Building a sense of community has always been a balancing act however, due to the current economic climate it is now even more challenging. Times have changed dramatically in the last few years and for some homeowners the American dream by necessity is changing, as many people have lost their jobs, are on the verge of losing their homes or could even be dealing with deteriorating communities due to short sales and foreclosures. All of these issues affect the creation, building and retention of community.
There are a variety of reasons that people come together in a community including building relationships, protecting property values and enhancing their community. However, building a cohesive community is not possible without hard work, courage and personal sacrifice. Describing the instances that damage a sense of community is easy, but instead we should focus on the positive aspects of building communities and what we can all do to create and encourage positive environments.
The term community has a different meaning to everyone based on individual experiences, feelings and present life conditions. As community managers we can approach each community with the proper consideration when we make decisions, plans and interact with residents.
Community managers have the opportunity to build communities through leading and communicating effectively, being proactive, engaging residents and recognizing their efforts and making the most of community facilities.
Lead and Communicate Effectively
As the economy has changed around us, we must welcome new challenges and be prepared to be leaders of change. Therefore, effective communication has never been more important in community living. As community managers we need to listen and not just hear owner concerns regarding community affairs and assess the root of the issue. We need to get past the words and focus on the motivations and emotions at play.
For example recently a resident criticized the process of signing in at the community pool with their name and address. This resident didn't want to write their name and address on the log because it would be seen by others checking in to the pool. The procedure was explained and while the resident understood the reason for the procedure, it did not solve the resident's problem. The resident persisted pointing out some of the stark societal realities we are faced with today including child abduction, teen violence and crime to explain why it is not safe to have a name, child's name and address in plain sight for all residents to see. This example illustrates that while we cannot changes these realities, we can change our approach to certain rules and be willing to alter our processes and procedures if deemed necessary.
Be Proactive and Ask For Resident Feedback
It is important for community managers to problem solve to help break down obstacles that a community may be facing. This does not mean that you should not enforce the rules or CC&R's of a community, but simply try to understand community member's needs through not only suggesting ways to resolve issues but also asking for feedback. The more people you ask for ideas and solutions to any given problem, the more opportunities you will have to help solve the problem. Bounce situations and ideas off your colleagues and most importantly the residents themselves. Ask for their ideas on a resolution and you may find they have a workable idea. When people feel a sense of ownership for a solution they become more supportive and receptive. Through this approach you can solve the issue and at the same time win an ally in the community.
Engage Residents and Recognize Their Contributions
Involve interested residents by forming committees on relevant topics and encourage their input and ideas to explore and provide information to the board. As an example, you may have a few residents that want to ‘Go Green' and install solar panels, while board members offer resistance due to concerns of the initial cost. Establish an ad hoc committee of residents to do the leg work and present their findings to the board and homeowners via a special meeting. The board may not always agree with their conclusions and may not take recommended actions, but it is critical that residents get involved to build a sense of community.
Make sure that the resident's feel appreciated as no one wants to feel they wasted their time or that their efforts have no value. Recognize your community volunteers, often and publicly. If you have a newsletter, spotlight a community volunteer each issue. At your annual meeting, take time to introduce the volunteers and thank them for their commitment, maybe with raffle gifts donated by surrounding merchants. Remember that local merchants are struggling in this economy and may welcome a sponsorship opportunity to get within the community.
Use Community Amenities to Your Benefit
What interests the residents in your community? If the community you manage has a clubhouse or a meeting room, use it to invite people to speak on subjects of interest to the residents in the community. Examples of these topics could include workshops to discuss water conservation, drought tolerant/native landscaping or even neighborhood watch and crime prevention programs. You can find experts within your community to speak from the city and county of your community as well as your vendors, who would welcome the opportunity to speak in front of your community members. Workshops get neighbors talking to each other about their neighborhood and the changes they would like to see to make things better.
In conclusion, be creative and get people to establish the community brand. Shared enthusiasm generates more enthusiasm, so keep it positive and always remember at the end of the day you are dealing with people. Listen and communicate effectively. Of course, our main job is to keep things running smoothly and to maintain and protect property values, but your time should also be spent promoting and building a strong and positive sense of community, You will see a difference in your community.
