Neighborhood Associations and Their Strategic Actions to Enhance Residents’ Neighborhood Satisfaction

Abstract

A neighborhood-representing community association (or neighborhood association [NA]) can offer community-based solutions to address problems and needs within a neighborhood. From this study, we expected to see the potential benefits that such an association could contribute to a neighborhood and its residents. A questionnaire survey was conducted in five neighborhoods in Greenville, North Carolina, in summer 2011. The study had two main research questions: “Do the NA’s tasks have an impact on resident’s overall neighborhood satisfaction?” Next, we asked, “Are there specific features that make a NA serve residents effectively and thus make people satisfied with their association?” We found significant contributions by NAs in communication and community activities that affected residents’ overall neighborhood satisfaction. We also found that an association’s contributions in maintaining active communications with residents were the most significant feature that residents appreciated.