Ever Been Involved in Neighborhood Involvement?

I have always heard that Portland's commitment to and level of neighborhood involvement is high, high, high.  I've heard of "ONI," the city's Office of Neighborhood Involvement, and of course am familiar with my own neighborhood association, though admittedly not very involved in it, aside from attending the occasional monthly meeting - before I had kids, natch.  I kind of get the link between my neighborhood association and the one-level up neighborhood coalitions (like Southeast Uplift or NE Coalition of Neighborhoods), but can't quite figure how they all tie together to ONI.  I did see a nifty diagram explaining all the inter-relatedness - which helped this neighborhood neophyte - but would love to hear from those of you who've been involved - what do you think?  Does your neighborhood have a real voice?  What issue(s) were you involved with?  Were you successful?  Frustrated?  And, if you've lived in other cities, is Portland's system truly unique, more effective, more, well, involved? 

For any budding neighborhood activists, check out ONI's Get Involved web page to sign up for e-notifications, toolboxes & resources, and volunteer opportunities (like downspout disconnection & foot patrols, among others). 

Comments

[sarah gilbert]

I'm fairly knowledgeable about neighborhood involvement, as I've been on my own neighborhood (Creston-Kenilworth) board for four years, and our current chair is an employee of ONI and explains the relationship in terms I understand! essentially, the ONI gets money from the City of Portland to support neighborhood involvement, and works to do so in part by funding the neighborhood coalitions, which each employee staff members to promote neighborhood involvement (each has a slightly different mission based loosely on the neighborhoods' desiress, such as minority outreach in SEUL and land use in the outer southeast). In turn, each coalition gives small amounts of money to the neighborhood organizations to defray costs of publishing newsletters, having neighborhood gatherings, etc.

What's interesting is that, though the neighborhood organizations have no real power, they often exert a tremendous influence on the willingness of businesses to locate or develop in the neighborhood. the power exists in their ability to write letters supporting and opposing government action, from OLCC licenses to zoning changes -- and, truthfully, these letters often have very little impact (especially for OLCC licenses).

despite the lack of "real" power, I believe being involved in the neighborhood organization is one of the best ways to change a community. it's a way of doing an end-run around our typical response to things we don't like: complain after the fact. instead, we can complain before the fact (when the olcc license application notice comes in, or when a developer begins the planning process for a new group of townhomes) and maybe band together with like-minded neighbors to have a neighborhood watch or a tree-planting or raise money for new playground equipment.

going to neighborhood meetings is something i'd definitely recommend -- even *after* kids!