Building a Block Association

The whys and the hows

Park Slope Civic Council President Ken Freeman stresses the vital importance of block associations in Park Slope’s renaissance and continued growth:

“Block associations are the backbone of our communities. They serve as the eyes, ears and enforcement of the neighborhood. Block associations were of critical importance in stopping the crime wave affecting Park Slope during the 1980s, including identifying crack houses and providing neighborhood patrols. Today, we are fortunate that our block associations serve a greater function in orchestrating community gatherings, block parties and addressing quality-of-life issues. Block associations retain an active role in maintaining the great neighborhood Park Slope has become – their importance can not be overstated.”

What would you like on the street where you live? A more beautiful, safer block? A sense of ease with your neighbors? The power to tackle a local annoyance or problem? A network that can be activated in a crisis?

Starting a block association can do all this and more for you.

Park Slope block associations have successfully spearheaded efforts to reduce drug trafficking, turned neglected areas into leafy showplaces, made streets safer, averted the plans of corrupt developers, lobbied for traffic lights, created wonderful summer and holiday memories for kids and adults alike, and connected people who had no idea they’d enjoy the connection so much.

Block associations are not only good for their members, they are good for their neighborhoods. Nelly Isaacson, a longtime community activist, PSCC trustee, and past president of ROSAS (Revitalization of the Southern Area of the Slope), says, “Leaders listen when you have a group of people — and not just one person — pressing for attention to a situation.”

There are three basic reasons to start a block association:

1. Social — to create events such as a block party, holiday gathering, garden tour, progressive dinner, or street games and BBQ day that enable people to have fun, relax, and get to know each other better.
2. Functional — to address security challenges, “green up” the block, plan a collective stoop sale, and more.
3. Political — to respond to a situation (a rash of robberies, poor sanitation services, an out-of-character development project) that requires the involvement of elected officials and government agencies for resolution.

Whatever your notions about block associations, be prepared to be surprised by the one you organize. Your association will be as individual as your block. Maybe your meetings will be monthly, quarterly — or practically never. Maybe you’ll communicate by word-of-mouth, email, Google Groups, phone, flyers, a bulletin board or web site. Maybe you’ll have special committees or loosely organized work groups focused on various projects. There are no rules set in stone. You’ll make the rules together.

Every block association is a work in progress. The one you organize today will change with the people, projects and priorities on your block. Craig Hammerman, District Manager of Community Board 6, says “The best associations live, breathe, and change to meet the evolving needs of the blocks they serve. They address the concerns of everyone on the block and are genuinely inclusive.”

If you want to start a block association, here’s how:

• Step One: form a core group. Gather a group of interested neighbors informally to talk about what you’ve observed on the block and in the neighborhood and what you’d like to change or enhance. Craig Hammerman can facilitate such a conversation. He is a great resource; contact him by e-mail.
• Step Two: set a working structure. Some block associations operate informally with a steering committee. Others elect officers, write bylaws, collect dues, and open bank accounts. Your structure may evolve over time.

If you’re taking on more complex or political projects, it’s helpful to have officers in place. They can include:

• President or Chairperson — runs the meetings and serves as the contact person for your block.
• Vice-President or Co-Chairperson — serves as backup for the President or Chair; takes on a few administrative tasks and is a good sounding board.
• Secretary or Secretary/Treasurer — keeps detailed records so your organization has transparency, accountability, and history (so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel for events, such as block parties, that you’ve done in the past). If also serving as Treasurer, this officer handles finances and keeps those records, too.

Bylaws — as simple as one page listing your officers, how they’re chosen, how long they will serve, how often you plan to meet, and who can vote on the issues at hand.


How will you raise money for your projects? Some associations simply pass the hat when a bill needs payment. Others collect annual dues, have plant sales, bake sales, T-shirt sales, living room concerts, and other fundraisers. You might need less money than you think. It’s worth investigating association-only perks from government agencies and non-profits that will make your block safer and more beautiful: anything from tree guards to smoke alarms.

Where will you keep the money? Block associations run the gamut, from keeping cash in a lock box to creating a Not-For-Profit Corporation (see "Handling the Money").

• Step Three: start small and simple. Consider doing a potluck dessert party, offering residents the Park Slope Civic Council’s “No Flyers No Ads No Menus” signs, sponsoring a clean-up and green-up day in the spring, or doing a letter writing campaign. An easy activity will serve as a focus to start the ball rolling and get more residents involved. Use multiple methods to reach as many people as possible.
• Step Four: build on success. Invite the Community Affairs Officers from the local Precinct to the first meeting you have with a formalized agenda. Talk to the police about concerns you have on your block and let them offer you their advice and any of a variety of services, from free home security inspections to a vehicle identification etching day.

If you’re having difficulties with the services of a particular government agency, invite a representative of that organization to your next meeting. And if you still don’t get satisfaction, contact elected officials. This is your block!

• Step Five: keep it real. The association needs to check in with all of the block periodically to ask, “How are we doing?”
• Step Six: cultivate leadership. Block associations thrive (and people avoid burnout) when leadership is distributed among many residents, and current leaders make a conscious effort to “grow” new leadership.
• Step Seven: make your own traditions. The neighborly feeling grows when a block has annual events everyone anticipates: the magical day when the street becomes a playground, complete with a cooling spray from the hydrant, and the aroma of grilled hot dogs; or the wintry fun of caroling door-to-door, followed by an array of treats, mulled cider and hot chocolate at the holidays. What traditions will you make that will make your block great?