Neighbors Building Neighborhoods

Neighbors Building Neighborhoods Program

Norfolk's Neighbors Building Neighborhoods Program is a community ownership and market-driven model for effective neighborhood revitalization. It is based on the Healthy Neighborhoods and Asset-Based Community Development community building principles. These two concepts are making a difference in communities across the country by creating an environment where all members of the community work together to identify and mobilize the positive attributes of their neighborhood (assets), look out for each other as good neighbors, invest through improvements to their homes and neighborhood blocks, and position them as excellent places to live.

Program Goals

Through regularly working together to plan, implement and manage goals, a sense of community is developed and strengthened among residents. Residents volunteer their skills and talents to the community, solve neighborhood issues, develop self-reliance, and become involved with their neighbors and improve relationships with each other. They also develop and build better relationships with the city, businesses, schools, and other community stakeholders. NBN goals include restoring:

  • Attractive and quality property improvements
  • Positive neighborhood images
  • Resident capacity
  • Strong neighborhood connections
  • Viable and competitive real estate markets

Neighborhoods of Choice: Creating Places Where People Choose to Live, Not Have to Live

Neighbors Building Neighborhoods (NBN) is a community ownership and community building initiative aimed at creating neighborhoods of choice throughout the city of Norfolk. Neighborhoods of Choice are:

  • Places where people want to live and not have to live
  • Places where it makes sense for people to invest their time, money and energy
  • Places where neighbors manage neighborhood issues and change successfully

Neighborhoods of Choice are where neighbors working together:

  • Assume ownership
  • Identify and mobilize the positive attributes
  • Know and care for each other
  • Create beautiful and clean blocks
  • Invest in their homes
  • Position their neighborhoods as vibrant places to live, work and play