The Neighborhood Support Network builds relationships of trust and support among diverse citizens engaged in neighborhood enrichment in the greater Tucson region.

The Network offers a unique capacity to build connections among stakeholders and elected neighborhood leaders, past and present, as they work to improve Tucson’s quality of life.

The Network’s primary focus is on
· Making connections through which knowledge can be shared
· Identifying and promoting the use of best practices in neighborhood problem solving
· Mentoring new leaders
· Coordinating issue forums
· Maintaining an internet-based information storehouse
· Assisting members in forming coalitions and partnerships for joint action.

The Neighborhood Support Network seeks to
· Reach across political boundaries
· Be inclusive and open
· Promote carefully selected policy options judged to be in the best interests of the community.

The Network sponsors periodic meetings of all members, as well as topic-oriented meetings as needed.

As a representative of my neighborhood association, I have been to a number of NSN meetings and workshops over the years, and have developed some friendly relationships, and have profited from the network of information sharing.

So if you join the NSN and have a neighborhood issue you are passionate about, then you can start up a discussion on the website, and find out what others are thinking or doing about the same issue. I wish someone would just figure out a way to fix the ubiquitous potholes in our city streets (in addition to waiting for City of Tucson Street Maintenance).

logo

Find out who this visioning group “Imagine Greater Tucson” (IGT) is by attending their Kick Off event on September 30th, 4-5:30pm at Hi Corbett Field – Oktoberfest tent on the field (Randolph Way, between Broadway and E. 22nd). I hear they are an outgrowth of a 2007 Tucson Town Hall meeting on Tucson’s future.

“All attendees of the Kick-Off are invited to stay and enjoy the Oktoberfest opening night festivities at 6pm. Families and friends are welcome.”

“Imagine Greater Tucson is led by Director Eileen Fagan. A steering committee and several working groups are in place to inform and engage the public. Working group members include representatives from neighborhood and environmental/conservation groups, business, education, government, health care and non-profits”. (per Donald Ijams, IGT member and coordinator of the Neighborhood Support Network)

Mission
Imagine Greater Tucson’s purpose is to create a shared vision and clear action for the Tucson region that will make our community a vibrant and healthy place to live, work, learn and play for current and future generations of all ages.

Goals

* A clear set of broadly supported strategies to guide the future of the region;
* Broad-based community support for a preferred future scenario, and clear plans and action to turn this future scenario into reality;
* Integration of IGT outcomes into Town, City and County planning processes;
* A robust and sustainable multi-stakeholder coalition to move action plans forward and work together on implementation;
* Enhanced community cohesiveness and relationships;
* A more informed, mobilized, and engaged public;
* Tangible results felt by all members of our greater Tucson community!
*
GET INVOLVED
We want to work together to help shape the future of our region. We can’t do it alone. We need your help, support, and ideas to make the Tucson region a better place to live now and in the future. We encourage all members of the community – citizens, businesses and organizations – to join in! Here’s how you can get involved…

o Email us at volunteer@imaginegreatertucson.org
o Sign up to Stay Informed at igt@imaginegreatertucson.org
o Volunteer at an event or a Community Conversation this Fall
o Make a tax-deductible donation in any amount to Imagine Greater Tucson – click Donate
o Find us on Twitter or Facebook
Get involved with Imagine Greater Tucson. Our work depends on an enthusiastic network of organizations, institutions and individuals like you. Let’s shape our future together!

For media inquiries, contact:
Sheila Storm
Pima Assoc. of Governments
520-792-1093
sstorm@pagnet.org

For speaking engagements, contact:
Michael Guymon
michael@mpaaz.org

The program for this all day seminar includes the following:

* Description of the CFMH steps and certification
* Fair Housing – by Sandy Fagan, Southwest Fair Housing Council
* Why and how to do renter screening
* Background and credit checks
* Rental Agreements and the Crime Free Lease Addendum
* Eviction Processes – Pima County Constable’s Office
* Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act – by a Crime Free Multi-Housing Program attorney
* Rights and Obligations of Landlords – Rights and Obligations of Tenants
* Drug Recognition – What drug users/dealers can do to your rental property – by Tucson Police drug enforcement officers
* Gangs – What gang members can do to your rental property – by Tucson Police gang enforcement officers

From TPD website:
“The Crime Free Multi-Housing Program is an international program which partners property owners, residents, and law enforcement personnel in an effort to eliminate crime in multi-housing properties. The program began in 1992 in Mesa, Arizona and has spread to 38 states, 3 Canadian provinces, and over 700 cities. The Tucson Police Department has been a member of this most worthwhile program for several years now,”

If you miss this program, the next ones are schedules for Thursdays April 8, July 8, and October 7, 2010. Log onto their website for further information about the follow up workshops.

“This program is endorsed by the Neighborhood Support Network (NSN) of Tucson and Southern Arizona as one of the best ways to prevent crime and disorder from happening in neighborhoods.” Thanks Don Ijams, NSN Coordinator for sending out their online information on this program.

For info on this CFMH program contact
CSO Becky Noel #37968
Operations Division Midtown Crime Free Coordinator
Tucson Police Department
1100 S. Alvernon
Tucson, AZ 85711
Office (520) 837-7428
FAX (520) 791-5422

In attendance were the some of the City staffers that were there last week at the first dialogue in Ward 3 (at the NW Neighborhood Center). Councilmember Nina Trasoff and City Manager Mike Letcher did the welcomes. The format was the same, with six break out tables of residents discussing the same questions I wrote about in my previous blog “Let the Dialogues Begin” on 9/28/09.

Neighbors/activists I recognized participating tonight: Paul Mackey, Les Pierce, Don Ijams (Neighborhood Support Network), Colette Altaffer & Ruth Beeker (Neighborhood Infill Coalition), Robin Gomez, Bill Dupont, Mary DeCamp (candidate for Ward 3 council seat), Joanie Sawyer (Pro Neighborhoods), Alice Roe, Tres English.

Again, there was a promise at the end to post these comments and suggestions on their website, www.tucsonaz.gov/dialogues. But again there was no consensus on what are the City’s top budget priorities and what areas need to be cut. I wonder how the City Manager & his staff will weed through all these suggestions to come up with “key services” that should be prioritized for the City’s budget. Otherwise, these public dialogues may become mere “discussions”, with no solutions.

There are still five more City dialogues to attend in case you’ve missed the first three.

Coming up tomorrow night is the one in Ward 4 at Desert Sky Middle School, 9850 E. Rankin Loop, at 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Be there to express your opinion on how the City of Tucson should prioritize their budget, but I wonder what the final outcome after these 8 dialogues will be. Stay tuned.

Donald Ijams, a retired Senior Management Analyst at TPD is the coordinator of this group and had dreamed of setting up such a network after he retired 4 years ago.

Residents of eight neighborhoods were represented at the meeting: Colonia del Valle, Doolen Fruitvale, El Montevideo, Palo Verde, Peter Howell, Sam Hughes, San Clemente, and South Park. This meeting was a roundtable discussion to share problems and projects going on in the neighborhoods. And these were diverse – from stray dogs & traffic circles, to crimes such as burglaries and murder. The benefits of Neighborhood Watches were discussed, and how neighborhood associations were handling new development, clean up projects, block parties, National Night Out, better street lighting, and tree trimming.

Don announced that he is a participant in a newly formed group called the Tucson Regional Visioning Process, which is seeking to define the “common values” of Tucson and the future of growth here. For updates on this project, an outgrowth of the last year’s Regional Town Hall, contact Donald at 520-795-0770 or dsijams at gmail.com.

Pro Neighborhoods was represented by Community Organizer Joanie Sawyer, who informed the neighbors of their new workshops on resources, with a $50 incentive/certificate for neighborhood associations that attend all 8 workshops, starting September 9 and ending on December 5:

1. GETTING STARTED: Basics for Beginning Neighborhood Groups
Wednesday, Sept. 9, 6 – 8:30 PM

2. FROM CAFECITOS TO DESIGN CHARETTES
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 6:00 – 9 PM

3. PRESERVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD: Resources and Guides to Help You Work the System
Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 AM – 3 PM

4. GETTING THE WORD OUT Newsletters, Web sites, blogs and more
Wednesday, Oct. 28, 6 – 9 PM

5. EVERYTHING HAPPENS IN RELATIONSHIP I: Partnering with Your Community
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 6 – 9 PM

6. EVERYTHING HAPPENS IN RELATIONSHIP II: Partnering with Youth
Saturday, November 7, 9 AM – NOON

7. WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THAT PROPERTY?
Saturday, November 14, 9 AM – NOON

8. WHAT’S WORKING?
Saturday, Dec. 5, 9 AM – NOON

See the Pro Neighborhoods website or call 520-882-5885 for more information and workshops. I have previously blogged on their Community Organizing course which started in August.

Neighbors sharing community information and networking with other neighbors is what NSN is all about. I think Donald’s dream has come true.