Communicating with neighbors has caught up with digital technology. In addition to spreading the word over the fence, while walking the dog or strolling with a baby, a formal notification system has evolved.
Keeping in touch with neighbors is a breeze for some Homeowners Associations (HOA) and neighborhoods while others have had hit-or-miss results with e-mail lists, websites, Facebook pages, printed newsletters and phone banks.
Northville Estates has a website, which it is updating, and a residential e-mail list of nearly 155 homeowners. HOA president Chuck Murdock estimates that he sends out 60-70 e-mails a year to convey notices and issues concerning the subdivision. Cabbagetown resident Larry Parks started a popular Facebook page, which now has 58 members that follow neighborhood news.
Pheasant Hills Homeowners Association has a website and uses a company to update it, but members plan to start doing it themselves to save costs and do it quicker. The association also produces a print newsletter twice a year, and maintains an e-mail list of residents.
Pheasant Hills HOA President Dan Wegienka stays in contact with Northville Police Chief Mike Carlson so he can keep residents informed about any suspicious activity (which is low) and other ways to keep their neighborhood safe. He also talks to neighbors in other subdivisions to see if there are any common issues that can be resolved in tandem.
“The more communication you have with residents, the less complaints you get. People need to know the ordinances,” said Wegienka, who is pleased with the way the city is enforcing ordinances.
Abbey Knoll’s communications are handled by Diana Krestel, who maintains an e-mail list of the 98 homeowners who live there. Her husband Bob is the immediate past president of the HOA.
Neighborhoods with websites can send a link to the City for posting on the City of Northville website, which boosts search engine optimization (SEO) for neighborhoods. (Send your link to
[email protected].)