Before my family moved into our rental unit, the property manager stopped by to let you know of our pending arrival;  she told us you had many questions for her.  At first I was annoyed that we were moving in next to a "nosy neighbor."  I've been wrong about you so many times since then.

     Shortly after we moved in you asked us to pull our car closer to the garage so we didn't block the sidewalk, because "your neighbors use the sidewalk."  I thought you were using the word "neighbors" to identify a grumpy group of  hypothetical people that might want to use the sidewalk one day.  But over time I've learned that the neighbor two doors down (we have a smile-and-wave relationship) literally uses the sidewalk multiple times a day, not only to walk his little gray dog but also to reach the home of his brother who lives several doors to the other side.

     You introduced me to other neighbors during our first few months.  My somewhat pessimistic instinct told me you just liked being the woman who knows everyone... but over time, I've heard you talk about these neighbors (and the previous occupants of my unit) as if they are your family.  You put in considerable effort to get to know me, my little ones, and others around us. 

     I've realized that our neighborhood IS your family.  Like so many other people in our state, your blood relatives live in another part of the country.  So do mine, which I believe is why my children have adopted you as a grandmother-ish figure in their lives.  And you treat them as though they are your grandchildren.  In fact, you remind me of my own grandma - which makes it so much more meaningful to me when I can help you with things like carrying a heavy bag up your stairs, or translating the instructions on a new piece of technology that you've purchased.  I like to think that one of her neighbors would do the same for her, in my absence.

     When you thank me, I find myself saying "That's what neighbors are for!"  But the truth is, I haven't reached out to any other neighbors the way you reached out to me and my family.  So during this time of giving thanks, I want to thank you for showing me the value of being a good neighbor - and share our story with others who may not realize that a good neighbor could be as close as next door.

As part of a major initiative focused on housing affordability, Sarasota County is seeking community input on the topic through an online survey.  To provide your input and take the quick survey, visit www.scgov.net/HousingAffordability.  Look on the right for the button that says "Take Survey."

In October Sarasota County hosted the Florida Neighborhoods Conference, which is modeled after the Neighborhoods USA conference.  If you enjoyed FNC, or didn't get to attend it, we encourage you to consider attending NUSA in May!

The next cycle of Neighborhood Initiative Grants is just around the corner.  The first step in applying for a grant is to attend an informational workshop, where you will be presented with an overview of the program and page-by-page explanation of the application paperwork and process.   Register for an upcoming grant workshop here.

Our neighborhood is filled with people, but not relationships.   How can I get  the ball rolling?  I don't have time or funds to organize a block party.

May we suggest starting small?  Recognize one or two neighbors with a thoughtful note.  Of course it's even more convenient when writing the thoughtful note requires no thinking on your part (admittedly, we may be missing the point of "thoughtful") - check out this list of " 20 Easy, Inexpensive and Fast Neighbor Christmas Gifts" for clever recognition ideas.