Excellent article. There are over 90 neighborhood associations in Portland, Oregon. I bring this up because I spent over ten years looking at how they worked (or don't) in Portland, a city not too much unlike SF in population. There are two kinds of associations - small business, retail oriented ones and neighborhood ones. What I learned was that in highly commercialized, central city neighborhoods (banks, big companies, large retailers, etc.) the residents have little power or even involvement in the affairs of the neighborhood. It does not help that in these same neighborhoods there is a concentration of affordable housing, supportive/transitional housing, and shelters along with non-profit, charitable organizations who have been providing food and shelter for years - some faith based, some providing services on behalf of the City and County, others organized to address specific problems that no one else cares to solve. So, as you point out, getting to know your neighbors is very important especially in our core city neighborhoods. In the process residents (neighbors) will also get to know the workers at the many governmental and non-governmental organizations who represent a wide range of constituents and clients who sometimes overlook the needs of residents with legitimate safety and health-related issues. This has resulted in "we-them" relationships that are toxic and highly politicized. I have noticed that this reinforces negative feelings, misunderstandings, and stereotypes. Yet another reason to become involved as residents is so that neighbors can minimize this toxicity to bring safety and kindness to the multi-family unit, dense built environment in which many of our citizens now live.
My intention is to help The Civilization Lab continue focusing intelligence, hard work, and enthusiasm to educating and engaging San Franciscans in benefitting from an engaged civic life - both old and new timers.
P.S. So glad you brought Bowling Alone's Robert Putnam to the table as Vivek Murthy in a Surgeon General Advisory calls attention to the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection in our country and we read of "Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation."
Very interesting to hear your perspective as someone who's been on the ground doing neighborhood-level work! Thanks for sharing it and thanks for supporting the Civ Lab!
Excellent article. There are over 90 neighborhood associations in Portland, Oregon. I bring this up because I spent over ten years looking at how they worked (or don't) in Portland, a city not too much unlike SF in population. There are two kinds of associations - small business, retail oriented ones and neighborhood ones. What I learned was that in highly commercialized, central city neighborhoods (banks, big companies, large retailers, etc.) the residents have little power or even involvement in the affairs of the neighborhood. It does not help that in these same neighborhoods there is a concentration of affordable housing, supportive/transitional housing, and shelters along with non-profit, charitable organizations who have been providing food and shelter for years - some faith based, some providing services on behalf of the City and County, others organized to address specific problems that no one else cares to solve. So, as you point out, getting to know your neighbors is very important especially in our core city neighborhoods. In the process residents (neighbors) will also get to know the workers at the many governmental and non-governmental organizations who represent a wide range of constituents and clients who sometimes overlook the needs of residents with legitimate safety and health-related issues. This has resulted in "we-them" relationships that are toxic and highly politicized. I have noticed that this reinforces negative feelings, misunderstandings, and stereotypes. Yet another reason to become involved as residents is so that neighbors can minimize this toxicity to bring safety and kindness to the multi-family unit, dense built environment in which many of our citizens now live.
My intention is to help The Civilization Lab continue focusing intelligence, hard work, and enthusiasm to educating and engaging San Franciscans in benefitting from an engaged civic life - both old and new timers.
P.S. So glad you brought Bowling Alone's Robert Putnam to the table as Vivek Murthy in a Surgeon General Advisory calls attention to the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection in our country and we read of "Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation."
Very interesting to hear your perspective as someone who's been on the ground doing neighborhood-level work! Thanks for sharing it and thanks for supporting the Civ Lab!