Arlington Comprehensive Plan Update Adopted 3-17-2015 | Page 36

Neighborhood Program
Purpose
Create a vibrant neighborhood program in Arlington that connects people and
resources, creates opportunities for collaboration, and provides support for
neighborhood organizations and the broader community.
Importance
Neighborhoods are the building blocks of a community. People who love where
they live make a neighborhood great, by contributing to the beauty, activity,
and community around them. Great neighborhoods contribute to a higher
quality of life and greater investment in our economy. They create and define
value in a city. Neighborhoods that are visually appealing, secure, attractive, and
engaged contribute to the success of Arlington and make it a city where people
want to live, learn, work, and play.
Although it can be difficult to bring so many residents with different interests
and backgrounds together to pursue common goals, a strong neighborhood
program will foster a sense of community and allow citizens to address specific
concerns. Focusing resources on a grass-roots style neighborhood program also
gives voice to groups of residents that are often overlooked, such as renters and
citizens whose first language is not English.
Building new relationships between citizens, city government and community
stakeholders is not easy, but improving communication within these groups will
support community engagement and make all neighborhoods better places to
live.

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