhood a better place to live. If you would like a City employee to speak at your neighborhood meeting, please call the Office of Neighborhood Services at 805.781.7186.

If your neighborhood group would like to share concerns with City officials, consider the Council’s “Walk & Talk” Program. On a quarterly basis, two council members—along with appropriate City department heads—meet with neighborhood representatives. The purpose of the "walk” is to personally view the neighborhood and discuss the group’s concerns. Department heads from Police, Fire, Utilities, Public Works, Parks, Community Development, and Administration answer your questions on a rotating or as-needed basis. To schedule a “Walk & Talk,” call the Neighborhood Services Manager at 805.781.7186.

Maintaining your Neighborhood’s Image

You can maintain your neighborhood’s image in several ways, many of which are relatively simple. For example, remove any trash or debris immediately. After garbage is taken away, return the trash cans to their proper place.

Sofas and chairs should be kept inside, not in the front yard or on the porch. Outdoor furniture and barbecues should be kept in the back yard or, if used in the front yard, on a porch or inside a walled patio.

Park vehicles in the garage, driveway, or other proper parking spaces, not on the lawn. Inoperative cars should be stored or towed away.

Maintaining your yard adds to the value of your home—and adds to the value of your neighbors’ homes, too. There are many inexpensive ways to maintain or upgrade your yard. Consider installing drought-resistant plants, which offer a low-maintenance option to more expensive, high-maintenance landscaping.

Volunteering to help others improve and maintain their yards is another great way to enhance the neighborhood and get to know your neighbors.

Turnover of Rental Tenants

If your neighborhood has a high turnover rate in rental tenants, introduce yourself to new residents and give them a warm welcome. Simply saying hello will make new people feel part of the community, and in turn, they will take pride in maintaining the neighborhood. And you may make a new friend or two!

If, however, the high turnover rate is causing problems that you have not been able to solve by talking to the tenants, consider contacting the property owners. If you don’t know their names, visit the Community Development Department on the lower level of City Hall, 990 Palm Street in San Luis Obispo. City staff can help you find the information you need.

When you have major concerns, contact the property owner, who will then take appropriate action with disruptive tenants.

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