Neighborhood Association

The term neighborhood association (or community association) refers to the relatively formally organized group whose aim is to address local issues, such as education reform, crime, or homelessness, to promote or prevent planned reforms and investments that are perceived as significantly influencing life in the local community/neighborhood. Therefore, neighborhood associations strengthen the link between residents and policymakers. They mobilize residents into political activism and create opportunities for direct communication within the local community and between the local residents and local officials. Unlike professional, lifestyle, or interest-focused associations that group individuals by their occupational characteristics or similar lifestyle or interests, neighborhood associations group individuals that share concern for the good of the local community.

Research shows that while citizens' participation in most types of voluntary organizations is beneficial for the quality of democratic government, neighborhood associations have a particularly positive influence on the functioning of political and economic institutions. Neighborhood associations act as “schools of democracy,” in which citizens are socialized into activism and political participation. They facilitate communication among various local actors and institutions and stimulate articulation of citizens' interests and expectations. They contribute to the emergence of the sense of community among local residents. They increase individuals' and communities' civic capacity. As a result, neighborhood associations contribute to the empowerment of neighborhood communities and lay the ground for local and national policy efforts.

Individuals with larger resources (such as skills and money) are more likely to join voluntary associations, but research shows that neighborhood associations that have more resources are less active than less-affluent associations. However, this may be due to the fact that that they operate in the wealthier areas facing fewer social problems, thus requiring less action on their part. It may also be a result of replacing the needs-driven approach, focusing on the problems of a local community, with the asset-based approach that concentrates on utilizing the strengths of even deprived communities, and thus on transforming “clients into citizens.”

The late twentieth century has brought a widespread concern about the loss of community in modern Western societies. Anonymity of urban environments, technological advances, and increased mobility are among the main factors blamed for the erosion of formal and informal networks among local residents. Therefore, in attempts to create opportunities for the emergence and development of neighborhood initiatives, governmental and nongovernmental agencies promote policies aimed at improving the quality of life in local communities and strengthening citizens' links with their neighborhoods.