What do we mean by a neighborhood beautification program?
__ Neighborhood beautification means making a neighborhood look and feel better.
__ A neighborhood beautification program is a strategy to maintain, enhance, and/or change the character of your neighborhood over the long term.
__ Neighborhood beautification can lead to more interaction among neighbors from diverse backgrounds, more neighborhood life, and a neighborhood that supports both economic development and a sense of community.
Why establish a neighborhood beautification program?
__ A neighborhood beautification program can build neighborhood pride and ownership.
__ It can improve the quality of life in the neighborhood.
__ It can help to attract new residents.
__ It can help to attract new business.
__ It can attract entertainment and culture.
__ It can serve as the base for neighborhood revitalization.
__ It can improve neighborhood and community health.
__ It’s a way to involve youth and other people who are often left out.
__ It can build stronger neighborhood relationships.
__ It can send a message to the rest of the community about the unity and values of your neighborhood.
When should you consider a neighborhood beautification program?
__ When a neighborhood group acts as a spearhead.
__ When the neighborhood has gone, or is in danger of going, downhill.
__ When there’s a specific problem that needs to be tackled.
__ When funding or other support is available.
__ In conjunction with a brownfields cleanup or similar effort.
__ In conjunction with other types of neighborhood improvement efforts.
Who should be involved in neighborhood beautification programs?
__ Homeowners.
__ Renters.
__ Landlords and other property owners.
__ Business owners and managers.
__ Local officials. These would include neighborhood City Council representatives, state legislators that represent the neighborhood, Board of Health members, etc.
__ Youth.
__ Specific populations defined by race, ethnicity, or other common elements.
__ Neighborhood organizations. Some possibilities would include neighborhood associations or councils, a neighborhood watch, block associations, and neighborhood youth groups.
__ Organizations and agencies that serve the neighborhood – a local hospital, the public library, health and human service organizations, cultural institutions.
__ Community services (planning, police and fire, garbage pickup, recycling, etc.)
__ Neighborhood faith communities.
__ Service clubs (Lions, Rotary, etc.)
__ Schools and other educational institutions.
How do you establish a neighborhood beautification program?
Phase One: Recruiting neighborhood residents as leaders and participants
__ Recruit people to take the lead.
__ Conduct outreach to neighborhood residents to inform them about and involve them in the effort.
Phase Two: Developing a plan for neighborhood beautification
__ Assemble a participatory planning group.
__ Conduct a neighborhood assessment.
__ Develop a vision for the neighborhood.
__ Develop goals.
__ Develop an overall strategy to realize your goals and, ultimately, your vision.
__ Develop an action plan for each goal.
__ Develop a plan for maintaining gains.
__ Devise a way to monitor and evaluate your effort.
Phase Three: Presenting the plan to the neighborhood, gaining approval, and implementing the first step
__ Present the plan to the neighborhood.
__ Collect feedback.
__ Incorporate feedback to the extent possible.
__ Present the final plan and ask for neighborhood support.
__ Implement the first stage of the plan.
__ Start working on the next stage of the plan.
__ Keep the program going for the life of the neighborhood.