CREATING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY

When I lived in Austin, TX, I was part of the North Shoal Creek Neighborhood Association. The association struggled with engaging the neighbors in the area, especially as so many new people were moving to the neighborhood. My task was to identify the needs of the residents of North Shoal Creek to determine priorities for planning activities, communication channels, and branding and website improvements.

RESEARCH

I conducted neighborhood-wide surveys and resident interviews. I worked with others in the association to distribute paper copies to every household in the neighborhood and mailed postcards directing residents to complete the survey online or using the paper copy. Through the survey responses, I reached out to residents to discuss their needs for the neighborhood and improvements they’d like to see.

We received 83 responses, 76 were submitted online and 7 in paper. We found that neighborhood development, safety, and traffic were the three most important areas for our residents. The survey was mostly taken by residents that weren’t part of the neighborhood association and there was a lot of feedback to improve membership and resident engagement.

IMPLEMENTATION

As a result of the survey results and interviews, I unveiled a style guide to help brand the community more. We also applied for a variety of grants to help with neighborhood development, resulting in the creation of a community garden in our neighborhood, and appealed to city council to help alleviate safety and traffic concerns for the area. Additionally, I updated the website to help residents find the information they need easier. The website can be found at http://www.nscna.org/.