Families thrive in safe and healthy neighborhoods. But communities rarely achieve such desired conditions without informed and engaged residents. As the region grapples with a historic shortage of affordable housing, long-term residents and neighborhood leaders are contending with a host of issues—gentrification and displacement, the threat of eviction, rising rents, and diminishing homeownership opportunities. 

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Residents join Neighborhood Watch meetings, homeowners’ associations, and small groups of concerned citizens in these impacted neighborhoods to strengthen their communities. To support residents engaged in neighborhood stabilization work, ANDP created Neighbors Together.  

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First launched at the annual NeighborWorks Week in 2015, Neighbors Together was designed as a training and leadership development event. Its goal was to arm residents with the information and tools needed to strengthen communities from the inside out. The event was well-received by neighborhood leaders, and ANDP was asked to continue to offer the free training event. 

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In its sixteenth year, Neighbors Together convenes formal and informal neighborhood leaders for an annual half-day of training emphasizing neighborhood stabilization efforts. Training topics include:

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• Public Safety

• Neighborhood Branding and Marketing

• Property Law & Code Enforcement

• Strengthening Relationships with Law Enforcement

• Connecting School and Community

• Neighborhood Advocacy with Elected Officials

• Foreclosure Mitigation Programs
   

Neighbors Together is executed in three distinct phases: 

 

Community Leadership Institute - Neighborhood residents and leaders who demonstrate an uncommon commitment to their communities are selected annually for a six-person team to attend NeighborWorks® America’s Community Leadership Institute (CLI). As described by NeighborWorks America, “CLI is an invitation-only, three-day training event that aims to strengthen the voices and skills of community, resident, and volunteer leaders. Participants from around the country attend in small teams from communities served by NeighborWorks Network organizations and their partners. They attend a full range of courses, and each participating team creates an action plan for positive change in their community.”  

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Dating back to its creation in 2008, CLI events have been held in New Orleans, LA;  San Jose and Sacramento, CA; Milwaukee, WI; Kansas City, MO; Orlando, FL;  Cincinnati, OH; Louisville, KY; Chicago, IL; and San Francisco, CA.

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Local Solutions - After attending the national CLI event, Neighbors Together Team members meet with ANDP staff for support as they undertake the necessary research to identify their specific neighborhood issues and underlying causes. Over the next several months, the team and ANDP staff collaborate to create a half-day training event designed to address the specific concerns identified. Simultaneously, team members begin developing a plan of action and identifying community stakeholders to engage. The annual training event also serves as a sounding board, and an opportunity to further develop team member plans. 

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Creating Change - After participating in Neighbors Together for nearly a year, team members move forward with the information and resources they’ve gained in the process to address their neighborhood concerns. Most team members return to attend the annual training events to further their understanding of issues and skill development. 

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NEIGHBORS TOGETHER IMPACT

 

• 55 metro residents have been selected to attend NeighborWorks America’s National Community Leadership Institute and joined the Neighbors Together Team. 
   

• Team members planned and executed six annual Neighbors Together training events, engaging more than 1,200+ active, committed neighborhood leaders.
   

• Several team members have taken their engagement to the next level by running for elected office or participating in additional leadership training programs.
   

• Several program participants have successfully applied for and received funding to support their neighborhood-based programs and initiatives.
   

• After years of hard work transforming her neighborhood, CLI participant Carol Yancey was honored with NeighborWorks America’s National 2019 Dorothy Richardson Award for Resident Leadership.
   

• In 2023, G. Naeema Gilyard of the City of South Fulton is the second ANDP CLI team member to be honored with the Dorothy Richardson Award for her environmental activism and community stewardship.

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About NeighborWorks America
For more than 45 years, Neighborhood Reinvestment Corp., a national, nonpartisan nonprofit known as NeighborWorks America, has strived to make every community a place of opportunity. Our network of excellence includes nearly 250 members in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. NeighborWorks America offers grant funding, peer exchange, technical assistance, evaluation tools, and access to training as the nation’s leading trainer of housing and community development professionals. NeighborWorks network organizations provide residents in their communities with affordable homes, owned and rented; financial counseling and coaching; community building through resident engagement; and collaboration in the areas of health, employment, and education.  More online at www.neighborworks.org. 

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